Debate: Does God Exist? (David Wood vs. Heina Dadabhoy)

Here's a recent debate I had with Heina Dadabhoy on the existence of God. Heina was raised as a Mulim, but she's an atheist now. Although she's fairly new on the scene, she's already better than most atheist debaters.

I also interviewed Heina on her reasons for leaving Islam and becoming an atheist:

Testimony: Pastor Said Oujibou

Here's a brief testimony by Pastor Said Oujibou, who left Islam and now preaches the Gospel to Muslims in France (French with English subtitles).

Last Chance for a 2014 Donation to Acts 17!

Acts 17 Apologetics is a 501c3 charitable organization. If you'd like to support our shows, videos, articles, lectures, debates, etc., and you'd like to see us do even more in 2015, please consider making a tax-deductible donation before the end of 2014.

Trinity or Tawhid?

Here are two recent shows by Dr. Tony Costa on the topic "Trinity or Tawhid?"

PART ONE

PART TWO

Muslims Praise My Presentation on Islam and Terrorism

I recently noted that Sydney terrorist Sheikh Man Haron Monis tweeted one of my videos about ISIS shortly before his attack.

Since my debate with Osama on whether ISIS is Islamic, I've been getting comments from Muslims praising my discussion of ISIS and jihad. One Muslim wrote that my claims are "100% right":

Another Muslim said that I have "told the truth" about what's in the Muslim sources:

Now for the point. It seems really, really easy to find Muslims who support ISIS. Why are there so many Muslims who support the methods of the Islamic State? Because the Muslim sources, when taken seriously and without reinterpretation, promote an ISIS-style theocracy. The more our leaders deny this, the more people will die as jihadist groups grow and spread.

Muslim Says Nabeel and I Should Have Our Throats Slit for Making Video about the Qur'an

Four years ago, Nabeel Qureshi and I made a video discussing the textual history of the Qur'an. We showed that, according to Muslim sources, the third "rightly-guided" caliph, Uthman, gathered all available Qur'an manuscripts and burned them because of textual differences. The original "Burn the Qur'an Day," then, was carried out by Muslims. Here's the video:

Four years later, we're still getting death threats over the video. Here's the latest:

Debate: Is ISIS Islamic? (David Wood vs. Osama Abdallah)

Politicians and the media assure us that the actions of ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) have nothing to do with the teachings of Muhammad or the Quran. Jihadists fighting for ISIS, however, can quote Allah and Muhammad to justify their campaign of violence and terrorism. So is ISIS Islamic? In the Western tradition of open debate, Osama Abdallah and I step on stage and present our evidence.

The Qur'an: Heavenly or Earthly?

Muslims believe that the Qur'an was revealed by Allah to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. But does the evidence support this claim? Dr. Tony Costa answers.

New York Shooter Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley Posted Quran Verse on Terrorizing Enemies of Allah

Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley shot and killed two New York City police officers (Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos), who were sitting in their patrol car. Brinsley was clearly motivated by outrage towards the death of Eric Garner. However, there may be another factor here. Brinsley was an Arabic speaker and posted a Qur'an passage on "striking terror" into the hearts of the enemies of Allah.

Qur'an 8:60 (quoted by Brinsley) reads:

Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.

Here's more on the story:

New York (CNN)—Two New York City police officers were shot and killed ambush-style Saturday afternoon as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn, Police Commissioner William Bratton said.

The gunman approached the passenger side of the patrol car and opened fire several times, fatally wounding officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, authorities said at an evening press conference.

They were "shot and killed with no warning, no provocation," Bratton told reporters. "They were quite simply, assassinated."

Both were shot in the head, Bratton said.

The families of the fallen officers rushed to Woodhull Medical Center on Saturday, as dozens of police officers gathered in a show of support.

The officers—one with two years' experience, the other with seven years on the job—were normally assigned to downtown Brooklyn, but were working a "critical response" detail in an area with higher crime, police said.

Police identified the shooter as Ismaaiyl Brinsley. He was found dead in a nearby subway station from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The gunman arrived in New York from Baltimore, but had a residence in Atlanta, Bratton said.

Police were investigating posts he allegedly made on social media. (Continue Reading.)

Islamic Persecution of Christians is Increasing . . . in Europe

Many Christians flee the Muslim world to escape persecution. Imagine their surprise when they arrive in Europe and find that the persecution continues.

Is Christianity a Religion of Peace?

Whenever we attempt to discuss terrorist attacks committed in accordance with the commands of the Qur'an and Hadith, someone is sure to say, "Well, what about the Crusades?" But this response is only relevant if violence committed in the name of Christianity is actually commanded by Christianity. Are Christians ever commanded to commit violence?

