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Prayer: Kent Hovind in Court Today, March 2


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Just discovered something else, a bit shocking to me, about the initial case against Kent Hovind.

Apparently, as I read in a recent article, Kent Hovind's troubles initially began when he was reported to the IRS, I believe, by an official at Pensacola Christian College. So, Christians now willingly ignore the command that we not go to a lost law against a brother. Of course, I understand there are times to go to the law, ie, murder, rape, theft, and the like, but this wasn't such a case, that I can see. It sounds like someone got a bug in their backside against him and decided to use it as an excuse to get him in trouble. Just my guess, but what would they have to do with it anyways?

Very sad. I don't know much about PCC, though I thought they were IFB.

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Just discovered something else, a bit shocking to me, about the initial case against Kent Hovind.

Apparently, as I read in a recent article, Kent Hovind's troubles initially began when he was reported to the IRS, I believe, by an official at Pensacola Christian College. So, Christians now willingly ignore the command that we not go to a lost law against a brother. Of course, I understand there are times to go to the law, ie, murder, rape, theft, and the like, but this wasn't such a case, that I can see. It sounds like someone got a bug in their backside against him and decided to use it as an excuse to get him in trouble. Just my guess, but what would they have to do with it anyways?

Very sad. I don't know much about PCC, though I thought they were IFB.

​The following items are not as speculation or as a beef with PCC. These are some FACTS that I am personally aware of AND have verified by way of a faithful, loyal PCC staff member who is related to a former church member of ours. If you choose to draw conclusions or speculate, that's your problem -- uh, I mean business.

 

PCC's own statement in their catalog (don't know if they've changed it in the 2 latest issues) state that the Campus Church is a ministry of Pensacola Christian College.

Bro. Hovind's property in question is on the N.E. curve of a 3 block set of residential dwellings all owned by PCC.

Bro. Ruckman owned property (farther East) that PCC wanted to buy and pestered him for a long time (I think it was around 10 years) before he finally decided to sell it.

They sought repeatedly to buy Bro. Hovind's property but he wouldn't sell.

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Well, of course, after his legal issues of the first trial, they confiscated all of his properties, 11 in all, I believe. Thee are four that remain unsold, and it is these properties that he filed with the court over, disputing their right to keep and sell them, and it is for this that they are now accusing him of mail fraud, though how submitting legal, notarized court documents constitutes mail fraud, I don't know.

Also, after his initial trial and sentencing, the IRS offerred to sell the main property, Dinosaur Adventure Land, back to the ministry, for $350,000.00. They gave them like two weeks to come up with the money, which they did, via donations. When they attempted to pay for the fines for the property, they rejected it and told them they had reconsidered. I suspect they didn't think they could gather it so quickly. So they are liars and cheats, to say the least. I wonder if the property went to PCC.

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I personally, like most of the brethren, highly appreciate Bro.Kent Hovind's stand for creationism. I agree with with all of his stand on a 6 day creation, literal flood and other matters in Genesis. Until Kent willingly, I repeat, willingly, broke the IRS Tax Law, I encouraged my family and my friends to watch the videos and be behind Kent Hovind and his ministry.

But, he knowingly failed to pay taxes on his employees at his creation museum at Pensacola, and called his employees, students from PCC, 'missionaries.' Kent Hovind is a tax cheat and a tax protester and a protester against our government. His employees were not missionaries: they were his employees at a non church business.He lied to the government and to Founders of PCC: Mr. & Mrs. Horton. The creation museum that Kent founded was a business: it was not a church, nor a church ministry. For Kent to call his employees 'missionaries' was a lie to cheat the IRS. It is also an embarrassment to every missionary on the field or raising funds on deputation to get to the field. In order to pay his employees, and not paying taxes, Kent every month took $9,500.00 out of the funds they took in from the museum, (not a church), to avoid the $10,000.00 reporting amount. The government, rightly so, according to US tax law, knew Kent was 'tax structuring.' 

