Just when you thought the ACLU didn't like Christians!
There's a good article in the Michigan Messenger that presents feedback on our case from the ACLU. Here's an excerpt:
. . . Michael Steinberg, the legal director for the ACLU of Michigan, told the Messenger via email, “Based solely on the videotape, it appears that the man encouraging others to convert to Christianity was engaged in speech protected by the First Amendment. The videotape suggests that the man who was arrested was not harassing the people with whom he was speaking, nor was he inciting a riot; rather, he was engaged in the type of free exchange of ideas about religion that is valued in a free society. The man’s message may not have been popular at this particular festival, but the Constitution protects unpopular speech as well as popular speech.”
Steinberg also says that what happened on Sunday, June 20 — when the same missionaries were shooed off a public sidewalk and told they had to be at least five blocks away to hand out literature — looks like an abuse of authority as well.
“If it was being distributed on public streets outside the area reserved for the festival,” he said, “then it was protected First Amendment activity because public streets are quintessential public forums where protection of freedom of speech is strongest.”
He also noted that “videotaping police officers in public – especially when documenting perceived police misconduct – is activity protected by the Constitution.”
Dan Ray, a professor of constitutional law at Cooley Law School in Ann Arbor, agrees. “If any local authority told the religious group that it could only distribute its literature five blocks away,” he said, “that’s a clear First Amendment violation.” As a legal question, he said, this was “not even a close call.”
The Dearborn Police Department did not return calls seeking comment for this article. Read More.
At the time he was arrested on Friday, June 18, Mr. Wood had gathered a large crowd around him, blocking a key access point between the tents. The crowd was forced to grow bigger solely because people could not pass. Those who created this public danger did so with the knowledge that they were violating the laws because they wanted to be arrested while their cohorts were actively recording the event for posting on the web. They knew that they could inflame the passions of viewers who would be taken in by their misrepresentation of what was really going on. Source.
Fortunately, video footage trumps the Mayor's lies. Pay close attention to the Muslim who says, "Man I love Dearborn Police." (I'll note here, however, that this could be a sarcastic comment. I can't be sure, but given the number of Muslims who cheered at our arrests, I suspect the intention was genuine.)
And here's what happened according to the City of Dearborn's website:
Public safety became an issue for both members of Acts 17 Apologetics and the gathering crowd. The four (4) members of Acts 17 Apologetics chose to escalate their behavior, which appeared well-orchestrated and deliberate, and chose not to follow the directions being given to them by the responding officers. The behavior of these individuals drew and incited a large crowd to a point where they were in violation of City of Dearborn Misdemeanor Ordinances of Breach of Peace and Failure to Obey the Lawful Order of a Police Officer. They were arrested. Upon their arrest, the crowd dispersed without further action being needed. Source.
I just read about the discovery of an ancient manuscript over at Lydia's blog. Since this has implications for our ministry, I'm reposting Lydia's intro along with the ancient document.
Those of you who have been following the outrageous treatment of Christian missionaries in Dearborn, MI, through my coverage at W4 or at the blog of Acts 17 ministries may or may not be aware that the Acts 17 guys and their friends have had a fair bit of their time wasted--on blogs, on Facebook, etc.--answering Christian "friends" who accuse them of being "too confrontational," etc., and hence getting themselves in trouble. (Never mind the rule of law, the freedom of religion, the mandate to proclaim the gospel, and all that. We're busy proving how hard we can be on fellow Christians who have the audacity to run afoul of the sharia police.)
Anyway, I cannot reveal here how the following came into my possession. I will only say, for the record, that I did not write it. I wouldn't want to take credit for something that isn't my own.
[The following document, written in Koine Greek on a surprisingly intact sheet of fine vellum, was recently found in a drawer in the British Museum, where it had lain uncatalogued for an unknown time. Scholarly opinion is divided, but some experts believe that it may have been a document that was considered and then rejected for inclusion in the fourteenth chapter of Acts. It is translated here for the first time.]
Dear Brother Paul,
We were grieved to hear of the commotion caused when you and Barnabas were here last month. Though we are, of course, grateful that you suffered no bodily harm, we feel it our duty to point out that what you were doing was in every way calculated to inflame strong passions and to incite violence. Because we love you as brethren, we feel it necessary to “show unto you a more excellent way,” lest your actions should cause a breach in the excellent relations we enjoy with the Jewish community here and in our sister cities to the south, Lystra and Derbe.
