Kent Hovind

Kent E. Hovind (or, to use his full former academic title Kent E. Hovind, inmate #06452-017) is a young Earth creationist, promoter of imminent millennialism, con man, professional liar, and convicted felon. Once for tax evasion, another for domestic violence, though it may not count as a felony.
Hovind promotes Young Earth creationist and Christian dominionist views in lectures and videos sold or publicized through his Creation Science Evangelism organization, calling himself "Doctor Dino" (despite having no legitimateMeaning that Hovind has no "accredited" or "not based out of a mobile home" degree. Pick either. degree). 
Hovind created to explain how the global flood got all the water — namely, a comet did it. Hovind then proceeded to . Not satisfied with this record of failure, in 2001, Hovind started Dinosaur Adventure Land, an amusement park in his backyard. 
Hovind subscribes to strawman theory, which holds that the government can't touch you because "KENT HOVIND" and "Kent Hovind" aren't the same. No, really. This "sovereign American" nonsense (and his support of tax protesting) understandably hurt his case in court. Hovind also promotes numerous anti-government conspiracy theories, literally connecting "evolution, Communism, the New World Order, and the IRS", and has even sold books promoting anti-Semitism.Creationism Gets a Dash of Anti-Semitism, SPLC
In November 2006, a federal jury found Kent guilty of several tax-related charges and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. Following Kent's imprisonment, his son Eric Hovind — who, although also a creationist, is notably more lucid and grounded in reality — took control of the businesses and remade them into God Quest Inc. (holding corporation), Creation Today (publishing house) and the Creation Store (money maker). Hovind was released from federal custody on 8 July 2015 with three years' probationRobinson, Kevin. "Hovind free from jail, back in Pensacola". Pensacola News Journal, July 10, 2015 and has restarted his creationist operation.
And, to ice the cake, he tried (and failed) to sue RationalWiki while in prison. But, as he should know well by now, RationalWiki will never stop pointing out his superstitions.
==Qualifications, or lack thereof==
Hovind refers to himself as "Dr. Kent Hovind" or as "Dr. Dino" to provide a veneer of respectability to those who have not examined his education or background.Prior to his recent incarceration, his official website was DrDino.com, which featured articles by and videos with "Dr. Kent Hovind". He also claims to have "taught high school math and science" for fifteen years.Dr. Kent Hovind Creation Today These are less impressive than they sound: he obtained his doctorates by mail order and never taught at a school requiring accredited credentials.
As of 2013, Hovind claims four doctorates, in education, theology and biblical ministry with an honorary degree in divinity.What on Earth is about to happen... for Heaven's Sake?: A Dissertation on End Times According to the Bible, p. 4. 
His first Ph.D., obtained before his vacation in Club Fed:
#is from Patriot Bible University, a degree mill.Brett Vickers, "Some Questionable Creationist Credentials, 1998. Vickers wrote: "Name It and Frame It lists Patriot University as a degree mill." Name It and Frame It is a book by Steve Levicoff.The York Dispatch interviewed Glenn Branch, of the National Center for Science Education, who said Hovind "attended a degree mill ... that was apparently at one point being run out of a split-level (house)." Creationist speaker 'loose about the facts', York Dispatch, Mar 13, 2006Barbara Forrest. September 1999. Unmasking the False Prophet of Creationism, National Center for Science Education. Forrest wrote: "Hovind's credentials from Patriot University are even less substantial. PU was formerly in Colorado Springs CO, but is now in Alamos CO, in a house near the College Heights Baptist Church The street address . . . is the residential address of PU's Executive Director of External Studies, Dr Lonnie Skinner . . . The Bulletin indicates how a university could simply relocate to another town: There is no faculty, and credit is offered for 'life experience and ministry evaluation'. The courses, workbooks, audiotapes, and videotapes can be completed in 2–4 weeks."Hovind's Patriot University education was mentioned on national television. See: Paul R. Brewer, “Science: What’s It Up To?: The Daily Show and the Social Construction of Science," International Journal of Communication 7 (2013).Richard T. Lumadue discusses "degree/diploma mills" and mentions Patriot in his article. Richard T. Lumadue, "When Graduate Degrees Prostitute the Educational Process: Degrees Gone Wild," Christian Higher Education, Volume 5, Issue 3, 2006. Patriot sells doctorates for approximately $2,000.Complete listing of fees Patriot Bible UniversityPatriot Bible University's response to criticism is on an archive of their website.
#is in "Christian education." Hovind is quiet about the "Christian" part, instead describing it merely as in "education."
#is not recognized by any legitimate university, professional association, or governmental agency. Patriot Bible University only offers "programs which are religious in nature", and their "degrees or diplomas have no state recognition."Private Accredited Colleges, Colorado Department of Higher Education
#is officially unavailable to the public. Real doctoral dissertations are readily available through libraries or online. On December 9, 2009, Hovind's dissertation was uploaded to WikiLeaksYoung-earth creationist Kent Hovind's doctoral dissertation, WikiLeaks, and that copy mirrors the substandard quality — with spelling and grammar mistakes typical of a high school student — previously described by the few who had read it.Karen Bartelt. The Dissertation Kent Hovind Doesn't Want You to Read, Tufts University Department of Chemistry 
#was reviewed by only one person, Wayne Knight,The Dissertation Kent Hovind Doesn't Want You to Read: A Review of Kent Hovind's Thesis by Karen Bartelt, Ph.D. No Answers in Genesis! the president of Patriot.Staff, Faculty, Directors Pariot Bible University (archived from July 16, 2011).Former Baptist school teacher sentenced in sex assault by Lance Benzel (April 25, 2013) Colorado Springs Gazette. Knight was on probation following his 2012 guilty plea related to the child abuse case. In contrast, the standard practice for Ph.D. dissertations is four or five doctoral committee members.
His 2013 Doctorate of Biblical Ministry (D.Min) is also from Patriot. His dissertation was made for sale as an e-book, entitled What on Earth is about to Happen... for Heaven's Sake?: A Dissertation on End Times According to the Bible, and claims Jesus will return in 2028.Kent Hovind, What on Earth is about to happen... for Heaven's Sake?: A Dissertation on End Times According to the Bible, p. 239. Hovind wrote: "When is The Lord Coming Back?", and replied: "During the feast of Trumpets in 2028".
Hovind neglects to mention which institutions awarded the theological doctorate and honorary divinity doctorate, probably because — like the Patriot doctorates — they are also the educational equivalent of an online ordination by the Universal Life Church.Online ordination by the Universal Life Church is free, but you can also buy a doctorate for $32.99 Universal Life Church Monastery Doctorate of Divinity, "This impressive degree allows you to become a legally ordained minister and present yourself in a professional manner in a position of public leadership".
Hovind listed himself as "Dr." in the Pensacola phone book, which is unusual even for someone with a real M.D. or Ph.D. His blog, however, warned supporters that any mail addressed to "Dr. Kent Hovind" at the prison where he resided would be returned by the prison's mailroom staff.Contact page on Hovind's blog (managed by his son)
When Hovind says he "taught high school math and science," he really means he taught children at three private Christian schools run out of churches (one of which he founded—by the way, good luck trying to verify his teaching record; internet search results turn up nothing).Kent Hovind 2005 Affidavit Wikisource At no point did Hovind earn any recognized credentials that would allow him to teach at public school or any school that requires accreditation.
Despite having no scientific credentials or even an accredited degree, he presents himself as someone who understands the science of evolution better than people with advanced science degreesExplaining the Cambrian Explosion, Cambrian Explosion who research in labs and publish peer-reviewed papers. During his presentations, he sounds like an auctioneer or a used car salesman when he is attempting to make a point by getting his audience to buy a video or book from him. Many of his slideshows read like a top 10 list of commonly seen (and refuted) "evidences" for creationism that contain little to no actual data or proof. These arguments are interjected with painfully unfunny "jokes" and anecdotes, which are topped off with a healthy serving of mined quotes. And like any good creationist, he is not above (in fact seeming to enjoy) spreading the false claim that Darwin caused the Holocaust.
Many of Hovind's claims can be easily refuted by merely reading Hovind's alleged references or doing basic math. For example, in Thunderf00t's Why Do People Laugh at Creationists? series, Hovind is quoted as saying:
Hovind's statement is off by a factor of one trillion. The surface area of the Earth is about 500,000,000 km2 (or 5x1012 m2, which is 5x1032 angstroms squared), and the size of a water molecule ("the smallest identifiable unit into which a pure substance can be dividedMolecule Encyclopædia Britannica") is about 10 angstroms.
