Sunday, June 25, 2017

Kent Hovind Update - Waiting For Theo's Other Shoe To Drop

This post is written with the assumption that the reader has some familiarity with the trials and tribulations of Independent Baptist Minister, young earth creationist, convicted felon Kent Hovind (Doctor Dino).  If he is new to you, you might want to read this piece first.
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When Kent Hovind, nearing the end of a long prison sentence, was facing the prospect of another long sentence for actions taken in response to property seized as a result of his first conviction, one of the primary outlets of the Hovindication movement was freekenthovind.com,

The Good Old Days

You have to go to the wayback machine to see the site in all its glory. In my view it was chock full of hysterical nonsequiturs, odd ball conspiracy theories and lots of Nazi references.  I don't think they knew about Godwin's law.

Thanks to my role as a critic of Kent Hovind's innocence narrative, I was mentioned

EDITORS NOTE: Peter Reilly of Forbes.com and IRS agents running a Kent Hovind defamation page are working side by side with the Atheist organization, Freedom From Religion Foundation, to target Christian Churches. We are doing an investigation into these individuals and have very strong evidence that the IRS and specific individuals are committing treason in America – stay tuned.
Knock on wood, the treason hunters have not come for me yet. And then there was:
EDITORS NOTE: This country was founded by Christians. Don’t like it? Go to communist China – I’ll pay for your move. Peter Reilly, IRS agents and atheists from the Freedom From Religion Foundation are working together like Hiter’s Gestapo. A treasonous offense against our Christian Nation. These domestic terrorists want to be a bunch of puny g-ds running America… they want Government to be a puny g-d they can run. These people gnash their teeth at the fact America was founded as a Christian Nation by Puritans. For heaven’s sake, Congress printed KJV bibles for schools in the late and early 1800’s! The Bible was the school’s foundation for education and moral development!

At any rate, I have to work on forgiving myself for experiencing a bit of schadenfreude based on what has happened with the site.  Freekenthovind.com now points to "lies of the deVil". Theodore Valentine, who remained anonymous when he was calling me a traitor who should be exiled to China, has turned the site, at least for the moment, into a Hovind attack site.

Oddly enough, at least so far, the attack against Hovind seems to be as silly as most of the freekenthovind.com attacks on Hovind critics were.

Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop

Theo has been putting out teasers trailers on a lengthy Hovind exposure documentary that is soon to be released.  Hovindologists are on the edges of their seats listening to the popcorn pop.  Here is the most recent and purportedly final teaser.



So far Theo's revelations have been pretty disappointing.  His teasers are trying to build a greed case, but that is very weak.  I have tailed off on watching Hovind videos, but I have to say as Christian evangelical preaching types go, his fund raising is pretty low key.  And the snippets Theo shows of Kent sitting on a tractor or evidence that a long term board member has her own room while volunteers sleep barracks style is entirely without scandal.

Theo's most dramatic release so far is an audio recording of what appears to be a counseling session that Theo had to go through (That is my inference of the context, anyway).





What is amazing about this is that Hovind in the secret recording is exactly like the public face of Kent Hovind.  He makes it quite clear in public pronouncements that he runs things at the site in Lenox, Alabama and that he expects people to come there to work and that if they don't like the way he runs things, they can just leave.

The only thing I noted that might be "scandalous" (though not really) was that he made it clear that he expects the ministry to make money from his innocence videos and that he is not interested in helping Brady Byrum help others. I ran that by Rudy Davis who did not think much of it:

It does not surprise me that people get disturbed that Kent feels financially responsible for his projects and wants to look for ways to make a profit.  I believe wholeheartedly that Kent was targeted by a bias judge with an anti-Christian agenda and spent 9 years in prison as an innocent man.  If Kent wanted to engage in a mutually profitable business relationship with Brady to produce videos proving Kent was innocent, then that is between Brady and Kent.  I wouldn't care to speculate on the details and whatever agreement that they had should have remained private between them and not published from a secretly recorded conversation by an infiltrator turned traitor.   There is nothing wrong with Kent looking for ways to make money to further his ministry based upon efforts to prove his innocence. I suspect that Brady wanted to take his time and be very thorough and Kent was pushing for completion of the project. 

My inquiry prompted Rudy to contact Brady who put out a ringing endorsement of Kent.





This prompted a written response from Kent to Rudy that includes a threat of legal action against Theo. Erin Davis read Kent's response on another video.