First, it is reported that you and Barnabas entered a synagogue. You of all people must understand that this placed you in a sensitive position. It is one thing to speak on a public street – sensitively, of course – but it is quite another to go forcing one’s way into the very house of worship of our Jewish friends. Ask yourselves: what would Jesus do? Would he have caused trouble in the Temple itself?
Second, it is reported that when you and Barnabas had entered the synagogue, you began openly preaching the gospel. Brethren, this is out of character with the behavior of our blessed Lord and Saviour, who, as the prophet Isaiah foretold, “opened not his mouth” – a moving description that we have taken as our motto for the Ministerial Society.
Third, it is reported that you engaged in this activity for an extended period of time, speaking boldly and with confidence. We entreat you: was there any need for this? Was there not a time and a place for sharing your convictions that would have been more compatible with the excellent advice you yourself have been known to give from time to time, that “all things might be done decently and in order”?
Under the circumstances, it is no wonder that the civil authorities and a sizeable portion of the religious population joined forces to prevent your actions. Without seeming to condone any violence you might have suffered, we feel compelled to point out that we in the Ministerial Society have never been the focus of such actions from either the civil or the religious direction. Indeed, several of the leading Rabbis here in Iconium have assured us that they have not the least problem with the manner in which we conduct ourselves.
This manner of conduct we earnestly commend to you. There is no need for you to suffer for your faith, whether out of misplaced piety or a juvenile desire for public attention. Our God, who is able to make the rocks cry out His praises, neither requires nor is glorified by brash attempts to proclaim His word in unseasonable circumstances. It is better – safer, and, we think, wiser – to remember the words of the preacher, that there is “a time for silence.”
Sincerely,
M. W. T. Rollos, secretary Worship, Iconium! Ministerial Peace Society “... ουκ ανοιγει το στομα αυτου”
You've seen many Muslims take delight in the fact that we were arrested at the Dearborn Arab Festival. Now take a good look at what we were arrested for. Then ask yourself, "Why would Muslims be so happy that Christians were arrested for peacefully sharing the Gospel?"
Also take a close look at the accusations of the Dearborn Police, Mayor John C. O'Reilly, certain local Christian leaders, etc. Then ask yourself, "Why are so many people lying about Acts 17?"
“An illegal arrest is an assault and battery. The person so attempted to be restrained of his or her liberty has the same right to use force in defending him or herself as he or she would in repelling any other assault and battery.” (State v. Robinson, 145 ME. 77, 72 ATL. 260).
“Each person has the right to resist an unlawful arrest. In such a case, the person attempting the arrest stands in the position of a wrongdoer and may be resisted by the use of force, as in self- defense.” (State v. Mobley, 240 N.C. 476, 83 S.E. 2d 100).
“One may come to the aid of another being unlawfully arrested, just as he may where one is being assaulted, molested, raped or kidnapped. Thus it is not an offense to liberate one from the unlawful custody of an officer, even though he may have submitted to such custody, without resistance.” (Adams v. State, 121 Ga. 16, 48 S.E. 910).
This is a rather complicated case. I originally posted this thinking it was more clear-cut, but I did some background research and found that there is more to this story: possible PTSD, self-defense, etc. This is big news in Canada, though, and people are deliberating whether or not the judgment has anything to do with honor killings and Islamophobiaphobia. What do you think? I'm now leaning more towards not honor killing, but I'm interested in your thoughts.
Calgary Herald
CALGARY - The Calgary mother who killed her teenage daughter by strangling her with a scarf more than three years ago will not have to spend a day in jail, a judge ruled on Thursday.
But, in suspending the sentence of Aset Magomadova and placing her on probation for three years, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Sal LoVecchio said the penalty can still meet the ends of justice.
"At first blush (a suspended sentence) may sound like a get out of jail free card. It is not," emphasized the judge.
"The court has said the act in question does not merit a period of incarceration. What the court has done is reserved or to use the word of the statute, 'suspended' judgment on that point for a period of time on conditions. If the conditions are satisfied, then the individual will not be sentenced. If they are breached, the individual will be brought back to the court to be dealt with further."
Magomadova, 40, a refugee from the wartorn country of Chechnya, was originally charged with second-degree murder for killing her daughter Aminat, 14, on Feb. 26, 2007, at their Calgary home.