A handy diagram To find out how much water you would need to coat the world in a monolayer of water, you divide the surface of the world by the water molecule; the result is that you would need a minimum of 150,000 tons of water. This is approximately 1,000,000,000,000 times Hovind's claim.In reality, far — far — more than 150,000 tons would be required, if the thin coating of water is to hold up against evaporation long enough to be said to actually cover the earth for even a brief moment.
Besides his poor math skills, Hovind doesn't fare much better in biology or being honest about what scientific papers say. Hovind seeks to "debunk" carbon dating by citing scientific literature, but what he actually does is mine quotes, take material out of context, even inventing alleged quotes out of whole cloth. In Seminar 7: Questions and Answers, he speaks about a scientific paper, displaying this alleged quote on a slide:
In less than ten seconds, Hovind presents the quote and reference as evidence that radiometric dating doesn't work before quickly skipping to his next slide. If you check the claim, you will find that the quote does not actually exist, plus the article cited does not refer to the stated species, date or even the bloody continent.The source Hovind gives for this claim is: Troy L. Pewe, "Quaternary Stratigraphic Nomenclature in Unglaciated Central Alaska," Geological Survey Professional Paper 862 (U.S. Gov. printing office, 1975) p. 30. The article is available online for download. If readers go to page 30 they will notice several things: (1) the alleged quote doesn't exist, (2) the article makes no claims that disprove radiometric dating and (3) the graph of dates do not support Hovind's claims. Moreover, if you read the article one will notice it was published in 1975 and discusses dating in Alaska; Hovind, on the other hand, mentioned "Dima," a baby mammoth. Dima was discovered in 1977, two years after the paper was published, and it was found in Siberia, which is on a different continent. Sadly, many creationists take Hovind at his word and simply recycle his claims without checking the references.For example, the Dima claim is uncritically repeated here at chick.com.
However, there are some creationists who do investigate Hovind's claims, concluding that Hovind's statements do not stand up to scrutiny. For example, a Creation Ministries International article by Carl Wieland, Ken Ham and Jonathan Sarfati reported: "Kent Hovind’s document repeatedly misrepresents or misunderstands not only our article, but the issues themselves."Maintaining Creationist Integrity: A response to Kent Hovind by Carl Wieland, Ken Ham and Jonathan Sarfati (Originally published 11 October 2002
updated 16 December 2002 and 2 August 2006; Note added November 2009) Creation Ministries International.
=="Dr." Dino: Creationism & the Hovind "Theory"==
One might say that Hovind's "Theory" is as much a "theory" as Kent is a "doctor".
===Dinosaurs===
True to his self-proclaimed nickname "Dr. Dino", Hovind has made dinosaurs a focal point in his preaching. However, aside from promoting the usual creationist mantra that dinosaurs and man coexisted before and shortly after the global flood, he goes far beyond simply the age of dinosaurs, and straight-up rejects most information postdating the a scientific revolution leading to the discovery that dinosaurs were not cold-blooded, sluggish Godzilla-like monsters, but were, in fact, warm-blooded and active animals with bird-like respiratory systems and sometimes sporting feathers.
He claims that birds are not descended from dinosaurs,Are you being brainwashed?: Propaganda in science textbooks (2007), p. 19 and that the latter were in fact nothing more than cold-blooded "big lizards" that lived in Eden prior to the Flood,Creation seminars (2003-2005): Dinosaurs and the Bible despite the fact that dinosaurs have little in common with true lizards.Dinosaurs are not lizards and vice versa. Lizards are scaly reptiles of an ancient bloodline. The oldest lizards antedate the earliest dinosaurs by a full thirty million years. A few large lizards, such as the man-eating Komodo dragon, have been called "relicts of the dinosaur age", but this phrase is historically incorrect. No lizard ever evolved the birdlike characteristics peculiar to each and every dinosaur. A big lizard never resembled a small dinosaur except for a few inconsequential details of the teeth. Lizards never walk with the erect, long-striding gait that distinguishes the dinosaur-like ground birds today or the bird-like dinosaurs of the Mesozoic. — (1986), The Dinosaur Heresies: A Revolutionary View of Dinosaurs, Longman Scientific & Technical, p. 22-23 To give a specific example, he asserts that Triceratops was just a with an oxygen boost allowing it to reach larger sizes.
He states that feathered dinosaurs are all "baloney" and that Archaeopteryx was nothing more than a perching bird,Creation seminars (2003-2005): Lies in the textbooks which raises the question as to whether or not he would consider dromaeosaurids ("raptors") like and as non-dinosaurs too, considering the skeleton of Archaeopteryx is basically a miniature version of theirs.Dinosaur renaissance, what-when-how: In Depth Tutorials and Information (Retrieved September 18, 2015)Norman, David (2005), Dinosaurs: A Very Short Introduction, OUP Oxford, ISBN 019157788X And it's been confirmed since 2007 that Velociraptor had feathers too,Turner, A.H.; Makovicky, P.J.; Norell, M.A. (2007). "Feather quill knobs in the dinosaur Velociraptor". Science 317 (5845): 1721. though this info doesn't appear to have reached Hovind's son Eric, whose seminar Dinosaurs with Man includes featherless model "raptors" that look even more obsolete than the ones in the Creation Museum.
He is also a believer in the existence of several purported surviving plesiosaurs, including Nessie, the (later confirmed to have been a decomposing basking shark) and a large animal carcass discovered on Moore's Beach, California, in 1925, which was actually a rotting Santa Cruz’s duck-billed elephant monster, Tetrapod Zoology (July 8, 2008)Skull of the Moore’s Beach monster revealed!, Tetrapod Zoology (July 12, 2008)
===The Hovind "Theory"===
Like many creationists (e.g., NephilimFree and his Lunar bukkake hypothesis or hydroplate theory), Hovind has developed his own interpretation of how the global flood came about, modestly naming his "theory" after himself.
According to him, a -300°FOr; about -184.4°C. meteor on course for Earth fragmented; some pieces formed the rings around other planets or created Lunar craters.YouTube: Kent Hovind meteor theory (May 13, 2008) YouTube (archived copy). Some fragments reached Earth and formed the North and South Poles, freezing the mammoths on their feet. The impact broke through the firmament, cracked the planet's crust and released the "fountains of the deep", causing ice age-like conditions (even though the Bible never mentions Noah's world being in a deep freeze). In the later months of the flood, ocean basins and mountain ranges were formed by shifting "unstable plates". As the post-flood centuries passed, the ice receded and formed the oceans, which in turn absorbed more carbon dioxide and atmospheric radiation, thus shortening human lifespans.
Needless to say, there are numerous deal-breaking problems riddling Hovind's "theory". How a comet could provide so many trillions of gallons of water in extremely little time, without killing all living multicellular organisms, is a mystery. How Noah's Ark would survive raining space ice is, too, a mystery. And even the existence of a "firmament" should be immediately laughable.
===Creation Science Evangelism===
Creation Science Evangelism (CSE) was a batshit insane creationist webshite run by Hovind.Creation Science Evangelism on "Dr." Kent Hovind's Blog.Its link to CSE redirects to Creation Today, run by Kent's offspring, Eric, and its At A Glance section doesn't even mention Hovind senior. Its bizarre claims have included such gems as artificial intelligence being somehow related to the Mark of the BeastMark of the Beast Begins with Rise of Machines AI, March 12, 2016. (Complete with bad grammar making the page hard to understand) and silliness about Obama and microchips.Snopes “ObamaCare Microchip” Rebuttal, September 25, 2015. (The insanity is strong with this one.) The editorial line seemed to dislike sane websites and people, and was uncertain whether Snopes was run by one person or many. As CSE was run almost exclusively by Kent, it was a locus of hardcore creationism, and its legacy continues in Hovind Junior's Creation Today.
===The $250,000 Challenge===
Before his incarceration, Hovind made this challenge: 
The challenge was designed to be unwinnable. Using Hovind's rules, you could offer $250,000 for empirical evidence of the sun rising in the East, and your money would be safe. Eric Hovind has since discontinued the offer and no longer mentions it on any Hovind-related website. 
There are three main flaws to Hovind's challenge:
#The challenge was allegedly judged by an anonymous committee hand-picked by Hovind. Any challenges that involve being judged by the offeror are legally unenforceable. No matter what the evidence presented, all the offeror has to say is "not satisfied" and nobody can collect.
