Cliff began his talk, discussing his debates with Muslims who had challenged his faith. Aisha listened intently as Cliff recounted his first encounter. A Muslim man had approached him, expressing love and respect for Jesus and all the prophets. The man argued that Muslims follow Jesus’ teachings and worship the same God, so why would they be punished for not accepting the Christian view of Jesus?

Cliff responded with a question: “Why would I choose to trust Jesus instead of Muhammad?” He explained that while he respected Muhammad and his teachings, Muhammad had made a crucial mistake by denying the deity of Christ. Cliff pointed out that Muhammad was born 570 years after Jesus, whereas the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John had met Jesus and insisted that He claimed to be God.

Aisha found herself nodding in agreement with some of Cliff’s points. She appreciated his respect for Muhammad and his encouragement for people to read the Quran. However, she disagreed with his interpretation of Jesus’ deity. She raised her hand to speak.

“I used to be a Christian,” Aisha began, “and I read the Bible myself. I had issues with the deity of Christ. Muhammad did not author the Quran; he was a messenger of the words of God. The Quran claims to be the infallible word of God, whereas the Bible was written by humans.”

Cliff listened carefully and responded, “The New Testament was written in Greek because it was the common language of the time. Jesus spoke Aramaic, but the message of Jesus could spread widely across different regions in Greek. Additionally, Greek was already used in the Septuagint, a widely used Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.”

Aisha appreciated Cliff’s thoughtful response but remained unconvinced. She shifted her argument to Jesus’ claims about being God, quoting verses where Jesus seemed to distinguish Himself from God. Cliff countered with verses from the Old and New Testaments that clearly called Jesus God.

The debate intensified as Aisha argued that the Quran was preserved in its original language, Arabic, while the New Testament was not in Jesus’ spoken language. Cliff acknowledged the point but emphasized the historical reliability of the New Testament, citing scholars like Dr. Daniel Wallace who had dedicated their lives to studying the preservation of the text.

As the debate continued, Cliff presented three philosophical problems with Islam. First, he questioned why God would reveal Himself clearly in Jesus but then require people to learn Arabic to understand the Quran. Second, he argued that it was illogical to trust Muhammad’s revelation 500 years after Jesus over the eyewitness accounts of the apostles. Third, he pointed out the contradiction between the absolute truth claims of Jesus and Muhammad.

Aisha listened carefully, appreciating Cliff’s logical arguments but remaining firm in her belief in the Quran’s divine origin. She argued that the Quran was the word of God, not written by Muhammad, and that it was consistent and preserved through oral tradition.

The auditorium was filled with a palpable tension as the debate reached its climax. Aisha and Cliff both passionately defended their beliefs, each presenting compelling arguments. The audience listened intently, many nodding in agreement with one side or the other.

As the debate drew to a close, Cliff made a final point about the historical reliability of the Old Testament, citing the Dead Sea Scrolls and Jewish scribal practices. Aisha acknowledged the points but remained steadfast in her belief in the Quran.

The auditorium erupted in applause as the debate ended. Aisha and Cliff shook hands, each appreciating the other’s passion and respect for their beliefs. As Aisha left the auditorium, she felt a renewed sense of faith and a deeper understanding of the Christian perspective. 

In the days that followed, Aisha continued to engage in interfaith dialogues, always eager to learn and share her beliefs. She found that these conversations not only strengthened her own faith but also built bridges of understanding and respect between different religious communities. And so, Aisha’s journey of faith and dialogue continued, one conversation at a time.

See More: Sources: Maverick Carter advising $5B effort to start new basketball league

Maverick Carter, LeBron James’ business manager, has been enlisted as an adviser by a group of investors seeking to raise $5 billion to form an international basketball league that would serve as a rival to the NBA, sources told ESPN, confirming a story first reported Thursday by Bloomberg.

The group — which includes multiple private equity funds — is looking to form a league consisting of six men’s teams and six women’s teams, playing games around the world, sources told ESPN.

Although Carter, who has served as a producer on more than one of James’ TV and movie projects, is closely tied to the Los Angeles Lakers star, sources told ESPN that James is not involved in the efforts with this new league.

James, whose current Lakers contract includes a player option for the 2025-26 season, has expressed interest in becoming an NBA owner once his playing career comes to an end.

Sources told ESPN that LeBron James is not involved in the efforts with the proposed international league to rival the NBA, although his business partner Maverick Carter (left) has been enlisted as an adviser by the league’s prospective investors. Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

Bloomberg reported that the investment group might try to tap private equity and sovereign wealth funds to raise the $5 billion it is seeking. Currently, private equity funds are limited to a 20% stake in NBA teams and are not allowed to serve in governing roles.

The NBA has not faced a significant rival 5-on-5 league since the 1970s, when the short-lived American Basketball Association went under and the NBA absorbed four of its teams — the Pacers, Nets, Nuggets and Spurs. The WNBA was beaten to market by the rival American Basketball League in the 1990s, although that league folded after 2½ seasons.

This season, a new 3-on-3 women’s league, Unrivaled, is starting up and has filled its rosters with many of the WNBA’s biggest stars, though rookie sensation Caitlin Clark chose not to participate.