For the first time in American History, the Federal Government, under color of law, put a large Baptist Church out of the Gospel business. Well, at least they tried.

It was February 13, 2001 when 85 federal officials (FBI, ATF, etc.) supported by Indianapolis Police Officers (doing crowd and traffic control) raided the Indianapolis Baptist Temple (IBT), known as the 11th largest church in America, according to Christian Life Magazine. Dr. Greg J. Dixon was the long time pastor but his son Greg A. Dixon was now the church leader. The church was being raided not for unpaid taxes as almost everyone declared, but for permitting their school teachers (my daughter was one), administrators, etc., to pay their own FICA taxes. Thousands of American churches have always followed that practice.

It is interesting that the Marion County Sheriff’s Department under Jack Cottey refused to participate in the raid. Jack was a principled man who had also served in the Indiana House of Representatives where I had served.

The Indianapolis church leaders refused to handle the withholding since the government cannot force a church to be a tax collector: the lowest, most hated position in New Testament times. However, no one refused to pay taxes and no taxes were owed. It was simply the Federal Government, then run by newly installed President George W. Bush, letting everyone know that churches must kowtow to Washington or they would be put out of the Gospel business. Federal Marshall Frank Anderson was in charge of the illegal raid and was elected Marion County Sheriff in 2003, serving until 2011. Of course, the Feds had declared the church’s action to be illegal; consequently, the raid was “legal.”

We were seeing the assertion and application of might at the expense of what is right. The IBT discovered that Voltaire was right when he said that it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. The church was right; the feds were wrong.

Some local media people were in the church having spent many nights sleeping on the floor and church pews along with pastors from across America. Some of the media had characterized the church people, especially the pastors, as being “patriots” (gasp!), “militia” etc. Some even spoke of guns even though the pastors had made it clear that no guns would be permitted and no violence would take place. But you can’t be too careful; these are Baptists—you know like John (the Baptist) or Jerry (Falwell) or Billy (Graham)—so an overwhelming force was ordered along with the snipers on the rooftops.

You can’t be too careful you know. Some of those Baptists might even thump their Bibles (KJV, of course) and that could be dangerous especially if the thumping were caught on television.
The raid was ordered by former two-term Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator and active Christian layman in the Assemblies of God and the now U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. John also wrote, “Let the Eagle Soar” and sang it after his speech at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2002—where both my son and grandson earned their doctorates. The song was satirically featured in Michael Moore’s movie Fahrenheit 9/11. While the lyrics are mediocre, and John’s voice is tolerable, I recommend that John not surrender his license to practice law.

The Christian school building, home to hundreds of students and the 2,000-seat auditorium on 20 acres of prime property, were padlocked and later bulldozed to the ground to make room for a new Charter School. Hundreds of Christian students and thousands of church members were now homeless—thanks to GOP President George W. Bush.

This case had been simmering for seventeen years when pastor Dr. Greg J. Dixon and his son and co-pastor refused to withhold FICA taxes on the church school staff. At the time of the raid, the younger Dixon was pastor and served as pastor until December of 2015 when Matt Roller was called to that position.

Ashcroft wrote a book after he was out of office and dedicated seven pages to the Indianapolis Baptist Temple tragedy. He alleged that the church was guilty of “tax evasion” but that is not true. He admitted in his book that the church employees paid their own taxes from funds “received from the church.” Ashcroft also alleged that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the church; however, that is another mistake: the Court refused to hear the case.

During the raid, Pastor Greg A. Dixon asked one of the marshals if he was not a member of a local Southside, Bible-preaching church that was not taking FICA out of the church staff’s salary—what the Indianapolis Baptist Temple was charged with. He refused to answer.

About that time, another marshal asked Dr. Dixon for the keys to his car that he promised to move to the K Mart lot so it would not be impounded. Dr. Dixon appreciated his kindness. The AP carried a story revealing that the church parsonage that had been the pastor’s home for 32 years had been taken by the feds. After the eviction, the media quoted Mrs. Dixon as saying “Wait until you see me in my new home.”

All the principal people involved with the church were highly committed and principled people—not the rebels and anti-government trouble makers as presented by most of the media. Paul Harvey led his national broadcast with a fair and positive report of the raid and most of the other national media dealt with it with their normal critical spin. Congressman Ron Paul wrote a wonderful defense of IBT in his Congressional Bulletin.

About sixty of those who served in the church ministry were audited by the IRS, and it was concluded that they had no tax liability of any substantial degree and all had paid their own tax liability including both shares of the Social Security Tax. This of course means that the valuable property, built and financed over many years by dedicated Christians, was seized to satisfy a bogus tax bill that had already been paid.

