[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).
December 23rd, 2007 18:53 pm
Brian »
Thanks for your post, and thanks for your thoughtful arguments. As I’ve hopefully made clear, I can’t judge what’s in the man’s heart. That’s between him and God. You made a couple comments that I would take exception to, but much is still a matter of personal opinion and interpretation.
If he was just paying people under the table, that’s a little different than a ‘hand in the cookie jar’ as one poster put it.
You can’t just pay people under the table. It’s frequently done, but it’s still illegal. From the Fed’s perspective, it’s no different from being caught with your hand in the cookie jar. It’s not a matter of whether an employee wanted their social security funded. Hovind had a ministry and as a ‘representative of Christ,’ he should have been completely above board.
As for the young/old earth issue, we have a difference of opinion, and that’s okay. I believe there is ample evidence to support an old-earth creation view, more than to support the young-earth view. I would turn your question back to you – why insist on a young earth (or global flood) if the language of Scripture doesn’t require it?
God will do what He chooses, regardless of how we wrangle over semantics. That’s what Paul warned Titus against in Titus 3:9. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
We have better things to concern ourselves with.
February 12th, 2008 14:38 pm
I would have to say that a critic only shows up after the battle to shoot the wounded. Kent Hovind has done more to win people to Christ than you have or ever will and also he has done more to defend creation than you ever will so why don’t you keep your mouth off the man of God. This world doesn’t need more critics to say what other people did was wrong if the man is doing his work for Christ let him be.
February 12th, 2008 15:44 pm
Jeff,
I have nothing against the man. Scripture says that Christ is preached – and glorified – whether through good motives or bad. I gave up on questioning Hovind’s motives. He got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and and is paying the penalty. Nuff said.
July 7th, 2008 20:57 pm
Kent Hovind has spoken of how our Tax money should not be used to support the Lies in the textbooks propbably thousands of times. He’s Right! He defends the government for money they could have saved and he gets the shafted by people who use the position to bring down Kent because they Hate what he stands for. If you hate the idea that Evolution is True and Creation is false Debate it in fromnt of people and stop using you Job to manipulate the LAW. Further more anyone who dares debate me BRING IT ON. Thousands refused to debate Kent and thousands will refuse me because we are right. Most of the claims of Evolution are Lies and Un-Provable. I have seen over 20 Debates and Hovind has won every one of them hands down. Anyone who watches his debates will surely see that we do have a serous problem with the claims about Evolution Textbooks are making in our schools. God will Open up the Earth and all lies will be known and revealed very soon.
November 10th, 2008 09:20 am
[...] posts: Kent Hovind Off to Jail (154 comments) and Sarah Palin for President (10,379 hits and 93 comments). The Hovind post [...]
January 12th, 2009 15:00 pm
i just watched all of his dvds and believe he is still a great person
February 4th, 2009 19:55 pm
The government has to report where and how it spends my money and if I disagree with some points the government has to change something which is wrong. The government didn’t ask me if I wish may kids to be taught evolution, so why it asks me when it wants my money.
Do you often pay for poisoned donuts and thank after you ate them?
Steve, I see you are very active in blaming Kent. And by this I see you’ve got your satisfaction.
So you are so happy that you HAVE to pay TAXES for things that you will not be told.
That’s a good thing, you pay TAXES to hire a teacher who will teach your kids some ugly things, but if the government said those things are good, you can’t do anything to solve problem but you still have to pay for all that stupidity, and if you sometime spank your kid’s butt for some reason they will send an agent or some social worker to watch your life and make a report that you deserve or not to still have kids. Or many other idiotic things they invented now to control all of us.
So you like to pay for all of this…… Good… Go on guys. Matrix has you
February 4th, 2009 21:38 pm
Const,
Read the first part of Romans 13. Verses 5-7 says,
I’m not happy with our government, but God says to be subject to it. Give to God what is due to God, and to government what is due to government. Hovind – in addition to his rants about the age of the earth – resisted God’s clear directive.
