Free Kent Hovind

[SpyridonOCA]

by Don Boys, Ph.D.

Dr. Kent Hovind Gets Ten Years: Because of Religion, or Tax Fraud?
January 31, 2007 02:36 PM EST

Everyone knows Lady Justice is blind but now we know she is bigoted as well! Case in point: Dr. Kent Hovind was recently sentenced to ten years in jail. Kent argued that his ministry was tax exempt and cited the IRS code to support his case! He wrote the IRS many times asking them why he was wrong if, in fact, he was wrong. They never responded! Arrogance? Incompetence? Whatever the reason, an American citizen could not get a reply from the very people who should have been able, even eager, to help.

Kent’s enemies are painting him as a greedy tax resister when he has said repeatedly that he will pay all the taxes he owes. He could not get any response from the IRS nor did the judge, prosecutor, or anyone else inform him why his ministry was not exempt from taxes as are hundreds of thousands of similar organizations. Therefore, he spends ten years in the Big House. That’s where they send killers, traitors, rapists, child molesters, armed robbers, and other Very Bad Guys.

Well, not always. If you are a celebrity entertainer, liberal politician, or sports figure, you can usually get probation; only a slap on the wrists. Sometimes a fine...

There are recent cases where rapists and killers walk away with probation and Kent Hovind sits in prison for ten years! Folks, there’s gotta be more to it than meets the eye. Your Federal Government wanted to “get” an outspoken Christian and they did. All right, so Kent made a mistake in judgment, and even if he is guilty, don’t sane people think his sentence is excessive? After all, didn’t Kent tell them he would pay any taxes they showed him he owed? Is it possible that they got him, not for taxes, but for religion? The Feds didn’t like his outspoken brand of Christianity.
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/22457.html


Whether you agree with Hovind or not, please recognize that, inside, he is not an evil man and that his prison sentence is an unjust punishment. If you believe in freedom, rather than intrusive government, please sign the petition to free Kent Hovind. If Hovind can be sentenced to ten years in prison for unjust reasons, how soon will Orthodox clergy be next?

http://freehovind.com/info​-hovinds_legal_battles

http://freehovind.com/peti​tion

[Tonks]

Please don't turn this into a discussion about how the IRS is unconstitutional. Having dealt with the IRS in not such a good way before...I seriously doubt that they did not respond.

[SpyridonOCA]

Please don't turn this into a discussion about how the IRS is unconstitutional. Having dealt with the IRS in not such a good way before...I seriously doubt that they did not respond.

Hovind should have been recognized as a religious non-profit. When the rights of Evangelical Protestants are under threat, when will the Orthodox be next?

[Khaleas]

Can this be moved before it turns into another dead horse... along with the other ones...

[Aristokles]

Can this be moved before it turns into another dead horse... along with the other ones...

Yes, please, please, please.

[Latreia]

This is all too odd, why excuse any U.S. citizen for 58 tax offenses, obstructing federal agents and related charges?

More than odd, atheists support him now.



Kent Hovind is currently serving a ten year sentence at the Edgefield
Federal Correctional Institution, in South Carolina because of his
religious beliefs ( ... plus miscellaneous matters ... ).

As an atheist I am horrified that someone could be incarcerated on the
primary grounds of his strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's
not quibble about the real reason he's in prison. It seems to clear
that this is religious persecution



http://groups.google.com/group/Atheism-vs-Christianity/browse_thread/thread/ac19098a0b3f8083


:scratch:

[Jacob4707]

The information at Wikipedia about his Legal Problems don't make him sound like the kind of person one should let out of prison anytime soon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Hovind

[xenia]

Kent Hovind is a liar and a crook and I for one am glad he's in jail where he can't be pulling his scams on Christians anymore.

[SpyridonOCA]

Even if Hovind is guilty, does the punishment fit the crime? You don't need to agree with Hovind to sign the petition. You could also pray that he is not mistreated in prison.

[Latreia]

Sadly, worrying about a multi-millionaire evangelist, with a huge following of his own, plus he should already be quite close to God, just doesn't seem to be anywhere near the top half of my prayer priorities.

I know that doesn't make any sense.

[xenia]

I would say that God put him in jail and gave him that sentence for the sake of the sheep.

(My opinion)

[MariaRegina]

I would say that God put him in jail and gave him that sentence for the sake of the sheep.

(My opinion)

Very possible.

God's Will is allowing this punishment for some reason.

Maybe Kent will really realize his calling there and start preaching the Good News. We do need Christian ministers as the non-Christians are taking the prison system by storm.

[SpyridonOCA]

I would say that God put him in jail and gave him that sentence for the sake of the sheep.


God does not punish people for unjust reasons. He does allow Christians to be persecuted so that their faith might become stronger.

[Latreia]

God does not punish people for unjust reasons. He does allow Christians to be persecuted so that their faith might become stronger.


That does it, we send in the rescue party tonight at midnight!!!!!



http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r110/thunderlove_photos/Pirates/pirate-raid.gifhttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r110/thunderlove_photos/Pirates/pirate-raid.gifhttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r110/thunderlove_photos/Pirates/pirate-raid.gifhttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r110/thunderlove_photos/Pirates/pirate-raid.gif



http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e181/grdynangl/Smileys/85.gif......http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e181/grdynangl/Smileys/85.gif...

[Saint Melania]

He could start an effective prison ministry now. All kinds of opportunity.

I do have to say that the IRS will be making it so all churches will not be tax exempt any longer. This is the way this country is going. Some of the TV evangelists are buying their own jets, living in mansion, etc., and really abusing the system. It makes it all the more harder for smaller churches, and the Orthodox parishes especially, since we are not rich.