#Hovind offered no proof — other than his word — that the money existed. By comparison, James Randi's diametrically opposed Million Dollar Challenge, for example, will give details of the JREF's prize account at Goldman Sachs upon request.
#Hovind demanded applicants prove that evolution is the only possible way life, the Universe, and everything could have come into existence. Specifically, in order to win his "evolution" challenge, Hovind set these conditions:TalkOrigins
Note that only #4 and #5 pertain to evolution. #1 is a matter of cosmology, #2 is astrophysics, and #3 is abiogenesis, a separate question in biology. Hovind claims that the theory of evolution posits that these five events took place without God. In fact, evolution makes no mention of God at all, let alone declaring that God does not exist. Indeed, many theists see evolution as compatible with their beliefs.
A number of people offered responses,Reverend Hovind's so-called "proof of evolution offer" is bogus by vlaard (archived from May 13, 2001).Kent Hovind's "$250,000 Award to Prove Evolution!" by Jama Kolosick but Hovind refused to forward the information to his committee, let alone give out the prize.
===Lunar recession===
Hovind believes that the moon is too close to the Earth to allow deep time. His specific calculations are only 0.0313% correct.
===Videos and copyright issues===
Since the early 1990s, Hovind has sold self-produced videos that went on to earn him two million dollars a year at his peak, which he refused to pay taxes on.Hard to believe a man with a Ph.D didn't know of a basic tax law, Pensacola News Journal, November 3, 2006.Earth to 'Dr. Dino': Please pay your taxes and start facing reality, Pensacola News Journal, January 21, 2007. 
:Creation Seminar Series
#The Age of The Earth
#The Garden of Eden
#Dinosaurs and the Bible
#Lies in the Textbooks
#The Dangers of Evolution
#The Hovind Theory
#Questions and Answers
:Topical Series
#Children's Video About Dinosaurs
#How To Make Money And Spend It God's Way
#Leviathan The Fire Breathing Dragon of Job 41
#Magic Tricks And How To Do Them
#Nails
#Public School Presentation
#Redeeming The Straw Man 
#The Bible And Health
#Why Evolution Is Stupid
#More Reasons Why Evolution Is Stupid
Before his son took over the business, Hovind stated in his presentations that his material was not copyrighted and could be freely reused; in his seminars, he told his audience they were free to edit the tapes to remove things they didn't like, such as his jokes that offended people. However, when several YouTubers, particularly user Thunderf00t,Why do people laugh at creationists? (part 1) by Thunderf00t (Sep 8, 2007) YouTube. began using the videos for critiques, Creation Science Evangelism responded with DMCA takedown requests and claimed copyright ownership. In the end, Eric Hovind lost and the video rebuttals stayed online, but he modified the Creation Science Evangelism's policy to only allow reproduction of "unedited, unaltered" video in an effort to prevent editing for criticism.Wired reported: the previous policy said: "none of the materials ... are copyrighted, so feel free to copy these and distribute them freely." A copy of the original image is here. Now Creation Today's policy is: "Materials are to be copied, unedited, unaltered and distributed absolutely free of charge."
===Various other creationist ideas===
*Neanderthals were nothing more than ordinary humans living to 300 years of age.Creation seminars (2003-2005): The Garden of Eden
*While he states that God "invented music", he warns that Satan created "ungodly" music, though he doesn't specify the genre.
*Humans matured much more slowly before the flood, with children attaining adolescence at the age of forty.
*There was no salt in the oceans before the Flood, and it probably never rained before then.Creation seminars (2003-2005): The Hovind theory
*A drop of water can cover the entire planet if spread thinly enough.
*Kangaroos left the Ark after the flood and "hopped" to Australia to escape from the lions (only to end up in the jaws of , , and ).
* are actually surviving (a prehistoric horse) populations, despite the fact that hyraxes are more closely related to elephants and manatees. He also (wrongly) asserts that they are carnivores.Are you being brainwashed?: Propaganda in science textbooks (2007), p. 19
*Jackals (specifically and ) are within the same kind as wolves and domestic dogs, despite being so divergent that they can't even hybridize.How jackals destroy the creationist concept of "kind", Canis lupus hominis (July 24, 2015)
*Hyenas fall within the "dog kind", even though they're actually more closely related to cats and mongooses. When called out on this, he maintained his position and, as proof of his assertion, stated that they are dogs because 3-year-olds identify them as such just by looking at them.Dr. Kent Hovind Q&A — CSE Projects — Atheism/Evolution 9/10/15 Part 2, Youtube (September 10, 2015)
===One sign to rule them all===
File:Kent Hovind Sign 1.jpg|Kent carries this sign everywhere he goes.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 2.jpg|No, this isn't a joke.We say that sign-serely.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 3.jpg|This is deadly serious.A sign-ificant threat to your well-being.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 4.jpg|Kent, this is an intervention.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 5.jpg|We think this is a signGet it? that you can't see past her — Sign No. 1.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 6.jpg|It's been 17 years since your first sign.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 7.jpg|There's millions — no, billions — of signs out there, just waiting for you.
File:Kent Hovind Sign 8.jpg|It's time for you to move on, find new signs.
==Other astounding beliefs==
===Freeman on the Dinosaur Adventure Land===
According to Kent Hovind, Kent Hovind and KENT HOVIND are not the same person — in other words, defining him as an adherent to strawman theory.Kent Hovind wrote: "When the United States Government went bankrupt in the 1930's the "rich men" of the world agreed to create a UNITED STATES corporation and the real United States became a thing of the past... A trust account was created for each PERSON as part of a grand scheme of deception. This 'straw man' has the same letters as your name but in all capital letters (ie. KENT HOVIND the STRAW MAN instead of Kent Hovind a real person created by God)." How are evolution, Communism, the new-world-order, and the IRS connected?, DrDino.com 
According to this twisted logic, the "strawman" KENT HOVIND was indicted — not the actual flesh-and-blood Kent Hovind. Accordingly, at his arraignment, Hovind attempted to enter a plea of "subornation of false muster""Hovind’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Kafahni Nkrumah, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Miles Davis at a hearing Monday that his client did not want to enter a plea because he does not believe the United States, the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office “have jurisdiction in this matter.” Park owner pleads not guilty to tax fraud, Pensacola News-Journal, Jul. 18, 2006 — apparently an obsolete military term meaning "being ordered to say you showed up at roll call when you weren't actually there" — generating a fair amount of confusion and giggling among observers.
In a 1998 document filed with his local Clerk of Court, Hovind claimed to be a "sovereign American," declared he was not a "U.S. citizen," not part of the "'bankrupt' corporate government," and previously signed documents do not give an entity the ability to "falsely assume jurisdiction" over him or his wife.See the "Power of Attorney and Revocation of Signature" document filed with the Escambia County Clerk of Courts, April 15, 1998, search here. Hovind wrote (caps in original): "I/WE Kent E Hovind and Jo Hovind AM A SOVEREIGN AMERICAN LOCATED IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY AND REPUBLIC STATE OF FLORIDA, BUT NOT THE CORPORATE "BANKRUPT" BODY POLITIC OF EITHER, AND AM A NATURAL AMERICAN . . . I/WE ARE NOT A U.S. CITIZEN, NOT RESIDING ON ANY FEDERAL TERRITORY. . . . THIS INSTRUMENT REPLACES, CANCELS, AND REPUDIATES THE PRIOR INSTRUMENT THAT I FILED WITH ANY OFFICE AND ANY ENTITY WHICH MAY FALSELY ASSUME JURISDICTION OVER ME." This, in Hovind's eyes, severed all ties between Kent Hovind and KENT HOVIND. In 2001, nevertheless, he signed Kent E Hovind above a KENT E HOVIND signature line.See Kent Hovind's mortgage deed, No. 2001849400, 2001 filed with the Clerk of Court, search here.
===Microchip madness===
Hovind has also claimed: "Not many folks realize it, but Obamacare Law HR3200, that NOBODY read before they voted for it, requires that everyone get an implanted micro-chip by March 23, 2013."Nine Months until the Mark of the Beast?, June 27, 2012 Unsurprisingly, this claim is false.Chip on Your Shoulder: 'Obamacare' health care legislation does not require that anyone be implanted with RFID microchips. by David Mikkelson (Published: Apr 6th, 2010; Updated: Sep 15th, 2016) Snopes. Apparently Kent never read the bill either, as the relevant section is rather boring, simply providing for the establishment of a registry "to facilitate analysis of postmarket safety and outcomes data" of various medical devices used in or on patients.Union Calendar No. 168. 111th Congress 1st Session. H. R. 3200. The relevant section is Subtitle 2 Part 1 Section 2561.