But LoVecchio deemed she did not intend to kill her, even though such an act required at least 2 1/2 minutes of continuous strangulation to cause death, and convicted her last October of the lesser included offence of manslaughter. READ MORE
Here's the video footage from Negeen's camera while she was being assaulted by Dearborn Police. In any other city, in any other state, police officers would recognize her Constitutional rights. But this is Dearborn. They can accuse a Christian of anything, and violate her rights in any way they see fit.
If this doesn't make your blood boil, nothing will.
“An illegal arrest is an assault and battery. The person so attempted to be restrained of his or her liberty has the same right to use force in defending him or herself as he or she would in repelling any other assault and battery.” (State v. Robinson, 145 ME. 77, 72 ATL. 260).
“Each person has the right to resist an unlawful arrest. In such a case, the person attempting the arrest stands in the position of a wrongdoer and may be resisted by the use of force, as in self- defense.” (State v. Mobley, 240 N.C. 476, 83 S.E. 2d 100).
“One may come to the aid of another being unlawfully arrested, just as he may where one is being assaulted, molested, raped or kidnapped. Thus it is not an offense to liberate one from the unlawful custody of an officer, even though he may have submitted to such custody, without resistance.” (Adams v. State, 121 Ga. 16, 48 S.E. 910).
Sorry we haven't been able to share more information with you recently. Things got pretty hectic pretty quick. I am currently in Florida with my Youth at Bible Camp, so I haven't had the time to post much since I've gotten here. But I have about 15 minutes right now, so here goes.
On Sunday night when we went to Dearborn to speak, my flight arrived late so we arrived at our spot about half an hour after anticipated. Some Christians were there waiting for us to encourage us, and they told us that 3 cop cars had been parked there and were waiting for us. They must have left, though, because I didn't see them. News Channel 7 was there (ABC affiliate, I believe) and they started asking us questions on the camera. When we stood on the street to let people come and talk to us, many people drove by and honked and waved, some people drove by and glared at us, but only one person stopped. Majed Moughni, a Muslim running for US Congress, stopped his car with his family waiting inside. He came up to us and greeted us very warmly, and then clearly stated for the camera (I'm paraphrasing, btw): "What the Mayor is doing to you all is very wrong. He does not speak for all the City of Dearborn. He should apologize to you, you have every right to do what you did." David and I were very surprised by Moughni's show of support - it seems to me that he has more to lose than to gain by siding with us, but he did so all the same. He has written a few notes on his Facebook account indicating his support for us as well.
The next day, Monday morning, we arrived at the courthouse early and there were many believers and media outlets there. Since there were, of course, multiple people on the dockett for the day, we got to see Judge Somers's style. He was exceedingly kind to virtually everyone who walked up. I mean, really - I've seen some judges in action before, but this guy was super nice in his demeanor and attitude, and his judgements were fair. But then we got up there, and it was like a light switch. He appeared antagonistic towards our attorney from the get-go, intimating that he was against many of his motions. (I'm no lawyer, nor am I even remotely familiar with legal processes, so forgive me if I speak incorrectly.) He even appeared to deny Rob's (our attorney) request for a bill of particulars, a detailed account of what exactly we were charged for. I thought that was extremely important and a necessity in this trial, but the judge acted as if it was unheard of. So, not looking good on that front. We'll see what happens.
Three cool things happened, though. Turns out Moughni is an attorney, so he was with Rob Muise in the courtroom the whole time, apparently just giving Rob his input and showing him around the court. So, at least on Monday, we had a Christian lawyer and a Muslim lawyer on our side :-) Praise God for that! Another cool thing was that Representative Tom McMillan from Michigan state legislature was present and expressed his support for us - praise the Lord! The last noteworthy thing that happened was that the City Prosecutor agreed to give us back our footage on Wednesday (today). The court didn't mandate it, so it seems easy to back out of the agreement if they should choose to, but they did say at court on Monday that they should be able to give it back this week. By the way, the express reason given by the City Prosecutor that we didn't have our cameras back on Monday was that the detective in charge of our case was on vacation. Go figure :-)
Court dates were set: August 3rd for a motion hearing (we're not going to have to be there for that) and August 30th for our pre-trial (which we will have to go to). Please pray for us!
