Kent Hovind Gets 10 Years.

Please go here http://www.crusaderadio.com/ right now and listen to Brother Greg Dixon explain what has really happened in this case.

 

What gives this guy more credibility than the evidence presented in the case, and Hovind's own admissions?

 

Pastor Dixon is a brother in Christ and has far more credibility than the biased media reports, the antichrist judge, the antichrist prosecutor and a couple Judas goats. Pastor Greg Dixon was the pastor of Indianapolis Baptist Temple which had their assembly house bulldozed by the IRS. He has watched the Hovind trial closely and attended court proceedings. He is an expert on unregistered churches and how the IRS deals with people who do not bow to their authority. Lindsay Springer is also in the interview and he too is a brother in Christ and an expert on these issues. Please see Mr. Springer's write up on the Hovind trial at http://www.penaltyprotester.com/files/LindseyHovindTrialReport.pdf.

Also, here is another eyewitness account that may be of value as well...http://jensgems.blogspot.com/2007/01/kent-hovind-maxed-minus-one.html.

 

OH YES!! I remember now. SO this is one tax cheat defending another tax cheat.

 

There are certain Christians who believe that the 1st amendment says that the government has no right to tell Christians what to do whatsoever so Christians need not obey any laws.

This is convoluted, unbiblical, and very dangerous thinking. What if every religious group took this same view of the law?

 

That's what the 1st amendment meant by Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Congress has no authority to tell a pastor that they must collect taxes for ministers. The church is separate from the state, particularly unincorporated churches, and the government has no authority over Jesus Christ's church.

For the pastors who have incorporated and become 501c3, they have covenanted with the government to do these things and have made the government their head. That's their choice. However, their are pastors that have chosen not to go down this path and they have chosen not to be publicans for Caesar and Christians should support their fellow brothers for taking these actions.

 

Baloney. The church has to abide by the law. It cannot decide to have the church bus run red lights, conduct human sacrifice or any number of other things. Your thinking, and that of the two men you so admire, is flawed. Christ himself commanded to render unto Caesar the things that are his. You are advocating things contrary to Biblical precepts.

 

This case is not about a moving violation, nor murder or any number of things.

It is about a minister of what should be a tax-free ministery being accused of not collecting the taxes of his ministers.

It is about structuring transactions, laws written to defend against drug dealers being applied to individuals not accused of dealing drugs, and structuring in a way that is clearly not illegal.

Finally, this is about criminalizing complaints and calling a prayer a threat. This is about religion and the free-exercise thereof and is a battle over authority.

 

Niether Dixon nor Hovind were required to pay taxes on the church. The taxes were on individuals and they disobeyed the government. Dixon let years of God's people's money be given over the government in supposed protest of that very thing. Dixon and Hovind are blights on teh cause of Christ. They were not asked to do anything unbiblical. Their refusal was unjustified and brought great damage to the gospel.

This is what I mean when I say that Christians should stay out of politics. When they refuse, such as Dixon and Hovind did, this happens and Christ is shamed before others.

The head of the church is Christ and he said to obey the government unless they asked us to disobey God. Hovind and Dixon disobeyed God. We should pray for their repentance.

 

You believe Christ told his bishops to be publicans?

Btw...If these two men were in your presence would you be so apt to call them "blights on the cause of Christ"? Do you have any sense of charity brother or do you prefer to present yourself as the blight that you accuse others of being?

 

It's about taxes.

Ministers? What about paying the employer portion of FICA taxes for theme-park personnel? He claimed that God was their actual employer and that God owned the theme-park.

True, it was applied to individuals accused of tax-evading.

It is certainly a battle of authority, but how is it about criminalizing complaints or about calling a prayer a threat?

 

That is count 58.

 

I believe he told them to obey the law, and the law, as it stands now, requires employers to withhold taxes from employees. That's not "being a publican" although that is hardly unbiblical to be one.