Osama Abdallah vs. C. L. Edwards: Was Muhammad a True Prophet?

Here's a recent debate between Osama Abdallah and C. L. Edwards. The topic is "Was Muhammad a True Prophet?"

Muhammad Explains Human Reproduction (Islam and Science, Part Two)

If you weren't convinced by Muhammad's detailed description of the structure of the universe, check out his explanation of how babies are made.

Muhammad Explains the Universe (Islam and Science, Part One)

Many Muslim speakers and apologists assert that the Qur'an contains scientific miracles, and that Muhammad made claims about science that were not verified until centuries after his death. However, when we actually examine the Muslim sources (the Qur'an, the Hadith, the Sira, and the Tafsir), we find that Muhammad was wrong about almost everything he said concerning science. The only scientific statements Muhammad got right would have been known by virtually anyone in seventh-century Arabia. Hence, the "argument from scientific accuracy" fails rather miserably.

Yemen: Jihadists Blow Up Busload of Schoolgirls

Let's pretend, for a moment, that Islam has nothing to do with Islam. We're still left with the fact that millions of Muslims, from around the world, believe that it calls for terrorism. How do we correct such a misunderstanding? The plan of our leaders and the media (namely, keep saying that Islam is peaceful) isn't working at all. Indeed, terrorism is increasing. Since there are no other plans on the table, I guess we're just supposed to learn to live with daily terrorist attacks. Anything less would be bigoted and intolerant.

BBC—At least 25 people, among them 15 children, have been killed in twin car bomb attack in the central Yemeni province of Bayda, reports say.

The children were inside a school bus that was passing a checkpoint manned by Shia Houthi rebels in the Radaa area when the first bomb exploded.

The second one went off soon afterwards near the home of a Houthi leader.

The rebels blamed Sunni jihadist militants from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) for the blasts.

They have been fighting in Radaa since the Houthis overran the AQAP stronghold in October, a month after taking control of the capital, Sanaa.

It is not clear if the school bus or the Houthi checkpoint was the intended target of the first car bombing.

The Associated Press news agency quoted the Houthis as saying the victims were all girls who had attended a local primary school. (Continue Reading.)

Sydney Terrorist Sheikh Man Haron Monis Tweeted My "Top Ten Quran Verses for Understanding ISIS"

A few months ago, while politicians and the media were busy assuring us that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam, I posted a video discussing some of the main Qur'an verses that support the actions of ISIS. Apparently, the video was so accurate that Sydney terrorist Sheikh Man Haron Monis tweeted it a month before his attack. Here's a screen shot of his tweet:

Why would Sheikh Haron, who despised non-Muslims (especially critics of Islam), promote my video? Because he wanted to show people how obvious it is that the Qur'an supports an ISIS-style theocracy. Sheikh Haron and I read the same sources, and we came to the same conclusions about what Allah commands.

For those who missed it, here's the video:

Facing the Islamic Challenge Biblically

Islam poses three significant challenges to Christians:

(1) Islam contradicts the core teachings of Jesus and his apostles.
(2) Islam places massive obstacles in the way of conversion.
(3) Islam calls for the subjugation of Christians and the global implementation of Sharia.

What are some Biblical responses to these challenges?

Five Reasons the Qur'an Is Not the Word of God

Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the eternal Word of Allah, delivered to Muhammad over a period of 23 years by the angel Gabriel. But how can we know if the Qur'an is what it claims to be? Here are five quick reasons to reject the divine origin of the Qur'an.

Theresa Corbin, CNN, and the Myth of the Muslim Feminist

Here's a recent episode of "Jesus or Muhammad?" discussing Theresa Corbin's claim to be a "Muslim feminist."

Islam Has a Secret Santa

Many people practice the "Secret Santa" tradition nowadays. But Islam seems to have invented it.

Can you guess the identity of Islam's Secret Santa?

Merry Christmas From Some of Your Favorite Muslims!!!

As the day on which many Christians celebrate the birth of Christ approaches, some of your favorite Muslims are back to wish you a Merry Christmas. Since many Muslims actually believe it is worse to wish someone a Merry Christmas than it is to murder someone, the willingness of men like Yusuf Estes, Abu Mussab Wajdi Akari, Zakir Naik, et al., to appear in the following video, as well as their teachableness and the exuberance they eventually show for Christiams, is all the more remarkable.

Three American Muslim Teens Caught Trying to Join ISIS

I openly criticize Muhammad and the Qur'an, hoping to see many Muslims leave Islam. Because of this, I am called a racist, a bigot, a hate-monger, and an Islamophobe.