Here is a short clip we put together (granted, in an extreme hurry) at ABN with a brief recap of what happened at the arraignment:
***UPDATE FROM DAVID*** I hear that our cameras have finally been returned to our lawyers. Since plane tickets are way too expensive, Paul and I are going to drive to Michigan tonight. We'll be able to examine the cameras in the morning to see if the footage has been tampered with. If we've got our footage, we should be able to start posting videos tomorrow.
***UPDATE FROM NABEEL*** Just got a call from David in Michigan. He's looking through the footage right now... looks like it's there, but he's checking to see if it's all there. We've got even better news to share with you, but we have to wait 'til we have it all together to post online :-) Keep coming back for updates!
I don't wish to break the present flow concerning the dangerous situation in USA (may God bless David Wood and the team and their struggle to stand up for the truth and freedom; my prayer is with you guys), hence I will just provide the link of an online written debate between myself and Ayaz (a UK Muslim) on the Qur'an, the Bible and science in relation to the Ant.
Ayaz and myself debated publically in 2008 in UK on the topic: 'The Bible and the Qur'an: Which is from God', and contemplate an imminent debate this year on the divinity and humanity of Jesus.
World Net Daily--A lawmaker in Michigan is calling on the state attorney general to investigate the arrests of four Christians at a recent Arab festival in the city of Dearborn, saying they were just "engaging festivalgoers in conversation about religion on public property."
The call comes from state Rep. Tom McMillin, who has introduced a resolution to that effect.
His concern is over the arrests of four people during the Arab Festival in Dearborn, where police have been accused of enforcing Islamic law.
The officers arrested the Christian missionaries and illegally confiscated their video cameras, which were being used to record the events, according to the Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., which is representing the defendants.
Officials in the police department with the city of Dearborn declined to comment to WND.
"Both the constitution of Michigan and the United States guarantee the right of every person to enjoy free speech and practice their religion freely, just as these men were doing," McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, said.
"Those rights can't be just pushed aside for political correctness or to accommodate certain circumstances or locations," he said.
McMillin has been in touch with the "Dearborn Four" and has agreed to attend their arraignment in Dearborn on July 12 as a show of solidarity.
"These men should not be punished for exercising their inalienable rights," McMillin said. Read more.
You don't want to miss this one. Tony and Bassam are two of the best debaters out there, and this is definitely an interesting topic. On a different note, I know both of them and I think they'll get along quite well if they hang out for a while. I suspect Tony and Bassam will become good friends (provided Bassam continues to reinterpret Qur'an 5:51!). For those of us who can't be there, I'll post videos here as soon as they're available.
ANN ARBOR, MI – The arraignment of four Christian missionaries on criminal charges will take place on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. in the 19th Judicial District Court located at 16077 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan. This is the next step in what has been described as police enforcement of Sharia law in a city dominated by a large Muslim population.
To the jeers and shouts of “Allah Akbar” by the Muslim crowd, the four Christian missionaries were arrested and thrown in jail on June 18, 2010 by Dearborn Police officers at the Annual Arab International Festival held in Dearborn. One of the arrested missionaries was Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, MD, who was engaged in peaceful dialogue with several Muslim youths. The other three missionaries, who were merely videotaping the conversation, had their cameras and other equipment illegally seized before police arrested them as well.
Police refused requests by the missionaries to view the video at the scene of their arrest, which the missionaries claimed would completely exonerate them of any wrongdoing.
The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan is representing all of the Christian missionaries. Because District Judge Mark W. Somers required that all four defendants personally appear before him for the arraignment, the Law Center assisted with the costs of their travel from different parts of the country.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “It’s evident that the Dearborn Police department was more interested in placating Muslims than obeying our Constitution. These Christians were exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion, but apparently in a city where the Muslim population seems to dominate the political apparatus, Sharia law trumps our Constitution.”
Thus far, police and prosecutors have refused to return the illegally seized cameras and video tapes. They have also refused to provide the Law Center with the police reports of the incident despite repeated requests.
Arrested on charges of Breach of the Peace are Negeen Mayel, Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, Paul Rezkalla and David Wood. Mayel, an eighteen-year old female whose parents emigrated from Afghanistan and a recent convert from Islam to Christianity, was also charged with failure to obey a police officer’s orders. She was at least 100 feet away and videotaping Qureshi’s discussion with the Muslim youths when police seized her camera.
Thompson added, “Not all police officers approve of the way their department treated these Christians.”