Why would our government be so vicious and unethical and illegal? Because government is in the control business and true churches refuse to permit secular control since every theologian is aware of the lordship of Christ over everything. Federal prosecutor Douglas Snoeyenbos was quoted as saying that the “higher ups in the U.S. Justice Department are out to totally destroy the pastor and the Indianapolis Baptist Temple.” He also expressed personal dislike for Dr. Dixon even though he had never met him according to the church attorney. Well, I’ve never met Snoeyenbos and I don’t like him or his name, but then he can’t help that.

The church has a memo from the Treasury Department in the mid-eighties (date illegible) signed by an IRS agent declaring that the pastor of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple “spoke out against the IRS and other government agencies in general” which shows the feds have no respect for freedom of speech, religion, etc. It is perfectly legal and ethical to speak out against various agencies. After all, one can abhor an administration or agencies without hating his nation.

I often spoke out on television and wrote about government intrusion in personal lives and into church matters. I even testified at a congressional hearing in Washington dealing with the IRS attempted takeover of Christian schools. I then published it in my first book, Liberalism: A Rope of Sand! I also wrote a scalding letter to the FBI about their treatment of Dr. Dixon regarding another incident. I wonder if the feds have a file on me. Or you.

U.S. Attorney Robert Metzler admitted in federal court in Indianapolis on August 23, 2001, that the Indianapolis Baptist Temple owes no taxes if they would only file for an exemption, which shows that this was not a tax issue—but who will control the Lord’s assembly, God or the IRS. He said the same thing in oral argument at the Seventh Circuit on May 11, 2000. U.S. Attorney Metzler said twice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal on that same day that “an uncontrolled church is untenable” in America today. But then, thousands of churches in America conduct their affairs just like the Indianapolis Baptist Temple. Will the government begin closing those churches? Are the churches left alone because they are so docile?

Frankly, I am not concerned with an uncontrolled church but I am very concerned about an uncontrolled government. George Washington said, “Government is like fire, a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” Our founding fathers knew what current officials refuse to recognize about federal government: A government out of control is like a forest fire that destroys everything in its path.

So, our government planned a dangerous raid on God’s church against innocent people because the pastors had spoken against pornography, the IRS, and leftists in general and had done so for decades. Moreover, few local pastors, even Baptists, stood with the church much to their shame. Many of those pastors were and still are my friends but they showed cowardice rather than courage at that time.

Hundreds of students in their Christian school and thousands of church members had their rights attacked by their own government officials who had sworn to protect those rights. The large, expensive buildings were bulldozed to the ground. Students were no longer taught by committed teachers and hymns of praise no longer echoed along East Street. Alas, the enemy had won!

But that was the prelude. The story continues. Like the Phoenix (the pagan Greek myth), IBT rose from the ashes. The Indianapolis Baptist Temple is even stronger than before and has multiplied its ministries many times. After the raid, the church immediately moved services to a large new public high school auditorium about five minutes from the original church and school buildings.

The wounded church rented similar buildings for five and one half years. Finally, Pastor Greg A. Dixon led the church to lease a large sports building near Interstate 65, only five minutes from the interchange. The church renovated the complex and continued their work of world evangelism.

After serving as pastor until 2015, Pastor Dixon resigned to be followed by a member of the church, Matt Roller. The IBT is alive and well and the disgraced government officials responsible for the illegal raid are (mostly) now has-beens with a badly soiled record. Others have died.

Many will declare that the officials were only doing their job, a defense that is a non-defense. Principled people will never do wrong even if it costs them everything. Bush was wrong to permit the raid. John Ashcroft was wrong to authorize it and should have told Bush that he respectfully would not carry out the church raid. U.S. Marshal Frank Anderson should have informed Washington officials that he would not participate in taking a church away from its members. The 84 other federal agents should have refused to be involved. And the Indianapolis Police Department should have refused federal orders including individual officers. There is nothing wrong in resisting an authority to obey a higher authority. It’s better to be hated for being right than to be honored for being wrong.

Albert Einstein once said, “Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.” Every public official involved in the raid and the critical pastors disobeyed that principle.
After resigning as pastor of the IBT in December of 2015, the younger Dixon said, “International Church planting began in 2002 after our building was taken. What men meant for evil God meant for good! Just as the persecution of the Jerusalem church accelerated church planting in Antioch among other places, the persecution in Indy accelerated church planting again. I woke up the following day and God strongly impressed me to start churches. Not to quit or complain. Start churches.”

The tragedy of the federal takeover resulted in a much larger, more aggressive ministry of church planting in Mexico, Central America, Asia, and Africa. Starting with nothing, Dixon organized Advance, a facilitator that helps churches plant churches. Since resigning as pastor, he travels the nation raising money to start and support churches all over the world and every dollar raised goes to that work. He receives no salary, retirement, or any benefit from his service! 109 new churches have been started in Asia, Africa, and North America which includes inner city Indianapolis and Mexico. Another 100 new churches have begun in 2019 around the world. The goal for new church plants in 2020 is another 200 new churches in cities and remote villages of the world.