As a minister, Kent Hovind was a shame to true ministers, and missionaries, in the ministry who obey the  laws of the land. Romans 13 is applicable to Hovind's situation. Furthermore, as Kent claimed to be a minister, in Paul's teaching on the qualifications for a man in the ministry, 1 Timothy 2:2 plainly states, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach." A bishop is a man in ministry: pastor, evangelist, and missionary. The bishop, pastor, must be 'blameless,' to the folks in the church and out of the church. Kent not only broke the law of the land he broke the law of the Book. Is the the Law of the Book more important than the Law of the Land? Think about that brethren.

Kent Hovind was convicted of 12 counts of tax evasion, 45 counts of structuring, 1 count of obstruction and there was a $430,000.00 judgment against him. The properties were to be sold for the judgment. The current trial is due to Kent trying to stop the selling of the properties by a legal maneuver called, somebody please correct the spelling as I am not a lawyer and forget such words, 'les pudens'. Kent Hovind is a convicted tax cheat, and when it comes to the law of the United States of America, he is a liar. Kent is not 'blameless' in any shape or fashion. 

Also, Kent's claim as a, 'sovereign citizen,' is method of tax evasion and another embarrassment to every law abiding citizen of the United States of America. Kent, in my eyes, and I hope that I am in error, does not love America, nor does he want to be called a citizen of America. What a 'sovereign citizen,' is is anybody's guess. I do not know nor do I care. I love America with all of it faults, crooked politicians, pollution, and corrupt judges. Brethren, I say that because I have spent most  of my adult  life outside of the US either defending it militarily or as a missionary and miss it dearly.

By the way, as a missionary I pay taxes not only in the US but also here on Taiwan. Most true missionaries are in the same situation. And, a lot of times the taxes in the foreign country are higher than in the States. Although in Taiwan they are lower than the States.

Kent was caught 'structuring' his payments to his employees. The Horton's at PCC knew all this, and so did a lot of other people, and, rightly so, they informed the IRS.  The structuring laws were applicable to his situation as well to the drug runners and other tax cheats. In the initial trial, contrary to Kent's explanations, the IRS tired to negotiate a deal to prevent a court case but Kent refused.

Brethren, if a brother breaks a law, especially a major tax law, then we ought to inform the authorities. Kent knew that he was breaking a major tax law; not a minor tax infraction. The Horton's PCC was correct in informing the IRS authorities. It was a sad day when they did.

Unfortunately, due to the unrepentant attitude of Kent Hovind; the world, the liberals, the rotten judges, and the unbelievers of creation are using Kent as a example of all true believers and those who believe in a literal creation. And, may use Kent's case to try to bring to trial true ministers of the gospel.

The whole situation is sad and detrimental to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Edited by Alan
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Alan, I appreciate your thoughts on this, but you are following the crowd the way believers did when they sttod against Paul when he went to prison. You only know part of the story.

First, Hovind's employees were not employees, they are hired as contractors, which places the onus of tax reporting upon them, not the organization.

Second, according to the IRS code, the only people that owe income tax are employees, and by the code, an employee is someone who worlkd for the federal government-a very little-known fact. According to the IRC,an "Employer" is the Federal Government-not a private business. I refer you to Losthorizons.com for more information on that.

As for structuring, this is an illegal, or dubioius at best, ploy the feds use to ensure people use their own money in ways they feds can control. Legally, and biblically, they have no such right to do so. Even now, just last month, one of the IRS chiefs has come out to admit that they have been using structuring laws improperly and policies are being re-written to stop that from continuing.

As for PCC, they had no business contacting anyone about what they believed Hovind was doing, particularly now knowing that they wanted his property in the first place. They went against the Bible's admonition to not go to the law against a brother, particularly in a matter that was none of their business.

Now, for the sake of argument, let's suppose Kent Hovind is actually guilty of everything they say he is, let's look at it. How many tax cheats with far more tax debt have ever done as much time as he has? What criminal at all, save for those who either are so violently dangerous, like Charlie Manson, or those with life without parole, again due to violent crimes, ever does their entire sentence? Especially non-violent, non-dangerous criminals? With the over-loaded prison systems, they ALWAYS push to get them out early. Yet Kent is about doing his entire time. How much time has Al Sharpton done for his $3mil tax bill (no time served)? Or Willie Nelson ($16 mil-no time served)? Or Wesley Snipes (3 years for $7mil?)?  Jessie Kackson Jr, ($750k, 30 months), Leona Helmsley ($1.7mil 18 months), Or munerous people in the Obama administration? Or on and on we could go-you can't tell me that there's not an obvious bias with Hovind, even if he is guilty of all charges. By the way, when he began to have problems with the IRS, he contacted three attorneys who were tax experts, all of whom told him, in notarized statements, that he was doing nothing illegal, and all three were rejected as evidence in court, and not even allowed to be used in court.