===Independent Baptist===
Hovind has described being raised in a Mennonite churchKent Hovind, The Baptists and the Amish, 12-5-02 (he later wrote about being "raised" in Lutheran and Methodist churchesKent Hovind wrote: "in the Lutheran and later the liberal Methodist church I had been raised" God did it again, 2 Peter 3, November 20, 2012. Also posted here.), but then became and remained an Independent Baptist, also called Independent Fundamental Baptist, saying he is "an unwavering, uncompromising fundamentalist." He thinks that once everyone in the world becomes Christian, "we can continue our fight over other doctrinal distinctives."
===Biblical contradictions===
Hovind is a staunch believer in biblical inerrancy, claiming that "The Scriptures do not contain error"The Bible and the Value of "PI" and, to boot, that the only accurate version of the English Bible is the King James Version.King James VS Other Bible Versions- Dr. Kent Hovind by Kanimuna Kisaka (Mar 7, 2013) YouTube.
===Miscellaneous===
Hovind also believes that:
*Non-Christian faiths:
:*Zoroastrianism was founded around 600 BCE. Most scholars actually state it was much earlier, around 1000 BCE.
:*Satan and God are equally powerful in Zoroastrianism. In fact, Zoroastrians believe that Ahura Mazda (the "God" character) will banish Angra Mainyu (the "Satan" character) and bring about the end times, and then a savior figure will come along and raise up the dead. According to Hovind, in Zoroastrianism "a lack of importance [is] placed on God", which is exactly wrong.
:*Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, which all are really evolution cults in disguise, made it easy for Communism to take over in China.
:*Muslims believe heavily in evolution, conveniently ignoring Islamic creationists like Harun Yahya and the fact that Muslims are about 50/50 on evolution versus creationism.Polling Muslims on evolution (2013) National Center for Science Education. Perhaps he conflates Old Earth Creationism with evolution?
*History:
:*Democrates is the founder of Atomism, rather than Democritus.
:*Stalin's mass killings were done to "purify the Russian race," despite the fact that he was an ethnic Georgian.
:*Somewhat paradoxically, he believes that the Great Pyramid of Giza is "the Bible in Stone" and was not built by the Ancient Egyptians,Unmasking the False Religion of Evolution (1996) a belief once held by Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses and a man who Hovind would likely consider a base heretic.
:*The Latin language somehow contributed to the decline of the Romans, and its continued use in scientific literature is "killing us now".Dr. Kent Hovind — Newly Discovered Dinosaur Species Proof of Evolution?, Youtube (October 14 2015) Quick, team him up with the Anglo-Saxon Foundation!
*Politics:
:*George W. Bush is a Satanist.
:*SARS and AIDS are synthetic pathogens.Truth Radio 7 August 2003
:*9/11 was an inside job, because some people didn't show up for work on that day,Truth Radio 5 August 2004 and deposits of gold held in the Twin Tower basement went missing shortly after the attack.Truth Radio 3 April 2006 The same applies to the Oklahoma City Bombing, which was apparently staged in order to demonize Hovind's beloved militia groups.Evolution: the Foundation for Communism, Nazism, Socialism, and the New World Order (2003)
:*Abortion was invented by Satan in order to depopulate the earth.Creation seminars (2003-2005): The dangers of evolution
:* He agreed with Steven Anderson that homosexuality should be a capital offense.
:*Vaccines cause autism.
:* (the part about executing the owners of oxen responsible for goring people to death) should be used as a basis for punishing those who've committed vehicular homicide.-Edited Version- Pastor Steve Anderson interviews Dr Kent Hovind (Re-upload), Youtube (January 22, 2015)
:*He supports executing all violators of God's law, as in his mind this will result in the "mean gene" being erased from the human genetic code, despite the fact that he had previously condemned eugenics (which is what he's basically advocating here) as an invention of Satan.
*The End Times:
:*Hitler's persecution of the Jews was Satan's "trial run" for the end time events against Christians.What On Earth Is About To Happen… For Heaven’s Sake? (2013)
:*The book of Daniel predicts America's fall, the ascension of China, and the formation an anti-Christian Muslim alliance, as well as the birth of the Antichrist in Syria.
:* indicates that the Second Coming will occur in 2018 or 2028 (70-80 years after the formation of the State of Israel First deadline didn't work...).
:*HAARP (High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) technology will be used by Satan's agents to project holograms of a "fake Jesus", Buddha, Allah, Muhammad, or the Virgin Mary into the sky to deceive people.
:*The New World Order will withhold food from those lacking the mark of the beast (a microchip), and those refusing to submit to it will be beheaded.
*Other:
:*He considers Stan DeyoDeyo's dingbat website and his 2010 edition of his 1978 "magnum opus". a Christian "genius", and that his theory that UFOs are piloted by Satan is "interesting".
:*Loch Ness can contain five million people without breaking the surface.
:*He also believes a number of other conspiracy theories, such as chemtrails being sprayed and vaccines becoming mandatory for depopulation purposes.Depopulation trough vaccines and Chemtrails by Kent Hovind - Part 2 This is more than enough evidence to bring his credibility down to zero. The title is unmodified, including the spelling mistake.
==Legal problems (1995 to 2006)==
===Criminal tax-related convictions in 2006===
In July 2006, Hovind was arrested and charged with 58 tax-related counts, including twelve counts of willful failure to withhold federal income taxes and FICA taxes from his employees' wages, forty-five counts of structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements, and one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws.United States of America v. Kent E. Hovind and Jo D. Hovind, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, case no. 3:06CR83/MCR (dated July 11, 2006; filed at 12:55 pm, July 11, 2006) and Evangelist arrested on federal charges, Pensacola News Journal, 14 July 2006 The Pensacola News Journal, Hovind's local paper, reported that "A federal jury has convicted Kent Hovind and his wife, Jo, of tax fraud." Before his conviction, it also wrote: "Kent Hovind pleaded not guilty Monday to a 58-count federal indictment after saying he did not recognize the government's right to try him on tax-fraud charges." At his first court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Miles Davis, Hovind said "I still don’t understand what I'm being charged for and who is charging me" despite having access to both his indictment — listing all the charges — and an attorney to explain them to him.Kent Hovind, evangelist, arrested on federal charges 
The government accused Hovind of breaking several laws, including intentionally and falsely misstating the conditions of employment for various employees to avoid paying the withholding tax of employees for his own financial benefit. In addition, the Pensacola News Journal reported the prosecution charged him with impeding an IRS investigation by "filing a frivolous lawsuit against the agency demanding damages for criminal trespass," "filing an injunction against an IRS special agent," "filing false complaints against the IRS for false arrest, excessive use of force and theft," and "making threats against investigators and those cooperating with the investigation."Evangelist arrested on federal charges, Pensacola News Journal, 14 July 2006 The Pensacola News Journal also noted, "On the day the IRS searched the Hovind home, Kent Hovind withdrew $70,000 from the Creation Science Evangelism account. Half in a check; the other in cash."Dr. Dino,' wife guilty, Pensacola News Journal, November 2, 2006 WorldNetDaily, which is sympathetic to Hovind, reported that he "was accused of tax fraud because he called his employees missionaries and paid them in cash," and later was "convicted on those counts."DINO' CONVICTED IN FLORIDA TAX FRAUD TRIAL WorldNetDaily 11/16/2006Kent Hovind Kent Hovind v Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Commissioner of Internal Revenue: the court's decision
Hovind did not offer a defense at trial to these charges.This is even according to Kent Hovind's website's "real story" that says: "The trial concluded on November 1st with the defense deciding not to present a case." Read eye-witness media report here: Couple could get more than 200 years" 'Dr. Dino' guilty on all counts, Pensacola News Journal, Nov. 3, 2006 Hovind's organization was not tax-exempt, and its revenue "appeared to constitute income to petitioner personally.""… substantial revenue from the various activities with which petitioner was involved appeared to constitute income to petitioner personally." Hovind v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 2006-143, CCH December 56,562(M) (2006). Employees testified that they did not consider it a church"Two people who worked for a Pensacola evangelist testified Wednesday in federal court that they didn't consider where they worked to be a church." Amy Sowder, "Workers testify in 'Dr. Dino' trial," Pensacola News Journal, October 19, 2006 , and the prosecution explained that even if it were a church, churches are required to pay payroll taxes. The article says: "Heldmeyer said from 1999 to March 2004, the Hovinds took in more than $5 million. Their income came from amusement-park profits and merchandise — books, audiotapes, and videotapes — they sold on site and through phone and online orders, she said. About half the money went to employees. Those employees either were salaried or were paid hourly wages. They worked set hours. They signed up for vacations and sick leave. … 'It's not a church,' she said. 'But that doesn't matter, because a church still has to pay payroll tax'." from Angela Fail, Evangelist's trial begins, Pensacola News Journal, October 18, 2006. Also seeLawyer: Hovind detailed actions, Pensacola News Journal, Oct. 21, 2006. Hovind was also found to have intentionally made multiple withdrawals of around $9,500 to avoid the scrutiny that comes with withdrawing at least $10,000 from the bank, which accounted for 45 of the charges. 