But tell me who's more loving:

(1) People who protect Islam from criticism, while young Muslim teens throw away their lives for the sake of jihad.

(2) People who try to convince these young Muslim teens that they shouldn't throw away their lives for a false prophet.

Until someone convinces me that it's okay to sit back and watch young Muslims destroy themselves and others, I'm going to try to show them the truth. And I'm going to do it because I love them.

Mohammed Hamzah Khan

CHICAGO (Washington Post) — Mohammed Hamzah Khan, 19, rose before dawn on Oct. 4 to pray with his father and 16-year-old brother at their neighborhood mosque in a Chicago suburb.

When they returned home just before 6 a.m., the father went back to bed and the Khan teens secretly launched a plan they had been hatching for months: to abandon their family and country and travel to Syria to join the Islamic State.

While his parents slept, Khan gathered three newly issued U.S. passports and $2,600 worth of airline tickets to Turkey that he had gotten for himself, his brother and their 17-year-old sister. The three teens slipped out of the house, called a taxi and rode to O’Hare International Airport.

Khan was due at work at 6:30 a.m. at a local home-supply store, so he knew his parents wouldn’t miss him when they woke up. The two younger siblings bunched up comforters under their sheets to make it look like they were asleep in their beds.

Their plan was to fly to Istanbul, then drive into Syria to live in the Islamic homeland, or caliphate, established by the Islamic State, the militant group that has massacred civilians in Iraq and Syria and beheaded Western journalists and aid workers.

Khan's Parents

The Khan teens, U.S.-born children of Indian immigrants, each left letters for their parents explaining their motives.

“An Islamic State has been established and it is thus obligatory upon every able-bodied male and female to migrate there,” Khan wrote. “Muslims have been crushed under foot for too long. . . . This nation is openly against Islam and Muslims. . . . I do not want my progeny to be raised in a filthy environment like this.”

His sister wrote: “Death is inevitable, and all of the times we enjoyed will not matter as we lay on our death beds. Death is an appointment, and we cannot delay or postpone, and what we did to prepare for our death is what will matter.”

In their letters, all three teens, who had grown up playing basketball and watching “Dragon Tales” and “Batman,” told their parents how much they loved them and asked them to join them in Syria, but made it clear they would probably never see them again, except in the afterlife. They begged them not to call the police.

In the afternoon, FBI agents knocked on the Khans’ front door, armed with a search warrant.

“For what?” asked the teens’ shocked father, Shafi Khan.

“Your kids have been detained at the airport, trying to go to Turkey,” an agent said.

“We were stunned,” said Zarine Khan, their mother. “More like frozen. We were just frozen.” (Continue Reading.)

To understand why so many young Muslims conclude that Islam commands them to wage jihad, watch this:

The Lawfare Project: Join the Conversation

There are plenty of problems we need to deal with. But if we don't win the free speech battle, we'll lose the other battles, because we won't even be free to discuss them.

Here's a new video by the Lawfare Project on freedom of speech and the necessity of defending it (especially against the implementation of Sharia).

Why I Am a Christian

For everyone who wanted to know how I became a Christian, here you go.

Muslim Threatens to Kill Me for My "Who Killed Muhammad?" Video

More than three years ago, I posted a video showing (1) that Allah said he would kill Muhammad in a particular way if Muhammad were to invent false revelations, and (2) that Muhammad died in exactly the way Allah said he would die if he were to invent false revelations. Here's the video:

I'm still getting death threats for telling Muslims what their sources say. Here's the latest response to my video:

Pakistan Sentences Bollywood Actress Veena Malik to 26 Years in Prison for Blasphemy

Politicians and the media continue to defend Islam from criticism. Meanwhile, Pakistani courts are sentencing actors to prison for blasphemy. Any idea how Veena Malik will be treated in prison?

Veena Malik

Fox News—An actress was sentenced to 26 years in jail by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court for "malicious acts" of blasphemy, the U.K.s' Independent reports.

Veena Malik, along with her husband Asad Bashir Khan Khattak and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, the owner of the network that aired the "blasphemous" television program, have been given 104 years combined in prison by the Pakistani court.

The offending program aired several months ago and features a couple reenacting their wedding vows based on the marriage of the Prophet Mohammed's daughter.

The judge asked for immediate arrest of Malik, her husband and Shakil-ur-Rahman who are reportedly living in the United Arab Emirates.

"26 years! Come on. 26 years is a lifetime...But I have faith in higher courts in Pakistan," Malik said according to Gulf News. (Continue Reading.)

Andrew Livingston vs. Anthony Rogers: Was Muhammad a True Prophet?