February 13th, 2009 11:33 am
As a Christian, I am required to follow the law of the land or face the consequences. Even Jesus and Paul taught that. And, it is simply immoral to refuse to pay taxes when we live in a society where we reap the benefits of those taxes every day (roads, infrastructure, etc). If we object to the way it is spent, we elect different representatives.
And, again as a Christian, I am thrilled to know that my tax dollars are going to teach real science, including evolution. I can’t imagine actually paying good money to send my kids to a Christian school for them to be filled with the lies and ignorance that is young earth creationism. No thanks.
February 14th, 2009 18:52 pm
Nothing new under the sun. They hated christ as well. He commited no crime against God as far as I can tell. The court system is utterly corrupt and this world is Antichrist. Kent hovind had too much influence and was just a little too bold in his faith, so the wicked one found an easy way to knock his ministry out and make him look like a criminal when I know he was on fire for Christ . They will call good evil and evil good. Disciples have been put into prison in times passed and give God the glory kent will probably grow in his relationship with the creator. Wake up folks !!!
February 15th, 2009 11:32 am
If I drive 85 mph in a 35 mph zone and get thrown in jail, am I being oppressed or persecuted because I’m a Christian? There’s a difference between willfully violating the laws of the land and standing up for Christ in the public forum.
April 1st, 2009 13:55 pm
I love reading all of the comments!! This is so fun and educational!
The best one is from Steve Hite on Nov. 13 at 10:12. VERY GOOD!!!
We all suck don’t we? The first step to recovery is adimitting
we have a problem. We all have a problem, we think we are smarter
than God. We are not, we are self-destructive, evil brats.
April 13th, 2009 10:28 am
Wow, I never thought this thread would be going on for nearly 3 years.
Preface: I am a father of 4 beautiful children, husband of 1 very tired wife, a God fearing, Young Earth believing Christian. I am an Electrical Engineer and a business owner. I also enjoy Dr. Kent Hovind’s teachings.
As a young earth creationist, I believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible. I believe in a 6 day creation. I believe in a global flood that destroyed the earth. I believe in the canopy theory. (Yes, it’s only a theory… and now I will be labeled a “nut job wacko.”) I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose on the third day to take away my sins, that salvation is found in no other place, and there are no other “roads” that lead to heaven.
I enjoy listening to Dr. Hovind. Even if some people do not recognize his degree as accredited… (which was obtained from a school now called Hilltop Baptist. It’s about 8 miles from my house.) I have friends that send their kids there, and it’s a good school. However, I admit that I do not know how their post secondary education system works. Dr. Hovind is a fast thinker, quick witted, and it is obvious he genuinely loves the Lord.
As a business owner, I have to pay taxes… a lot of taxes. In fact, my new President thinks that I need to pay even more taxes. I collect a little more than $2500 each week in taxes, in addition to the taxes and matching amounts that my business has to make. As a business owner, I believe that it is imperative that we are “above reproach.” That means a lot of things: We have accounting that has to be reconciled monthly, and sometimes weekly. We have insurances that depend on the amount of payroll. We have sales tax, FICA, unemployment, social security, workers compensation, liability, auto insurance, memberships and dues, permit costs, and a number of other things that depend on various factors that require our books maintain transparency.
With that being said, if someone takes money from their own business, (I’m not saying that Dr. Hovind stole the money either.) it needs to be reported… either by the giving end or by the receiving end. Somewhere, the numbers need to add up. Even if there is a limit as to the withdrawal amount, the accounting needs to be transparent. If it is not, then it is apparent that someone’s heart is not in alignment with God.
The amounts really are trivial. It’s the act, and the lack of reporting that shows one’s true intentions. Besides, the government wants their cut on that transaction. Someone needs to pay taxes on that. Like it or not, that is the way it works.
And the neat thing is… Jesus is OK with that.
