Kent Hovind no Hero

by Michael Bunker
www.biblicalagrarianism.com
editor@lazarusunbound.com

"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf" (1Pe 4:14-16).

May 8, 2007 - Even among those of us who are completely over any desire to be accepted or liked by men, there is still a trace of apprehension when you are about to say something that will likely bring even more scorn, rejection, anger, and hatred your way. Not that I have many supporters left (I've lost several more over the last few months), but there is always a bit of tension when you are forced to say something that you know will alienate the few friends you have left.

I also want to say that this is not an attack on Kent Hovind, who is probably a perfectly nice fellow. I certainly do not want to add wood to the martyrdom fire being stoked by him, his family, and his associates. I am certain that the pro-Hovind crowd will see this as merely another stone thrown at their hero, and will not unemotionally examine the things I have to say. One of the problems with false martyrdom, is that the one in error (or his proxies) can use any disagreement or criticism as proof of martyrdom. Anyone who says that Kent Hovind is not suffering for the sake of the Gospel, just throws wood on the fire of his martyrdom being stoked by his supporters. This all reminds me of the crazy woman who used to send me a letter in the mail every day. She believed that everyone in the world was watching her, and that the government was out to get her. Why? Because, she said, she was the "woman clothed in the sun" in Revelation 12. She believed that she had given birth to the "manchild" who was to rule the whole earth with a rod of iron. She believed she was persecuted and rejected for believing this "truth". She prefaced her first letters to me by saying that I probably would not believe her, and thus would persecute her for telling the truth. LOCK-SOLID CIRCLE. CLOSED LOOP. It is impossible to tell her that she is wrong, because that is what she expects, and to tell her she is wrong, is proof to her that she is right. I mean, they persecuted and denied Christ didn't they?

I do not know Kent Hovind, have never spoken to him personally, and have nothing personally against the man. Although I have many problems with Kent and his message, my main problem is this...

KENT HOVIND PREACHES A FALSE GOSPEL

Anyone who knows the true gospel knows that Kent Hovind preaches a false gospel. Kent Hovind is an Arminian, and the worst kind of Arminian at that. He is a very public Arminian who refused to even discuss the gospel and his false understanding of it. So as I get into this discussion, let me begin by saying that the arguments about taxes and freedom and other such things are completely ancillary (or subordinate) to my argument that Kent Hovind is a false teacher, teaching a false gospel, and as such is NOT suffering for Christ's sake, but is suffering as an evildoer.

I also want to say that this article is in no way meant to embarrass or hurt any of you nice people who continually subject me to endless updates from the Hovind press mill. I am not mad at any of you, nor do I blame you for falling for the deception that many seem to be under concerning this man and his plight. Some of you may not even know what Kent Hovind preaches. You may have received deceptive updates from the Hovind persecution posse informing you how the government was trying to shut down Dr. Dino for telling the truth about Creationism. For those one or two of you who have no idea what I am talking about, and who don't have a clue who Kent Hovind is, and if you care to know, please do a web search on the name "Kent Hovind" and you will find plenty to read about. In short, Kent Hovind is a modernist Arminian preacher who focused his attention (maybe admirably) on exposing the lies of the Evolution cult. Kent traveled the world for many, many years performing educational and entertaining "shows" where he used wit and logic (some of it his, some of it borrowed) to expose some of the idiocies of the Evolution system. Kent was welcomed to, and preached his message in, hundreds of mainstream psuedo-christian "churches", exposing the folly and illogic of the religion of Evolution. He also threw in an Amerikanized Arminian gospel plea for a powerless plastic "jesus" who just desperately wants everyone to love him so he can save them, if they would only just believe. Kent Hovind did very well in his business, and was warmly received by virtually every "denomination" in America and around the world. He was invited to speak upwards of 300 days a year and raked in literally millions of dollars in speaking fees, video and book sales, donations, etc. Kent then opened a dinosaur themed Creation Science theme park (a Christian Disneyland) in Florida, and was subsequently arrested and jailed for not withholding from (or paying taxes for) his employees. That's the Cliff's Notes on the subject at hand.