Was Muhammad a true prophet? Muslim convert Andrew Livingston certainly thinks so. But can his reasons for believing in Muhammad stand up to scrutiny? In this debate, Christian apologist Anthony Rogers puts Livingston's arguments to the test. Sam Shamoun moderates.

Muslim Says He Wouldn't Mind Killing Me for Interpreting the Qur'an as Violent

In my post about the beheading of American aid worker Peter Kassig by ISIS, I added my video "Top Ten Qur'an Verses for Understanding ISIS." A Muslim just said he wouldn't mind killing me for my interpretation of the Qur'an (even after he noted that everything I said was correct):

Gary Habermas on Jesus and Islam

History has revealed a number of facts about the historical Jesus (e.g., that he died by crucifixion, that his followers were in despair after his death, that his followers believed he appeared to them as the risen Lord, etc.). Any view of Jesus that hopes to be taken seriously must account for these known facts. Interestingly, Islam contradicts several historical facts about Jesus.

In this video, historical Jesus scholar Dr. Gary Habermas shows that there is no evidence for the Islamic view of Jesus. Anyone who wants a view of Jesus that lines up with history will therefore need to look somewhere other than Islam.

Was Muhammad a Prophet?

Several weeks ago I was in Phoenix, Arizona where I participated in two debates with Andrew Livingston, a Western convert to Islam and a writer for Taqwamagazine.com. Andrew has been promoting Islam and attacking Christianity for quite some time, even longer than his current penname would suggest, so I was more than happy to accept his challenge to debate.

The first debate we did addressed the following question: “Was Muhammad a Prophet?” The second debate asked, “What Did Jesus Say About Himself?” The first of these two debates can be viewed on the home page of Ministry to Muslims and was moderated by Sam Shamoun.

After watching, please come back and leave your feedback.

December 6: Debates in Michigan

We've got some exciting debates coming up in less than two weeks, so be sure to mark these on your calendar if you're in the Detroit/Ann Arbor area of Michigan (for those who aren't, they'll appear on the Trinity Channel).

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2014

Topics:

2:00 PM—Osama Abdallah vs. C. L. Edwards: "Was Muhammad a True Prophet?"

6:00 PM—David Wood vs. Osama Abdallah: "Is ISIS Islamic?"

Location: Harvest Bible Church, 6420 Newburgh Road, Westland, MI 48185

Rob Bowman: Is Jesus God?

The core of the New Testament Gospel is that Jesus is the divine Son of God, who died on the cross for sins and rose from the dead. The title "Son of God" here refers to Jesus' place in the Trinity. But why do Christians believe that Jesus is a person of the Trinity? In this video, Dr. Rob Bowman, co-author of "Putting Jesus in His Place," explains the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the deity of Christ.

Mike Licona: Islam vs. the Historical Jesus

Historians can investigate a variety of facts about Jesus of Nazareth, and there is widespread agreement on many of these facts (e.g., that Jesus was known as a miracle worker, that Jesus died by crucifixion, that Jesus' followers became convinced that he appeared to them after his death, etc.). Any view of Jesus that claims to be historical must therefore account for these facts. Islam, however, completely contradicts a number of known facts about the historical Jesus. Hence, Islam is at odds with history, and Muslims must accept their view of Jesus by faith alone (a faith that is contrary to known facts).

But don't take my word for it. Here's New Testament scholar Mike Licona on Islam and the historical Jesus.

Afghanistan: Suicide Attack at Volleyball Game Kills at Least 45

Suicide attacks in Afghanistan have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Pakistan have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Syria have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Iraq have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Nigeria have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in the United States have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Great Britain have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Spain have nothing to do with Islam.
Suicide attacks in Russia have nothing to do with Islam.

Any idea how so many Muslims, from so many different backgrounds, all misinterpreted Islam in exactly the same way?

Afghan Taliban

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN)—At least 45 people were killed and 60 others wounded Sunday when a suicide bomber attacked a crowd watching a volleyball match in the Yahyakhil district of Afghanistan's southeastern Paktika province, according to a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Volleyball is a popular sport in the region.

In 2010, a suicide car bomb exploded in the middle of a group of men playing volleyball in northwest Pakistan. That attack left 30 people dead and 52 wounded.

Sunday's attack comes the same day the nation's parliament agreed to allow NATO forces to remain in Afghanistan after 2014.

It's unusual for an attack in Afghanistan to kill so many people.

Only a few comparable incidents come up in the University of Maryland's Global Terrorism Database, which tracks acts of terror from 1970 to 2013. (Continue Reading.)

