Mariolatry and Externals

Francis of Rome on March 5, 2014, as reported by the Vatican Information Service (VIS) statesd:

We get used to living in a society that claims to be able to do without God, in which parents do not teach their children how to pray or how to make the sign of the Cross. This inurement to forms of behaviour that are not Christian, that are the easy way, anaesthetise the heart!” He asked the faithful present, “Do your children know how to make the sign of the Cross? Do they know how to pray the Our Father or the Hail Mary?”.

The Marian devotion is sad but unsurprising. Still, the blatant emphasis on something so purely external as making the sign of the cross should really be shocking to people who think that the focus of Roman Catholicism is the same as that of Christianity.

And again, on the same day, Francis is reported as saying that people should:

... invoke with particular trust the protection and help of the Virgin Mary, so that she, the first believer in Christ, might accompany us in days of intense and penitential prayer, to allow us to celebrate, purified and renewed in spirit, the great Paschal mystery of her Son

Mary was not the first believer in Jesus Christ. Recall that Jesus himself said:

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Likewise, in recounting the martyrs, Jesus said:

Luke 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Similarly, Hebrews recounts the examples of faith in the Old Testament up to Sara and says:

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

But the errors don't stop there. There is no reason to supposed that Mary can provide protection or help. There is no reason to suppose that Mary can accompany us. Furthermore, Mary's permission or help is not needed for us to celebrate the paschal mystery.

-TurretinFan

The Ergun Caner Affair - One Collation of the Evidence

The Ergun Caner affair saddens me deeply.  Dr. Caner is an excellent orator.  He has great delivery - great timing - and he knows how to get a laugh.  I had hoped that the investigations made of Dr. Caner's alleged autobiographical embellishments would lead Dr. Caner to confess that he had sinned, to repent of that sin, and to try to make amends for what he had done.

I was not a fan of Caner's soteriological views before this affair came to light.  Still, when a Muslim began accusing Caner of various things, I immediately came out in support of Caner and pointed out the triviality of some of the criticisms (mispronunciations of words, for example) and the absurdity of some of the claims (that Caner was never a Muslim).  I even argued that a person who was named "Ergun Mehmet Caner" must certainly have been from a Muslim family.  Little did I know that I had been misled regarding his name - Ergun Michael Caner was not who I had thought.

I believe it was the video of Caner saying that he was born in Istanbul (next to another one saying he was born in Stockholm) that opened my eyes.  So, I began to address the issues in the hopes of restoring a man who I thought was a brother in Christ. I hoped that bringing these issues to light might persuade Caner to come clean - to correct the mistakes he made.  He even appeared to be taking a step in that direction, when he issued an apology that referred to various misstatements.  Unfortunately, it is hard to accept that the embellishments were just accidental misstatements.

While the investigation went on and quickly concluded at Liberty, I watched and hoped for Caner to repent. People encouraged me by suggesting that he might have possibly signed some kind of non-discussion deal with Liberty, requiring him to remain silent for a time.  I was also encouraged to note that a lot of the embellishments that had come to light were not continued after mid-2010 (as far as we could tell).

I also tried to convince myself that Caner had altruistic reasons for these embellishments.  They do make his stories more interesting and - until one discovers the truth - quite compelling. I convinced myself that Caner might have begun the embellishments as an attempt to get people fired up about the problem of Islam.  I figured Caner may have made the "one anonymous high school boy" story more exciting to get high school kids willing and motivated to share the gospel.

Some have even suggested that Caner made himself appear as he did to try to win the Muslims.  Unfortunately, I don't see any evidence that Dr. Caner reached out to the Muslims to any large extent.  Almost all of these embellishments were presented to primarily professing Christian audiences.

The fall-out has been big. The original Muslim critic who calls his site "fake ex muslims" still seems to want to argue that Ergun Caner was never a Muslim at all.  But surely Caner probably did say the shahada at some point.  His father was a serious enough Muslim that he legally changed his middle name from Martin to Mehmet.  Moreover, his father left his three Christian sons Korans in his will.

So then - why this post?  I still hold out hope that God will stir Caner's conscience and he will repent and be restored.  Maybe if he confronts himself with the facts that his comments were repeated - not one-time slips of the tongue - he will realize he owes his "critics" an apology.

A. Autobiographical Statements

1. "My full name is Ergun Mehmet Caner" or "Ergun Michael Mehmet Giovanni Caner."

Caner's real name is Ergun Michael Caner.  On many occasions, however, he has referred to himself as though "Mehmet" were his middle name.  He even did that on books that were published after September 11.

a) Short Version ("Ergun Mehmet Caner")

So he claimed at Bell Shoals (link).
So he claimed at Liberty Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

b) Long Version ("Ergun Michael Mehmet Giovanni Caner" or something close to that)

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

Based on the evidence we've located, Ergun Michael Caner began to use the alias "Ergun Mehmet Caner" shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks.  Caner at other times used an even more extravagant alleged full name of something sounding like "Ergun Michael Mehmet Giovanni Caner."

We've discussed this in more detail here:
i) Ergun Caner's Middle Name is what?
ii) Middle Name Issue Revisited (includes response to Geisler's claim)

2. Ancestry / Religion

Ergun has made a number of claims about his ancestry over the years. From what we have been able to determine, Caner's mother is Swedish and his father was Turkish.  He has also made various claims about his religious upbringing.

a. 100% Turkish / Fully Turkish

Caner has sometimes claimed to have been 100% Turkish.  In fact, I'm told that even this year he has made such a claim. I believe some of his supporters have claimed that although Caner's mother was Swedish, her parents had adopted her and she was genetically Turkish.