Now, he has filed LEGAL, notarized documents seeking to stop, or at least question the sale of the four remaining properties the IRS took from him, (I suspect one would have paid his fines in full), a proper proceeding, nothing fraudulent about it, and now they want to put him away for 20-100 years? Seriously? The IRS is used to shut people up that the government doesn't want around any more, and sadly, everyone like sheep just goes along with it because we don't know our rights anymore, or even what is expected of us, other than just to unquestioningly obey. Even Reagan said that the tax laws were impossible for any layman to know, (as well as most IRS agents), and said it needed to be simplified, yet  we are still held accountable to follow it, though we can't understand it.

As for the farce of structuring, Hovind is not the first to feel the wrath of the IRS I invite you to read here: http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/washingtonbureau/2015/02/irs-seizes-millions-from-law-abiding-businesses-3.html?page=all     The IRS regularly turns law-abiding citizens into criminals through their structuring laws.

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By the way, Alan, If I at all sounded angry or uncharitable in my last post, I apologize-I am not meaning to cast any accusation at you or imply anything nagtive toward you, I am just passionate about this. I have seen the great work Dr. Hovind has done, and seen the mighty amount of opposition against him because of his knowledge, faith and ability to make the complex simple to understand, and those on the opposite side hate that and hate him for it. I have witnessed the fruit from his work, and have met him twice, and he is a humble man. Is he unrepentant? He is, because he doesn't believe he has done anything wrong to repent of.

When Hovind first was contacted by the IRS, he first attempted to contact them a few times, to find out what he was doing wrong, and for direction as to what to do, but he received no response from them-this is documented fact. So he spoke to attorneys about it, and was assured what he was doing was legal. Again, documented fact, and the letters from said attorneys were not allowed in court.  One this I WILL say that he did wrong, having read one of the attorney letters, was that he was told he did not need to file anything, and this is incorrect-there are legal documents one must file, even if not paying tax. A person who will receive everything back STILL needs to file. There is a legal way to go about it, and unfortunately he got bad direction. Since it was not allowed into court, they were able to make it seem as though it was all his idea not to file anything.

I think the biggest things we need to take away from all this are: 1-Christians need to beware: whether its the evolution crowd, the global-warming crowd, the homosexual crowd, or whomever, Satan has a lot of very successful campaigns going on against believers, and of course, this is to be expected, as the Bible says things would get worse. 2: there needs to be a greater push to simplify the tax system. The way it is now, we have an overblown system that even most IRS agents can't comprehend, much less the 'common man', yet we are held accountable to obey it in every jot and tittle. Because of this, it is used to control people, even politicians, who are afraid to kick against the pricks, lest they fall under their scrutiny. And its well known that they do it-that's what Lois Lerner's troubles are all about-using the IRS to stile freedoms of conservative groups. I'm not against taxes, and kent Hovind has said he is not against taxes-he just wants to pay the taxes he owes, and disputes that he owes everything they say he does.  We live in a society supposedly about rules and law-but when the law and rules are structured in such a way as to turn everyone inevitably into criminals, and we ALL are, by the way, breaking laws we don;'t even know exist, at times, then there is something inherently wrong with the system. Even the old Roman system we read about in the Bible was fairer to its citizens than ours is today. I love my country, but I don't love what it has become. 

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I personally, like most of the brethren, highly appreciate Bro.Kent Hovind's stand for creationism. I agree with with all of his stand on a 6 day creation, literal flood and other matters in Genesis. Until Kent willingly, I repeat, willingly, broke the IRS Tax Law, I encouraged my family and my friends to watch the videos and be behind Kent Hovind and his ministry.