To understand violence in Islam, watch this:

Who Has Believed Our Message?

A recent blog post on the MDI site takes issue with viewing Isaiah 53 as a prophecy of the person and work of the Messiah, particularly His vicarious sacrifice and triumphant resurrection. According to the unnamed author, since the apostles did not expect Jesus to die and rise again before the events came to pass, they did not understand Isaiah 53 in the way Christians do today. Moreover, as the author further points out, no one else prior to the crucifixion understood from this passage what Christians understand it to teach.

However, far from being an insuperable objection to the Christian interpretation, an interpretation the disciples heard from Jesus and later came to understand and believe consequent upon Jesus rising from the dead, the MDI author’s observations unknowingly confirm that the passage was completely fulfilled, not only what it says about the Messiah dying and rising again, but even what it says about the fact that the generality of people would not recognize that the crucified one was the promised Messiah who came to die for the sins of His people and rise again for their justification. Indeed, the passage begins with a rhetorical question, which points up the incredulity of Israel to the prophetic word spoken by Isaiah, and continues to strike the same cord about Israel’s spiritual blindness to the reality of what God’s Servant, the Messiah, was going to do.

WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR MESSAGE?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

THAT WE SHOULD LOOK UPON HIM,

Nor appearance THAT WE SHOULD BE ATTRACTED TO HIM.

He was DESPISED AND FORSAKEN OF MEN,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

AND LIKE ONE FROM WHOM MEN HIDE THEIR FACE

HE WAS DESPISED, AND WE DID NOT ESTEEM HIM.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

YE WE OURSELVES ESTEEMED HIM STRICKEN,

SMITTEN OF GOD, AND AFFLICTED.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, WHO CONSIDERED

THAT HE WAS CUT OFF OUT OF THE LAND OF THE LIVING

FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE, to whom the stroke was due?

His grave was assigned with wicked men,

Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

But the Lord was pleased

To crush Him, putting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

As a result of the anguish of His soul,

He will see it and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One,

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,

And He will divide the booty with the strong;

Because He poured out Himself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors.

It might be an understatement to say this MDI author missed the obvious, but certainly we can’t say anything less than that. Interestingly enough, this shows that someone can miss something even if it is clear in itself. This is because an objective source of light is only of benefit to subjects that have eyes to see. Prior to the resurrection, the dying and rising of the Messiah was hidden from the eyes of the disciples just like it is still hidden from the eyes of Muslims. Only a supernatural work of divine grace can overcome the blindness of the natural man. Let us pray that this writer for MDI and that Muslims the world over will be recipients of this grace and that God will cause the light of the Gospel of Christ to shine in their hearts.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

Daniel Wallace on Islam and New Testament Manuscripts

Muslims believe in an original "Gospel" that was corrupted over time. Since this Gospel was still available when Muhammad was preaching in Arabia (see Qur'an 5:47 and 7:157), it must have been copied and transmitted for several centuries (the first century through the seventh century).

However, according to Dr. Daniel Wallace (executive director of the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts), there isn't a single ancient New Testament manuscript anywhere on the planet that presents an Islamic view of Jesus.

Hence, Muslims who believe in an original Gospel that supports Islam are doing so against the uniform testimony of manuscript evidence.

Heather Elizabeth Coffman Charged with Lying to Investigators about Terrorist Ties

Where did this Virginia woman get the idea that she should support the Islamic State? Didn't she hear President Obama's repeated claims that ISIS is not Islamic?

Washington Post—Federal authorities have arrested and charged a Henrico County, Va., woman who they say wrote Facebook posts supportive of the Islamic State and offered to help someone connect with the terrorist group in Syria, court documents show.

Heather Elizabeth Coffman, 29, is charged with making a false statement regarding an offense involving international or domestic terrorism. Coffman, it seems, was caught in a sting and unknowingly offered to help an undercover FBI agent connect someone with the Islamic State in Syria, according to a federal affidavit. Authorities say she lied to investigators who were looking into her support of the extremist group. . . .

According to the FBI affidavit, Coffman told an undercover agent that she had previously arranged for a man she termed her “husband” to travel to Turkey so he could meet with Islamic State facilitators and eventually make his way into Syria. She described “concrete steps” she had taken to achieve that, according to the affidavit. But Coffman and the man soon separated and he backed out of the plan, according to the affidavit.

The FBI’s investigation of Coffman seemed to begin in April, as agents took note of her postings on Facebook and sought search warrants to access her various accounts. On June 23, for example, Coffman posted two images with text that included a fuller name for the Islamic State: “We are all ISIS, Islamic State of Iraq & Sham,” according to the affidavit. On June 28, when someone asked why Coffman was expressing support for the group, she responded, “I love ISIS!” according to the affidavit.