So he claimed with Tom McCall.
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link) (example of the "fully Turkish").

b. Persian

Caner has sometimes claimed to have Persian ancestry (for example, on iTBN).

c. Anatolian (as distinct from Persian or Arab)

Caner has sometimes claimed to have Anatolian ancestry (for example, on Pastor's Perspective and in San Diego.)

d. Eastern Turk, toward the Kurdish Regions

So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)

e. One Half of my Family is Wahabi

So he claimed with Craig von Buseck (link).

f. One Half of my Family is Sunni

So he claimed with Craig von Buseck (link).

g. "Extreme Devout"

So he claimed as quoted by John Ankerburg (link)

h. Said prayers in Bathroom / Locker Room

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

i. Got a Muslim Tattoo Before Conversion

So he apparently claimed at GGBTS (link).

3. Places of Residence / Upbringing / Arrival in USA

As far as I can tell, Caner was born in Sweden, moved to the USA when he was two years old, and grew up in or around Columbus, Ohio.

a. "Lived under ... Socialism, Facism, and Democracy" or "Socialism, Facism, Islamic Sharia law, and Democracy"

So he claimed on iTBN (link).
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).

b. (Always) Lived in "Majority" Muslims Locations

So he claimed at SBTS (link).
So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed in "My Conversion from Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed on the Lee Strobel Testimony video (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

c. Lived in Istanbul

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he apparently claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).

d. Raised in a Madrasa in Istanbul

So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

e. Came as a Missionary to You

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

f. Learned English in High School

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

g. Learned English by Studying American Dialects

So he apparently claimed at GGBTS (link).

h. Was counseled on Marriage before Coming to US

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

i. Learned About America from Andy Griffith before coming to US

So he claimed at SBTS (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed in his lecture, "Don't mess with the book" (link).
So he claimed in San Diego (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

j. Learned About America from Dukes of Hazzard (wanted to marry Daisy Duke)

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

k. Watched Wrestling on Tapes Imported to Turkey

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

l. Viewed America, "all our lives," as "Oz" where money could be made quickly

So he claimed in a book edited by Norman Geisler (link).

m. Raised in Turkey, Cairo, Egypt, and Beirut

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

n. Studied at a Madrasa in Beirut before coming to America

So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).

o. Came to America at age 12

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

p. Came to America "when I was 13 years old"

So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

q. Came to America in our teenage years or as a teenage boy or "in my teens"

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

r. Came to America "entering high school"

So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

s. Came to America in 1978 / during the Iran Crisis / "It was 1979" / somehow connected with Ayatollah Khomeini

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).
So he claimed to Zola Levitt (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed in a book edited by Norman Geisler (link).
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

t. "We finally settled in 1978"

So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).

u. Came to America in 1969

So he admitted in "The Secret of Islam" in 2011 (link)
So he admitted in a Turkish interview (link)

v. Had no Contact with Relatives in Turkey since 1969

So he admitted in a Turkish interview (link)

w. Came to America with both brothers

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed in a book edited by Norman Geisler (link).

x. Watched Christian TV (while a Muslim) to Critique it

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

y. Was Confused by High Heels and Toe Rings because of Turkish Culture

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

z. Lived in the Inner City / Cement Jungle / Attended an "Urban" Church

So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

aa. Held Back a Year to Learn English

So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).

4. Age at alleged Conversion

In "Unveiling Islam," the brothers claim that Emir was saved on "November 4, 1982," which was "the following year" from when Ergun was saved.  That would mean that Ergun was saved in 1981, when he 14 (if it was before November 3, 1981) or barely 15.  (see a special post on this topic)  At the Master's College the conversion of the brothers is said to be "in the years that followed" (link).

Ergun Caner graduated high school in the Spring of 1984.  So, if he was converted in 1982, that would imply either the second half of his sophomore year, or the first half of his junior year.  If he was converted in 1981, that would imply either the first half of his sophomore year, or the second half of his freshman year.  Ergun Caner was born November 3, 1966, so he would have been 16 on November 4, 1982 and 15 on November 4, 1981.

a. November 4, 1982

So he claimed on the Lee Strobel Testimony video (link).

b. "Late in Life" or "Later in Life"

So he claimed at the 2013 Summer Bible Conference (link).
So he claimed at the Buffalo Baptist Church 2013 Easter Sermon (link).
So he claimed at Bell Shoals (link).

c. "Three years to enter the church" (seemingly implying the fourth is when he entered) or "for three years" said no

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

d. "Three and a half years"/ "Almost Four Years" / "Four Years" into High School

So he claimed at the 2013 Summer Bible Conference (link).
So he claimed at Bell Shoals (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed at the Value Voters Summit 2009 (link).
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

e. Brothers saved one year later and/or while Caner was in College and/or Caner was in College one year (or eight months) after conversion

So he claimed at the 2013 Summer Bible Conference (link).
So he claimed on the Pastor's Perspective (link).
So he claimed at Bell Shoals (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

f. "Senior Year" / "going into my Senior Year" / "Senior"

So he claimed in his testimony at Free CD Tracts (link).
So he claimed in "Why I am not a Muslim" (link).
So he claimed at Liberty Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed in San Diego (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

g. "almost my senior year"

So he claimed on the Lee Strobel Testimony video (link).

h. Evangelism of Caner began his sophomore year

So he claimed on the Lee Strobel Testimony video (link).

i. "almost in college"

So he claimed in PHIL104 (link)
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Campus Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).

j. Read through Bible as "Young Boy".