But, he knowlingly failed to pay taxes on his employees at his creation museum at Pensacola, and called his employees, students from PCC, 'missionaires.' Kent Hovind is a tax cheat and a tax protestor and a protester against our govenment. His employees were not missionaires: they were his employees at a non church business.He lied to the govenment and to Founders of PCC: Mr. & Mrs. Horton. The creation museum that Kent founded was a business: it was not a church, nor a church ministry. For Kent to call his employees 'missionaires' was a lie to cheat the IRS. It is also an embrassment to every missionary on the field or raising funds on deputation to get to the field. In order to pay his emplyees, and not paying taxes, Kent every month took $9,500.00 out of the funds they took in from the museum, (not a church), to avoid the $10,000.00 reporting amount. The govenernment, rightly so, according to US tax law, knew Kent was 'tax sturcturing.' 

As a minister, Kent Hovind was a shame to true ministers, and missionaires, in the ministry who obey the  laws of the land. Romans 13 is applicable to Hovind's situation. Furthermore, as Kent claimed to be aminister, in Paul's teaching on the qualifications for a man in the ministry, 1 Timothy 2:2 plainly states, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach." A bishop is a man in ministry: pastor, evangelist, and missionary. The bishop, pastor, must be 'blameless,' to the folks in the church and out of the church. Kent not only broke the law of the land he broke tha law of the Book. Is the the Law of the Book more imortant than the Law of the Land? Think about that brethren.

Kent Hovind was convicted of 12 counts of tax evasion, 45 counts of structuring, 1 count of obstruction and there was a $430,000.00 judgment against him. The properties were to be sold for the judgment. The current trial is due to Kent trying to stop the selling of the properties by a legal manuver called, somebody please correct the spelling as I am not a lawyer and forget such words, 'les pudens'. Kent Hovind is a convicted tax cheat, and when it comes to the law of the United States of America, he is a liar. Kent is not 'blameless' in any shape or fashion. 

Also, Kent's claim as a, 'sovereign citizen,' is method of tax evasion and another embrassment to every law abiding citizen of the United States of America. Kent, in my eyes, and I hope that I am in error, does not love America, nor does he want to be called a citizen of America. What a 'sovereign citizen,' is is anybody's guess. I do not know nor do I care. I love America with all of it faults, crooked politici pollution, and corrupt judges. Brethren, I say that because I have spent most  of my adult  life outside of the US either defending it militarily or as a missionary and miss it dearly.

By the way, as a missionary I pay taxes not only in the US but also here on Taiwan. Most true missionaries are in the same situation. And, a lot of times the taxes in the foreign country are higher than in the States. Although in Taiwan they are lower than the States.

Kent was caught 'structuring' his payments to his employees. The Hoton's at PCC knew all this, and so did a lot of other people, and, rightly so, they informed the IRS.  The structuring laws were applicible to his situation as well to the drug runners and other tax cheats. In the initial trial, contrary to Kent's explanations, the IRS tired to negotiate a deal to prevent a court case but Kent refused.

Brethren, if a brother breaks a law, especially a major tax law, then we ought to inform the authorities. Kent knew that he was breaking a major tax law; not a minor tax infraction. The Horton's PCC was correct in informing the IRS authorities. It was a sad day when they did.

Unfortunately, due to the unrepentant attitude of Kent Hovind; the world, the liberals, the rotten judges, and the unbelievers of creation are using Kent as a example of all true believers and those who believe in a literal creation. And, may use Kent's case to try to bring to trial true ministers of the gospel.

The whole situation is sad and detrimental to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I agree​

1 Peter 2

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

 I have tried to stay out of this discussion, not because I am "apathetic" to it but because my opinion would likely ruffle someone's feathers: There are times that actual Christians, get "buffeted" for our own faults. Not every time is it persecution. I heard the man, with my own two ears, at his dinosaur park, telling us that it was illegal for the government to levy income taxes. How he acted on that, personally, is between him and God, (and the IRS). The "income tax" may indeed be illegal, from a Constitutional standpoint even, but the "powers that be" are the government we have now, and we are stuck with their "ordinances" until we can get a better system in place, or restore it to it's original state.