Coffman later wrote about persuading her sister to develop an interest in the Islamic State and said, “My dad is a little angry because I got her into all this jihad stuff,” according to the affidavit. A woman who identified herself as Coffman’s mother declined to comment Monday. (Continue Reading.)

For more on ISIS, watch this:

Debate on God's Existence Tomorrow in Huntington Beach, CA

Tomorrow, I'll be participating in a debate set up by Christian Century Toastmasters Club and Backyard Skeptics. Here's the info:

WHO: David Wood (Christian, Former Atheist) vs. Heina Dadabhoy (Atheist, Former Muslim)
WHAT: Debate on the topic "Does God Exist?"
WHERE: Huntington Beach Community Church (8101 Slater Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 18th, 7:00 P.M.
WHY: Why not?

American Aid Worker Peter Kassig Beheaded by ISIS (Islamic State)

The Islamic State has beheaded U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig. Our leaders and the media will use this beheading as an opportunity to remind us that Islam is a wonderful religion. The more violence and terrorism ISIS commits, the more President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron praise Islam.

RT—Islamic State militants have beheaded US aid worker Peter Kassig even though he converted to Islam, a video posted on social media shows.

After conversion during captivity, Kassig took the name Abdul-Rahman.

Kassig, 26, was captured on October 1, 2013, by Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants. He had served in Iraq before becoming a medical technician. In May 2012, he travelled to Lebanon where he volunteered in hospitals.

His parents, Ed and Paula Kassig from Indiana, recorded a video message in May 2014 appealing for their son’s release.

“As Muslims around the world, including our son Abdul-Rahman Kassig, celebrate Eid al-Adha, the faith and sacrifice of Ibrahim, and the mercy of Allah, we appeal to those holding our son to show the same mercy and set him free,” they said in a statement.

Kassig founded his own aid organization, SERA (Special Emergency Response and Assistance), a non-governmental group intended to provide relief to Syrian refugees.

Islamic State militants first showed him in the video of the beheading of UK aid worker Alan Henning, who shared a prison cell with Kassig. After Jihadi John, an IS executioner with a London accent, killed Henning, he also threatened Kassig would be next. (Continue Reading.)

For more on ISIS, watch this:

United Arab Emirates Designates CAIR a Terrorist Group

CAIR's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas are too much for the United Arab Emirates to ignore. Thus, UAE has designated CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) a terrorist group. Meanwhile, politicians and the media in the U.S. continue to grovel before CAIR, going so far as to help CAIR and its Muslim Brotherhood-linked associates hold a prayer service at the National Cathedral.

Associated Press—The United Arab Emirates designated the Muslim Brotherhood and dozens of other Islamist groups as terrorist organizations on Saturday, ratcheting up the pressure on the group by lumping it together with extremists such as the Islamic State group and the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria.

The federation's Cabinet adopted the designations against the 83 groups, the official state news agency WAM said. They include Al-Islah, an Emirati group suspected of ties to the Brotherhood whose members have faced prosecution in the seven-state federation, which includes the cosmopolitan business hub of Dubai and the capital of Abu Dhabi.

The move follows a decision by Saudi Arabia in March to designate the Brotherhood a terrorist group along with al-Qaida and others. The Emirates voiced support for the decision at the time, and accuses Islamist groups of trying to topple its Western-backed ruling system.

Saudi Arabia and the Emirates have taken a firm stance against the Brotherhood since its ascendance in Egypt in the wake of the Arab Spring, and the oil-rich Gulf neighbors are strong supporters of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. He was elected earlier this year after leading the military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Egypt labeled the 86-year-old Brotherhood a terrorist organization in December.

The Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the kingdom of Bahrain earlier this year recalled their ambassadors from fellow Gulf state Qatar to protest what they say as its failure to stop meddling in other nation's affairs and for backing groups that threaten the regional stability. Analysts widely saw that as a swipe at Qatar's perceived support for the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups.

The Emirates list includes the Islamic State group it is helping to bomb as part of U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. Among the other groups targeted are the Pakistani Taliban and the Yemeni Shiite rebels known as Houthis.

Also on the list are a number of Western Islamic organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the United States' largest Muslim civil liberties group. (Continue Reading.)

