Ergun Caner Supporters Attack a Christian Scholar (True?)

James White: A Victim

Pastor Tim Rogers asked a question related to James White’s teaching history at Golden Gate (see appendix 1). White has taken umbrage to this type of scrutiny. In fact White has gone further and is now intimating he is being victimized for his part in exposing Ergun Caner’s dishonesty.

James White in an effort to support his claim of victimization says “Before my first word about Ergun Caner's deceptive statements, my teaching history was documented and well known. There was no question about it, no mystery, no controversy”

So White is telling us that this intense scrutiny (victimization) is all due to his “whistle blowing” on Caner. White intensifies the air of victimization to his message by finishing his post with “Just another amazing chapter in "What Happens When You Seek Honesty in Ministry."


It appears as though White’s potential as a future teacher at Golden Gate has gone up in the ether due to this scrutiny and “victimization” from his fellow Christian brothers. White would have us believe he is the innocent party being subjected to vilification because he sought “honesty in ministry”.


Why Have They Rounded on James White?

The motives are far more ranging than simply being a case of tit for tat; James White takes down Ergun Caner and the Caner-ites take down White.

For those who are familiar with the “whistle blowing” of Ergun Caner will know James White is not a chief protagonist and is effectively a late-comer who is clinging on to the coat tails of those who did the ground work and the real “whistle blowing”. White, in relative terms to the chief protagonists is a cheer leader.

Much of White’s work is simply echoing Mohammad Khan’s diligent efforts. In the reporting of the Caner scandal I have yet to see White’s name mentioned, whilst Debbie Kaufman and Mohammad Khan are being credited with the ground work and real effort, especially Khan (see appendix 2).

White and Caner are old rivals, Caner has been at the wrong end of White’s wrath for denouncing Calvinism prior to the current Caner saga (see appendix 3)

With all the elements in place it is no wonder Christians at Golden Gate are looking at James White’s motives with genuine suspicion; is White simply using the Caner saga to cash in with some credibility and popularity whilst simultaneously settling old scores with his rival, Ergun Caner?

It seems “certain men” have taken to the idea of White being insincere and self-motivated, hence the scrutiny which is falling to bear on White.

Or is James White Sincere?

Have James White’s Christian brethren got it wrong? Is White really a sincere man seeking “honesty in ministry”?

A quick acid test would be to search the archives and check whether White did the same to other fallen evangelists Ted Haggard, Anis Shorrosh, Benny Hinn and Jimmy Swaggert. Does White have a history of badgering fallen Christians under the guise of “honesty” and “integrity”? You would expect somebody who is sincerely after “integrity” and” honesty” in the ministries to have a plethora of fallen Christian scalps to his name, especially considering White has been running his ministry since 1983.

So where is this long list, spanning years, of Christians who White has “outed” and rebuked based on “honesty” and integrity”? It is conspicuous by its absence; quite frankly White has no note worthy record in this regard. And White wonders why his fellow Christians look upon him with suspicion!

A stronger point for the “certain men” who do not trust James White is White’s association (friendship) with a sub-Christian evangelist named Sam Shamoun (see appendix 4) and to a lesser extent White’s association with the controversial evangelist, David Wood (see appendix 4).

Has White ever rebuked or ended his association with Sam Shamoun’s sub-Christian and sub-scholarly endeavour? No, yet the numerous “Sam Shamoun sagas” impact upon the ministries in the same negative fashion as the Caner scandal (see appendix 4).

This does point to discrepancies in the shape of inconsistencies on the part of James White. Surely a man who was sincerely concerned for the ministries would have rebuked others of similar dispositions rather than singling out Ergun Caner.

James White’s “Honesty” Charade is Ill-Conceived

It is not simply a question of whether James White’s motives are sincere or not, this is now impacting on White’s credibility and honesty. Those “certain men” asking questions of White would also be questioning White’s honesty, hence Tim Rogers’ investigations concerning White’s teaching history. These “certain men” are probing on the grounds of honesty. White’s commitment to honest endeavour is clouded.