Since then, Hovind's family, friends and associates have burned up the internet lines decrying the injustice done to him for "preaching the Gospel", and rallying the troops to support this hero and martyr of the modernist "christian" faith, who they say is suffering in prison for his conscience sake. Maybe you believe he is a martyr. Maybe you believe he is a hero. That surely is your pure and free right to do so. I object strenuously to these false characterizations, and I do so on numerous grounds:

First, calling Kent Hovind a hero or a martyr demeans the memory (and in some cases the present fact) of the true Christian martyrs and the persecuted Church of all ages who truly suffered and, in millions of cases, died for Jesus Christ and his cause. There is not one case in the Bible, or in the annals of the true Church up to and including the Reformation, where someone was considered a martyr or a hero because he resisted paying taxes on a very personally profitable "christian" business. I invite the reader to read John Foxe's Book of Martyrs if they want to read about persecuted Christians. In my reading of it and the other works about Christian persecution, I haven't found any martyrs in the Acts and Monuments of the true Church who suffered at the hands of government because they chose to call the vendors who sold hot dogs at their amusement parks "missionaries" instead of "employees" in order to not withhold taxes for them. I am sorry, but if this weren't so sad and horrifying, it would really be laughable.

Second, implying that Kent Hovind is suffering for preaching the truth, implies that the false, Catholic, Jesuitical gospel that he preaches, is the same gospel preached by Jesus Christ and the Apostles. If Kent Hovind was jailed for what he was preaching (and he most certainly was not, no matter what his press mill says), then I can see where he has a case for the claim of persecution; but Hovind was NOT jailed for what he was preaching. His "gospel" message is the same message as the false-prophet pimps at TBN, a fantastically ridiculous and ubiquitous apostate ministry which regularly features guests who debunk evolution. There are literally dozens of ministries whose sole function is to debunk and debate evolution - none of whom are being sent to prison for their beliefs. No one is being jailed for preaching Creationism. Kent Hovind's false gospel is THE gospel preached by the modernist, apostate, psuedo-christian corporations both on TV and around the world in huge million dollar cathedrals. Kent Hovind grew rich preaching a watered-down, Romanist, false-gospel to rich people in big, state-sponsored religious institutions. Kent Hovind may have rightly been opposed to the 501c-3 state system of religion and state-supported "churches", but he sure wasn't opposed to dragging tens of thousands of dollars a night out of them.

Third, while there may be many valid reasons according to conscience to avoid or disobey tax laws, and while there are honorable tax protesters who stand against immoral taxation on the grounds of conscience - merely suffering for conscience sake does not automatically mean that someone is suffering for Christ's sake. And I would hardly consider a man who refused to speak unless he was guaranteed a crowd of adequate size, a wealthy man who boasted that he had "beat" the tax system (Stewart, Michael. "Lawyer: Hovind detailed actions: Evangelist said he 'beat the system'", Pensacola News Journal, October 21, 2006.), a martyr for conscience sake. While being "anti-government" is credentials enough for some simple people to declare a man a hero and martyr, let us not forget that many a wealthy man has become anti-government when he sees the size of the checks he is required to write. I am most certain that Judas did not intend to declare the thirty pieces of silver he took for betraying Christ. You can be a hero for standing against tyranny in government, but standing against government doesn't make you a hero. Actor Wesley Snipes, an eastern mystic, is also under indictment as a tax protester. The fact that Snipes refused to pay taxes, does not make him a Christian hero or martyr.