Theo Was Still A Mensch When He Was In Kent's Corner

I suggested to both Rudy and Ernie Land that maybe they should consider taking a look at what Theo put up on freekenthovind.com back in the day and distance themselves from some of that.  Kind of like something to the effect of "Gee, even though we don't agree with Pete Reilly's analysis of Kent's legal situation, we don't think it was kindly to suggest he was a traitor who should be exiled to China".  I didn't have much luck.  Rudy responded:
Hi Peter,
Kent can speak for himself but I would guess that from Kent's perspective, freekenthovind.com was helpful in the effort to make noise and shine light so Kent could be a free man once again.  
The analogy I would give is the following:
A man is stuck in a burning building. The building has been on fire for 9 years and there is a threat that the fire could go on for another 20 years.  A supporter decides to help the man in the burning building and drives a tank through the neighborhood and into the building and helps to rescue the man.  Now in the process of driving the tank through the neighborhood, the man runs over some people's fences.   Your fence got ran over but ultimately the man was released from the building which was going to burn for the next 20 years.  So it is natural that Kent would be thankful to the man driving the tank and not be held responsible for the broken fences.  The man who drove the tank should be responsible for the broken fences. 
Just my $0.02.  You always give me interesting things to consider.  I pray all is well with you and yours.
What was really amusing about Rudy's response is that the freekenthovind.com link in his email was live and we know where that points.

Ernie was even more discouraging:

You got to know all of us American patriots believe the entire IRS, 14th amendment, Federal zone and Judicial are treason of the US Constitution perpetuated upon the real America and it’s people. We feel you and 90% or more of America have been lead like sheep. I often make fun of their legalize with facts like Attorneys as a requirement in Court, when that fact can not be argued with any promise because the Constitution and in fact a free man by Constitution can choose their council of choice, the Bar did not even exist when the Constitution was written, so in fact a licensed Attorney could not be a fact. Things like speedy trial, trial by jury for any value over $20, these are all Constitution that have been abridged. Marriage being redefined was unlawful and treason by a Supreme Court. So those who adhere to and do not stand against such acts in reality are committing treason, most unknowingly, just as unknowingly as is argued that each of us commit 3 felonies each day by legal standards.

I guess your affiliation with the likes of Baty and friends is why Theo places you in that category. And given a Court room type setting in which we could debate it, I sincerely believe 12 jurors would be a confused hung jury or come back with a like verdict. Just saying! I also feel the system and our colleges have brainwashed most American’s into a sheep like trance. My 2 cents!

Wow, I just need somebody else to send me a penny and I'll have a nickel.

Other Critics

Somehow closely related to the falling out with Theo is Deborah Henderson.  I have not invested enough lifespan into Deborah's videos to sort out what her issues are.  Fellow Hovindologist Dee Holmes took a shot:

1) Hovind remarried after his divorce. Hovind claims that he had a bunch of pastors say it was OK because he didn't instigate it, but Deborah apparently believes that you shouldn't marry after divorce. That's why Deborah calls Mary Tocco a "Jezebel," because she's leading Kent astray. I cannot put enough stress on how Independent Fundamental Baptists don't think you should remarry after a divorce.  (For the record, some of the earliest Christians thought that you shouldn't remarry after a spouse dies, either, but that was by no means universal, not at all.)
2) I think Deborah really likes Theo and she's defending him in the Theo-Kent battle.  I think it's also because I've gotten the very strong impression that Theo's views on Kent's remarriage are similar to that of Deborah.
Keep in mind, though, these IFBers will separate over any little thing. Deborah and Theo may be allies on this but they could separate over something else that we outsiders would find terribly insignificant. 
I'm open to hearing more from or about Deborah, but I do prefer writing to video.




Then there is "Whatever With Billy"




Billy's beef with Kent has to do with a difference of opinion about the nature of the crime committed by someone that Kent wanted Billy to "have fellowship with".  I don't think I want to get into it, but you can check it out if you are curious.  I kind of like Billy's style of presentation.

It's About The Theology

You'll have to forgive me here as I explain something that you and I both know, but you need to consider other readers.

Most Christian doctrine is based on the notion of original sin which creates a need for salvation.  God is infinitely just and infinitely merciful, which created kind of a dilemma.  All human beings deserve to be tortured for all eternity and are incapable of changing that.  So God being merciful sent his only son (Who is also God.  That's the trinity thing.  Don't try to figure it out.  It's a mystery.) to pay the price for our sins by suffering and dying on the cross.