Hovind was jailed as a flight risk while awaiting sentencing. In early 2007, he was sentenced to a 10-year jail term and ordered to pay restitution, which by May 2013 was "$3.3 million in taxes and penalties".'Dr. Dino' ordered to pay taxes, penalties, Pensacola News Journal, May 23, 2013, His wife was sentenced to one year and one day.'Mrs. Dino' gets prison, Pensacola News Journal, Jun. 29, 2007 Both have since filed several unsuccessful appeals.Tax-evasion sentences upheld for 'Dr. Dino' and wife Pensacola News Journal, Jan 6, 2009, The Eleventh Court of Appeals' ruling is quite a nice summary of all the evidence against him. In discussing the evidence, it noted in December of 2008 that:United States of America v. Kent E. Hovind D. C. Docket No. 06-00083-CR-3-MCR, United States Court of Appeals.
In January 2010, his final appeal was denied by the Supreme Court, rejecting his petition.According to his blog's July 22, 2010, update. Despite the overwhelming evidence of Hovind's crimes, some evangelical supporters claim that he is being persecuted as part of a government attack and want him set free, even creating various petitions.Petition 1 for Kent Hovind's freedomPetition 2 for Kent Hovind's freedom The Pensacola News Journal, on the other hand, wrote: "Earth to 'Dr. Dino': Please pay your taxes and start facing reality," telling Hovind that "You got caught, so quit whining and take your punishment like a man."Mark O'Brien. "Earth to 'Dr. Dino': Please pay your taxes and start facing reality", Pensacola News Journal, January 21, 2007,
As of 2013, on Hovind's blog, he maintained his innocence "like scores of Bible characters".June 2013 Update
===Little Red Riding Hovind and the Big Bad IRS===
Kent Hovind earned millions — profiting additionally from tax dodging on every cent — with a judge noting that in 2003 alone, Hovind's operation earned a whopping $1,657,329 just in merchandise sales,Judge Finding of Fact and Opinion Kent and Jo Hovind's Tax Court Docket No. 1362-10 United States Tax Court, 2012 later growing to about $2 million.O'Brien, Mark (November 3, 2006). "Hard to believe a man with a Ph.D. didn't know of a basic tax law". Pensacola News Journal. Hovind and his wife have faced problems in United States Tax Court for not paying income tax. As one judge wrote: "Furthermore, the IRS has no record of the debtor ever having filed a federal income tax return." Decision at talk origins. In July 2006, the Tax Court found that Hovind was deficient in paying his federal income taxes in tax years 1995–97 in the amount of $504,957.24.court ruling US Tax Court The judge ruled: "The organizational structure petitioner established for the above activities, including petitioner’s purported religious ministry and theme park, apparently was based on various questionable trust documents purchased from Glenn Stoll, a known promoter of tax avoidance schemes." Hovind appealed this ruling, but the court denied the appeal.Kent E. Hovind v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue U.S. Tax Court No. 11894-05L. United States Court of Appeals. In 2012 a Tax Court judge noted that Hovind's operation "sold books and videotapes promoting anti-government and tax-protester arguments," including Joe Sweet's “Good News for 1040 Filers” video, and the catalog description says that it “[e]xplains how income tax is voluntary for most people”.T.C. Memo. 2012-281 Tax Court, 2012 The judge wrote that "Mr. Sweet has been permanently enjoined from '[o]rganizing, promoting, marketing, or selling the tax shelter, plan, or arrangement entitled ‘GOOD NEWS for FORM 1040 Filers'" and the Justice Department called the injunction a "victory for IRS in battle against tax fraud promoters".The Justice Department called the injunction a "victory for IRS in battle against tax fraud promoters".Justice Department Obtains Permanent Injunction Prohibiting the Sale of Illegal Tax Plans, Justice Department February 21, 2002 In a detailed 58-page ruling, a judge of the United States Tax Court wrote the following about Hovind's wife:United States Tax Court, page 50 
Hovind repeatedly said that he opposes teaching evolution on the grounds that public education is funded with his tax dollars. Hovind admits that he doesn't file income tax in the tax protester video "Redeeming the Strawman". As one judge wrote: "Furthermore, the IRS has no record of the debtor ever having filed a federal income tax return." Decision at talk origins. Which was obviously false at the time.
Also, in 2006, his Dinosaur Adventure Land, a theme park in his backyard,Stupid Dino Tricks: A Visit to Kent Hovind's Dinosaur Adventure Land by Greg Martinez (6, November/December 2004) Skeptical Inquirer Volume 28.6. was largely shut down due to his refusal to secure a building permit. Hovind claimed that his "decision to build without permits from the county" is based on the Bible, questioning "Does the Escambia County, Florida civil government have jurisdiction over a Church of the Sovereign God of the universe?"CSE's Battle with Escambia County: Creation Science Evangelism Needs Your Help! (July 18, 2002) Ministry Of Creation Science Evangelism (archived from June 25, 2003). During a hearing, Hovind was mocked by the local county commissioner with the response that "Scripture also says 'Render unto Caesar what Caesar demands.' And right now, Caesar demands a building permit."Park could face extinction Pensacola News Journal, Apr. 7, 2006 Following the criminal trial, Eric Hovind continued to operate the Dinosaur Adventure Land and Creation Science Evangelism, but renamed them the Creation Store and Creation Today, respectively.
==The prison years (2007 to 2015)==
===Phone calls, blogging, books, interviews, and YouTube===
Hovind was held in the local jail while awaiting sentencing. The Pensacola News Journal reported that "Although phones include warnings that conversations are recorded, he didn't mince words as he ran up eight hours of calls per week."The paper reported: "He talked tough in telephone conversations from Escambia County Jail, where he was held while waiting to be sentenced Friday on 58 charges. Although phones include warnings that conversations are recorded, he didn't mince words as he ran up eight hours of calls per week. He vowed to "make life miserable" for the IRS, keep suing the government and promote his cockamamie theory that he's tax-exempt."Earth to 'Dr. Dino': Please pay your taxes and start facing reality, Pensacola News Journal, January 20, 2007; Also here. The prosecution submitted some calls between Hovind, his wife Jo and son Eric, posted online by the Pensacola News Journal,Originally posted by Video: Kent Hovind jail calls, Pensacola News Journal, Jan. 19, 2007; Now available from Kent Hovind — County Jail Telephone Calls to the court during sentencing where "Hovind accused the Internal Revenue Service, the judge, and the prosecutor of violating the law in prosecuting him, and referred to unspecified things he could do 'to make their lives miserable'."Kent Hovind sentenced to ten years, NCSE, January 24th, 2007
In early 2007, Hovind was sentenced to ten years and was transferred to Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola, a minimum-security prison in his hometown. Hovind began blogging while in prison via communication with family and supporters, which were posted on a website edited by Paul Abramson, a fellow creationist.Paul Abramson operates creationism.org and appears as moderator during this Hovind performance. Abramson was editor of the blog for about 18 months, Within a few months, Hovind got in "trouble" and was moved into solitary confinement"Suddenly last week Dr. Hovind was shipped out of that institution and sent to another, where he is now in a bare cell, isolated in solitary confinement, as was learned and reported yesterday." From pabramson's post halfway down the page, May 8, 2007 4:59 pm Update from FPC. at another prison, as Paul Abramson (then-editor of Kent Hovind's blog) explained:See pabramson's post halfway down the page, May 8, 2007 4:59 pm Update from FPC.
