Controversial author James Frey is set to ignite another firestorm with his new book, The Final Testament of the Holy Bible, in which the second coming of Christ takes place in The Bronx projects -- but the Messiah turns out to be a former alcoholic who impregnates a prostitute. The book is set to be published on Good Friday in the UK. Naturally, the press has already begun tearing it apart, without even reading the book. The Guardian, a UK newspaper, didn't bother to read it and simply ripped apart his last book. Don't even think about what the Catholic Church will do to him... they're probably considering bringing back the Inquisition.
The writer caused a stink five years ago when his supposed memoir was proven to be severely fictionalized, and received a public scolding from one-time supporter Oprah. Speaking to the NY Post, And with this new book, which Frey imagines as the Final Testament of the Bible, he is sure that it will continue to upset people. "I'm sure the religious right will go crazy because the story of Ben... is hardly the Messiah they have in mind. But I don't really care. I just did what I always do -- tried to write the best book I could."
In this version of the Greatest Story Ever Told, Jesus Christ returns to Earth, to get us ready for the annihilation of our vile, belligerent species. Renamed Ben Zion, he joins a band of apocalyptic loons who hole up in the subway tunnels beneath Manhattan. His divinity seems to be proved when he miraculously survives an accident on a building site after a sheet of glass punctures his skull and severs his arteries. He communes with his heavenly father during epileptic seizures, and gathers around him a gaggle of hapless apostles, to whom he preaches drippy sermons about peace. He licks and laps the genitalia of his female acolytes, disseminating celestial bliss in their nether regions; bouts of tantric sex follow, along with vegetarian love-ins at a rural commune. His message is the old hippy standby – love, love, love – which he pursues in very practical ways. He makes love to almost everyone he meets – women, men, drug addicts, priests. Hence the blasphemy.
It must be remembered that Jesus himself was accused of blasphemy. It's usually the dominant religious authority that declares something blasphemous... because it challenges their religious power. The point here is that the life and death of Jesus show the world what God is like, Christians believe. Jesus is blasphemous because he challenges the notion that no one can see God and live, as Moses was told in the book of Exodus. It lies at the foundation of the new faith Jesus inspired.
Perhaps this book, in its own way, will inspire a new kind of faith and love and tolerance by challenging the religious authorities. Lord know the Catholic Church, with so many pederasts in their ranks, should try to communicate instead of ex-communicate...
On second thought.... nah! And the heat will increase when the movie comes out. He's already selling the rights -- According to Deadline, he's open to movie offers for the book, and his agency WME will begin the process of shopping it to different financiers and studios. A book about such a sensitive subject, it's already raising hackles amongst some religious groups, and a film should take it over the top.
Also, the publisher is pretty clever - Gagosian Gallery. The print edition is limited to 11,000, and they're going to sell it for $50 a pop at Amazon, figuring it'll become a collector's item. However, you can get it for your Kindle for only $10.
