Olbermann Mis-states Bible History While Correcting O'Reilly on Bible

On Friday's "Countdown" show, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, while condescendingly chastising FNC's Bill O'Reilly for erroneously remarking that the "Book of Revelation" was written 5,000 years ago, made a mistake of his own in explaining O'Reilly's error, as the "Countdown" host claimed Jesus Christ "died roughly 2007 years ago." Olbermann: "Now, he [Christ] was supposed to have died roughly 2007 years ago, which is where we get the number on the calendar thing with the years in it. It's A.D., Anno Domini, Year of Our Lord, it's sort of dated back to the death-" [Stops talking and sighs] (Transcript follows)

During the show's regular "Worst Person in the World" segment, after naming Oliver North and Sean Hannity to the "Worse" and "Worser" designations, Olbermann tagged O'Reilly as the day's "Worst Person" for comments the FNC host made on his radio show, as reported by the far-left Media Matters for America. Olbermann began: "But the winner, and I don't think we've mentioned him yet tonight, who blasts secular progressives and makes fun of people who slip up on their biblical knowledge, he made a Bible reference himself."

Olbermann continued, in a mocking imitation of O'Reilly's voice: "'Go to 'Revelations' in the Bible and look at the prediction for the end of the world. This was written, what, 5,000 years ago?'"

Addressing O'Reilly, the "Countdown" host then condescendingly explained that the "Book of Revelation" was written sometime after the time of Christ's death, which Olbermann seemed to confuse with Christ's birth year, as Olbermann claimed that Christ "died roughly 2007 years ago." Olbermann: "All right, let me go through this slowly for you. The revelations in the 'Book of Revelations' are said to have been written by John of Patmos, after an angel came to see him with his revelations from Jesus. Christ! Jesus Christ, Bill! Now, he was supposed to have died roughly 2007 years ago, which is where we get the number on the calendar thing with the years in it. It's A.D., Anno Domini, year of our Lord, it's sort of dated back to the death- [Stops talking and sighs] Bill Orally, today's 'Worst' -- 5,000 years ago?! -- 'Person in the World'!"

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday November 16 "Countdown" show on MSNBC:

KEITH OLBERMANN: But the winner, and I don't think we've mentioned him yet tonight, who blasts secular progressives and makes fun of people who slip up on their biblical knowledge, he made a Bible reference himself.

OLBERMANN, mocking O'Reilly's voice: "Go to 'Revelations' in the Bible and look at the prediction for the end of the world. This was written, what, 5,000 years ago?"

OLBERMANN: 5,000 years go. All right, let me go through this slowly for you. The revelations in the "Book of Revelations" are said to have been written by John of Patmos, after an angel came to see him with his revelations from Jesus. Christ! Jesus Christ, Bill! Now, he was supposed to have died roughly 2007 years ago, which is where we get the number on the calendar thing with the years in it. It's A.D., Anno Domini, year of our Lord, it's sort of dated back to the death- [Stops talking and sighs] Bill Orally, today's "Worst" -- 5,000 years ago?! -- "Person in the World"!