Hovind was moved to prisons around the country, being held in Colorado and New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Hovind continued to blog from prison, writing self-aggrandizing "knee-mail" dialogues between himself and God. Independent observers noted that his writing had started to look rather unhinged as of December 2007. This tends to ignore the fact that he was already unhinged before he went to jail, believing as he does that the US government and the New World Order were behind such terrorist attacks as the Oklahoma City bombing and the demolition of the World Trade Center. 
Around 2012, the blog was retooled, and Hovind's writings, including wacky conspiracy legal filings, appeared on a website named after 2 Peter 3 in the New Testament, which describes how all those darned "scoffers" are going to get their comeuppance. Hovind became involved with Paul Hansen, whom the WorldNetDaily described as "an attorney advising Hovind."Then again, we're talking about WorldNetDaily here. In a letter to the US Attorney and Attorney General of Florida, Hansen described himself "as Kent Hovind counsel".2011 Notice According to the Nebraska Supreme Court, Hansen is not a lawyer and is, in fact, a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen.Anti-government groups raise flags for law enforcement by Bill Kelly (October 26th, 2011) KVNO News. In 2013, the court issued an injunction preventing Hansen from "engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in any manner, including but not limited to holding himself out to another as being entitled to practice law as defined by § 3-1001" after an investigation of Hansen's blogs and legal "kits".State of Nebraska ex rel. Comm. on Unauth. Prac. of Law v. Hansen, June 14, 2013. Hovind's blog tells his supporters to send donations to Hansen and calls him "a law-educated layman".His blog says: "we are no longer handing his legal defense fund. Rather a law-educated, layman who is assisting Dr. Hovind as he continues to fight his legal case pro se is handling this fund. His name is Paul Hansen." Hansen previously made news for taking money from a disabled person and was sentenced to jail for refusing to address 14 housing code violations as well as "one count of giving false information, one count of resisting arrest and two counts of obstructing the administration of the law." The Omaha World-Herald reported: "Last month, he lost a fair housing case in federal court. He has been ordered to pay nearly $84,000 in damages and attorney fees to one of his former tenants, a man with schizophrenia who lived in Hansen's apartments for five years. Hansen got himself listed as payee for the tenant's monthly Social Security disability check of $607 to $637. Hansen 'occasionally returned $40 to (the tenant) upon which to subsist,' the suit said." It continued, "Then he sentenced Hansen to nearly a year in jail: 180 days for 14 different housing code violations, the sentences on each to be served concurrently; then another 180 days apiece for one count of giving false information, one count of resisting arrest and two counts of obstructing the administration of the law, the sentences also to be served concurrently." Landlord can't talk way out of jail, Omaha World-Herald, September 18, 2009. Hansen doesn't pay taxes,Nebraska Delinquent Taxpayers Sorted by Amount, Nebraska Department of RevenueHansen wrote: "I file no Federal Income Taxes (1040 Form) since the year 2000. (No filings in any form.)(Always demand a 6203 Assessment when confronted.) I do not pay STATE income tax, or sales tax on major purchases. I pay no COUNTY property taxes. (I believe I have discovered a 'filing for record' process that takes my Land off the tax roles.)""Whenever he can get away with it, Hansen does not pay federal income or local property taxes. Sales taxes are trickier, since they are added to the cost of a purchase, but Hansen says he has convinced some retailers he qualifies as being exempt for paying them on some big-ticket items." Anti-government groups raise flags for law enforcement, KVNO News, Oct 26, 2011The paper reported: "Hansen refuses to pay his property taxes because he says no one has yet shown him where exactly the law requires him to do so." Omaha landlord is a pain to city hall, Omaha World-Herald, February 7, 2008. and despite acknowledging being a "native-born of the Land of Nebraska" and living in Omaha, "believes that neither the city nor Douglas County holds sway over him" The paper reported: "As a Citizen, capital C, of Nebraska, Omaha landlord Paul Hansen believes that neither the city nor Douglas County holds sway over him." Omaha landlord is a pain to city hall, Omaha World-Herald, February 7, 2008. and "does not believe the laws of the United States of America apply to him."Anti-government groups raise flags for law enforcement, KVNO News, Oct 26, 2011.
Hansen sells "briefs" on his website to people not interested in getting a driver's license, license plate, obeying public health codes or being honorable citizens by paying taxes for public roads, prisons or fire departments.Here and here But anyone interested in such advice should be aware that Hansen has a warrant for his arrest by the Omaha Police Department for failing to appear in court,Criminal Warrants, Omaha Police Department, 2014. The name and address listed by the police match the information on this website by Hansen asking for all of Hovind's charges dismissed. tax liens for more than $30,000 and by his own count has been arrested about 15 times.Hansen claims "I have been in court over 300 times… I have been arrested an estimated 15 times." A typical example of Hansen's work for Hovind is a 2011 letter to the Florida Attorney General that tells the government Hovind is a "free inhabitant" per the Articles of Confederation and the government "must accept the Articles of Confederation".George Washington laughs at you. Yes, you read that correctly: Hansen bases his argument for overturning Hovind's felony convictions on a system of governance that dissolved itself in 1789. Thus, Hovind's source for legal advice is on a par with his sources about science. 
Just how bad were Kent Hovind's legal ramblings? Eric Hovind got them removed from creationist websites."At the request of Mr. Eric Hovind, son of Kent Hovind, the Creation Science Hall of Fame removed the open letter from Kent Hovind on his tax battles. Mr. Hovind asked everyone to respect the privacy of the family and not ask for a specific reason. CSHF apologizes for any inconvenience that might have happened to the Hovind family or to anyone else. We wish only to do what is right for the Hovind family." Kent Hovind, Creation Science Hall of Fame
He wrote several books while in federal prison under his own name and under the pseudonym Elijah Greene.Kent Hovind admits he wrote it as Elijah Green and it is advertised as "The Kennel — By Elijah Green (A.K.A Kent Hovind)" here. Hovind blogs to his readers: "I wrote a book and published it in April 2013 called What on Earth is About to Happen... for Heaven's Sake? It is available as an eBook on 2peter3.com and can be purchased in full color (240+ pages) from [email redacted by rationalwiki]."End of the year report from Kent Hovind. In another blog Kent Hovind writes, "Let Hal know if you want one of the limited edition hard copies of my book." Hovind previously got in trouble for being accused of "running an illegal business" in prison. His self-published books are sold through the same website.Kent's Books 2Peter3.com (archived from March 30, 2014). His 2013 dissertation is also sold through Amazon.com's self-publishing subsidiary (CreateSpace).What on Earth is about to happen.. for Heaven's sake?: A Dissertation on End Times According to the Bible by Kent Hovind (2013) CreateSpace. ISBN 1491073438.
In addition to his blogging, nearly weekly "interviews" with Hovind from federal prison were conducted by Gea Ambrosia and posted on youtube in 2014.Facebook by post by Gea Ambrosia: From: Gea Ambrosia, Date: Friday, March 14, 2014, Time: About 2:00 AM MT, INTERVIEW WITH DR. HOVIND 2NIGHT!; The ClubCreation youtube channel and ursweetkisses posts roughly weekly interviews. A description of one of the interviews is: "Club Creation's Evangelist Gea interviews Dr. Kent E. Hovind." See these exchanges about the interviewing. This post, in particular, discusses the interviews and using the word "parrot". According to Club Creation, "Evangelist Gea" hosts Truth Serum Talk Radio which states: "Hovind is not able to take calls while on the show," but can "engage listeners through chat" as "Chatters can make comments, ask questions and Dr. Hovind will Answer them in REAL TIME.. LIVE!"[sic].The website tells readers: "Got Questions for the Science & Bible Man, Dr. Kent E. Hovind?… Dr. Hovind is not able to take calls while on the show, however, He will be able to engage listeners in chat… Chatters can make comments, ask questions and Dr. Hovind will Answer them in REAL TIME.. LIVE!" Hovind wrote about the website: "While you are 'surfing' check www.clubcreation.org and tell Geena thanks for helping me while I'm stuck in this pit. She's another "Ebed-Melech" for me. Plus, she has some cool (and rare-unique!) interviews ya might want to tell others about." In late March, she announced she was "taking a leave of absence until further notice due to personal reasons",Club Creation Ministry Update, March 19, 2014, but later resumed interviewing Hovind in prison.For example, NEW A Call from Dr. Kent Hovind Atlanta Transfer Center 07/03/2014 TSTRS Club Creation
In May 2014, Hovind was moved from Federal Correctional Institution, Berlin in New Hampshire to Federal Correctional Institution at Montgomery, Alabama.Summer 2014 Update for Kent Hovind The prison rules state that prisoners "may not give to or receive anything from another inmate."Prison handbook Yet, Hovind made "bookmarkers and paper airplanes for a few guys and it spread like wildfire" inside the prison. According to Eric Hovind, Kent Hovind was moved from the prison to Elmore County Jail for violating prison rules.Kent Hovind Facebook: "Please pray for Kent. He was moved to a prison in Montgomery, AL and after being there for 2 or 3 days was arrested for "passing out religious material". We don't have all the details yet but he is being held in a county jail. " The case was reviewed by law enforcement, which can take up to 180 days."For the record and from Paraphrasing Eric, (one of the very few that NOW have contact with him due to him being his son), 'Dad is indeed being held at a county jail.' The crime? Kent was making bookmarks and passing them out to anyone that wanted them. (Spreading the Gospel, which is what he has been doing since being locked up.) 'officers took him out of the prison camp for passing out unwanted literature.' His case will be reviewed, but that might take up to 180 days."Anonymous Kent Hovind Administrator, May 30, 2014,
===Lawsuits, legal filings and criminal contempt===
Hovind's life demonstrates the inherent pitfalls, not just of forming baseless beliefs, but of seeking any opinion which would incorrectly justify said beliefs. Indeed, doing so has led Hovind to fear the non-existent New World Order, to deny evolution, and become a tax fraudster."How are evolution, Communism, the new-world-order, and the IRS connected?" Given the above history, it is not surprising that Hovind continues to defend his delusions and still got in trouble while locked in a prison cell.