A little touted, but extremely effective outreach is Pastor Dixon’s Urban Youth Ministry Training whereby trained volunteers from the church community go into the Indianapolis Public Schools, as they have done for 13 years. The volunteers seek to impress upon students positive values to result in a successful life in a world of confusion. So, while the feds confiscated and destroyed their Christian school, the IBT is going into the public schools with a positive message.

Another ministry is the Transitional Housing Ministry that provides assistance to men in need of housing in the inner city of Indianapolis. Men who were converted in one of the city missions get counseling and a place to stay. Pastor Greg A. Dixon says, “A warm bed helps to make a warm and receptive heart to the Gospel.”

Their Trinity House work is a soup kitchen ministry that provides an evening dinner in three locations feeding over 700 people each month accompanied by a positive message of the Gospel.
Additionally, every July a medical mission trip is taken to Oaxaca, Mexico where 39 churches have been started over the last nine years. The medical team seeks to minister to the health needs of people who cannot afford or don’t have access to medical care.

What the enemy and casual critics thought was a massive tragedy and major failure turned out to be one of the most impressive victories in a hundred years. The victory—yes, victory—of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple over the feds and their critics is another reminder that there is nothing wrong in resisting an authority to obey a higher authority.

The character of a person is not seen in where he stands in a time of comfort but where he stands in times of challenge, controversy, and conflict. The Dixons and the membership of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple stood in the face of great odds and have not only survived but have thrived.

It was a shameful day when the federal government, under a GOP president, raided and bulldozed a very successful church, but what the enemy thought to be a fatal blow became a fabulous blessing. The IBT raid should be a warning to all Americans–government out of control is dangerous. Furthermore, pastors who are faithful to their calling will be a voice in the wilderness calling wayward government officials to repentance.

As to the “scandal” of pastors who are monitored by the feds, maybe that would be true of all pastors if they were fearless spokesmen for the truth. The real scandal is that very few pastors are so courageous to make the FBI and IRS keep a file on them.

(Those interested in further information about this unusual ministry may find it at advanceglobal.net.)

Boys’ book, Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! is available; to get your copy, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

Donald Trump was legally elected President of the United States in 2016; however, he has been threatened, libeled, maligned, ridiculed, and now threatened with impeachment! Democrats simply refuse to take yes for an answer. Trump has made himself a good target in that he often speaks without thinking, frequently nauseatingly brags about his ability, and never admits a failure. But he is still the president.

President Trump, with all his flaws, has the potential of becoming the most effective and best president of the United States! Yes, quite a statement but his incredible achievements of cutting regulations, lowering taxes, supreme and lower court appointments, and moving our embassy to Jerusalem are a preview of greater things to come—unless he is impeached.

He can consolidate his power, increase his popularity, and advance his program if he learns from ancient Jews.

King Solomon expanded and ruled over the United Kingdom of Israel, a huge empire that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea (the western border) to the border of Egypt (southern border) and to the Euphrates River (the eastern border). It extended north to beyond Damascus and possibly to the Assyrian Empire. Solomon’s empire, like all the great empires of Asia down to the time of the Persians, consisted of a group of small kingdoms, all ruled by their own kings who admitted the suzerainty of the Jewish monarch, and paid him “presents,” i.e., an annual tribute.

While King David fought constant battles, his son Solomon only fought one battle, but there was no reason to fight because of Solomon’s wisdom and the empire’s impressively natural growth, the empire expanded and had peace for forty years. “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” Archaeologists of the minimalist school doubt the extent of the United Kingdom as depicted in the Bible—even suggesting that it was only a small tribal entity and David and Solomon were mere ruffians in royal robes. However, other archaeologists think recent evidence supports the Bible.

Solomon reigned over all Israel, and one would think he had done enough to secure his reputation and the monarchy to his family for many generations; and yet he was barely cold in his grave before ten of the twelve tribes of Israel rebelled against his son King Rehoboam. All Solomon’s great achievements—his wisdom, his wealth, his writings, his works (massive building program)—were now dismissed if not forgotten. However, no one could dismiss or defend his religious apostasy in his later years.

When Rehoboam ascended the throne, he refused to follow the advice of his elder counselors to lower the excessive and oppressive taxes of Solomon. Consequently the United Kingdom split like a ripe watermelon with ten tribes becoming Israel in the north taking most of the land and the population and Judah in the south that contained Jerusalem and the Temple. The two kingdoms coexisted uneasily after the split until the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel by Assyria in about 722 B.C. Judah lasted until 597 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem in what is known as the Babylonian Captivity that lasted 70 years.