My Experiences with Dr. Dino

Like I said, I have never personally met Kent Hovind. I am sure that his likable stage personality is probably authentic, and he is probably a likable guy in person. I have watched Mr. Hovind's creation videotapes and found them entertaining, and, in some places, educational - though I shuddered each time I heard him speak of the "gospel" he believed, and each time I heard him beg the crowd to "carry bullets" (Hovind-speak for "give money to those of us who are in the trenches"). I have listened to many of Mr. Hovind's debates with atheists and evolutionists. I didn't always agree with him or some of his tactics, but I applauded his debating ability and his willingness to use wit and even sarcasm against his opponents. As far as Creationism goes, I believe almost the same thing that Mr. Hovind believes (not so much the "Hovind Theory") concerning Creationism. I do believe in Intelligent Design, a young earth, and in a literal 6 day creation story according to scipture. I believe that the Grand Canyon was formed by the flood waters in a very short amount of time, and I believe that Dinosaurs co-existed with man. I believe that Evolution is psuedo-science and is a religion. I have every reason to want to like and support Mr. Hovind.

Mr. Hovind and I have a few things in common outside of our belief in Creationism. His experience traveling and speaking publicly is FAR greater than mine, but I, too, traveled the country and the world for many years speaking to audiences about the things I believe. We traveled in a lot of the same circles. I have experience in the world where Mr. Hovind operated, and I know its deceptions, devices, and pitfalls. The public speaking gig is a dangerous one. It is dangerous to stand in front of crowds night after night with people praising you, shaking your hand, and patting your back. It is dangerous to have people look up to you, applaud you, and tell you how good you are. It is dangerous to watch money roll in every night from donations, and from the sales of books and tapes. If you do it long enough, you begin to believe the things people say to you. You can start to believe your own press and praise mail. You begin to believe you are special and good, and that you are due all the money people throw at you. Love of money and pride can take over, and the message becomes just a means to a more carnal end.

Years ago, both Mr. Hovind and I were loosely, and for a short time, associated with a professing "christian" speakers bureau called The Prophecy Club. The Prophecy Club is a heretical, charismatic, futurist, Jesuitical, and Arminian "last days" speakers tour, where speakers are used by the "club" to manipulate audiences into a frenzy, so that they buy materials from the "club". I am certain that both Mr. Hovind and I became involved with the Prophecy Club for the same reasons. My reasons were these:

1. Consciously and openly I desired to get out a message that I believed was true. I was concerned with the tyrannical direction of our government, and the growth of fascism and statism. I believed that to speak against these things was important, and I was willing to put down or suppress my own theological and doctrinal differences with the PC in order to have the opportunity to speak all over the nation about the things I believed.

2. Subconciously (and in retrospect) I know now that my pride and my desire for an audience weighed heavy in my decision to speak on the PC tours.

It turns out that the PC was the private and profitable business of a false prophet and charlatan named Stan Johnson. PC speakers were used and abused for profit by Mr. Johnson, and the false gospel preached at the PC meetings was being used to subvert souls and to deceive men.

The difference between Mr. Hovind and I, is that I have repented openly and publicly for my participation in the Prophecy Club. I wrote several stories about this more than 5 years ago. Those stories are still available in my article archives, and have publicly assisted other ministries in exposing the wrongdoings of the PC and some of their more heretical speakers. Mr. Hovind's Arminian gospel is one with that of the Prophecy Club, and his mechanisms for marketing and profiting from his message is virtually identical with the methods of the Prophecy Club.

In 2002 I was invited by a "church" in Australia to come and do a speaking tour in the state of Western Australia. This "church" had previously invited Mr. Hovind to come speak to them, but they were informed by Mr. Hovind's ministry that he would not come there unless they could guarantee him a minimum audience of 800 people a night, or some incredible "minimum take" (it was $10,000, or $25,000 a night). The "church" asked what my minimum requirements were to come and speak. I laughed. I told them that I could not afford the travel expenses, but if they could manage that, I would speak to anyone, anywhere, and any crowd of any size. They arranged my travel expenses and I made the trip, speaking throughout Western Australia for 6 weeks. I should mention that I was dis-fellowshipped and anathematized by the "church" who brought me to Australia DURING THE TRIP for preaching on the Doctrines of Grace, and for delivering the true Gospel; this despite the fact that I had sent the Church my Statement of Faith which declared what I believed and what I would be preaching prior to my visit. The point is that I was not surprised to find out, subsequently, that Mr. Hovind was bringing in well over $1 million a year from his speaking scheme. When we learned what he was requiring from "churches" per night, we loosely figured his nightly income to be well over $40,000.