So he claimed on iTBN (link).
(I have neglected to post the places where Ergun Caner said he went to a revival, because he thought it was "re-bible," and he had never touched a Bible.)

k. "17 Years of my life" as a Muslim or "17 years old"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

l. "17 and a half"

So he claimed at Campus Church (link).

m. "almost 18"

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

n. "18 Years of my life" he thought Christians hated him or he was immersed in Islam or he was 18 for his first Easter

So he claimed on iTBN (link).
So he claimed at Buffalo Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed in PHIL104 (link)
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

o. "18 years old, foot-long Muslim mullet hanging off the back of my head" 

So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

p. "Did not pick up a Bible until he was 18 years old"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

q. At age 30 had "been a Christian then for 12 years"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

r. "Muslim for 20 years"

So he claimed at SBTS (link).

s. Muslim until "almost 20"

So he claimed with Craig von Buseck (link).
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).

t. "half my life"

So he claimed with Craig von Buseck (link).
So he claimed in PHIL104 (link)
So he claimed in the LouRugg foreword (link)

u."late teens"

So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).

v. "Summer of the Year between my Junior and my Senior Year"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

w. Both his brothers got saved at his first sermon

So he claimed in "My Conversion from Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at his Prestonwood sermon (link).
So he seemed to claim at Liberty Baptist Church (link).
So he seemed to claim at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

x. Heard the Gospel before he came to America?

1) Yes
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).
2) No
So he claimed to Zola Levitt (link).

5. Studied Jihad

Caner has seemed to suggest over the years that he was trained in jihad.  His claims:

• He was taught jihad al-asghar in Columbus, or so he claimed at the 2013 Summer Bible Conference (link).
• He was taught to convert by the sword, or so he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).
• So he seemingly claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link) with reference to a "Madras".
• So he seemingly claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link) by saying that he was "assuming that I was going to die for Allah."
• He was in the Islamic Youth Jihad in Ohio and Turkey, or so he claimed to Richard Land (link).
• He was in the Islamic Youth Jihad with his brothers, or so he claimed to Zola Levitt (link).
• He was a "jahideen", or so he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
• He came to "get" us, or so he claimed at the Master's College (link).

6. Arabic Knowledge 

Dr. Caner has alleged or suggested knowledge of the Arabic language on a number of occasions.  these claims don't seem justified (see this discussion from Dr. White and his Arabic tutor).  While Dr. Caner clearly has memorized some Arabic phrases and words, I don't think he himself would claim to be able to translate Arabic today.

a. Claimed to Translate Arabic Language Document

Claimed to translate a fatwa (with his brother), as analyzed here (link).

b. Speaking Apparent Gibberish, Supposedly Arabic

So he did at SBTS (link).
So he did at Superconference 2005 (link)
So he did at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he did at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

Here's a nice comparison of two clips allegedly of the same phrase (link) regarding what is supposedly written on a wall of a mosque in Kabul.

c. Arabic was his Language before English

So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)

d. Told the Story of Ishmael and Isaac at the Dome of the Rock in Arabic

So he claimed at Superconference 2005 (link)
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

e. Knows the Arabic (about the word for "beat" in the Koran)

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

f. Spoke English with an Accent and/or Broken English

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

g. Claimed to be Writing a Commentary on the Koran

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link)
So he claimed on the John Ankerberg Show (link)

h. Challenges Muslims to debate in Arabic

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

i. English was not his First or Second Language

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

j. Able to read and translate the Koran

So he claimed to Zola Levitt (link).

k. Claimed to Speak Arabic

So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

l. Claimed to just Speak Memorized Arabic Phonetically like Roman Catholics and Latin

So he claimed in San Diego (link).

m. Referred to Arabic (with Turkish) as "Our Language"

So he did at the Master's College (link).

7. Turkish Knowledge

Less often (from what I've heard), Caner has claimed (or suggested) he was able to speak Turkish.  In fact, I suspect Caner knows a lot more Swedish than Turkish.

a. Speaks to Son in Turkish

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

b. States some apparent gibberish is Turkish

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

c. Claims to speak Turkish

So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

d. Referred to Turkish (with Arabic) as "Our Language"

So he did at the Master's College (link).

8. "We Dressed Differently"?

Caner has claimed that prior to his conversion he dressed in a way that was distinctively different from typical Americans, such as wearing Keffiyah, wearing robes, and so on.  On the other hand, most of the pictures we find of him and his father show him wearing typical American clothing (Link to Counter-evidence including response to Geisler's attempted defense).  (Sadly, Caner seems to be making it sound like this was his normal outfit back in the day.)

So he claimed in "My Conversion from Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at Liberty Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).
So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed on the Lee Strobel Testimony video (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed at the Value Voters Summit 2009 (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).
So he claimed in San Diego (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

9. Disowned by His Family

Caner was apparently disowned by his non-custodial father upon converting to Christianity (isn't that tragedy enough?).  However, Caner has sometimes claimed that he was disowned by his "family" (for example, with Tom McCall and on Watchmen on the Wall and to Richard Land) or that he "lost my family" (for example, on Pastor's Perspective, at Values Voter Summit 2010 and at Liberty Baptist Church and with Pastor Lloyd and on the Rick and Bubba Show) or that he "had no family" (for example, Ashburn Baptist Church or Southewest Baptist Church).

10. Regarding his Father

Caner seems to enjoy making his father seem very important.  I don't personally recall him saying his father was an imam, but Caner compared himself to a preacher's kid (PK) (sorry, I haven't included that one in this list).

a. Son of a Muslim Leader? 

The only corroborating evidence of leadership we can find is in an association (see the discussion here regarding his prominence in the community) and Jimal Jivanjee's memory that has him as a leader in the community.

b. "An Ulema" (sic) / A Muezzin / Haddithic Scholar

i) A Muezzin
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link) (even claimed he climbed a minaret).
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link) (claimed he climbed a minaret).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

In "Unveiling Islam," the brothers claim that "Father did the call to prayer on occasion." (p. 17) One assumes that this is the true story.

ii) "An Ulema" (sic)
So he claimed at SBTS (link).
So he claimed in the LouRugg foreword (link)
So he claimed on Issues Etc. (link).
So he claimed at the Value Voters Summit 2009 (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

iii) A Hadithic Scholar
So he claimed at SBTS (link).

c. Architect (or Civil Engineer)?

Caner has repeatedly claimed that his father was an architect, but the evidence we've located has not corroborated this assertion (link to discussion of the topic).