After the split, there was never peace between the two separate nations; no reconciliation was seriously attempted. In fact, the Hebrew writer said, “And there were wars between [King] Rehoboam and [King] Jeroboam continually.”

Trump sure knows about that.

Lessons to be learned by other leaders are legion if the leaders are teachable—a major problem for most strong politicians—including President Trump.

While Rehoboam refused to lower taxes, he responded rightly when he fortified his principal cities. The division of the kingdom was a reality, and he had to make the best of it. He wisely strengthened his frontiers against the encroachments of the army of Israel; and Jeroboam did the same thing on his part to prevent the inroads of Judah. There is a time to fight and a time to defend and build.

Trump must defend and build. After becoming convinced of the rightness of his cause, he must pursue it as a matter of principle. Just as there was no moral equivalency between Israel and Judah, there is no moral equivalency between the leftist Democrats and Trump Republicans.

Trump must take the same approach the kings of Judah took. He must accept things as they are and go from there. Like Rehoboam, he must fortify and build the cities and build a strong military since there is peace in strength. Solomon had failed to strengthen the military and the cities since it was a time of peace. Trump has about half the nation and all the Democrats at war with him plus, much of the world is his critic.

When Judah became strong with fortified cities with protective walls, the surrounding nations including the Philistines brought the king presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.

Trump must continue to keep his commitments to his friends and his foes. Everyone must know that he is trustworthy. Our enemies may not like us, but they will respect, even fear us. The Democrats and RINOs must know the same thing about Trump’s determination.

Trump must be careful about his alliances with the wrong people and nations. One king of Judah got involved with a wicked king of Israel who wanted to take land that did not belong to him. That alliance, based on a dubious purpose, almost caused the death of the king of Judah. The plan was wrong. The person was wrong. The purpose was wrong. Trump must not make a similar mistake but follow the advice of Washington and Jefferson who warned about entangling alliances. Without being isolationists, we must seek to avoid alliances with other nations in order to avoid being drawn into wars not related to our direct self-defense.

One very good king of Judah was reproved by the prophet and the reproof was just and the reasoning fair, and all intended for his good, yet the king became angry with the prophet for telling him of his folly. No, it was more than anger. It was rage. A wise man, and yet in a rage! Trump must be careful not to make the same mistake made by this good man. Everyone is wrong at times and when proved wrong by Democrats or his friends, Trump must be willing to learn from his failures.

One king of Judah was mocked and laughed to scorn yet he labored on and “did it with all his heart—and prospered.” Judah’s king “built a wall” which Trump must do to secure our southern border and because it was his major promise. Failure to build the wall may be the chink in his armor that could kill him politically. With a split congress, it may be impossible to finance a wall, but if Trump doesn’t go to the mat to get it done, it may destroy him.

A few courageous kings of Judah took on the LGBTQ crowd of that day. If Trump is willing to take on the LGBTQ lobby he would become America’s best President. Some will say, “America’s dumbest President.” He must realize that it’s better to be despised for the right than to be praised for the wrong. He should not be swayed by flunkies, family, friends, or foes and he must announce, “There will be no special treatment of abnormal sexual activity. LGBTQ people are covered by the same constitution as everyone else. They will not be treated as a special group. And no one will be forced against their will to support another person’s chosen lifestyle.”

Judah and Israel, both weaker after separation, could have done well if they had put principle above partisanship. They failed and within a few years, both were taken into captivity. Will Trump learn something from ancient Israel or is he not teachable? Historians will inform us.

Winston Churchill opined, “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” The president should look back, far back to ancient Israel as an example for leaders during very difficult times. The Canaanites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Amorites were vile, vicious, and vindictive people who make Hillary Clinton, Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer look like a Gospel quartet.

Some leaders of ancient Judah were men who moved the world of their day because they were men that the world could not move. I hope Trump does not permit leftist Democrats and compromising Republicans to dissuade him from greatness because America needs a strong leader who is resourceful, determined, confident, trustworthy, honest, and willing to learn from past successes and failures.

Boys’ new book Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! was published recently by Barbwire Books; to get your copy, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

If I am elected, I will do what I can to reduce all taxes, eliminate the Internal Revenue Service, and put the government on a diet. Why should taxpayers always be the ones to sacrifice to satisfy expansion of an insatiable government? Government can cut its programs and permit citizens to keep the money that they have worked so hard to earn. You are told that you should feel guilty for wanting to keep your hard-earned money yet those people who freely receive your money should not feel any guilt! That is not rational thinking.

I will force every department of government to slash, not just cut regulations. It is insane that there are 80,000 pages of IRS regulations that no one, I repeat, no one really comprehends.

I will clip the wings of the environmental fanatics and prosecute any federal employee who harasses any citizen for trivial infractions of inconsequential environmental standards. I will also totally overhaul government taking of private property for dubious purposes.

