Christians Arrested at the Arab Festival, Dearborn

Yes, the title says it all. The controversial evangelical group has had its co-founders arrested. You may remember the controversy they caused at last years Arab Festival in Dearborn; they were ejected from the event by security. This year they top that by getting arrested.

Here is Nabeel Qureshi letting us know of this embarrassing occurrence:

Yes, you heard it here first, folks. David and I, along with Negeen and Paul Rezkalla, were arrested and spent last night in jail. It is a long story which we will elaborate in full detail when we can, and we will post footage when the police give us back our cameras.

David Wood and Acts17Apologetics Were Looking For Trouble Under the Guise of Evangelism

Prior to this festival, in learning of David Wood’s intentions to return to the Arab Festival in Dearborn I warned my friend (Antonio Santana) from travelling with David Wood as Wood seemed to be intent on controversy.

In preparation for the Arab Festival 2010 David Wood bought a camera and asked his supporters to help him with the cost, he ominously appended his desire to have a camera handy for the event with the words:

We hope the dialogues at the Arab Festival are peaceful, but we need cameras in case Muslims decide to kick our heads in

I recognised David Wood was looking for controversy (hence my advice to my friend Antonio Santana (MBI3030) who was planning to accompany them); he got his controversy by spending the night in Dearborn City Jail.

To further point to David Wood’s desire to incite controversy at this years Arab Festival we can take a look at this comment he made prior to leaving for Dearborn:

Muslims have threatened us with death if we return to the festival, so now we definitely have to show up.

Eye Witness Account?

UPDATE: An alleged eye-witness on Pam Gellar’s blog points the blame at David Wood:

I was among many Christian groups that were at the festival, evangelizing Muslims. None of us had problems. We all saw David Wood and his video group trying to cause a scene.
They are trying to showboat, please stop believing them

Thinking logically

Now, if you are not looking for controversy why would you turn up to such hotbed of “hostility”? It is clear David Wood was not going there to preach the Gospel; Wood admitted to me that his blog is not designed to preach Christianity but warn against Islam. Thus, it appears, Wood was looking to provoke inflammatory Muslim behaviour in order to film it to get his propaganda video clips to warn people against Islam. This is insincere to the hilt.

The Police Clearly Saw Reason to Arrest David Wood and Co

David Wood and Nabeel Qureshi can plead their innocence all they like, but the police are an upstanding group of men and women who clearly saw Wood and Qureshi contravening American Law, hence their arrest and subsequent incarceration.

As David Wood’s (and Nabeel Qureshi’s) reputation for honesty has been sullied in the past we are more likely to believe the American Police force than Wood and Qureshi in any case. they can protest all they like; the fact remains the Police deemed the “evangelists” at Acts17Apologetics as people who were breaching the peace

David Wood is Harming Sister Negeen

Negeen is a young convert to Christianity (ex-Muslim) and David Wood seems to be manipulating her naivety and using her to further his hate and ego laden agenda. Quite what Negeen’s family think of her spending the night in jail is beyond me. David Wood needs to have more concern for others rather than having tunnel vision for his anti-Muslim agenda.

Perhaps this episode will provide Negeen with a moment of clarity and she will realise the folk at Acts17Apologetics are not the most “christian” or the type you want to be mixing with.

Damage to the Church

David Wood’s Church must be absolutely ashamed. At a time where controversy is upon the Church and many evangelists such as Ergun Caner our friend David Wood acts in the most reckless fashion conceivable and pours more controversy on Christian evangelism and the Church. Sad.

Damage to Dr James White (Alpha and Omega Ministries) and Reverend Tony Costa

Dr James White has his lot in with the folk at Acts17Apologetics, this just further intensifies the investigations and controversy which pursues White. White would do well to disassociate himself from such a controversial group.

Reverend Tony Costa is affected to a lesser extent as he seems to be free from any association with David Wood’s group. Perhaps this is wisdom paying off for Costa.

The Future of Acts17Apologetics

Acts17Apologetics clearly has a fan base who provides financial support thus it is an established group. All this means Wood and Qureshi will probably still stick around and keep the Acts17Apologetics group open despite another shameful episode which further sullies their credibility as a genuine place for information and evangelism.

Christians need to stop shooting themselves in the foot by supporting people who are simply looking to gain fame and feed their ego

Any questions… please direct them to the author of this article, Yahya snow

Appendix 1

James White has his fair share of controversy:
https://yahyasnow.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/james-white-hero-for-muslims/