{"id":58,"date":"2010-07-08T00:16:55","date_gmt":"2010-07-08T06:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/howellscott.wordpress.com\/2010\/07\/08\/ergun-caner-supporters-need-to-stop-digging\/"},"modified":"2010-07-08T00:16:55","modified_gmt":"2010-07-08T06:16:55","slug":"ergun-caner-supporters-need-to-stop-digging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/?p=58","title":{"rendered":"Ergun Caner Supporters Need To Stop Digging"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re in a hole, stop digging.<\/em>\u00a0 When it comes to the case of Ergun Caner and Liberty University, it seems some within the blogosphere have either not heard of or simply do not understand this modern proverb, first attributed to British politician Denis Healey.\u00a0 <\/strong>Quite simply, when your own arguments put you so deep in a hole in terms of persuasiveness or credibility, then it\u2019s best to stop talking.\u00a0 However, from my own experience, I can say without a doubt that attorneys, pastors, and other leaders find it almost impossible to practice the discipline of silence, even if doing so would ultimately help their case.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, July 6, 2010, popular Christian apologist Norman Geisler published a statement on his blog entitled In Further Defense of Ergun Caner:\u00a0 A Response to His Critics<\/a>. \u00a0Before interacting with thrust of his argument, one must understand that Dr. Geisler approaches this issue as someone who has a personal relationship with Dr. Caner.<\/p>\n

My experience with Ergun, as that of those who know him well, is that he is a devout zealous believer who lives a life in obedience to Christ and who works diligently to extend his kingdom.\u00a0 It is a crying shame that other believers have jumped on a band-wagon which is discrediting this sincere, earnest, and faithful follower of Christ. <\/em><\/p>\n

As I explained in Credible Witnesses<\/a>, how we view another person\u2019s credibility will inevitably be influenced by our own background, education, experience, training, and, to a great extent, by our own personal relationship, if any, with that person.\u00a0 The most intimate of relationships between a husband and wife usually results in the highest level of credibility and trust between the two spouses (as it should be) and likewise results in a most vigorous defense when an outsider attacks either spouse\u2019s credibility.\u00a0 If you doubt that scenario, try attacking the credibility of a man\u2019s wife and see how that turns out for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Therefore, it should not be surprising when some of Dr. Caner\u2019s good friends and colleagues launch spirited defenses on his behalf.\u00a0 Some have taken issue with the various arguments advanced by Dr. Caner\u2019s supporters, with particular disapproval directed at Norman Geisler (here<\/a> and here<\/a>).\u00a0 When viewed through the most charitable, grace-filled lens that Christians should possess, we can disagree with Dr. Geisler\u2019s (and others) arguments and reasoning in support of Dr. Caner, but still do so in a way that does not diminish one\u2019s own credibility.\u00a0 The best way to accomplish that objective \u2013 no matter what the issue and no matter what tactics your opponents use \u2013 is to argue your case on the facts and avoid attacking personalities.<\/p>\n

Time and space will not permit me to comment extensively on each and every argument used by Dr. Geisler in his further defense of Dr. Caner (other articles have offered extensive analysis<\/a>).\u00a0 Because I have listened to only a few of the primary sources which were used to support the charges against Dr. Caner, I will stipulate, for argument\u2019s sake, that Dr. Geisler\u2019s seven responses to the listed accusations are, for the most part, factually correct.\u00a0 I know that others may challenge my stipulation to the facts, but let me interact with Dr. Geisler\u2019s concluding \u201cNote About Ergun\u2019s Critic\u201d which I find much more problematic.<\/p>\n

Dr. Geisler\u2019s second, third, and fourth concluding points are all cut from the same cloth and each, in their own way, substitutes American legal standards for moral, Biblical standards.\u00a0 Dr. Caner has not been charged with a crime in a court of law and therefore has no legal right to publically face his accusers like a criminal defendant does.\u00a0 There are always extenuating circumstances which dictate that use of a pseudonym is not only appropriate, but wise.\u00a0 This may or may not be one of those circumstances, but neither law nor morality would automatically demand that the anonymous critic reveal his true identity.\u00a0 A lawsuit alleging slander and\/or libel against a public figure like Dr. Caner would be difficult to make.\u00a0 If a case were to be made, then this anonymous critic can eventually be found and served with legal papers.<\/p>\n

Dr. Geisler further believes that critics of Dr. Caner have instituted a new standard in this case, one of \u201cguilty until proven innocent.\u201d\u00a0 Dr. Geisler argues that \u201cthe burden of proof for these allegations (against Dr. Caner) is on the accuser, not on the accused.\u00a0 While he does not explicitly say so, I assume that Dr. Geisler believes that the standard in this case should be \u201cinnocent until proven guilty.\u201d\u00a0 As a former attorney, I certainly embrace that standard \u2013 enshrined in the Bill of Rights \u2013 for those accused of a crime.\u00a0 Unless one wants to make the argument that Dr. Caner has been charged with a crime (of which I am unaware), then this standard is simply inapplicable.\u00a0 In any event, I always thought that the Biblical standard for pastors, deacons, and those holding themselves out as spiritual leaders was one of being \u201cabove reproach.\u201d\u00a0 That does not imply perfection, for none of us are perfect.\u00a0 But, it does set the bar just a little higher than our legal system and rightly so.<\/p>\n

That Dr. Caner has not been found guilty of \u201cany serious doctrinal or moral issues\u201d again misses the point of what it means to be a credible witness.\u00a0 Are there minor doctrinal and\/or moral issues that have been alleged against Dr. Caner in which he has been found to have been in the wrong?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know<\/span> what Liberty University meant when it concluded that \u201cDr. Caner has made factual statements that are self-contradictory . . .,\u201d <\/em>but that very statement goes to the very heart of Dr. Caner\u2019s credibility.\u00a0 Perhaps we will know more later if LU decides to release the facts and evidence which led them to their conclusion, but I will not hold my breath while waiting for them to release anything in regards to this matter.<\/p>\n

The various self-contradictory statements, misstatements, and discrepancies \u2013 all found by the Liberty University Committee, not by Dr. Caner\u2019s critics \u2013 may all turn out to be much ado about nothing.\u00a0 Perhaps, in the end, none of these allegations will affect Dr. Caner\u2019s long-term credibility or witness.\u00a0 Whether they realize it or not, his supporters, including Norman Geisler, are neither helping Dr. Caner rehabilitate his credibility nor enlarging theirs.\u00a0 They need to be reminded of the first law of holes \u2013 when you\u2019re in one, stop digging!\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n


\n<\/span>\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re in a hole, stop digging.\u00a0 When it comes to the case of Ergun Caner and Liberty University, it seems some within the blogosphere have either not heard of or simply do not understand this modern proverb, first attributed to British politician Denis Healey.\u00a0 Quite simply, when your own arguments put you so deep…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[14],"tags":[3376,606,725],"class_list":["post-58","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ergun-caner","tag-ergun-caner","tag-liberty-university","tag-norman-geisler"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1LP7G-W","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=58"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=58"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=58"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fromlaw2grace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=58"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}