I will support a law that would jail any federal employee who knowingly lied to an American citizen. After all, if a citizen can be jailed for lying to a federal agent then that agent should be jailed for lying to the one who pays his generous salary.

Since there is not a word about education in the Constitution, I will immediately disband the Department of Education which is a demonstrative failure. Next to go would be the Department of Energy. That will result in thousands of bureaucrats being turned out into society where they might do something valuable and get the government out of areas where it has no business being. I will then go after other departments to see which ones are really essential.

I will see to it that the U.S. takes control of her borders once again. Illegal aliens will be arrested and returned to their place of origin. The second time they are apprehended, they will be arrested and put to work on a chain gang making little rocks out of big rocks. If our neighbors (especially Mexico) do not energetically cooperate with us to eliminate border infractions, we will retaliate against them economically. There will be heavy fines for any U.S. business that hires an illegal alien.

I will seek to stop all immigration for five years and when immigration is continued, we will see that most of those will come from European nations. I will forbid any immigration from Muslim nations until the Islamic nations take a large portion of the “refugees.” After a reasonable balance has been reached, we will consider opening up to other cultures.

I promise to use all my authority and influence to restrict and hopefully repeal the slaughter of unborn children and prosecute those guilty of baby killing. We will start with not funding Planned Parenthood one dollar.

I will close any mosque that promotes, preaches, or practices terrorism and jail those clerics found guilty of doing that. Moreover, I will have the DOJ investigate the Nation of Islam and the ranting of Louis Farrakhan for his incitement-to-riot diatribes. The time of black racists promoting race war and getting away with it by accusing their critics of racism is over.

In the past 15 years, homosexual advocates have bullied, badgered, and blackmailed academia and the media and successfully transformed the American culture to accept the unacceptable as acceptable; to accept vile behavior as almost virtuous; to redefine words to mean their opposite; and to generally coarsen society, corrupt Scripture, and crown sinfulness. Consequently, I will spend much of my time educating citizens on the reality, the rationale, and the results of promoting perversion.

As to homosexuals, I promise to never call them “gays” but homosexuals, perverts, or sodomites. That is not hatred but good, standard English. Those terms provide a perfect understanding of the point of discussion and do not bow to the political and incorrect use of “gay.” Whoever first called homosexuals “gay” either did not understand what “gay” meant or did not know anything about homosexuality.

As to perverts in the military, they will not be accepted, and if discovered will be dishonorably discharged. They will not be beaten, harassed, or harmed in any way, but they will be considered inappropriate for military service. I will also restore sanity in the military by discharging all females from dangerous positions. Any nation that has to use women to protect it does not deserve to be protected.

As to homosexuals in civilian life, I will recommend that each state deal with it as they did two hundred years ago. My recommendation is that sodomy be illegal in each state and the sodomy laws be enforced with vigor. However, to keep the knees from jerking so violently across the nation, I would not, I repeat, would not put a camera in every bedroom. Only in 10% of the bedrooms! Just joking. What’s wrong with you media people? Have you totally lost your sense of humor. Or only your sense?

I would suggest that each state enforce sodomy laws whenever there is proof that sodomy has occurred. If a sodomite molests a youngster under sixteen years old, I would recommend, life in prison without parole. For rape of either gender, I would recommend the death penalty, but the media, the churches, and the schools have made that impossible; so I will settle for life without parole.

I will seek to bring sanity to the “same-sex marriage” issue suggesting that it is abnormal, abominable, and aberrational to even consider that possibility. Furthermore, to think that it is normal, safe, or acceptable for a male to use a female restroom is insanity. If our forefathers are aware of this issue, they must be horrified and embarrassed at their progeny.

While left-wingers will whine and decry this as discrimination, they can whine and decry all they please, but I believe that it is only reasonable to guarantee our safety and to continue our culture that we have been developing for three hundred years. Moreover, I will surround myself with advisors and staff that have similar views. I will hire people with brains, character, talent, and spine although my search for such people will be long and arduous.

A vote for me will be a vote for a return to common sense and constitutional government. Thank you for your support and may God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit bless America once again.

(Now you know why I am no longer in political office!)

Boys’ new book Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! was published recently by Barbwire Books; to get your copy of Muslim Invasion, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

Kent’s enemies have painted him as a greedy tax resister when he has said repeatedly that he has always paid any 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 has spent six 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.

Note that Senator Ted Kennedy, while driving drunk, with a young woman in his car, drove off a bridge and swam away leaving her to die a slow death as she used what oxygen was available. Justice? He sat in the U.S. Senate the rest of his life and some fools actually took him seriously. My friend, Kent Hovind is still in prison!

Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, an admitted pervert, confirmed that his Washington apartment had been used as a callboy headquarters by a male prostitute for a year and a half until late 1987. So, Barney’s lover-boy was using his apartment as a callboy ring to make a little money on the side. Barney did not go to jail, and did not lose his seat in Congress. I’m not sure if he passed go and collected $200.00. Maybe his lover can tell us that. However, Kent Hovind sat in prison while Barney retired from Congress from making laws that you are expected to obey.

The late Massachusetts Congressman Studds plied a sixteen-year-old male page with liquor and seduced him, and tried to seduce two other male pages. After admitting his seduction of the male page and taking him on an 18-day trip to Europe (where they had sex every two days) Studds was reelected to Congress 6 times! He didn’t spend a day in court or jail! He sat in Congress but Kent Hovind has spent six years in federal prisons.

But it gets worse!

Andrew James of Vermont molested a four-year-old at least ten times, admitted it and walked away with probation and a $22 fine! He had three other convictions and Judge David Howard could have sentenced him to life in prison and a $50,000 fine. The judge is a jerk!

Mark Hulett, a 34-year-old, pled guilty to aggravated sexual assault on the daughter of a friend from the time she was 6 to age 10! The prosecutor asked for 8-20 years in the slammer but Judge Edward Cashman gave him 60 days! That esteemed judge has esteemed rocks in his head.

I could bore you with numerous cases of schoolteachers who took advantage of their position, seduced students, and walked away with probation, although usually the men go to prison and the females go free! And have you noticed that screaming feminists are not demanding equal treatment between male and female predators?

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.

Yes, Lady Justice is blind, dumb, stupid, and bigoted as is obvious in the case of Dr. Kent Hovind who sits in prison as I write this piece. And if it could happen to him, it could and might happen to you or me. Maybe Bible believing Christians should do as Chinese Christians and keep a small bag packed with personal things waiting for that ominous knock on the door. “We’re from the Federal Government and we’re here to get you.”

The feds “got” Kent and it’s past time for him to be released. Maybe the Pensacola judge or IRS agent could take his place in prison. Well, it could happen; after all, it is a time of miracles.

(Rewrite of 2007 column)

Copyright 2013, Don Boys, Ph.D.

From the Escambia County Jail Dr. Hovind told me on Dec. 10 that he is “not a tax protester”; he simply insists on the Federal Government enforcing the laws as they are written. Some will say that he is trying to pin a nicer label on himself; however, I don’t think so. He told me “The tax laws very clearly give some ‘exceptions’; and some ‘exemptions’ for certain individuals and certain ministries, including 508 (c) (1) (a) church ministries.” He told me “I have corresponded with the IRS on numerous occasions asking them exactly what laws apply to 508 (c) (1) (a). However, they never responded to any of my letters. The agents themselves testified that they did not ever respond to any of my letters.”

That is astounding and outrageous! Repeatedly he sought clarification and received no help! Do IRS officials think they have no obligation to correspond with lowly peons who pay their salaries? Is this arrogance, defiance, or obstinacy? Or all three? This fact is not known by Kent’s critics. Some critics are so filled with loathing and hate that it will make no difference. They are very pleased to see a creationist in jail whether he deserves it or not! Yet, many Christians take the same position!

So the Hovind case involves a taxpayer who disagrees with Federal authorities (not a Federal crime) and requests clarification of those laws. And it should be added that many attorneys and tax experts agree with Hovind! So, why didn’t the government answer his questions and why didn’t the trial judge speak to the exceptions in the code?

Furthermore, he told me that he never boasted about beating the tax system. Then either David Gibbs was wrong because that is what the papers reported or maybe the news accounts were wrong. Even if he did boast about beating the system, that isn’t a crime in itself. It is not a Federal offence to boast, belittle, or even beat tax laws (as long as beating the laws is done legally by use of legitimate tax shelters, trusts, etc.) I have heard Kent say two or three times that he pays all taxes that he owes. He does not recommend tax protesting.

Kent told me that he “believes that everyone should obey the tax laws—including the government.” Do Gibbs, Horton, and Kent’s other critics see anything wrong with that statement? Why not hold the feet of Government officials to the fire? Haven’t they been aloof, arbitrary, and arrogant long enough? Why not chain them down with the laws they are supposed to obey? Or is it now a one-way street where only citizens are held accountable?

It is interesting that in Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heldmyer’s closing argument, she said, “Nobody likes to pay taxes, but we do because it’s the law, and he is not above the law.” I want to remind that attorney that Federal officials are also required to obey the laws! Too often, government officials, in a desire to put another notch on their gun will deliberately skew the facts, lie, manufacture “evidence,” misquote an innocent victim, etc. since after all, “he is obviously guilty.” While we don’t have any evidence that happened with Kent’s trial, it has happened many times.