As has been quoted numerous times during this discourse: “Render unto Caesar, what is Caesar’s…”
So, even though I like Kent Hovind, I think his actions were wrong. That only means he is human. He is a sinner… just like you and me. Do I think the sentence is wrong? Oh yeah! We have murders that get off in just a few years… however, when you mess with the IRS, they are going to stick it to you…
Kent is serving a sentence… and hopefully he is working miracles in the prison system, to bring glory to God! If he is truly resourceful, he’ll start another successful business in jail. And God may bless that.
Now, Steve and I disagree on the YE / OE debate. That’s OK. I know that Steve genuinely loves the Lord. That Steve genuinely professes Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. And that makes it hard for me to accept the YE / OE debate as having salvation consequences… because that means that either Steve or myself have no salvation. And I cannot accept either side of that coin.
My pastor is extremely confident that it is a salvation issue, and uses a number of things to justify his thinking… and when I am around him, I am convinced that it is. However, I know Steve… I know his family… I know their love for the Lord. I know their confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior… and that is what is necessary to be saved.
Really, what did the thief on the cross believe? Was he YE / OE? Did it matter? He was a thief… he admitted his wrong. He admitted that he deserved to be where he was, and asked Jesus to remember him in his kingdom. Jesus said “today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus never asked him what his stance on YE / OE was…
And what about the Ethiopian eunuch that was reading Isaiah. He was reading the book of Isaiah, about the prophecies of Jesus. He needed help understanding… and there was Philip who explained the good news of Jesus. When he understood, he went and got baptized. (It is in my understanding that only believers are baptized into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.) So, was he YE / OE? Did Philip care? Was Philip YE / OE? Did it matter?
So, I’d just like to point out, that before we go casting stones at each other, take a moment to think about what you write. Calm your emotions, and let yourself think clearly about the issue. The issue of this blog is not about YE / OE. The issue is not even about Christians being taken to jail. The issue is about a business owner who violated the law.
Beliefs aside, Dr. Hovind broke the law. And by observing that, we are not judging. If you are going 56 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and I tell you are speeding… I am not judging you. I am pointing out you were breaking the law (and therefore sinning…)
Remember the title of this blog: Careful Thought – “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’” (Haggai 1:7)
Have an awesome day,
Greg Swartz
President, Swartz Electric
Greg@SwartzElectric.biz
http://www.SwartzElectric.biz
April 23rd, 2009 23:12 pm
I do not see why people think he is being “picked on”. The guy broke the law. He is crazy to think that since he is a servent of god and everything he has belongs to god, that the laws of the country he lives in does not apply to him. He was not ignorant to what he and his wife was doing. The guy deserves to be locked up. The maximum sentence of 200+ years is crazy, he should serve 20 with chance of parole in 10.
April 24th, 2009 06:03 am
I think he actually ended up with 10 years, plus three probation.
October 26th, 2009 00:12 am
Are you guys kidding? 200 something years in prison? people don’t live that long anymore! I believe that the reason they obviously want to make him stay there until he dies, because they’re afraid of the truth. They don’t want Mr. Hovind spreading the truth around and exposing their lies. What nerve!
Aristae´s last blog ..Petition
October 26th, 2009 06:59 am
Relax. There’s no conspiracy theory here to keep him in jail ‘to hide the truth’. He ended up doing only ten year, which is significantly less than he should be serving.
January 15th, 2010 01:47 am
When is he getting out of jail? Someone please email me at
default1drak@yahoo.com
February 9th, 2010 22:00 pm
Hovind did not pay his taxes because he wanted to break the law, but avoided paying his taxes because he believes the u.s. government would use his tax dollars to fund a evolution theory he dosn’t believe in….the final word…. right or wrong Dr. hovind followed his conviction and principles to the end… Christians, in general, turn the other cheek when confronted with authority and rarely pick up a sword when the situation calls for one. chew on that for a while!
March 4th, 2010 16:18 pm
i wached his videos and he made me mad when he started talking about our government because he doesnt know what hes talking about maby next time he will do some reserch on stuff before he sayse it