I've been to the dinosaur park where they used pictures of the "Loch Ness Monster". "Mokele Mbembe", faked pictures of "giant skeletons", femurs and Paluxy man tracks  and other dubious "proofs". That is no way to teach Creation. That's just grasping at anything without verifying that it's TRUE. Bro. Hovind just spent, what, 9 years in prison and was near to being released? Now he's looking at more because he will not repent. The Bible does not tell us to use man's wisdom to try to prove the Bible; we are simply commanded to preach the gospel. And we are commanded to obey the "ordinances of man"....in the Bible. And may we be prayerfully mindful that none of us are immune to being "buffeted" Galatians 6:1

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http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2015/03/12/hovind-trial-deliberations/70205932/

Update:

At 11:09 a.m. the jury in the trial of Kent Hovind returned their verdict convicting Hovind on one of four counts he was facing, and his co-defendant Paul John Hansen on two of five.

Hovind was found guilty of contempt for filing paperwork disputing the government's right to sell his property. The jury was unable to agree on the three other charges Hovind was facing.

Sentencing has been set for June 12.

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Abstract


Past events have occurred when Christians were arrested and called to answer for accusations of criminal activity. Some were found guilty and some have been exonerated of any wrong doing. Christians, found guilty, who have exercised great influence, leave adherents to defend trust. Sometimes a method of defense includes compare and contrast with the secular society. Non-Christians have a brotherhood of their own, in which unseen contrivances occur and lessen, conceal, or even dismiss the guilty.

Loyalties
When a respected Christian expositor, orator, or leader is found guilty of a crime and incarcerated, those who adhered to them feel compromised, hurt, or wounded. There are at least three responses from Christian followers who expressed loyalties toward the incarcerated, to one degree or another.

First, a very narrow view would be to ostracize the individual and demean them with a feeling of misplaced trust, an anger reaction.
Second, a desire to defend and substantiate the actions of this person they respected, a way of justifying the trust, a compromise reaction.
Third, a laying aside by the adherent Christian feeling injured; accepting the guilty has the same frailties we do while living in this body of flesh. We are susceptible to the temptations around us but, we will move on toward Jesus Christ, a growth action.

Clarity
Previously, I mentioned there are at least three responses. I assure you pictures will come to mind of many actions and reactions taken by persons on both sides of any situation or cause. Whatever your position, Christians are allowed and should express compassion no matter what the circumstances are befalling a brother or a sister in the Lord.

There is one thing which cannot be denied, when we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become like small children toward those we see as leaders of the faith; and for many toward one another. We have a natural trust toward them; especially, if they have led us to receive Christ. It can be a heart wrenching experience for a respected brother or sister to succumb to sin, the appearance of sin, or snares of this world. This is why we must grow as Christians with our spiritual eyes fully focused on the Lord, Jesus Christ. Our faith must be through God’s grace by daily communion with His word and prayer. There isn’t a man or woman outside of Jesus Christ for us to place our trust. We are all, with the exception of Jesus Christ, capable of failing in our walk through this world. A Christian wrongfully accused through our understanding may be in the center of God’s refining process for the purpose of God’s own glory. So, pray, have compassion, even encourage directly but, use some caution. The lost secular world is watching but, God knows your heart; take comfort in the scriptures.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

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I was just coming to update that very information. Thanks!

 

heartstrings, I agree that we are to obey every ordinance of man-the problem comes when the ordinances are impossible to understand, or are so heavy as to make everyone a criminal, thus technically making it impossible to obey them. Does anyone even KNOW ALL the ordinances man has made here in America?  As well, do we obey the sinful ordinances? For instance, its legal for homosexuals to marry-do we now perform weddings, or allow our churches to be used by them, because its the law? Where would you stand on the cases where Christians are told to perform services for homosexual weddings or face loss of everything?

 

America is going against God and His ways in so many ways. They are taking our children from us, even declaring that they are not ours to raise as we desire, that making kids go to church is abuse, allowing schools to take young children for abortions without parental consent. Killing babies is the law of the land, homo marriage is the law of the land, When do we stop just following? When do we look into the Bible, into even the Constitution, and see if these things are even legal? In war, a soldier can no longer claim "I was just following orders", because they are expected to know the difference between a lawful order and an unlawful order-we should do the same.

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