Most Americans have an innate sense of fairness, and don’t like seeing an ordinary citizen mistreated, especially when some rapists and killers walk away with probation! Surely if violent felons can walk free with probation then it is only reasonable that Kent receive the same consideration. Just last week, a black entertainer was charged with tax fraud–12 million dollars, yet he is still free on bail! Kent is in jail. It is also interesting to note that the entertainer still has his passport and is free to travel. It is such imbalance and unfairness that make so many American citizens critical of the judicial system.

I do not question Hovind’s motives. I do not believe he has ever been motivated by greed. After all, for many years he has permitted people to duplicate his videos and pass them on to other people! Obviously, avarice is not part of his nature.

He did not try to hide what he was doing about taxes. I understand, in tax matters, intent is very important and while no person on earth can always ascertain another person’s heart, I am as certain as possible that Kent is genuine.

Assuming he is correct about the IRS code, I think he was unwise to risk his and his wife’s freedom as well as his ministry. However, there is a possibility he will be considered a hero in a few years for standing for proper enforcement of laws. Some of the very people who are critical of Dr. Hovind think Henry David Thoreau was a highly principled man!

Thoreau, in 1846, was arrested in Massachusetts and spend some time in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax. His friend Ralph Waldo Emerson visited him, and peered through the bars, and asked, “Henry, what are you doing in there?” Thoreau replied: “Waldo, what are you doing out there?” I wonder if Kent feels that way? Maybe in a few years some of us on the outside today may realize that we should have been on the inside with him.

Thoreau took a stand against slavery and what he considered an unjust war with Mexico. He wrote, “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.” Maybe, just maybe some of us should be on the inside looking out rather on the outside looking in.

One thing is sure: State and Federal officials had better understand that they are not above the law and must start enforcing laws equally. Moreover, they should be more concerned with what is right rather than what is legal. “Right” never changes while man-made laws are in constant flux.

Fair minded citizens are getting weary of seeing celebrities walk free or getting a slap on the wrist while Christians are punished with glee, often when there is no guilt!

Yes, Lady Justice is blind but it is outrageous that she is also bigoted.
Copyright 2013, Don Boys, Ph.D.

The fraternizers will be promoted (but should be pitied); those who fall on their swords (seeking some credibility by not joining the enemy or identifying with the “fighters”) will be praised and those who fight and disobey the law and operate in the shadows will be prosecuted, shunned, and hated.

I responded to one of my critics who thought that standing on principle by refusing to obey the law, did more harm to the cause of Christ than fighting to the end. He suggested, as many will do, to choose another battlefield, surrendering to Obama and going along in order to get along. I do not think that is scriptural.

He mentioned “a mighty church in Indianapolis that stood on principle and refused to act as a tax collector.” He had most of his facts straight but not all. That church was the Indianapolis Baptist Temple, identified as the eleventh largest church in America in the 1970s. It was pastored by Dr. Greg Dixon and his son, Greg A. Dixon, long time personal friends. I have preached there numerous times over the past fifty years.

The Dixons and the church have been maligned for many years by uninformed critics who were often motivated by envy, jealousy, anger, fear, and other hidden emotions and motives. And alas, too many were of our own spiritual family–fundamental Baptists! Most Indiana pastors stood in safe shadows while the Dixons and others fought the battle and alas, many AWOL pastors were not saddened when the feds in jackboots (what are jackboots anyway?) played their hand.

The Dixons were accused of not paying church-owed taxes (FICA) but that is simply not true. All taxes were paid by the ministers, associates, and teachers, my youngest daughter one of them. The federal thugs at the IRS did not like the fact that the church refused to be a tax collector. So, federal agents during George W. Bush’s administration, under orders of an active Christian Attorney General William Ashcroft, raided the church, carried out the worshippers, and bulldozed the huge, beautiful auditorium. That was a first in American History and a stain on our national flag.

My critic has every right to believe that the leaders chose to fight on the wrong battlefield; but I question his wisdom in doing so.  He opined, “Being forced to provide insurance coverage for abortion, or being forced to be a tax collector, is a violation of religious liberty, but it is not a sin to be victimized. It is nowhere near denying Christ.” But the church leaders saw the issue as a matter of the lordship of Christ. To surrender to the government was a surrender of Christ being Head of His church. Contrary to what the critic wrote, it would have been exactly that: a denial of Christ’s lordship.

My critic wrote, “Blaming the victim, or demanding that the victim fall on his sword and leave the field of battle rather than tolerate any violation of religious liberty, only makes things easier for the enemies of Christ.” But I don’t blame the victim; I blame the intrusive government officials who reject, ridicule, and rip the U.S. Constitution and are sworn enemies of everything holy. Moreover a vital principle is if the government can control a ministry in small matters, they can control it in big matters. The safe, sensible, and scriptural thing to do is not submit to any control–period.