In 2013, Hovind wrote that "God sent" Alex Matthews "from Washington, DC to live right in my room on the top bunk", and, in Hovind's words, then "helped" with his legal filings.Hovind writes: "... we filed a 'Bivins' lawsuit in the court in S. Carolina. ... Alex helped me file a 'lis pendens' which stops all activity on the property until the S.C. lawsuit is resolved." From "They want to 'burn it down' and let the Phoenix rise from the ashes. They don't know that Satan will destroy them too!". Hovind wrote: "I sent out a blog on Feb 1 asking folks to write the Supreme Court on behalf of my 'celli' and friend and legal helper Alexander Matthews." According to a US Department of Justice press release, in 2011 Alexander Otis Matthews pleaded guilty "to fraud charges in connection with mortgage and investment schemes to obtain more than $12 million in fraudulent loans."Virginia Real Estate Businessman Pleads Guilty to Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes US Department of Justice, 2011. This is the same person as Hovind explains: "Alex is writing a book about the incredible injustice in his case which he is fighting as well. It is called My America and will be on www.my-america.org when finished." A view of the site shows it is the same person and Alex mentions Hovind being his bunkmate here. At his sentencing, Matthews received 10 years in prison, was ordered to forfeit $7.9 million and must pay $5,055,250 in restitution to his victims.Virginia Real Estate Businessman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes, US Department of Justice, 2011
Hovind has since filed numerous legal claims, including fraudulent liens on property the US government seized for his debt.In May 2013, Hovind signed four different documents that stated: "Kent E. Hovind asks that this Memorandum of Lis Pendens be recorded as a lien" which are located with the County Clerk of Escambia County, Florida. Hovind wrote: "my new legal helper had a brilliant idea and on May 29, 2013, I filed a lis pendens in the county office to stop the sale of any other properties." Later Hovind explicitly explained: "Alex helped me file a 'lis pendens' which stops all action on the property." In February 2014, Hovind claims: "The plaintiff did not file the liens referenced, and in fact could not file the liens based upon his present incarcerated status." In 2012, a federal judge placed an injunction on Creation Science Evangelism and its "representatives or agents" to prevent them from putting liens on forfeited properties without first obtaining a court order, and in 2013 found Hovind had no merit to file claims on the property and allowed the government to submit a proper motion to show cause.United States v. Kent Hovind. The judge ruled: "Hovind’s explanation has no merit because he has no ownership interest, legal or equitable, in the forfeited properties. Without question, his lis pendens were wrongfully filed," and allowed the government to file a show of cause. The US Attorney alleges "Hovind willfully violated the permanent injunction order" and is seeking to hold Hovind in criminal contempt, announcing: "The United States Attorney's Office is ready to immediately appoint a criminal prosecutor to the case for any further action that this Court deems necessary."United States v. Kent Hovind, November 12, 2013. On July 8, 2014, the judge granted the government's motion and is ordering "Hovind to show cause why he should not be punished for criminal contempt." The ruling states: "Kent E. Hovind is required to appear before the Court at 8:00 a.m., on September 8, 2014, to show cause why he should not be held in criminal contempt of Court, pursuant." Also see this Order.
In August 2013, Hovind was referring to himself as a "POW", and (despite all of his appeals resulting in dismissal) wrote that he was moving forward with more legal "battles".Archived blog updates August 2013
Around this time, Hovind filed:
*A lawsuit against the Bureau of Prisons pro se in 2012Hovind writes: "I have now filed a lawsuit (case #0:12-cv-1594-SB-PJG) against the BOP for
damages"("dismissed with prejudice for lack of prosecution" in 2013Hovind v. USA 0:12-cv-1594-SB, Dismissal Order, February 2013)
*Another pro se 2013 suit against five prison employees "in their personal capacity"Hovind writes: "On April 22 I filed a "Bivins" lawsuit against 5 employees at the prison in South Carolina..." A few months later he described: "... helped me file a "Bivins" lawsuit against all of them in their personal capacity (suit # c/a 0:13-cv-1177-MGL-PJG) in the federal court in South Carolina." Here he wants the court to hold one in "contempt". (dismissed in 2014District of South Carolina on August 19, 2014)
*A pro se petition for "brady material" in 2011,Hovind letter here related to case 3:06-cr-00083 a pro se "2255 motion"Part 1 and Part 2, identified as Case # 3:06 cr 83/mcr, Case # 3:10 cv 487/mcr/emt(dismissed)
*Another 2011 pro se "Motion for Reconsideration"Motion for Reconsideration (dismissedUnited States of America v. Kent E. Hovind CASE NO. 3:06cr83/MCR/EMT; 3:10cv478/MCR/EMT United States District Court (archived from December 17 2013).)
*Yet another 2011 pro se Writ of MandamusPetition for Writ of Mandamus from the Northern District of Florida, Case no. 3:06 CR 83/MCR
*A complaint against the judge in his criminal trialThis complaint was dismissed. (and after it was dismissed, he complained in a letter about the dismissalJudicial Council 11th Circuit Court of Appeals)
*A complaint against the Assistant US AttorneyNEWS ALERT!! After Dr. Kent Hovind of www.drdino.com fame went to prison in 2006 over tax-related issues there was a LOT of bad and false publicity about him, the Creation Science ministry and Christianity in general. by Kent Hovind (12-19-2013) Creation Science Evangelism Official Website (archived from March 9, 2014).
*A complaint with the Bar AssociationBlog- I'm still not SURE anything will work to set me free in this corrupt system but it is FUN being on the offensive! [by Kent Hovind] Creation Science Evangelism Official Website (archived from March 9, 2014).
*A complaint with the Department of Justice's Professional Misconduct Review Unit2-25-11 letter from Kent Hovind #O6A52—0l7 to Kevin Ohlson, Professional Misconduct Review Unit, U.S. Dept. of Justice Creation Science Evangelism Official Website (archived from August 5, 2013).