In 2003, a supporter and friend of my ministry, who was also a supporter of Mr. Hovind's Ministry, asked me to comment on Mr. Hovind. I replied that I thought Mr. Hovind was entertaining and in some ways informative, but that I believed he taught a false gospel, and that he was in it for the money. The supporter asked me if I thought that Mr. Hovind was just ignorant of the true gospel, and if I thought he would repent if he were shown the true and historical Gospel. I replied that I doubted Mr. Hovind would repent if showed the truth, because his whole speaking business would collapse if he were converted to the true Gospel. The supporter then informed me that Mr. Hovind had claimed that he would debate any one any where, and asked me if I would debate Mr. Hovind on which Gospel was the true Gospel. I told the man that I would certainly defend the Gospel if I were required to, but that there were men who were probably much better and more qualified than me to debate someone as polished and experienced as Mr. Hovind. I suggested (and still suggest) that maybe Mr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries would be a better man to debate Hovind. The supporter argued that he believed that I should be the one to debate Hovind and asked if he could contact Hovind and offer the challenge. I reluctantly agreed. The supporter contacted Hovind's office and offered the debate. He was at some time informed that Mr. Hovind would not debate me because he only wanted to debate evolutionists. A few days later, someone affiliated with Mr. Hovind signed up on my email list (the email address given was "martha(at)drdino(dot)com". I have not speculated on why (or whether) Mr. Hovind might have placed one of his people on my email list. I can state from personal experience, and from the testimony of Scripture, that if Mr. Hovind preached the true Gospel, he would NOT have been as successful and as popular for as long as he was. The Bible teaches us that if we are telling the truth we will be hated, scorned, and rejected. The Bible teaches that in the last days, the professing "church" will be apostate, and for someone to be as popular as Mr. Hovind in this apostate "church" system, shows that the gospel he preaches is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ at all.

Mr. Hovind was welcomed with open arms into the modernist, Arminian, charismatic "churches" - night after night. He boasted that he was booked years in advance. When his son began preaching the same message, with the same method, his son became similarly popular - almost doubling the intake to the ministry. The combination of the Hovind's false gospel and titillating message was sure to scratch itching ears. Jesus promised that the day would come when men would not endure sound doctrine, and that false teachers alone would be popular (2 Tim. 4:2-5). Mr. Hovind became VERY popular. Mr. Hovind has been embraced by Jesuitical, Vineyard, Left Behind "christianity". He is in prison for his own mistakes, errors, foolishness, greed, avarice, and arrogance, NOT for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have been warned not to speak against Mr. Hovind. I have received many letters and correspondences since I first commented on his indictment and arrest many months ago. I was chastised and rebuked for daring to speak against one of God's representatives who was "suffering for Christ's sake". Here are my responses to the foolish defenses offered by those who have warned me about speaking against Hovind:

The "He brought me to Christ" Defense; also known as "God used him mightily in my life" Defense. This argument generally goes like this: "I (or my mother, brother, husband, child, etc.) was a heathen (Catholic, Buddhist, Atheist, etc.) and I was invited to hear Mr. Hovind speak (in person, videotape, radio, etc.). God used Kent Hovind to bring me to the truth of Creationism, and from there I learned about Christ, read my Bible, was saved, etc." The gist is that since God may have used something Kent Hovind said at some time to bring someone to Christ, that Hovind is therefore "used of God" and is holy, and should not be spoken against. I guess here I should tell my parable of the "Church of the Holey Bucket"...