Yes, I would call them that and urge them to repent. That's not unloving; it is the most loving thing I could do. It would be very uncharitable to let these men (or anyone) continue in disobedience. We are to speak the truth in love and that is all I have done here. I would not do it out of anger or contempt for them. I would do it because I love Christ more than men. What else can we call it when the gospel of Christ is questioned because men choose not to obey God? Isn't that a blight?

These men were not being asked to disobey God or to put the church under the authority of the state in any way that was unbiblical. There was no such implication or suggestion in teh laws they disobeyed. And because of their actions, the mission of Christ has been harmed.

 

So be it. Provided that contrarily, in the discernment of some, pastors who cuddle up to Caesar, incorporate, accept 501c3 status, advocate on behalf of Caesar rather than his Christian brothers, and call his brothers blights to the cause of Jesus Christ who aren't as cuddly, are the actual diseases to the cause of Christ. Of course, I say this with nothing but love.

 

methinks someone has lost all sense of objectivity.

Also...1st century context: Paul reminded us to obey the magistrates...he was talking to people who were subject to a much harsher, anti-Christian government than we are under today.

If Paul told them to obey, I don't see Hovind's loophole.

Not to mention...Hovind did more than not pay taxes. He was dishonest.

Hovind:

• Has disregarded Christ's command to "render unto Caesar." (direct disobedience to scriptural command)
• Hovind has stated, "I don't know why I'm being charged." (Lie)
• Hovind claims that he is employed by God, receives no income, has no expenses and owns no property. (Lie) He still offers $250K to anyone who can prove evolution. If he has nothing, where does the $250K come from?
• Hovind failed to pay $473,818 in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes on employees. (Defrauding others)
• Kent Hovind paid his employees in cash and labeled them "missionaries" to avoid payroll tax and FICA requirements. (Defrauding others; disobeyed scriptural command)
• Hovind failed to obtain a building permit during the 2002 theme park construction.
• Hovind has been charged with: Filing a frivolous lawsuit against the IRS, Filing a (false) injunction against an IRS special agent, Filing false complaints against the IRS for false arrest, excessive use of force and theft, and making threats against investigators and those cooperating with the investigation. (those are allegations, not convictions, in the sake of intellectual honesty...but none of these charges have been dismissed out of hand)
• Hovind and his wife made scores of cash deposits to make the money untraceable. (bearing false witness; let "yes" be "yes")
• Kent Hovind required his employees to sign nondisclosure agreements if they wanted to keep their jobs. (forced the complicity of others with his felony)
• Hovind claims that his employer is God--to circumvent taxes. (Lie)
• None of Hovind's businesses have a license. (see above)
• Hovind claims he was "never notified" by the IRS...despite the numerous documented letters sent to him (reportedly unopened) by IRS officials. (Lie)

 

I believe Hovind got what he deserved.

On this matter, it appears he conducted himself more like a common thief than a minister. He stole from the future income of his employees in order to enrich himself today.

 

No bail, 10 years in jail, 3 years of probation, $600k+ in fines and a loss of property and you think he got what he deserved because he did not withhold taxes?

 

Because he stole from the future of his employees. I have seen no signs of repentence.

I didn't think he had any property.

 

And nothing but ignorance either, meaning you simply do not know. Tax exemption is not something you accept. It is something you have. It is something you have. A church is automatically tax exempt. 501c3 does not make a church subservient to the state anymore than it already is. It is not cuddling up to Caesar. We have bought into too many old wives fables. Churches are given tax exemption in our country as a privilege, not a biblical right. If the governemtn changed it, then churches would pay taxes. Neither have I advocated for Caesar over christian brothers. I would no more accept a pastor who breaks the laws of murder than I would a pastor who breaks the law of taxes. The law is the law and we are to obey it. When we do not obey Christ, we give people the opportunity to blaspheme.

Remember Peter's admoniition in 1 Peter 2 that we should obey government so we can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. People like Hovind and Dixon gave ignorant, foolish men the opportunity to slander the cause of Christ through their failure to submit to government in obedience to God's word. And where someone is disobedient, we dare not stand by and be neutral. Obedience means something.