I'm talking about the book by Bill O'Reilly.  Any of you read it?  I really liked his focus on history rather than religious aspects.  There are certainly needs for the "religious" books based on Jesus' life and teachings, but I think there is also a need for this kind of book to understand the historical perspective and the "facts" that we know rather than just the things we have faith in.

Afraid I haven't read it.  What kinds of facts does it focus on, out of curiosity?

I don't have enough trust in O'Reilly as a source to ever take his work seriously, unfortunately. He's on the newsie side of newstainment, but it's still far enough over the line that I'd prefer an actual biblical scholar over someone whose paycheck rises the more sensationalism he causes.

This is spot on.  I'm not too interested in anything written by a guy who is clearly an entertainer (geared to conservatives) but who takes that entertainment into the realm of racism.

Maybe the book is fine, but I wouldn't be able to read it without my own bias basically discounting anything he said as pure crap.

I think you guys have O'Reilly wrong.  He was a news reporter and schoolteacher long before ever having an opinion show.  Even his show is not really "geared to conservatives," particularly since he is a self-confessed libertarian.  He goes after everyone.

But put that aside.  I had the same reservations as you did until I read "Killing Lincoln."  There is not a hint of political rhetoric in there.  In fact, he ensures that nothing goes in his books that is not an undisputed fact.

"Killing Jesus" focuses more than I thought it would on the Roman control of the area, and on the historical background of the Jews in Jesus' time.  He doesn't go into the "miracles" or much of Jesus' religious teachings, nor does he insert opinion.  A large part of it focuses on Caesar and Roman politics to show how the killing of Jesus could be accepted by Rome.  He talks about the process of crucifixion and its place in Roman law, and about why Jesus could be thought of as so dangerous to the Jews that their leadership would actually try to have him killed.

Set aside your prejudices and read the book.  Then tell me what you think.

So no one took me up on this?  It's a good book from a historical (not religious) perspective.

Unfortunately my reading list is backlogged about two months with work books :)

Yep. I'm bogged down (ha!) with books for school, so anything not directly pertaining to that is just going to wait.

Well, get to it when you can.  It's a history based book that only goes over the history and affect of what happened.  It specifically stays away from the actual faith issues that cannot be factually substantiated independent from the Bible (healing, walking on water, etc.).  I bought it on books on CD and have listened to it twice now.  It's worth the effort.