[xenia]

Saint Melania, I agree. Because of the extravagance of some, many will suffer.

[ThePosterFormerlyKnownAs]

I think some of Hovind's tax problems arose from Dinosaur Adventureland (http://www.dinosauradventureland.com/), his creationist theme park in Florida. His guilt or innocence are none of my concern, he's in a bind so I'll pray for him.

I have watched his seminars and while his science may be questionable, he's a hoot to watch and is very charismatic and nice. I've heard him say on one of his seminar videos that the federal income tax was illegal and he didn't pay it because he was running a church. That's all well and good but when a business becomes involved, the government is going to make sure they get their cut.

[Matrona]

If "they" are going after "outspoken" "Christians", I hope they get Pat Robertson next.

[Jacob4707]

Maybe he can get Barney the Purple Dinosaur to file an appeal for him.

[Saint Melania]

If "they" are going after "outspoken" "Christians", I hope they get Pat Robertson next.
I vote for that. :)

[crscapps]

I am a newbie here, but I could not leave this thread without leaving a comment ...

Kent problems with the government are entirely of his own making. While he may be able to make a case that his operation is a church and therefore, tax exempt, he is still required to pay employee taxes. That is the reason he was indicted and convicted. He operated his business/ministry by withdrawing money from the bank repeatedly (over 50 times, sometimes twice a day!) just under the required bank reporting requirements to the IRS. This was taken as evidence of his intent to evade tax reporting requirements. There was no question that he failed to pay employee taxes. He WAS warned that not paying employee taxes would get him in trouble. At least one minister warned him personally. Kent has never filed an income tax statement with the IRS for about 30 years. Even if you don't think you owe taxes, you still have to file a statement.

Kent spent a claimed $40,000 unsuccessfully fighting the local government's requirement to get a $50 building permit for his Dinosaur Adventureland operation and to have the buildings safety and construction inspected. On two occasions Kent has filed court papers renouncing his US citizenship and claiming that his property is not part of the USA and therefore, not under US law, including tax law. No sovereign nation will ever allow that kind of argument, and it was stupid for Kent to even try - arrogant, even.

I think the government has been very lenient especially given the egregiousness and decades of his evasion. It seems that Kent was treated VERY leniently.

[Michael the Iconographer]

Can this be moved before it turns into another dead horse... along with the other ones...
If it is a dead horse can I beat it?

[MrJim]

If it is a dead horse can I beat it?

http://www.world-of-smilies.com/html/images/smilies/gewalt/2150.gif


...well you have to take your turn ;)

[Khaleas]

If it is a dead horse can I (b)eat it?

On Tuesday my friend, but it will be nice and tender then... :P

(edits to Michael's post not his own)

[Latreia]

If it is a dead horse can I beat it?

It is always better to bury the dead horse rather then standing around beating on it. The poor thing.

No reason to waste time and effort that way.

Bury it, say a little prayer over it, and walk away to better our lives.


:sorry:

[fuerein]

Did someone say dead horse?

[Saint Melania]

I am a newbie here, but I could not leave this thread without leaving a comment ...

Kent problems with the government are entirely of his own making. While he may be able to make a case that his operation is a church and therefore, tax exempt, he is still required to pay employee taxes. That is the reason he was indicted and convicted. He operated his business/ministry by withdrawing money from the bank repeatedly (over 50 times, sometimes twice a day!) just under the required bank reporting requirements to the IRS. This was taken as evidence of his intent to evade tax reporting requirements. There was no question that he failed to pay employee taxes. He WAS warned that not paying employee taxes would get him in trouble. At least one minister warned him personally. Kent has never filed an income tax statement with the IRS for about 30 years. Even if you don't think you owe taxes, you still have to file a statement.

Kent spent a claimed $40,000 unsuccessfully fighting the local government's requirement to get a $50 building permit for his Dinosaur Adventureland operation and to have the buildings safety and construction inspected. On two occasions Kent has filed court papers renouncing his US citizenship and claiming that his property is not part of the USA and therefore, not under US law, including tax law. No sovereign nation will ever allow that kind of argument, and it was stupid for Kent to even try - arrogant, even.

I think the government has been very lenient especially given the egregiousness and decades of his evasion. It seems that Kent was treated VERY leniently.
Just one thing. If you can explain to me why a tax evader gets more time than a homocidal maniac in prison . . . then you have done a good service. Money is far more important in this society than human lives.

[crscapps]

I'm sorry, but I can't explain why the sentencing can be so unfair, but anyone can look up the sentencing rules and see what the penalties are. As the old saying goes, "ignorance of the law is no exception." Kent actually got off quite lightly considering the number of charges for which he was found guilty. The sentencing guidelines allow for the sentences for multiple tax evasion crimes to be served sequentially in which case Kent could have served well over 200 years, but even the law is not that absurd. Kent knew he was taking a chance with the IRS. This was not the first time he got in hot water with them. He boasted on several occasions that he knew how to beat the IRS. I guess he found out he was wrong.

[Michael the Iconographer]

On Tuesday my friend, but it will be nice and tender then... :P

(edits to Michael's post not his own)
Anyone got any good recipes for horse?

[Akathist]

Staff decided with consensus, to move this thread to the Debate area as it is a political discussion.

[ThePosterFormerlyKnownAs]

Anyone got any good recipes for horse?

Marinate it in some Dales overnight then throw it on the grill!

[Michael the Iconographer]

Marinate it in some Dales overnight then throw it on the grill!
What is Dales?

[ThePosterFormerlyKnownAs]

What is Dales?

http://www.dalesseasoning.com/product.html

I love it. It brings out the flavor of meat and adds its own tang to it. Great stuff.