So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed in a book edited by Norman Geisler (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link). (including claim to have worked on a mosque in Brooklyn and in Toledo)

d. Built Mosques?

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link) (but he didn't seem to know that mosques have minbars in another message at the same church)
So he claimed to Richard Land (link), including claiming to have built them in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio (see this special item regarding the Toledo mosque).
So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).

e. Surrounded by Caliphats (sic) at his death?

See the discussion here (link).

f. Father's "Wives" / Polygamy

One of the claims he made about his father is that his father had "other wives" besides Caner's mother or "many wives."  While it appears Caner's father did remarry after divorcing, there does not appear to be any way to substantiate these seeming allegations of polygamy.

i) His father had "many wives"
So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).
So he claimed in his lecture, "Don't mess with the book" (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

ii) His father had "multiple wives"
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

iii) His father had "other wives"
So he claimed in "My Conversion from Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed to Pastor Lloyd (link).
So he claimed at the Value Voters Summit 2009 (link).

iv) His Mom discovered his father was married to more than one woman
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

v) His Father immigrated with wives (sometimes with reference to Abraham lie)
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).

vi) His Father's "Second Wife" convinced the brothers to visit their dying father
So he claimed in Unveiling Islam (link)

11. Mother Issues

Sometimes, Caner has portrayed his mother as though she were a devout or practicing Muslim.  She may have been for a while, but Emir's accounts portray her as more of a hippy universalist, by the time that Ergun Caner allegedly converted.

a. Took off her Hijab or Chador in Baptistry
So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at the California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006 (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

b. Wore the Chador
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

c. Wore the Chador even after the brothers' conversion
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

d. Mother was a Wahabi
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

e. Mother was a Sufi
So he seemingly claimed to Richard Land (link).

12. Half-Brothers

We can't find any evidence of Caner having any half-brothers.  For example, no such men are found in Acar Caner's will.  Nevertheless, Caner has claimed to have them.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

13. Seemingly Unrelated Issues

Not all of Caner's seeming embellishments relate to supposedly being a devout Muslim.  The following are some examples of issues where one's eyebrows are raised:

a) Fat as a Child?
See the discussion here (link)
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

b) Father-in-law from "Possum Kill, NC"?
There is a separate post on this subject (link).  In short, there does not appear to be such a place.  I'm told that when Caner was at Liberty he had some kind of row boat with "Possum Kill" lettered on the side, but I can't confirm that this.

So he claimed at Bell Shoals (link).
So he claimed at Liberty Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

c) First Job
i) Not a Convenience Store
So he claimed at SBTS (link).
He claimed he didn't work at a convenience store, at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
ii) A Convenience Store
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

d) Roller Skating
i) Overdid it
So he claimed at Fall Chapel 2010 (link)
ii) You can't roller skate in sand
(Need to find where this was)

e) Church in which he was Saved
i) Doesn't exist any more
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
ii) Still exists
It does apparently exist.

f) Was a Straight C Student in College
So he claimed at GGBTS (link), although he apparently was a Presidential scholar in college.

B. Debating Claims

There are very few things that Caner has done (that we know of) that could qualify as debates.  Apparently, Caner engaged the Rational Response Squad in some kind of dialog some years ago, and apparently Caner had an email exchange with one Muslim apologist. Caner may also have appeared on TV along side a Muslim talking head (although I can't seem to find any such clip of Caner). Aside from this, we are still hoping to find some evidence of Caner actually debating anyone, although Caner does seem to have brought a few speakers into class for an informal dialog (as discussed here).  Nevertheless, we see Caner making a number of claims.

1. Formal Debates with Timed Speeches, etc.

Sometimes people have claimed that Caner just meant informal dialogs.  On at least one occasion, Caner explicitly described the alleged kind of format of these debates.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

2. "I do Debates" or "Muslims ... will debate us" (or similar phrase)

So he claimed with Craig von Buseck (link).
So he claimed on the John Ankerberg Show (link)
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

3. Frequent Debates 

In a number of places, Caner claims that his life includes a lot of getting yelled at in debates or speaking to hostile crowds.

So he claimed with Tom McCall
So he claimed on iTBN.
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

4. "Many Debates over the past 10 years"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

5. 13 Colleges and Universities

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

6. Debate at University of North Texas

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

7. Debated Imam named "Abi"

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at SBTS (link).

8. Debated Woman Muslim Scholar 

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).  (Allegedly on Wayne Shepherd open line radio / Moody show)
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link). (Only here he claims it was at the University of Chicago)
So he claimed on the Rick and Bubba Show (link).

9. 41 Debates

So he claimed at SBTS (link).

10. 60 Debates / Sixty-some-odd Debates

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

11. Debated Shabir Ally

So he claimed at SBTS (link).
So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

13. Debated in Nebraska

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

14. Debated "Sunni, Sufi, Alawite, Shia" Muslims

So he claimed in his testimony at Free CD Tracts (link).

15. Had enough to debates to refer to them as "every debate" or "all of my debates"

So he claimed in From Islam to Christianity (link)
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).

16. Was "Rushed" on the Platform

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

17. Twelve Years of Debating

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

18. Debated in May 2005

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

19. Debated at the University of Chicago

So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).

20. About Fifty Debates per Year

So he claimed at the North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 (link).

C. Incorrect Statements Regarding Islam/Hadith/Koran

One troubling aspect of Caner's autobiography is that he presents himself as a former devout Muslim, steeped in knowledge of Islam, etc.  On the other hand, he makes a number of erroneous statements about the Koran, Hadith, and Islamic issues.

1. Mohammed/Koran Teaches that Ishmael not Isaac was almost killed by Abraham

A number of times, Caner has claimed that the Koran teaches (or Mohammed taught) that Ishmael, rather than Isaac, was nearly sacrificed on the mount.  While such a view is widespread among modern Muslims, you can't find that statement in the Koran.