When this was explained to us when I was a kid, we were told that when we commit a sin, it's like we are driving one of the nails a little deeper into Jesus on the cross.

At any rate much of modern history in the West has been people arguing about the fine points of how you can take advantage of the mercy that God granted by having Jesus get tortured for us and, somewhat incidentally, whether somebody else has done what they need to do to, as they say, be saved.

People who were raised in a very secular way are unable to appreciate how and why such disputes are of overriding importance.  The big divide is about faith versus works.  I'm reminded of W.H. Auden's poem September 1, 1939:
Accurate scholarship can 
Unearth the whole offence
From Luther until now
That has driven a culture mad
Go ahead and yell at me that the poem has nothing to do with this discussion.  Sorry, those lines haunt me.

At any rate, Joshua Joscelyn was one of Kent's strongest supporters during the trial, one of the few people from the Pensacola area who were out on the street during the trial. Here he is talking to Hovindologist Dee Holmes




And here he is being interviewed by filmmaker Jonathan Schwartz








Joshua, who seems to be in some way aligned with Theo is now advising Christians to stay away from and not support Kent Hovind, because he is a "damnable heretic". It has to do with the relationship between faith and repentance.




Kent's marriage to Mary Tocco has also cost him Christian support.  George Lujack, who was there for parts of the trial came out against him on that ground back in September.

What Does Theo Have On Kent?

As a tax geek, the thing that I worry about the most for Kent Hovind (I have this odd affection for him that would like to keep him out of trouble) is that his new ministry will be viewed as an alter-ego, which is the source of most of his problems with the IRS the first time around - that and him being stubborn and enthralled with crackpot tax theories.

Kent remains enthralled with crackpot tax theories, but he may be getting that out of his system with Brady Byrum's innocence narrative project.  Don't get me started.  Ernie Land has assured me that the ministry is being run to be conventionally tax compliant.  The alter ego problem is very serious, because Kent must still be living under a huge civil liability for income taxes.

 He never really discusses that.  Perhaps that is because many people can sympathize with him on the structuring conviction (Taking his own money out of the bank), but probably even most of his followers appreciate that if you go decades without filing individual returns, brag about it on video and encourage other people to not file, it is not unreasonable for the IRS to take an interest in you.



(Long video but the money shot is early around 00:02:17 ("I have not filed any income tax in 28 years")).

Independent of Kent's criminal conviction, he has a huge ($3 million plus) civil liability.  While he was in prison he likely would have been classified currently not collectible.  And there is a good chance that collections might not be interested in him at this point.  They probably have until 2023 though.  At that point at which collections picks up his file, it will be intriguing as to whether it is handled conventionally, in which case we might never hear about it or as Kent handled things in the past.

If I were really cynical I would believe that Kent knew he was being taped by Theo and that Theo would release the tape.  The reason I say that is that Theo's tape helps make the case that Kent is running things about as straight and narrow as is possible.  A number of financial matter are discussed and rather than making the type of bottom line I'm the boss type of rulings that he is fond of, Kent concludes that there needs to be a board meeting to sort those matters out.

 The verbal picture presented in Theo's tape is one of Kent as a strong manager, who wants the staff to follow orders and mind their own business, but one who is ultimately accountable to a board when it comes to major issues, particularly financial ones.

More From Rudy

As I was working on this I got another message from Rudy.  He is particularly upset that Theo's last teaser video indicates that Kent was funding Rudy.  Rudy puts it as only Rudy can:
Theo put out a public video implying that Kent Hovind  is funneling me money. Just so you know, that is a lie. We have never made a dime off Kent and actually the opposite is true, it has cost me dearly but it was worth it. I just wanted to share that. Theo can't imagine that someone wants to help without any financial benefit. Theo is a barking poodle on the train tracks and the train is coming.
I've been at this while and I have a fairly well developed BS detector and I have to say I think Rudy Davis is a very honest guy. He believes many things that I find preposterous, but he believes them sincerely.

Kent Hovind, on the other hand, reminds me a lot of our President.  I'll leave it at that.

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Peter J Reilly is anxiously awaiting Theo's mangum opus, but is prepared to be disappointed.








24 comments:

  1. Among other things, I notice that Ernie Land is still lying about what the Constitution says and means regarding the right to counsel.

    I say he is lying because Ernie and I have discussed that more than once and he's been told; afterwhich he runs off instead of facing and admitting to his error.