A family was traveling by foot and dying of thirst when they came upon an abandoned farmhouse and barn. Attached to the barn there was a well. The family ran to the well and found that there was no evident way to get water from the well. The father ordered the children to search in the old barn for some type of receptacle and a rope with which they might draw water from the well. The children did so in a very cursory way and very shortly came running back to the well with a broken bucket full of holes, and a long frayed rope. The father tied the rope to the bucket and lowered it into the well, allowing the bucket to fill to the brim with precious water before he began it pull it back up to the top of the well. As he raised the bucket, as can be expected, the water began running out - and when the bucket reached the top of the well, there was virtually no water left in it, except maybe an ounce in one corner of the rotted bottom. The family thirstily lapped up the little bit of water, and speedily dropped the bucket back into the well. This went on for hours as each family member received a few sprinkles of water from each drawing of the bucket. The task was enormous, and the bucket had to be continuously dropped into the well and drawn back up, and the family soon learned that the physical exertion and activity involved in dropping and raising the bucket caused them to remain thirsty. One young son, while waiting his turn to receive a few precious drops from the bucket, drifted back into the barn, he looked closer and soon returned with a better and more sound bucket... a bucket with no holes. Next to the bucket he found a very nice and strong rope. He excitedly brought the good bucket and rope to his father, knowing that with it the family could draw plenty of water from the well, and they would be saved. But the boy was surprised when his father rebuked him for bringing the good bucket forth. "Do you not know that without this holey bucket, we would have perished? Are you so insensitive and thoughtless to forget the service done to us by this holey bucket? You should repent right now for even suggesting that we abandon this holey bucket that has so gloriously saved our lives". The son refused to repent. He told his father that the holey bucket had not brought them life at all, but only fooled them into thinking they had life. "We should cast that false bucket away if it cannot be repaired, and use this sound bucket to draw water". He tied the good rope to the good bucket and soon drew up some crystal clear water to drink. He offered the water to the family, but, based on the teaching of the father, the family refused the good water. The father turned away, gathered up the family, and that day he founded THE CHURCH OF THE HOLEY BUCKET, and set up a schedule for each family member to continue the task of drawing water from the well with the holey bucket. The bucket broke, the rope came apart, and they all died of thirst. The End.

Just because God may have used a holey bucket to show you some water, does not mean that there is any soundness at all in the bucket. The Philippian jailer was brought to a knowledge of his need for Christ by means of an earthquake. Should he worship the earthquake, or give it any credit at all in his conversion? If a man is converted in prison, does that give credibility to the prison? Balaam the prophet was helped by an ass, but God does not ask us to go to an ass for wisdom. Think about it.

The "He Was Standing Against the Evil Government" Defense, also known as the "We Need More Courageous Men Like Him" Defense. I have already exposed the folly of this defense earlier in this article. But I wanted to mention that many worshipers of the Goddess Libertas have come to believe that Amerika in particular, and especially Amerika during the time of the founders, was holy and pure and without stain. They believe that the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are on par with the scriptures, and that freedom is something guaranteed by God. I shouldn't even have to point out how untrue this is. Far from promising us physical and political freedom from oppression and tyranny, the Bible exposes to us our bondage, and promises that those who truly preach the Gospel of Christ will be persecuted and oppressed. The Bible teaches spiritual freedom in Christ Jesus, but nowhere promises political freedom to men. Those who worship freedom are servants and disciples of Persephone and Libertas, not Christ. There is nothing wrong with yearning for freedom, or even working honestly and Biblically for it. There is huge problem when we begin to associate being anti-government with being "christian".