Robert Muise, Senior Trial Counsel with the Law Center, will represent the Christian missionaries at the arraignment on Monday. Source.
Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah was the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, and was responsible for the 1983 terrorist attack against the U.S. Marine barracks and the U.S. embassy in Beirut, which killed more than 300 people. Fadlallah has praised terrorist attacks against Israel, and has been deemed a terrorist by the U.S. government. Not surprisingly, many U.S. Muslims are mourning his death. But which city is mourning him most of all? If you guessed "Dearborn," you've been paying attention to our recent blog posts.
DETROIT — Three suburban Detroit Muslim worship centres plan to hold a total of six services to mourn the loss of one of Shiite Islam's highest authorities.
Services will be held nightly from Tuesday through Sunday for the Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah. The 75-year-old cleric died Sunday in Lebanon after a long illness and was buried Tuesday.
The Detroit-area services will rotate among the Islamic Institute of Knowledge in Dearborn, Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights and Islamic Center of America in Dearborn.
Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom says it's important to include several mosques because Fadlallah preached unity among people.
The Detroit area has a large population of Arabs and Muslims. Many trace their roots to Lebanon. Source.
I have an idea. Since there are so many radical Muslims in Dearborn, and since so many of them want to see the U.S. destroyed, perhaps we should let them pull the strings of the Dearborn Police Department. That way, Christians are sure to get fair treatment.
We have just witnessed yet another attack in Pakistan of Muslim against Muslim. (See 1, 2, 3). I hear people say that the Muslims who do this are not true Muslims, but there is a problem with this conclusion. Firstly, the Qur'an commands the "rightly guided" Muslims to make war on false Muslims.
O you who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remaineth (due to you) from usury, if you are (in truth) believers. And if you do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger. And if you repent, then you have your principal (without interest). Wrong not, and you shall not be wronged. (Qur'an 2:278-279, Pickthall)
O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. (Qur'an 9:73, Pitckthall)
And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable. (Qur'an 49:9, Pickthall)
The Sunnah also teaches the same thing.
Narrated Daylam al-Himyari: I asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Apostle of Allah! we live in a cold land in which we do heavy work and we make a liquor from wheat to get strength from it for our work and to stand the cold of our country. He asked: Is it intoxicating? I replied: Yes. He said: You must avoid it. I said: The people will not abandon it. He said: If they do not abandon it, fight with them. (Abu Dawood: bk 26, no. 3675, Hasan)
The owners of the mosque of opposition had come to the apostle as he was preparing for (to attack) Tabuk, saying, "We have built a mosque for the sick and needy and for nights of bad weather, and we should like you to come to us and pray for us there." He said that he was on the point of travelling, and was preoccupied ... and that when he came back if God willed he would come to them and pray for them in it. When he stopped in Dhu Awan news of the mosque came to him, and he summoned Malik b. al-Dukhshum ... and Ma'n b. `Adiy ... and told them to go to the mosque of those evil men and destroy and burn it. ... and then the two of them ran into the mosque where its people were and burned and destroyed it and the people ran away from it. (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 609)
Narrated Abu Huraira: When Allah's Apostle died and Abu Bakr was elected as a Caliph after him, some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief. Umar said to Abu Bakr, "How dare you fight the people when Allah's Apostle said: I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and whoever says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, saves his wealth and his life from me unless he deserves a legal punishment justy, and his account will be with Allah!" Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, I will fight him who discriminates between Zakat and prayers, for Zakat is the compulsory right to be taken from the wealth by Allah, if they refuse to give me even a tying rope which they use to give to Allah's Apostle, I would fight them for withholding it." Umar said, "By Allah, it was nothing, except I saw that Allah had opened the chest of Abu Bakr to the fight, and I came to know for certain that was the truth." (Bukhari: vol 9, bk. 92, no. 388, Khan)
Thus the Qur'an and Sunnah command faithful Muslims to make war on those Muslims who do not obey all of Islam's teaching. This is a very important aspect of Jihad. Jihad is not just against non-Muslims; it is also against Muslims. This is why Muslim groups in Pakistan blow up mosques of those they believe to be false Muslims.
How do you control a doctrine this? Who determines who is "rightly guided"? This is madness and nothing but trouble for Muslims and everyone one else. This is not God's way and does not bring about true worship of God. It is the gospel that is the right way for it seeks to change hearts by the power of God's spirit not by human violence.