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  2. Peter J. Reilly,

    Speaking of Godwin's Law, here is a link to one of the FreeKentHovind.com graphics featuring you, Jonathan and me in the Nazi context:

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrB-4u4VIAAJGKo.jpg:large

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  3. I think that ill-informed comment by Dee Holmes about me is comical, she is so far off base. I do not care if a Christian remarries or whom they choose to remarry, we are no longer under the law but under grace. I called Mary Tocco an 'unlearned jezebel' which shows Dee knows not of what she speaks. Unlearned, meaning she has no knowledge or concept of the Holy Scriptures, not because she married a Kult leader. I was all for Kult Hovind getting remarried, before I knew all the facts.

    Also, Kult Hovind is no longer eligible to be a pastor, if he actually believes the Bible, which I am not sure what your stand is but true Bible believing God fearing, Jesus loving, Christ following, children of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings believe whole heartedly and 100%, which the ulearned jezebel is far from, so he is also unequally yoked..... Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2)

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    1. Thanks for clearing that up. If you would ever like to do a guest post, let me know.

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    2. we'll see, due to the fact that I have strongly informed you of not being of or for the Lord, but of the world, you will not be able to understand and will not be satisfied with any information, proof, or testimony.
      Ephesians 4:18 .) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
      19 .) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
      20 .) But ye have not so learned Christ;

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    3. Oh, for goodness sakes. What claptrap. A fellow human being offered you the opportunity to give your story, your side of the story and you choose to insult him as your way of evading that opportunity. How crass and childish.

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    4. You people are too funny, do you really not even see yourselves for who you are, I mean really? Godless busy bodies that want nothing more but destroy each other and anyone else along the way. Your hypocrisy is mind boggling. You accuse me of not wanting to share my story, which DUH, I already have, you misquote me and make up theories in your little heads to explain my actions. You then proceed to do exactly what you falsely accuse me of, evading and insulting. Lord Have Mercy already.

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    5. Stop holding back Deborah. Tell us how you really feel.

      Seriously, I find it a little hard to follow what your issues are as you go from how Mary Tocco dresses to them not using the walkie talkies that your husband provided them with.

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    6. Deborah calling anybody else a "busybody" is really hilarious. As is the flinging of "hypocrisy". Now the telling of your story thus far has been so mired in off-topic and tangential silliness -- and with all-too-little detail/proof but if that's all you want to say, the polite human being thing to say is "No thank you, I already have said all I want to."

      And making up theories in little heads? That seriously brings only pictures of your little head, big schnozz to mind for me.

      Of course, I am "godless" (you are too, but you don't know it), and I'm not forever begging for mercy from your "Lord" (don't you think he'd get tired of all that begging?). Give your Lord a break and take responsibility for your own busy little body.

      I hardly EVER ask for the intervention of Beelzebub. That's because I know supposed supernatural beings have not the least need for information nor desire for me to beg them into action they don't already intend from their own omni-perch. My ego is a bit more rational human sized.

      You've gone entirely off the reservation, Deborah, making yourself a joke and not the slightest threat to Hovind and his cult compound. Seriously, get a grip.

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    7. Exactly as I predicted, your little heads once again steer you to resort to name calling, personal attacks on physical appearance, which once again, I say I chose to keep my nose just the way it is, no self mutilation, as in a nose job, Praise the Lord, Thank you Jesus, and blindness to and of the point at hand. Kult Hovind being a so-called pastor and Bible believing Christian is obligated to marry a Godly wife, a learned one that is of the Lord, but of course, once again you chose to overlook the evidence that proves this is an ungodly unlearned jezebel and resort to basics facts of attire and walkie talkies, proving your insatiableness, needing more mud, more drama, because apparently you are blinded to facts, really? Who are you anyways Peter, because no true journalist would be so blind and bias.

      Y'all are like a swarm of buzzards pecking away at carcasses of so-called Christians that are dead in Christ, like Kult Hovinds false converts. Thank you Jesus that I am more alive than ever, since He has given me the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen. Once the carcasses are gone, y'all turn on each other, never satisfied, just like the Bible says, Proverbs 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

      He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. (John 12:40)

      In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

      Psalms 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

      Psalms 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

      Sooooo, once again, let's see if it will stick this time, I will describe the difference between you and me and WHY THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT DIRECTED TOWARDS YOU PEOPLE OF NO DISCERNMENT. THIS IS DIRECTED TO WARN GOD FEARING, JESUS LOVING, CHRIST FOLLOWING CHILDREN ON THE LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS. A discerning mind demonstrates wisdom and insight that go beyond what is seen and heard. For example, God’s Word is “spiritually discerned.” To the human mind without the Spirit, the things of God are “foolishness” 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The Spirit, then, gives us spiritual discernment.