For more on CAIR, watch this:

Egyptian Terrorist Group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis Announces Allegiance to ISIS

The United States continues its policy of dropping bombs on ISIS jihadists. Meanwhile, ISIS is rapidly expanding. Keep in mind that President Obama compared this group to a "JV team" less than a year ago. Since the JV comparison, ISIS has taken over large sections of entire nations, and jihadists groups from across the Muslim world are announcing their allegiance. This entire problem, of course, could have been avoided if the President had listened to the people who warned him that rapidly pulling the troops out of Iraq could have devastating consequences. But let's face it: Our Commander-in-Chief has never been interested in listening.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis

Cairo (CNN)—ISIS has a new residency in Egypt, according to a YouTube message posted Sunday.

In the audio message, the Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, or ABM, allegedly announces its allegiance to ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State.

The roughly 10-minute clip blames tyrants and their "Jewish agents and their allies" for decades of Muslim suffering. The message also calls ISIS "the emergence of a new dawn."

If verified, this would be a new, dangerous chapter for the deadliest group in Egypt. Since 2012, ABM's attacks have grown more daring and sophisticated. The group has killed hundreds of Egyptian police officers and soldiers. The largest attack was last month in the Sinai Peninsula, killing at least 31 soldiers. Analysts put the group's numbers at from the hundreds to roughly a thousand.

While ABM's attacks, until now, have almost exclusively targeted the Egyptian government, there is growing fear that an association with ISIS could expand the threat to civilian and tourist sites. (Continue Reading.)

ISIS and al-Qaeda Form Alliance

If you thought things were bad when ISIS and al-Qaeda were fighting against each other, wait till you see them united in their goal of subjugating Syria.

ISTANBUL – The two most brutal terror groups in Syria reportedly have struck an alliance, in a deal that poses serious problems for the Obama administration’s efforts to prop up “moderate” rebel factions in the country.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that militant leaders from the Islamic State and Al Qaeda’s Syria affiliate, the Nusra Front, agreed during a meeting in northern Syria last week to stop fighting each other.

Such an accord could present new difficulties for Washington's strategy against the Islamic State. While warplanes from a U.S.-led coalition strike militants from the air, the Obama administration has counted on arming "moderate" rebels to push them back on the ground.

Those rebels, already considered relatively weak and disorganized, would face far stronger opposition if the two heavy-hitting militant groups now are working together. One official claimed the Islamic State and Nusra already have agreed to work toward destroying one prominent, U.S.-backed rebel group.

The Islamic State, which also operates in Iraq where U.S. troops already are stationed, had fought with the Nusra Front for more than a year to dominate the rebellion against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Their new agreement, according to the sources in rebel groups opposed to both, would involve a promise to stop fighting and team up in attacks in some areas of northern Syria. (Continue Reading.)

Here's What High School Students Are Being Taught about Islam

Ever wonder what American students are learning about Islam in their classes? Here's what students are being taught at Porter Ridge High School in Union City, North Carolina. (A concerned mother supplied her son's assignment to the media.)

myfoxcarolinas.com

The World's Most Persecuted Minority: Christians

The International Society for Human Rights reports that 80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination are directed against Christians. If 80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination were directed at any other group, it would be the top story on every news channel and the chief concern of our leaders. But it's Christians, so . . . no worries.

Here's a short video from Prager University, featuring Raymond Ibrahim.

Internet Records Show New York Axe Terrorist Zale Thompson Had Been Studying Jihad and Martyrdom

I wonder how many terrorist attacks we'll have to go through before our leaders and the media finally start to wonder if they have something to do with Allah's commands to terrorize us.

Fox News—The suspect in the Oct. 23 hatchet attack on two New York City cops had been searching online for jihadist propaganda and foreign terror organizations—as well as information on martyrdom and suicide bombings—in the weeks leading up to the assault, according to a city counterterrorism bureau intelligence assessment obtained by Fox News.

While initial reporting from unnamed sources suggested Zale Thompson may have been motivated by anti-government or black power sentiments, the four-page document provides new details that speak to Thompson's self-radicalization. They show his online obsession with the "message" of terror groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

The intelligence assessment, further, said he "may have held a long-standing interest in violent jihad."

"A preliminary analysis by the NYPD of approximately 277 online search terms by Zale Thompson in the weeks leading up to the attack revealed multiple references to 'jihadist' materials," the assessment states. "Thompson used internet search engines to query specific terms including but not limited to 'lone wolf,' 'jihad,' and 'jihad against the police'."

The investigation is ongoing, and the report says "there is no evidence that Thompson conspired with other individuals to carry out the attack"—but it adds that his Internet searches were focused on known terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, its affiliate in Somalia known as al-Shabaab, and the Islamic State. It also documents 58 search terms from Thompson's electronic records that range from "jihad against the infidels" to "fatwa against americans" to "death to America in Arabic." (Continue Reading.)