If White had genuine desire for honesty then he would not be dishonestly featuring incorrect material on his YouTube channel knowingly (see appendix 5) and he would have answered related to his inconsistent endorsement of a deceptive article by Shamoun which White oddly labelled as “excellent Quranic insights”

White’s charade of honesty is further questioned in his refusal to answer questions related to his source material used in a debate with Shabir Ally. White’s silence is deafening, he has been silent for a good while (see appendix 6)

White is not naïve, he knows of these issues and deliberately remains silent on these issues as he knows he has no legitimate defence, thus is well and truly in the realm of double standards and even dishonesty.

James White is Doing His Fellow Christians a Disservice

White is sullying the reputation of “certain” Christians who are linked to Golden Gate and whether he likes it or not White is doing Golden Gate a disservice.

White is a veteran, you would imagine he knows what he is doing and knows of the far reaching (potential) consequences and damage which is being sustained within the Church due to his actions.


Undeniable: James White is a Victim

Yes, James White is a victim of his own self-interest and desire to be noticed as a paragon of virtue and expertise. White wanted attention and now he has got attention but it appears as if this intense scrutiny of White is not the type of attention he wanted. What did White expect us to do? Proclaim him to be a hero and give him a licence to teach Islam instead of Caner?

The Realities

James White is not being hung out to dry by “certain men” of the Church due to his desire for “honesty”. This is a sad victim mentality White is wringing furiously in order to gain sympathy and have one final bitter dig at the secret enemy with the Church.

James White Turned a Winning Position into a Spectacular Defeat

If James White had simply stayed quiet during the Caner saga and kept his nose clean as far as his material on Islam he would have been touted as a strong contender to pick up some of the prestige vacated by Caner’s exit.

Yet, White’s inability to accurately represent Islam, efforts to be SEEN as knowledgeable in Islam and desire to be noticed (to an obsession) in the Ergun Caner saga has led him to be distrusted and dare I say “abandoned” by his fellow Christians and colleagues as well as mocked as a “student” of Islam.

White had the goal at his mercy, somehow his ego clouded his vision and he missed spectacularly

James White’s Future in the Ministry

James White is a veteran though, he and his ministry are significantly weakened by this saga but he and his ministry will regroup and will be back.

This is also a set back for those hoping White would disassociate himself from dubious anti-Muslim ministries; this seems remote as White is in a position of powerlessness and as we all know, powerlessness corrupts just as quickly as power.

It is a pity White did not act when he was in a position of power

Any questions contact the author (Yahya Snow)

Related article:
http://yahyasnow.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/james-white-hero-for-muslims/


Appendices

Appendix 1

Pastor Tim Rogers questioned Dr Jeff Lorg regarding James White’s teaching history:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvjudYjqGAw

Appendix 2

A couple of news reports mentioning Mohammad Khan, whilst the name “James White” is conspicuous due to its absence:
http://www.wikio.co.uk/news/Mohammad+Khan


Appendix 3

White lays into his rival (Ergun Caner) concerning Calvinism (prior to the Caner scandal):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3yZMlempDw

Appendix 4

An example of White’s friend Sam Shamoun’s sub-Christian behaviour:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1mT-pw1WEc

White’s associates (Wood and Shamoun) are rebuked and shunned on moral grounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NuGv72FTRI

Muslim debater and apologist, Bassam Zawadi, invites James White to rebuke his friend Sam Shamoun, White refuses:

http://www.call-to-monotheism.com/james_white_s_inconsistency__his_refusal_to_speak_against_his_highly_ill_mannered_friend_sam_shamoun

White’s friend Sam Shamoun asked to leave the ministry:
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/2010/04/open-letter-to-answeringislam.html

Appendix 5

James White’s dishonesty and support of unscholarly modes of practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg6D2iuXBcw


Appendix 6

Muslim debater and apologist, Bassam Zawadi, questions JamesWhite on his research:

http://www.call-to-monotheism.com/how_much_of_islam_does_james_white_really_know_


Appendix 7

Related article:

http://yahyasnow.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/james-white-hero-for-muslims/