      Okay, move along now gentiles and go mind your business, this is not about taxes already, geeeezzz.

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    8. You are right that Plutodog's reference to your personal appearance was inappropriate. Your "move along gentiles and go mind your own business this not about taxes" is a little odd. I have been following the Hovind story for years now and this is my blog. Theo in one of his videos concluded that Kent Hovin is a tax protester, which is ironic since his website had previously said I was a traitor who should be exiled to China for expressing that opinion. I mentioned your videos for the sake of completeness. I'm not sure what it is that you think I am blind and biased about.

      Is your bottom line that Kent disqualifies himself as a minister because Mary Tocco is not a godly wife?

      I guess that is an issue that I would not want to take sides on.

      You are of course still welcome here and I will try to be more watchful about calling inappropriate comments.

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    9. Well Peter, you obviously did not read the email I sent you or it just does not comprehend. My whole point has been stated over and over and over and over again...Lord have Mercy already. I was a huge Hovind supporter, then I saw the light of his heresy, I then chose to expose him. I am not ashamed of being wrong and unlike most of the people that have gone up there, only to leave, stop supporting him and never return for various reasons, such as your child being abducted and Kult accusing the child of making the story up, so my husband spent valuable time and money to purchase walkie talkies to help prevent this from happening again, yet the unlearned jezebel does not think the time is right to use them.....I can go on and on, but again I say you obviously still do not have the discernment needed to comprehend. So unlike them, I am not afraid to take the punches I have been getting for exposing him. The man is a wicked reprobate and my brethren need to be warned...period.

      I have no bottom line and it does not matter what your opinion or my opinion is on Kult Hovind being disqualified to be a Pastor, Ministry Leader, or Spiritual Guide, It is God's Word, plain and simple.

      A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2)

      Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (1 Timothy 3:12)

      If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. (Titus 1:6)

      When you fall under the spell of this heretic, such as Theo and I were and Rudy Davis and his wife are, then you can understand more. We say things to defend this Kult leader, believing he is of God. Theo and I have retracted much of what we said when we were under his spell, I will send you an article on me when I supported him. I am embarrassed of course but I thank the Lord He put me there, so I can be a witness and warn others. The funny/sad thing about Rudy is, he has yet to meet Kult Hovind, so he reminds me of how we were, before we became enlightened by the Truth.

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    10. http://kehvrlb.com/deborah-henderson-shaking-things-up-in-conecuh-county

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    11. OK, Deborah, I think I have the picture. Thanks for clarifying.

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    12. WUUUUWHOOO!!!! Praise the Lord, Thank you Jesus, Hallelujah, Amen. If you need any more clarification, please let me know.

      2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

      2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

      Deborah Henderson

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  4. Interesting discussion Peter. Not sure what your takeaway is though. Mine is that the Trump presidency has legitimized the right wing Christian crackpots like Alex Jones, host of Infowars, and all of a sudden this cast of characters and their machinations is getting really dangerous. Most of all, they way they invent an alternative reality is and how that threatens our democracy and citizens who are not the standard white Christians. They are a bigoted bunch and climate deniers and right there that makes them not cute, but dangerous. Hovind is out of prison because his jury was tampered with, as you know I point the finger at Ernie, who aside from being a pleasant person, lives off of defrauding others. Rudy may be a good manipulator and you may enjoy his bad-ass mannerisms and the attention he gives you, but he called for the assassination of former President Obama, viciously verbally attacked a female Federal judge as well as a female prosecutor, complete with pre-pubescent commentary and the like, and if he lived anywhere but the United States he would be behind bars. Sincere or not.

    All of these folks lie, and swindle, and are mentally ill. Sure, they have their good points and can be funny, but they are, make no mistake about it, the worst of the Trump Administration's base.

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    1. Rudy actually called for the execution of the President after a fair trial which while batshit crazy is not assassination. Rudy and Kent both have a fondness of capital punishment, which I find disturbing.

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    2. The man didn't call for a civilized execution, he called for a barbaric beheading which ought to disturb anybody of sound mind living in this century.

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    3. Almost all of the rest of the civilized world has long agreed that there is no such thing as a civilized execution.