To make an important correction, it is impossible to “fall on [your] sword and leave the field of battle.” If you fall on your sword, you don’t leave the field of battle. (Talk to King Saul!) Some Christian leaders will join the enemy and support Obama; other leaders, after an effort to resist, will close their ministries thereby falling on their sword in their fight for principle and therefore will give up any effectiveness. The highly principled will fight on, undercover if necessary, without succumbing to the enemy or committing spiritual and organizational suicide.

Catholic leaders have declared that they will close their ministries rather than obey big government. Most Protestants and Baptists have been very silent to make a commitment. I do not agree that “falling on the sword” will make it easier for the enemies of Christ. I think it will be devastating for the world to see principled people give up everything except their faith in Christ. However, it will be much better to fight rather than close up shop.

Finally, my correspondent wrote, “Today, who even remembers what church I’m talking about? They could still be winning souls. Instead they are forgotten, just like all who fall on their swords will be.” Evidently, he is not cognizant of what has happened in the past twenty-five years although he chose to write about it. The Indianapolis Baptist Temple did not cease to exist. They staggered for a while without a permanent place to meet but persisted and a few years ago moved farther south to a much better location near Interstate 65 and have a huge, beautiful building. Their leader is Greg A. Dixon, son of the pastor who led them in their struggle. They are still “winning souls” and have an outreach like few churches, having started 18 churches in Indianapolis, plus foreign missions work typical of all good churches.

The Dixons and other church leaders did not “fall on their swords” but rather continued the fight another day and have been wielding their Excaliburs very effectively all over the world. Will present-day Christian leaders join the enemy cause or fall on their swords ending their effectiveness, or fight to the very end? Modern Christians should have the attitude of Spartan Greeks whose mothers told their soldier-sons to fight until they were victorious or be carried home on their shields!

I will not fraternize with the enemy, fall on my sword, but will fight to the end.

I will not surrender to the enemy (Obama and his lackeys) nor commit suicide by willingly closing down my ministry, but I will fight on to an ignominious defeat or glorious victory.

Either defeat or victory will be, in the end, an eternal victory.

Those who refuse to vote for Romney (“because of principle”) since he belongs to a cult, are wrong from an historical, biblical, and common sense perspective. James Garfield was a member of the Disciples of Christ and it did not help their group. Truman was a Baptist and it did nothing for Baptists; Kennedy was a Roman Catholic and Roman Catholicism did not surge during his tenure in office; Jimmy Carter was a Southern Baptist and he did not help them. In fact, they split and he went with the split.

The fact is people have already started learning about Mormonism because of Romney. That will be good and thinking people will realize that Mormonism is still a cult no matter what Billy Graham said.

Many of my preacher friends are making a major mistake in not understanding that we have never had and never will have a president who believes and practices biblical truth. Even George Washington and John Adams, both good men who professed to know Christ, fell short of what they said they believed.

The kings of Judah are a good example. Some of them were wicked; others obeyed God for a few years then turned to their own ways; others were godly men who did a fantastic job as king–however, most of them did not remove the high places. God said in 1 Kings 3:3 “And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.”

Before the Temple was built, Israel sacrificed at designated altars on high places as the Bible records. Solomon himself, sacrificed on high places, such as Gibeon, Gilgal, Shiloh, Hebron, Kirjath-jearim, etc. But after the Temple was built, it was rebellion and disobedience to worship at high places and in the groves.

God records the actions of Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22:43. “And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.” Jehoshaphat was a great king, even removing the sodomites; however, he permitted the high places to remain. He was so right so many times and wrong this one time. Sounds like a good record to me.

My point, if necessary to emphasize, is that even great men do stupid even wicked things. Everyone is flawed. So, as citizens we must choose from what is available. It is a very wicked thing to vote for Obama (for many, many reasons); and it is also wrong to facilitate his election by not voting.

Of course, Romney is a member of a cult but it is not a violent, Communist cult such as headed by Jim Jones. Only fools or dishonest people put the two groups in the same basket.

I slowly came to support Romney even with his political and religious flaws. I am impressed with his honesty, devotion to family, his work ethic, his decency, his knowledge, his patriotism, and his experience. No doubt he will not do everything right, but you know, I doubt if I would do everything right even though I know I should.

Sometimes we make a wrong, even sinful decision, thinking all along that we are doing the right thing. That’s what repentance is all about.

For those who have told me that they are not going to vote because politics doesn’t interest them, I remind them that Pericles said in 430 B.C.: “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you!”

If Obama wins again, such people will be ruled by a tricky, tyrannical totalitarian who delights in crushing his opponents, at least with oppressive regulations and astronomical taxes.

It won’t be a tragedy if we don’t change our clocks Sunday; but if we don’t change our president on Tuesday, we will enter into four years of tribulation as he leads us down a dead end street.

You’ve been warned. Now go out to vote for a principled man.