Festival of Books: Jesus, L. Ron Hubbard and shopping for religions

[rug]

By Saba Hamedy
April 12, 2014, 2:36 p.m.

What do Jesus and Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard have in common? According to authors Reza Aslan and Lawrence Wright, there are indeed commonalities.

Fans and avid readers flocked to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on Saturday to hear Aslan and Wright speak during an hourlong panel moderated by Times Editor-in-Chief Davan Maharaj.

“You will leave enlightened, I hope,” Maharaj said when introducing the panel.

Aslan, author of “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,” and Wright, author of “Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & the Prison of Belief,” delved deeper into parallels between the two religious figures featured in their books.

Both Wright and Aslan noted Jesus and Hubbard are of two different eras and therefore the context varies.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-reza-aslan-20140412,0,6591544.story#ixzz2yiXTkjbN

I'd say a yacht is one striking difference.

[struggle4progress]

1. Aslan's book was an interesting read: I learned some things about the early Christian era,

and the period preceeding it, that I had not known

L Ron Hubbard doesn't interest me much, I'm afraid

[rug]

3. Me either but it's useful to know about him when encountering glib comparisons.

[xfundy]

2. Coke VS Pepsi.

Just another brand war.

[rug]

4. Only on the most superficial of levels.