So he claimed with Tom McCall.
So he claimed at Superconference 2005.
So he claimed on Issues Etc.
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

2. Mohammed Borrowed from the Gospel of Barnabas

A number of times, Caner has claimed that Mohammed borrowed from the Gospel of Barnabas.  This is impossible, since the Gospel of Barnabas was written hundreds of years after the Koran.

So he claimed on iTBN.
Se he claimed on Issues Etc.
So he claimed on the John Ankerberg Show (link)

3. Mohammed Didn't Believe we Worship the Same God

Caner sometimes claims (quite correctly) that we don't worship the same deity as Islam.  However, Caner has also alleged that Muslims, and at least in one case Mohammed himself, also do not believe this (link to "Secrets of Islam" discussion of this point).  Caner is wrong, as far as the Koran is concerned.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed on the John Ankerberg Show (link)

4. Circumcision is called "Maşallah" in Islam

So he claimed in "Why I am not a Muslim" (link).

Actually, that's not the Arabic or Turkish word for circumcision.  Moreover, oddly enough, Caner also claimed that was the name of the prayer beads in Islam, on Issues Etc. (link).

5. You're Supposed to say "Inshallah" after You Experience Some Misfortune

As explained at the links, "inshallah" is a forward-looking statement like "Lord willing."

So he claimed in "Why I am not a Muslim" (link).
So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

6. Surah 1 has Six Verses

In fact, by the usual Sunni enumeration, it has seven verses.

So he claimed in "Why I am not a Muslim" (link).
So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

7. Eid al-Adha is the Celebration at the End of Ramadan

So he claimed in "The Secret of Islam" (link).

It actually comes a couple of months later.

8. Ramadan has 40 days?

So he claimed in PHIL104 (link).
So he claimed at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge (link).

It actually has about 29 days.  It's a lunar month.  It never has 40 days.

9. Abinadab is a Pillar of Islam

This one is a real puzzle, since none of the pillars sound like "abinadab".  He seems to use that term to refer to the Shahada, but sometimes later seems to add the Shahada as one of the pillars as well.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Thomas Road Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at the Master's College (link).

10. Hadith is Nine Volumes

The English translation of one of the collections is nine volumes, but there are other collections and the entire body of hadith is not complete in those nine volumes.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).
So he claimed at Southwest Baptist Church (link).

11. Strict Muslims Don't Allow Their Photographs to be Taken

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

12. Training School is called a Madras (sic)

I think you may find other examples of this, but Caner seems sometimes to refer to a madrassa as a madras.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

13. There is no Pulpit in a Mosque

This is a particularly remarkable claim for someone who claims to be the son of a mosque architect.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

14. If a Christian speaks in a Mosque, the Mosque would have to be razed

Again, this is a very strange claim - but it does suggest that Caner has not spoken in many mosques.

So he claimed at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

15. Confused about Relationship between John 14 and Surah 61:6 and the name Mohammed / its meaning

So he appeared to be at Ashburn Baptist Church (link).

16. Baruch as a Major Prophet of Islam

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

17. Injeel is a term for evil spirits?

So he claimed to Richard Land (link).

18. Singing is Forbidden in Mosques?

So he claimed at GGBTS (link).

19. Garbled Surah 61 Relationship to John 16

So he did at GGBTS (link).

D. Bibliography of Sources

I have limited time.  The following should provide links to the various sources used above, but there is much more out there, even despite some seeming efforts to sanitize the web.

Main Sources
1. Conversation with Tom McCall
2. "What Worship Looks Like" FBC Lyons, November 17, 2013
3. 2013 Summer Bible Conference, July 21, 2013
4. iTBN Contributions
5. Pastor's Perspective, January 22, 2010 (also mentions Prestonwood Sermon) (see this comparison to other testimonies)
6. Buffalo Creek Baptist Church - Easter 2013
7. "Rip the Roof Off" at Bell Shoals - 2010
8. SBTS Panel Discussion - November 14, 2003
9. Testimony at Free CD Tracts
10. From Islam to Christianity - November 2, 2009
11. Interview with Craig von Buseck (original material)
12. Watchmen on the Wall - 2013
13. Liberty University - Superconference 2005
14. "My Conversion from Islam to Christianity"
15. Fall Chapel 2010
16. The Secret of Islam - May 6, 2011
17. Why I am not a Muslim - May 7, 2011
18. The Secret of Islam - October 29, 2011
19. Ergun Caner in Others' Books - Various
20. Liberty Baptist Church - October 10, 2010
21. Values Voter Summit 2010
22. PHIL104 "Contemporary World View"
23. Foreword to Louis Ruggiero's Book
24. Issues Etc. (multiple appearances)
25. Ashburn Baptist Church (2003 - 2005, various messages)
26. John Ankerberg Show (numerous pre-2013 clips)
27. Campus Church 2008 (various messages)
28. Faith and Family Interviews (Richard Land, interview - various dates)
29. California Christian Apologetics Conference 2006
30. Thomas Road Baptist Church Sermons (various)
31. Zola Levitt (ZL 338 - Signs of the End 2001)
32. Excerpts from Unveiling Islam (link)
33. Testimony on LeeStrobel.com
34. Southwest Baptist Church - January 23, 2010
35. Turkish Article interviewing Caner - June 13, 2003
36. "The Greatest Day in Church" at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge - January 25, 2009
37. Pastor Lloyd Interviews Ergun Caner - January 2009
38. Chapter 14 of "Why I Am a Christian" (Norman Geisler, editor) (with some other tidbits from other books)
39. Lecture titled "Don't Mess with the Book" - January 5, 2009
40. My Summary of Caner's Yearbook Information and related thoughts (And my earlier attempt at a reconstructed biography)
41. Value Voters Summit 2009
42. North Alabama Bible Conference 2005 ("Church House or Jail House" was title of message)
43. Messages in San Diego, May 1-2, 2010
44. Rick and Bubba Show (several parts)
45. GGBTS 2010 Missions Conference (February 12-14, 2014)
46. The Master's Pulpit (April 2, 2003)

