The recent turmoil that has been churned up about Ergun Caner has caused me to do some deep (as deep as I can be) thinking about the current state of affairs within professed Christendom. When it all boils down to the bottom line, I still will be for Dr. Caner, and here is why:
1.) I simply prefer to. – I like him. I have been refreshed and encouraged each and every time that I have heard him preach, and I have never heard him preach something that was not the truth. On the subject matter of theology, pertaining to the issues in which I have heard him address, I am in theological agreement with him.
2.) The degree of severity of “evidence” is subjective to one’s personal slant. The playing field is never level. For example, I am looking for reasons to defend him. His critics are looking for reasons to defame him. They are going to make as much out of any perceived discrepancy they can find, and I am going to make the least of it. What one will call a mistake, the other will call malevolent. What one calls outright sin, the other will call an innocent slip. The reality is that Ergun Caner’s Muslim critic is not trying to conquer Ergun Caner. Ergun Caner’s Muslim critic is trying to conquer people like me, and I’m not for that at all.
3.) After dwelling on some of these things, and reading some of Dr. Caner’s answers, I can see, and do see, where explanations are possible and plausible. I am being asked to believe a “real” Muslim over a real Christian. I don’t know this Muslim from Adam’s housecat, but I do have some knowledge of Dr. Caner, and I do believe him to be of trustworthy character.
4.) I believe in the people around him. I trust those of Liberty University. I trust his brother Emir. I trust Phil Waldrep. I trust Jonathon Falwell. They have a more intimate knowledge of him than any Muslim blogger or any other member of the “pastor patrol,” or me for that matter. When I don’t really know someone, I look to those that do, and apparantly those who do know enough to stand by him.
All of that being said I do not like the feel of this whole discussion. I believe Ergun Caner to be a sincere man who is standing by his claims, and until those closest to him say otherwise, I will still be for him. To call him a liar is to call everyone around him a liar, and I am certain that there is no call for that.
I am not comfortable here contributing to the stirring of these waters. This will be my last post concerning this issue, and I will move on to something else. That is a change that will cheerfully be worth making.
*Note – Belligerent, degrading, and vitriolic comments will not be published.
Change Worth Making 
Jeff – that argument you’ve made is the very same argument that pastors make when a pastor is accused of sexual misconduct. They can’t believe it. He’s too good. The accusers are out to take him down. By golly, I like him, and he likes me, and I know his brother. The accusers don’t like his preaching, so they’re making stuff up. What happened is up to someone’s slant. I won’t believe it, I don’t care to examine the evidence.
They did it with Darrell Gilyard for the longest time.
We saw it here in Jacksonville at Trinity Baptist Church with Bob Gray. He was a deviant, yet a beloved pastor, and no one could accept the fact that he was sick. They used your SAME argument and defenses, and instead of fixing the harm he did, more damage was done to the cause of Christ.
Not making a moral equivalency here between lying about one’s testimony and sexual deviancy, but both are willful, malicious, and they harm the gospel. The Muslims KNOW that Caner is lying, and they see our religious leaders (guys like you) and other gullible Christians eating it up and defending that which is indefensible. THAT is a terrible testimony for our Lord.
And that is what you are doing, Jeff. You, a pastor who makes a living trying to spread the gospel, are actually harming your cause.
You should be ashamed.
And I believe you will be embarrassed someday over this post.
Great post! You are correct in your conclusions.
Thank you for having the courage to stand for a brother under attack. Your post is one of the most informed and articulate I have read on the subject.
Those who attack Caner also attack those who stand with him. And you are correct in pointing out those who point out indiscretions do so from the mindset of one who has nothing to gain but the defamation of the claims of Christ.
Imagine, one who has so fervently vowed to make public his perceived errors, portrays herself, indeed, as one promoting “reconciliation.”
Christ alone came to reconcile the Church to Himself. Caner is part of the Church, a small part, that dares to point to Islam as a false religion. He is not a “Fake Ex-Muslim.”