Careful Thought

From CNS News:

Hamas Urges Women, Children to Shield Gunmen in Mosque

(Jerusalem) At least a dozen Palestinian gunmen eluded Israeli capture in the Gaza Strip on Friday, first by taking refuge in a mosque and then by calling on women and children to shield them so they could escape.

Palestinians reported at least one women killed and a second was in critical condition after they were shot during the fray. The Israeli Army said its soldiers had fired only at armed gunmen, who were firing at them from within the crowd.

The standoff began on Thursday evening when some three dozen Palestinian gunmen—fleeing Israeli forces—took refuge in a mosque in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. Gunmen and Israeli troops exchanged fire during the night and part of the mosque’s roof collapsed.

On Friday morning, Hamas radio put out a call for women and children to come to the mosque - to form a human shield around the gunmen so they could escape. The Israeli Army said Hamas knows that Israeli troops would not shoot at women and children.

About 3,000 protestors, most of them women, turned out to protect the gunmen—and the ploy worked. When soldiers searched the mosque later, it was empty, the army said.

[UPDATE:  My position on Kent Hovind mellowed somewhat since I first posted this.  I no longer think that he intentionally misleads people; he is simply a True Believer in his cause.  I think his interpretation of Scripture is wrong regarding the age of the earth and whether or not to pay taxes, but I don't think he is willfully deceitful.]

[ORIGINAL POST HERE]  For those you not familiar with the Kent Hovind, he is/was a somewhat prominent Young Earth “theologian”. He got his masters degree and a doctorate in education from my kids’ grade school. No kidding - well, sort of.  Patriot University was affiliated with Hilltop Baptist School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is accredited only by the American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions, an organization that provides accreditation for a $100 charge. Patriot University has since moved to Alamosa, Colorado, but Hovind is off to the hoosegow.

From the Pensacola News Journal:

Jury deliberations took about three hours.

A federal jury has convicted Kent Hovind and his wife, Jo, of tax fraud.

Hovind faces a maximum of 288 years in prison. His wife faces up to 225 years. Her charges include aiding and abetting her husband with 44 counts of evading bank-reporting requirements.

In closing arguments this morning, Alan Richey, Kent Hovind’s defense attorney, said the Pensacola evangelist was never notified by the IRS that he was violating a specific law by not withholding and paying employment taxes on workers at the Dinosaur Adventure Land and Creative [sic]Science Evangelism, both of which he founded and operates.

Hovind also believes that as workers of God, he and all employees of the theme park and his ministry are exempt from paying taxes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heldmyer said the case was not about religion but about paying taxes.

Here are the gory details:

From 2000 to 2003, more than $1.1 million was taken from the Creation Science Evangelism accounts in the form of checks made out to “cash,” most of which were signed by Jo Hovind.

Most of the checks were made out for $9,500. The Internal Revenue Service alleges that this was a way for the Hovinds to avoid a bank-filed currency transaction report, which is mandatory for cash transactions of $10,000 or more.

On the day the IRS searched the Hovind home, Kent Hovind withdrew $70,000 from the Creation Science Evangelism account. Half in a check; the other in cash.

Guess he forgot about the “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” bit and the whole Ananias and Sapphira deal (Acts 5:1-11).

Technorati Tags: Dr Dino, hovind, hovind in jail, Kent Hovind, still in jail, tax fraud

Tags: Dr Dino, hovind, hovind in jail, Kent Hovind, still in jail, tax fraud