      I do find it interesting that those who mistrust government power the most are almost always strong supporters of giving government the ultimate expression of the power of life and death over its citizens.

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    4. As best as I can tease out the theology on this, there is a sense that even though the burden of the Law has been lifted from us, the Old Testament God still gave us the best model for organizing a society and the only biblical punishments are fines, beating and execution. Paul Hansen probably works it out the furthest with the notion that the only valid form of court is a group of godly Christian men gathered together to deliberate.

      To give Kent his due, I think that he has something right on the nature of prisons. Prisons as we know them were rooted in a philanthropic reform in the early 19th century. Originally the notion was reformation/penitence. Now we are pretty much of the notion that it is punishment and that and fines are the only civilized way to punish people. But prison is a really stupid way to punish people. Progressives should own that and come up with something better.

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  5. Ernie Land's 6th Amendment Strawman!

    http://kehvrlb.com/ernie-lands-6th-amendment-strawman

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  6. The bizarre story rolls on. If it were a soap opera, there'd be no end in sight. Since it's real life, it has to crash and burn spectacularly at some point or fizzle out with much decrepit debris left behind.

    What elese is going on? Well, Hovind has begun to hold Google Hang-out debates with a few atheists because he can't seem to get any legitimate scientists/atheists to debate him in big university theater settings and he really needs this kind of hero-to-the-ramparts exhibitions to wow his cultists, inspire them with his magnificent apologetic sword slashing through devil atheism/evolution.

    Not surprisingly, anybody with any background or minimal knowledge of science/evolution sees Hovind losing big time but Kent's cult thinks he wins the day. And the thing is, Kent knows this and could really care less when his non-arget audience thinks he obviously loses. They're just a prop. For Hovind--while not the large public audience he dreams of--his smaller victories with his flock are worth his time and help to work with his evangelistic tour speakings to build the brand and his ministry theme park.

    So Hovind continues his quixotic self-aggrandizing tour of the last years of his life. "Hovinding" is what King Crockoduck named Hovind's debate tactic when cornered -- retreating into "Last Thursdayism" or "Unfalsifiable Omphalism" -- essentially the idea that God can do anything whether or not it is in any way rational, observable, demonstrable. It is assertion without evidence no matter how much Hovind will claim as a theme that good science debunks evolution and other science that contradicts theology.

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  7. I think Rudy is much more interesting to follow these days. He may be deluded about Kent, the KJV, and a host of other issues, but as Peter says, at least you know he will address you honestly, even if he is honestly wrong.

    He's managed to build up quite a motley collection of sovereign citizens, petty criminals, and patriot movement members to be part of his prisoner advocacy campaign, and for the people in question, there is no doubt that they are grateful for his unwavering support.

    Even if his diagnosis of the problem with the prison system is skewed by his far right conservative Christian beliefs, at least he understands that the criminal justice system in this nation is in an awful state, and the odds of anyone getting real justice are dangerously low. Unfortunately will never understand that Trump and his appointee Jeff Sessions will be far worse than Eric Holder and Barack Obama concerning the plights of the type of prisoners he supports. Trump doesn't care, and Sessions has a mission to make the entire system even more punitive than it already is.

    Unfortunately, some of his wards are their own worst enemy. A petty criminal call Shawn Stuller (who seems reasonably bright) had the misfortune to heed the advice of Kent Hovind and/or Paul Hansen when he was in jail with them and turned down a chance of around five years in prison and ended up with a sentence of over 20 years (which I agree is excessive). A religious lunatic YouTuber called Bryce Cuellar got lucky and avoided a prison sentence last year for a drunken video in which he was dressed in fatigues, waving a gun around, and threatening to kill homosexuals, yet somehow managed to violate his probation and is now serving out the rest of his sentence behind bars anyway. This after Rudy and Erin worked really hard to get people to write letters to the judge on his behalf, and even flew out to be there in court for his sentencing hearing.

    Some of these people don't deserve Rudy.

    Rudy recently got laid off from his job, which is probably why he's posting more videos on his channel these days. Perhaps the most entertaining part is when he reads a letter (sight unseen) and comes across a word he doesn't know. His struggles with the pronunciation can be quite hilarious.

    All in all, he may be crazy, but it's hard not to respect his dedication to the cause of helping his chosen few, as demented as most of them are. If not for him, most of them would have nobody at all.

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  8. Yeah, I rather think folks who want to talk about little heads ought to expect a bit of push back. That's just me, of course.

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