Digression alert: Soon after meeting with Doug Pittman, I had the opportunity to speak at length with Tom Rich. Once again, I was grateful for the "heart-rending" experience at my former church. Once again, as he told me his story, I felt like I was reading a playbook as I heard about the responses by Mac Brunson and the so-called "leadership" at FBC Jacksonville.

 

This situation, however, is even more chilling in that a church may have "used" the legal system to "out"  a blogger for its own, ill-defined purposes. Tom's situation has national implications and has garnered national attention since it appears that Tom's First Amendment rights may have been violated. TWW's thoughts and prayers are with the Rich family during this time of trial. Please click on Tom's name or FBC Jacksosnville to see the posts from last August and September. 

 

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Years ago, Jerry Falwell splashed onto the national political scene with his "Moral Majority." He claimed that there were many Americans who did not agree with a liberal social agenda. He made a big deal that the Bible was against many of the tenets held dear by the left including abortion and homosexuality. He declared one of the Teletubbies to be a cross dresser (said Tubbie carried a purse). It is safe to say that Falwell had significant influence within conservative circles at that time but was despised by the left and even some moderates.

 

But here is the problem with dubbing oneself and one's movement , "Moral." Such a word is a disaster waiting to happen.One needs to be ready to man up and take it on the chin when personal moral character is called into question. And it will be called into question. Once anybody makes himself judge and jury for "morality", he can bet that people will be watching as to whether or not he, and for that matter, others who are associated with him, live a "moral" lifestyle..

 

As Christians, we know that we are prone to sin. Yet we huffily proclaim our own "goodness" in front of a watching world that will call us on any display of hypocrisy. And we deserve it. We fussed about Bill Clinton's lies and we overlook or defend our own. We are guilty of the famous Clinton response during the Lewinsky matter.  Who can forget his famous line. "It depends on what the definition of "is" is. Should Christians be known by such prevarication?

 

Falwell would have had an "out" if he had proclaimed his movement, "Striving for Morality and Daily Needing Forgiveness" Majority. At the minimum, it would show the world that he understood his own position which was that of a sinner who strives to do right. However, he came across as arrogant, and arrogant people make enemies. Last I checked, arrogance is not one of the fruits of the spirit.

 

The world understand what a lie is. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it appears that Caner told a fair number of whoppers. How did the Christian leadership respond? There were a few that called for Caner to repent. But, in keeping with the tenets of the book, The Subtle Tyranny of Spiritual Abuse, many have invoked the "you (the ones who brought  the problem up) are the real problem". Some, such as Tim Guthrie, called those of us who blog about this, "minions." (He also used the word, "verily" , further showing that he is more spiritual than the bloggers  who are concerned about Caner). You may read about it on Tom Rich's excellent blog (and fellow minion) http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com/.

 

We are called to be witnesses to the world. We are also told to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have. The world understands what constitutes a lie. One merely has to look at the reaction to Connecticut Democrat Senate Richard Blumenthal who has stated on several occasions that he served in Viet Nam instead of during Viet Nam. The media has hounded him mercilessly. He had the good sense to apologize immediately but only apologized for "a few misplaced words." (News and Observer, Raleigh NC, p.4A 5/19/2010). Hmmm, who does that sound like?

 

Yet, it seems, we Christians want a pass. "He's a Christian brother." appears the reason du jour for overlooking lying. Nope, boys, it won't fly. Liberty University has known for some time that the Muslim community was making accusations that Caner appeared to have little knowledge of either the language or the prayers of the Islamic faith. It also appears that no one checked his resume to see if the debates he claimed to have participated in actually took place. 

 

Caner spoke at a Christian school here in North Carolina before this information was widely known. Here is the biography that was submitted by Caner which was posted on the school's site. " Ergun is president of the Liberty Theological Seminary at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Raised as the son of a Muslim leader in Turkey, Caner became a Christian shortly before entering college. A public speaker and apologist, Caner has debated Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and other religious leaders in thirteen countries and thirty-five states. "

 

At this time, there is no evidence that any of these debates took place; in any country or any state. He has claimed to have been raised in Turkey and to have been trained as a jihadist. None of these claims appear to be true. And yet some Christians want him to be treated differently than Richard Blumenthal?

 

Well, that isn't going to happen. As many of our readers know, Caner was the subject of an Associated Press piece that has been published in numerous newspapers in the nation, including USA Today. Funny thing about this piece. The ones that come out looking good are the Christian bloggers, one of whom has befriended the Muslim who made the original claim.

Here is the link to that story.

 http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-21-christian-muslim-preacher_N.htm

 

Here is an excerpt from that piece. Debbie Kaufman attends the church of Pastor Wade Burleson who runs the web site Grace and Truth to You which can be found at the following link

http://kerussocharis.blogspot.com/

She believed the Muslim student and began to question the life of Caner.

 

"Liberty's inquiry is overdue, said the Rev. Wade Burleson, pastor at Kaufman's church. Burleson said he was pressured to have Kaufman take down her posts, including by a phone call from Caner to Burleson's father.

"Liberty University, until the announcement about the investigation, was acting as if they weren't a Christian university," Burleson said. "They were covering up sin."

Liberty University officials say they won't speak publicly until the probe is complete, expected June 30.

While they wait, some of the bloggers say good could still come out of it. Burleson said Caner can become a stronger advocate for the gospel if he comes clean about his past.

Kaufman and Khan, meanwhile, have forged an improbable friendship across thousands of miles and religious differences, exchanging e-mails daily and asking each other about their respective faiths.

"I'm hoping that Muslims and those that aren't Christians will see there are those of us who believe what the Bible teaches," she said".

 

It is too bad that Liberty University and Ergun Caner could not see the writing on the wall. Because of their tepid responses and insistence that there were no "moral or ethical breaches" (egads!), both parties missed an opportunity to come clean and show how Christians care about their own morals more than they care about others. You know, looking at the log in your own eye thing is in the Bible. They missed an opportunity to show the world how to repent and be granted forgiveness. Perhaps they should study Kaufman's response.

 

I am afraid it may be too little, too late, in regards to the recent announcement of an investigation by LU into the Caner situation. LU has already come across as all too ho-hum hypocritical and arrogant. I hope they do not add unrepentant and  "immoral" to the list of adjectives. No wonder atheism is on the rise and the kids are leaving the faith. We all don't really follow the confess and repent thing when it applies to us, do we? Especially when it means that we have to expose our sinful nature (yep, seminary presidents and pastors share this issue with the rest of us) to the watching world. Is this what Jesus meant by pride? It sure is a heckuva lot easier to tell the great unwashed how to live, isn't it?