William Lane Craig vs. Jamal Badawi: "The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity"

William Lane Craig is, in my opinion, the best Christian debater in history. Though he often faces off against the world's most respected atheist scholars (when, unlike Richard Dawkins, they don't run from him), he occasionally debates Muslims as well. Here's his classic exchange with Jamal Badawi on the concept of God in Islam and Christianity. I watched this debate many years ago at Mike Licona's house with my friend Nabeel Qureshi (when Nabeel was still a Muslim).

Malaysia: Sharia Courts Keep Non-Muslim Mothers away from Their Children

When Americans say we need to be on guard against sharia (Islamic law), we're called "racists," "bigots," and "Islamophobes." Meanwhile, there isn't a sharia court in the world that doesn't produce massive suffering and discrimination.

Malaysia is typically put forward as a perfect example of a "moderate" Muslim country. But the moderate aspects of Malaysia come from the influence of past British rule, and are rapidly being undermined by sharia courts.

M. Indira Gandhi

IPOH, Malaysia–It was the last round of a recurring argument: M. Indira Gandhi's husband wanted her to convert to Islam. A committed Hindu, she refused.

He threatened divorce. Both started shouting. Neighbors came looking. Suddenly, he snatched their 11-month-old daughter from the arms of an older child, tucked her under one arm and sped off on his motorbike.

That was more than five years ago. Gandhi hasn't seen her child since, even though a Malaysian civil court awarded her custody.

Her husband — who converted to Islam shortly before taking his daughter away — won custody in an Islamic court. Because Gandhi is not a Muslim, she was not even called to appear. Police have been unwilling to enforce the civil court's decision.

"I am pining to see my daughter. No mother should ever have to endure this pain," said Gandhi, a kindergarten teacher, in her small rented home in Ipoh city in Perak state, about 124 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, the capital. "Give us a chance. We are all Malaysians. We should have equal rights."

Gandhi's case and others highlight perils of Malaysia's divided legal system, where majority Muslims use Shariah courts for religious and family issues such as conversion, divorce and death. The other 40 percent of the country — mainly Christians, Buddhists and Hindus — use a secular legal system inherited from the Southeast Asian country's British colonial rulers.

Critics accuse the ethnic Malay Muslim-dominated government of doing too little to resolve problems when those legal systems collide. The government has become increasingly reliant on support from Islamist and right-wing pressure groups as other constituencies flock to the opposition.

M. Kulasegaran, an opposition lawmaker who is also Gandhi's lawyer, said there are many similar cases, including several he plans to file once Gandhi's case is resolved. Some earlier cases have turned out even worse for non-Muslims than Gandhi's case has so far: In 2007, the top civil court ruled that a Muslim spouse had the right to convert his children without the mother's consent.

Some lawyers and legal experts say spouses in especially bitter custody battles sometimes convert to Islam to gain an upper hand. A Muslim with a non-Muslim spouse who seeks custody from the Shariah court is almost certain to win because the spouse has no standing.

A photo of M. Indira Gandhi's daughter

The government has long pledged to tackle legal ambiguities related to religious conversions. But a Cabinet decision in 2009 to allow minors to be converted only with both parents' consent has yet to be made legally binding.

In southern Negeri Sembilan state, Deepa Subramaniam's Hindu husband quietly embraced Islam in 2012 and formally converted both their children without her consent. He was then granted custody of the children by a Shariah court. Deepa turned to the civil court, which annulled her marriage on grounds of domestic violence and granted her custody of the children. Two days later, her ex-husband abducted their 5-year-old son.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has refused to act on court orders to return either Deepa's son or Gandhi's daughter to their mothers. He has been cited for contempt but is waiting for a higher civil court to weigh in.

He was quoted as saying by local media that police were "sandwiched" between legal systems and proposed that children caught in custody tussles be placed in welfare homes. Khalid did not return text messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The abduction of Gandhi's daughter, Prasana Diksa, came days before her first birthday. Her mother had bought her a Minnie Mouse blouse and jeans, and had planned to take her to the temple for ear piercing, a traditional Hindu practice when a child turns 1.

Gandhi repeatedly called her husband and begged him to return Diksa, who was still on breast milk, in the hours and days after she was taken. Her husband, an odd-job worker now called Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, initially told her again to convert to Islam, then stopped replying to any of her requests.

Gandhi found out that he had officially converted to Islam when she went to a police station to report the abduction. There she learned that he had also changed the birth certificates of the couples' other two children to state they were Muslims. Fearing that Islamic authorities may seize them as well, Gandhi went into hiding. (Continue Reading.)