The "You May Go To Prison Some Day Too" Defense, also known as the "I Hope When They Come For YOU, other Christians Stand Up For You" Defense. Sure. That may be true. If it happens, I pray that I am persecuted for righteousness sake, and that I do not suffer as an evildoer. I have made many mistakes in my life. I have suffered for my own ignorance, pride, insolence, intransigence, arrogance, etc. I may go to prison some day. I am not making the argument at all that the Amerikan system of "justice" is pure, right or even good. I may even go to prison on tax charges, though that would be a good joke based on the amount of money that passes through my hands. Suffice it to say that Kent Hovind made more money in some nights than I generally bring in in a year. Kent Hovind was found guilty of evading more in taxes than I have ever made in my life. The Amerikan system of taxation is corrupt and evil and capricious. Any one of us may be sent to prison at any time for violating some unknown or hard to understand subsection of some law we have never read. I am in no way defending the government. Tyrannies murder, torture and imprison people. Millions of people were tortured, killed, and imprisoned during the Reign of Terror in France, but that does not make them Christian martyrs. I may indeed go to prison some day. But I do pray continuously that God prevents me from suffering for pride, greed, or some silliness unconnected with my Christian witness. I pray that my sufferings for Christ are truly for Christ, and not for myself, my pride, my income, my fame, or my stupidity.

One last one...

The "What Does It Matter What Gospel Is Preached So Long As Christ Is Preached" Defense, also known as the "We're All Christians and Should Support Eachother" Defense. This argument eradicates and slanders the claims of the Gospel, and defames and demeans those who died resisting Antichrist throughout time. This defense declares that any old christ is a good christ, and any old gospel will do. This defense denies the truths set forth in scripture, calls the Prophets and Apostles who died for that Gospel "liars", and makes Christ's death for His own elect of no effect. Kent Hovind's "gospel" is the false gospel of Rome, and of the modernist false church. Were Kent Hovind actually suffering for his "gospel", even if it is a false one, then there might be something admirable in his stand, but Kent Hovind is not being persecuted for his doctrinal beliefs. Kent Hovind is in prison for declaring that his amusement park employees are "missionaries" for the purposes of evading taxes. Kent Hovind is in prison for declaring that his own private and profitable businesses are "the Work of God" and are thus, not taxable. Kent Hovind is a man who has raked in literally millions by preaching a false gospel, and by entertaining folks and selling products at a profit. He wanted to partake in the mart of competitive commerce in the world's system and according to the rudiments of the world, but he did not want to play according to the world's rules. He wanted to play in Caesar's playground without paying Caesar.

Let me finish by saying that Kent Hovind is another example of how modernist "christianity" is conformed to the image of the world, and then acts shocked when they are painted with the same brushstroke as the world. When men deny the Providence and Sovereignty of God; when they preach a gospel that demeans the work of Christ; when they turn the practice of right religion into an amusement park theology; when they refuse to separate from the wicked world that Christ condemned and that Christ announced should HATE THEM as it hated Him; then they suffer for their own sake and not for the sake of Christ. And when a man turns against his master (the world), and forsakes that master from whom he had derived a delicious living; when a man has grown wealthy on the dainties of the world, then refuses to play by the rules of that world, then he should not be surprised when the king of that world turns against him.

My advice to Kent Hovind (and those who think like him) when he gets out of prison: If you do not believe in taxes, then don't try to get rich. Learn and believe the true Gospel, and you will not have to worry about that. You will lose most of your friends, supporters, and donations - and your concern about taxes will be minimal. Get some land and work with your hands. Obey God's commands to till and work the ground (Gen. 2:15, 3:23). Preach only the truth and count on God to support and defend you. YOU CANNOT GET RICH PREACHING THE TRUE GOSPEL. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophet (Luke 6:26).

Kent Hovind got invited to several hundred churches a year. I can't get invited to even one, and I have not been invited into one in years. Surely there is room for some flexibility in between those two positions somewhere, but I suppose it will be closer to zero than 200.

My prayer is that Kent Hovind lives to repent and turn from his ways. Until then, I really don't care to hear news of him, or to hear defenses of him from people who should know better.

I am your servant in Christ Jesus,

Michael Bunker

 
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