Some additional sources
1. Middle Name Usage Sources
2. Translation Claims Sources
3. Various News Sources Reports of Caners' testimony from 2001 and shortly thereafter (and compare this)
4. Caner's Class Discussions with people of other religions
5. A Page of Ergun Caner Materials

E. Caner's Swedish Grandmother:

There are a number of other interesting issues that you may enjoy reading about, of which Caner's grandmother is one.  Role of Grandmother in Conversion (see also the discussion with Richard Land (link) regarding his grandmother teaching him to shave, in his father's absence) (see the discussion from Holier than Thou regarding Caner's grandmother raising him and the discussion at this link) (see the discussion of Caner's pre-2001 testimony).

F. Responses to Objections

Not everyone agrees that Caner sometimes embellished his autobiography and some people raise objections to criticisms leveled at him.

1. What about Caner's Alleged Apology? (links to discussion: part 1- part 2)
2. What about the testimony of Jamal Jivanjee? (see discussion here and here)
3. Geisler debate issues

a. "Response to Norman Geisler on Ergun Caner"
b. "Dr. Norman Geisler Digs Himself a Deeper Hole"
c. "Geisler Digs Yet Deeper"
d. "Responding to Norman Geisler's Defense of Caner - Part 1"
e. "Responding to Norman Geisler's Defense of Caner - Part 2"
f. "Wrapping Up Geisler's Defense of Caner"
g. "Dr. White's Responses to Dr. Geisler"
h. "Some Things Dr. Geisler Overlooked"
i. "Rebutting Norman Geisler"
j. "Is Lying a Moral Issue?"
k. "Norman Geisler on Lying as a Moral/Ethical Issue"

G. Items Not Included

I have omitted a lot of possible material.  The things I have not discussed above include (among other things):

Mispronunciation of words, like Sawm (but see discussion here, for example) and curious claims like praying in the locker room (see the discussion here, for example)  I also did not include the impression of Caner that Fallwell received and expressed (link to discussion).  I did not get into the issue of how many books exactly Caner has published (some discussion on that here) or his qualifications (see discussion here) or credentials (link).  I didn't discuss Tom Chantry's multipart series comparing Ergun Caner to Stephen Ambrose (link).  I didn't discuss Caner's tasering incident, which he mentioned at GGBTS (link).

I have not included the material from the Marines video, which Caner apparently sued over (link to my post for the video).

I had trouble describing this now-removed video and consequently omitted it from the listings above (link to materials).

I hope that God will use this post for his glory and that it will encourage Dr. Caner to confess, repent, and be restored.

-TurretinFan

Ergun Caner in The Master's Pulpit - Spring 2003

Ergun Caner in The Master's Pulpit - Spring 2003 (apparently April 2, 2003)

All times approximate:

(0:15) "Many of the misconceptions that we have, who are foreigners, about America, is we thought all of America was going to be like California. I will explain a little more as we go. My full name is Ergun Michael Mehmet Giovanni Caner. "Canner" is an Americanization of Caner. I was born in Stockholm, Sweden. I am Turkish, obviously. You can tell by looking at me, I'm not Swedish. I am fully Turkish. Twenty-one generations of Muslims in my family. My father is Acar Mehmet Caner. I only tell you that because in my culture, that is how you introduce yourself. My father was a muezzin in the mosque, that is the one who does the call to prayer - the one who is an ulema, and teaches as well."

a) It would be interesting to see Dr. Caner's birth certificate with such a name on it. The only official documents we've seen have "Ergun Michael Caner," but perhaps there is some more official record out there.
b) It's hard to see how Caner, with a Swedish mother, could be "fully Turkish."
c) Ulema is plural - it means "scholars." You can't be "a scholars."
d) In what culture do you introduce yourself by providing your full name and that of your father?

(1:10) "Everything, I'd ever thought about your country and your culture, I thought I understood, solely through television. Everything that we understood about your culture, we understood through television, and of course that led to misconceptions. I'm sure you have misconceptions about my people. Some of them are true, some of them are simply caricatures. Some of them are true. My first job was in fact, in a convenience store, which - alright. I am Apu."

a) He was apparently 2 or 3 years old when he came to America. How much conception, much less misconception, could he have had?
b) Recall that in a previous clip, Caner said: "My first job was not a convenience store."

(1:45) "But everything I knew about your country, I learned through television. So the first thing I watched - they would translate it into our language, into Turkish or into Arabic - and we would watch it, and this is how we saw America. The first thing we saw, we got ubiquitously, was Andy Griffith. Andy of Mayberry. So, I thought all of America was like Mayberry. I came to America through Brooklyn, NY. Yeah, you can see this."

a) Notice how Caner makes it sound like he speaks Turkish and/or Arabic.
b) And again, how much does a toddler really grasp from Andy Griffith?

(3:10) "The third thing is a bit of an embarrassing admission, especially for one who is supposed to be a professor and I've been now a professor for going on five years. But we used to addictively watch American professional wrestling, and nobody told me it was fake. You understand, so I would watch - I thought Americans were the toughest people on the planet. Because you'd get hit in the head with shoes and chairs and such and then you'd get back up - you know - and talk about meeting you at the Omni - you know, and things of this nature. So, I was addicted to this."

I wouldn't doubt he was addicted to wrestling TV, but presumably this developed some time after his toddler years.

(3:40) "I come to America, and I see all these misconceptions are gone. One of the things my father said -- I am the oldest of three sons, and we came here when we were entering - I was already in high school, but my brothers were entering into high school...

As mentioned above, from what we can tell, it seems Caner actually came as a toddler, not a teenager.

(5:05) "I knew nothing about America - I learned English very very very rudimentarily, and so I had to become an American, and I became an American citizen...

I guess this may be technically true, if he was a toddler. But considering his "Turkish" and "Arabic" claims earlier, what kind of impression does it convey?

(7:15) "You can obviously tell that my wife does not call me Ergun Michael Mehmet Giovanni Caner - she calls me 'Butch.'"

As did a lot of people, apparently, before 9/11.

(8:20) "Inevitably, we run into Muslims who will debate us. They will even come to our churches. The have rushed stages in Sacramento at Arcade Baptist Church. They have, in Springdale, Arkansas, come forward at the invitation to argue. In Atlanta, Georgia, they have protested us."

It would be great if any of these supposed events could be corroborated. If you witnessed any of these things, please let me know.

(32:40) "I came to this country to be a missionary of Islam to you."

Hard to see how to justify that kind of claim, if he came here as a toddler.

(32:50) "My father was an architect, and so we built mosques. And he worked on the mosque in Brooklyn, and then he worked on the Mosque in Columbus, Ohio, and then Toledo, Ohio. He did this his entire life."

The web of different stories regarding the Toledo mosque is particularly complex. (see this previous entry, for example)

(33:00) "We were so devout - we were there - I was the equivalent of a P.K. so to speak. I was in the mosque, every time the doors opened - every time. We read the Koran, kissed it, placed it to our foreheads, put it on the highest shelf. We read the Hadith, Al-Bukhari's hadith on the laws and jurisprudence of Allah.

(33:40) "Surah 4:101 Know that the infidels are open enemies unto you - that's you - Surah 5:32 Take no friends from among the Jews or the Christians. Surah 9:29 Sieze them and slay them, where you will find them. So, I came to this country, to try to get you. We lived and died by the five pillars of Islam: Abinadab, Salat, Zakat, Swan, Haj."

a) Caner does surely make it sounds like he came to America to kill Christians.  But he was two or so when he came, and there is no evidence that his father was a radical Islamist.

b) The first pillar is Shahada, not Abinadab - Abinadab is not even the name of one of the pillars. It's frankly a little bit of a mystery why Caner uses that term for it.

(35:40) "It was through one high school who wouldn't shut up. One high school kid - One kid who wouldn't leave me alone. I dressed differently. I spoke differently. I ate differently. I lived by halal and haram.  I wore my keffiyah - my robes. I had nothing to do with him, he had nothing to do with me, why wouldn't he leave me alone?"

Note the repeated claim to dress differently.  Also, this bit about speaking differently - why? He grew up in Ohio.  Why would he have an accent?

(36:50) "I walked into the Stelzer Road Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio in full garb with my Koran."

More of the dressing differently claim.

(38:50) "Pastor Clarence had his eyes closed and he was preaching. And he opened his eyes and there stands this boy in front of him, 17 years old, in full gear."

Yet again - more of dressing differently.  Also, this age does not fit his November 4, 1982, alleged conversion date.

(40:05) "In the years that followed, both my brothers got saved."

I hope that they were saved, and I should note that in some cases the story is "the following year," as opposed to "years that followed," but I suppose that is of little significance.

-TurretinFan

Caner's Father - An Architect who "Came to Build Mosques"?

In describing his father, Ergun Caner has repeatedly referred to him as an "architect" and claimed he came to America to "build mosques."  I doubt this account for a number of reasons.

First, Acar Caner's death certificate lists his occupation as "engineer." Unfortunately, this certificate has not been posted on-line.

Second, the Turkish article we previously reported (here) stated: "His father's family had its roots in Istanbul. His father was an engineer and a religious man who was also attached to his secular values. Acar Caner studied engineering in Sweden and then moved to the capital of Ohio, Columbus, in 1969, with his Swedish wife who had converted to Islam."

Third, although the building that is now the "Islamic Foundation" on Broad St. in Columbus, Ohio was renovated in the 1980's, the architect listed was not Acar Caner.

Of course, lots of things are possible.  Still, if Acar Caner was actually an architect, there surely must be some evidence of it out there.  There's an aspect of "wait and see" about this, but I would encourage people not to automatically assume that Acar Caner was an architect or that his primary role was building mosques.

-TurretinFan

Ergun Caner at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary

Ergun Caner was the featured guest speaker (see advertisement here) at the GGBTS 2010 Missions Conference (link to page with links to audio), which was held February 12-14, 2014.  Caner evidently delivered at least three addresses:

Friday evening:

Around 6:20, Caner claims that his father-in-law is from "Possum Kill, NC."

We can't find any place by that name.

Around 15:40, Caner said, "When I got saved, it was later in life.  And then going into college - I got saved in my teens - but then going into college, I have switched from an urban church to a country church - and it caught me off guard."

It is nice to see that Caner quickly corrected his "later in life" to "teens."

Around 19:50, Caner said, "There was never any singing in the mosque.  Not in Sunni mosques, not in Shia mosques. It is forbidden. There is no singing in the mosque."

No, it is not forbidden to sing in mosques. (See discussion here.)

Around 33:40, Caner said, "I've been tasered live on stage as a sermon point. And it worked, nobody forgot it. That was four years ago, nobody's ever forgot it. I haven't forgot it either, it hurt like crazy."

Around 43:55, Caner said, "People always hit you up, 'what is it that reached a Muslim?' In my case, grace and the atonement, but it was worship. I had never heard singing - not in the mosque - I didn't know why you were so happy."

Keep in mind that Caner was in A Capella his sophomore, junior, and senior years and in Freshman choir in high school (see the discussion here).

Around 51:50, Caner said, "Jerry Tackett in my life for four years, freshman, sophomore, junior, going into my senior year. Every time I told him, 'no,' he kept coming back. I dressed differently, spoke differently, and worshiped a different god."

Caner's claim that it was his senior year is inconsistent with some of his other claims, like his claim that it was 1982.

Around 52:15, Caner said, "When I got saved I lost my family, I lost my loved ones, I became murtad, an object of scorn, and one anonymous church loved me."

Caner apparently was disowned by his non-custodial father, but he apparently continued to have a close relationship with his mother and grandmother.

Around 53:00, Caner said, "I couldn't understand her, because she was from Japan.  And her English was worse than my English."

This may be true, but considering that Caner grew up in Ohio, it is a strange comment.

Around 53:40, Caner said, "A year after my salvation, while I'm in college, both my brothers get saved. My father has other wives, other children, but from our mom, three boys - all three born again ..."

Caner's father did not, as far as we can tell, have other wives.

Around 55:10, Caner said, "I have brothers and sisters that I'll never see again, I've cousins and uncles and nephews and such that hate me.  But my nuclear family is changed, because of one boy."

Caner does not, as far as we can tell, have other brothers than Emir and Erdem.

Saturday morning:

Around 9:50, Caner said, "I learned English, to all my immigrant friends, you can learn English simply by studying their dialects. And even in the south, they have variant dialects."

Caner came when he was about 2 years old.  I doubt he learned English by studying dialects.

Around 10:15 Caner said, "My full name is Ergun Mehmet Caner."

No, his full name is Ergun Michael Caner.

Around 12:05 Caner said, "I have lived in Korea. No one speaks Korean as quickly a Southerner speaks English."

I'm sure Caner has visited Korea - but that's not quite the same thing as living there.

Around 22:45 Caner said, "I spend a large portion of my time in front of hostile crowds."

Really?  Where is the evidence of this.

Around 23:00 Caner said, "I got saved in the '80's ..."

I wish we could verify this - partly in terms of verifying that he really professed faith in 1982 as he has claimed - and partly in terms of seeing repentance for his autobiographical embellishments.

Around 1:05:00 Caner described his interview at Liberty University.  He claimed he was asked about liquor and tattoos.  He claims that he told them that he had 12 tattoos.  More particularly, Caner said (around 1:06:00): "All of mine are anabaptist and church history and - I have a mark from when I was a Muslim, and so, when I got saved, I wanted something that - I got Arabic that says 'Jesus is Lord,' I've got Athanasius' creed, Contra Mundum across my back-  If you ever see me get captured, I don't want to be in an orange jumpsuit before they cut off my head, I want to be sleeveless, so that the last thing they see is 'Jesus Christ alone is Lord' in Arabic on my arm."

a) Did Caner really get tattooed before his professed conversion to Christianity?  He would have been under 18 at the time.

b) Also, most Muslims think that permanent tattoos are forbidden (link).

c) The pictures at right show all the tattoos (or lack thereof) that I've seen (I'm linking to his twitter pics, so the pictures should disappear, if he pulls the pictures from his twitter site).

Around 1:10:20, Caner said: "Then, I was told I couldn't get a masters, because I was a straight C student, until one professor - one - one guy grabbed me by the nape of the neck and said 'Stop coasting.'

Caner was a "Presidential Scholar" at Cumberland (as we reported here).

Saturday evening:

Around 10:00 "In 1978 when my people moved here - when we moved here - Ayatollah Khomeini had said, 'We will not stop, until America is an Islamic nation.'

Around 10:20 "When we started - in '78 - when my father set up the Islamic Foundation in Columbus, Ohio, there was 1000 Islamic houses of worship."

From what we know, Caner came in 1969, not 1978.

Around 46:20, Caner said: "So we are repeating, in Islam, six verses of the Koran - the first chapter - the first Surah of the Koran.  Over and over."

Actually, the first Surah has seven verses. (see here)

Around 47:05, "This Islamic form of hyper-calvinism.  You fall down, you break your leg, you are supposed to say what? 'Inshallah' - Allah willed it. He broke my leg. It was supposed to happen.  It's fatalism - it's absolute fatalism."

Caner is wrong - the Muslim exclamation would be alhamdulillah or perhaps allahu akhbar - "inshallah" is forward-looking.

Around 50:50, Caner said: "Are you saying that Islam is inspired by the devil? That's exactly what I'm saying, so you can quote me."

I figure we should go ahead and quote him.  I would think that the devil would know the Trinity better than the view that is reflected in the Koran.

Around 52:20, Caner said: "In the 61st chapter of the Koran, Surah 61, Mohammed has Jesus saying I must go so that I will send a Paraklĕtos - not klātos - Paraklĕtos and in Arabic it is shortened to Ahmed which is the nickname or the shortened version of Mohammed ."

Caner has conflated a few things here.  The Koran says that Jesus claimed he would send a messenger or an apostle and that the person would have the name Ahmed (short for Mohammad).  Certain Muslims claim that when John 16:7 reports that Jesus said he will send a Comforter (παράκλητος - parakletos), that this is a textual error and the text should read "περικλυτος" (periklutos), which allegedly would mean "praised one," which is the meaning of Ahmed/Mohammad.   

Around 53:05, Caner said: "Ibrahim, goes to the top of Mt. Moriah to sacrifice his son. Lays his son on an altar - so far so good - Genesis 22, right? lays his son on the altar, raises up the knife, because Allah has told him to kill his son. Plunges it down, and at the last minute, Allah prepares an animal in the thicket and saves the life of Ishmael. You get it? 2200 years after Moses writes it - 2700 years after it actually happened - Mohammad changed the story. He changed the characters."

As discussed elsewhere, it appears that the replacement of Isaac with Ishmael in the story is a post-Mohammad development in Islamic history (see the detailed discussion here).

Around 1:07:50, Caner said: "I will never move. If I ever leave Liberty, you know where I'm going? State school.  Put me on the floor at a community college - where I'm with every leftist, loser, liberal, lesbian, everything, surrounded by heathens - what better place to be!"

Of course, Caner didn't know the future, but since he's left Liberty - he has apparently only worked at Christian colleges.

-TurretinFan