*A $25 million tort against the United States of America in 2013Just try reading this — and remember that Hovind didn't even "present [...] defense evidence or call […] witnesses" at his trial. 'Dr. Dino,' wife guilty, Pensacola News Journal, Nov. 2, 2006
*A pro se 2013 appeal against the Commissioner of IRSKent Hovind v. Commissioner of IRS ("dismissed for failure to prosecute"Appeal No 13-12520-FF, Hovind v. Commissioner Of Internal Revenue 2014)
*A 2014 pro se Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus regarding the warden of FCI BerlinHovind v. FCI Berlin, Warden, Case Number 1:2014fp00062, Filed March 3, 2014, New Hampshire District Court Justicia (dismissedKent Hovind v. FCI Berlin Order)
Prior to these lawsuits, Hovind had a history of making legal claims that were rejected by the court, including filing for bankruptcy which was dismissed as a "bad faith" filing.The Hovind Bankruptcy Decision transcribed by John Pieret, posted: July 26, 2002) The Talk Origins Archive. Then he sued IRS Agent Scott Schneider, which was also dismissedKent Hovind v Scott Schneider ruling (No. 3:02cv297/RV/MCR) United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (October 31, 2002) Wikisource. with the judge citing the Tax Anti-Injunction ActSee article: David A. Brennen, "Federal Taxation," Mercer Law Review (2003): 1579. Brennen wrote: "Finally, in Hovind, a federal district court held that the IRS may enter a third person’s property in order to investigate a taxpayer’s tax liability. In Hovind an IRS agent conducting an investigation into federal income tax liabilities went onto a third person’s property to serve several summons. Despite a posted 'No Trespassing' notice, the IRS agent entered the property without obtaining prior consent and served the summons. The third party sought to enjoin the IRS from trespassing on his property. The federal district court held that the injunction was barred by the Tax Anti-Injunction Act, which provides that '"no suit for the purpose of restraining the assessment or collection of any tax shall be maintained in any court by any person."' Because the actions the third party sought to enjoin would impair IRS attempts to assess and collect taxes owed by the taxpayer, the court concluded that the Anti-Injunction Act was applicable." and in Hovind's criminal case he was found guilty of impeding an IRS investigation by filing a "frivolous lawsuit" and "threatening investigators," according to both the Pensacola News JournalEmployees testify in 'Dr. Dino' tax trial, Pensacola News Journal, Oct 19, 2006 and the WorldNetDaily."Hovind was convicted of failing to collect and pay $470,000 in withholding taxes, obstructing tax laws, structuring transactions totaling $430,500 to avoid financial reporting laws, filing a frivolous lawsuit against the IRS, filing an injunction against an IRS agent and threatening investigators and others who cooperated with the investigation." Creationist hopes bill will free him from prison WorldNetDaily, 12/17/2013 and repeated in 'Government persecuting' jailed creation evangelist WorldNetDaily 05/31/2009 One IRS agent, M.C. Powe, testified at his criminal trial, after she tried to collect taxes from the Hovinds in 1996, "Dr. Hovind sued me three times, maybe more," and said, "It just seemed to be something he did often."Amy Sowder,Workers testify in 'Dr. Dino' trial, Pensacola News Journal, October, 19, 2006. This article is reprinted by Myers here. Also discussed here: Evangelist Kent Hovind's tax trial begins, WikiNews, October 21, 2006 During his early 2007 sentencing, the prosecution played audio of Hovind making "veiled threats and threats of legal action," for instance, with him saying: "I don't know if because we filed so many lawsuits in the past against them that possibly Schneider and Heldmyer are afraid that if they don't keep pushing they'll be sued ... if I could talk to them I'd say 'look, let me out of here drop all this stuff and I'll hold you harmless. If you put me in jail for five years then yes I'll keep going after you'."The text "veiled threats and threats of legal action," and Hovind's quote starts at 4:54 Kent Hovind — County Jail Telephone Calls
===Kent E. Hovind v. RationalMedia Foundation, et al.===
On February 24, 2014, Hovind filed a pro se lawsuit against the RationalMedia Foundation (although he originally called it by its previous name, the RationalWiki Foundation) based on claims he made about this article, referencing this revision.Kent Hovind, Kent E. Hovind v. Rational Media Foundation, February 2014. He did not have summons issued, and hence did not serve the complaint. The complaint referenced the foundation by name along with a number of John Doe editors seeking a retraction of certain phrases in the article, specifically: "Hovind is a young Earth creationist and convicted tax fraudster" and "[H]ovind has filed numerous legal claims with Matthews' help, including fraudulent liens on property the US government seized for his debt". 
Hovind disputed that the fraudulent liens were filed by him, claiming that they were "filed by supporters of the plaintiff, who is a Christian evangelist preacher with a worldwide following. The plaintiff did not file the liens referenced, and in fact, could not file the liens based upon his present incarcerated status. The plaintiff did not send the liens to the court to be filed, and in fact could not have filed the liens given that such liens must be filed in person at the county Land Records office." This was contradicted in the actual liens: "Kent E Hovind asks that this Memorandum Of Lis Pendens be recorded as a lien against the above shown parcel(s) of real property, and that a stamped copy of each lien be mailed back to him at the address below."Kent Hovind, Memorandun Of Lis Pendens, May 2013 Four separate "Memorandun Of Lis Pendens" are signed by Hovind and filed with the Escambia County Florida Clerk. Read them by searching Kent Hovind at Escambia County Florida Clerk or read the document here. He also wrote several blogs, such as August 2013 that "I filed a 'Lis Pendens',"Blog- August 2013 UPDATE and again in October 2013 that "I filed a lis pendens in the county office to stop the sale of any other properties."October Legal Update
Hovind sought a sum of $2.5 million jointly from the RationalMedia Foundation and the "John Doe author" of this article for damages to his reputation.
In December 2015, a federal judge dismissed the case.United States District Court, Northern District Of Florida, Pensacola Division. Kent E. Hovind, Plaintiff, v. Case No. 3:14cv94/Rv/Cjk The Rationalwiki Foundation, Defendant
On February 25, 2014, Matthews himself also filed a lawsuit against the RationalMedia Foundation for $1.5 million.:File:Matthews Libel Suit.pdfJustia.com: Matthews v. RationalWiki Foundation, Case Number: 1:2014cv00257, Filed: February 25, 2014 This too was never served.
===Mail fraud, criminal contempt charges and trial===
In October 2014, Hovind and Paul Hansen were indicted on six charges by a federal grand jury in Pensacola, Florida for issues concerning the property seized by the government. They were charged with mail fraud, attempt and conspiracy to commit mail fraud and criminal contempt'Dr. Dino' facing new legal woes: The evolution of 'Dr. Dino' by Kevin Robinson (Published 6:00 p.m. CT Nov. 8, 2014 | Updated 12:48 p.m. CT Nov. 11, 2014) Pensacola New Journal. for interfering with the sale of the properties Hovind had been forced to forfeit as a result of the 2006 tax case.The evolution of "Dr. Dino" (Published 10:37 a.m. CT Nov. 11, 2014 | Updated 10:43 a.m. CT Nov. 11, 2014) Pensacola News Journal. 
The indictment accuses Hovind and Hansen of several charges, including that they "willfully, knowingly, and with intent to defraud, devise and intend to devise a scheme to defraud the United States" through "a Claim of Lien Affidavit of Obligation with attachments" and "four Memoranda of Lis Pendens."United States of America v Kent Hovind and Paul Hansen Indictment, United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, October 2014 Wikisource Previously in 2013, Hovind wrote that "the new Assistant US Atty used the judge's order at the county courthouse to change the deeds on all the properties from: 'Property of Creation Science Evangelism Church Ministry Trust' to 'Property of U.S. Gov'," and in response, "I filed a 'Lis Pendens' which means no action can be taken until all legal issues … are resolved."In August 2013, Hovind wrote: "All was quiet about seizing ministry property for a while but the new Assistant US Atty used the judge's order at the county courthouse to change the deeds on all the properties from: "Property of Creation Science Evangelism Church Ministry Trust" to "Property of U.S. Gov." This spring they told my son he must 'buy' the properties or move out by June 30. On June 28 I filed a 'Lis Pendens' which means no action can be taken until all legal issues … are resolved. This seems to have stopped them for now." Blog- August 2013 UPDATE. Also according to Ernie Land, the government "may have an email" from Hovind to Hansen that "tell[s] him he needs to do something to hold the courts off". At the 11:26 mark https://web.archive.org/web/20141112194028/http://wwfar.com/mp3s/CTB.WED2.MP3
On March 2, 2015, Hovind and Hansen's trial began,'Dr. Dino' Hovind trial begins on Monday attracting about a dozen protesters calling for Hovind's release.Demonstrators show support for Hovind When Hovind was put on the witness stand to testify about his 2006 convictions, he argued against his attorney's request to keep his answers brief, citing the fact that he's "threatened with 100 years (in prison)", and instead used his time to, among other things, accuse the government of persecuting him and cite scripture.Hovind takes the witness stand 
On March 12, 2015, the jury found Hovind and Hansen guilty of contempt of court, Hansen guilty of failing to appear before a Grand Jury, and Hansen not guilty on one count.Hovind guilty of contempt, Pensacola News Journal The jury was hung, reportedly 11 to 1 in favor of finding Hovind guilty of the remaining charges."11 out of 12 jurors agree." Jonathan Schwartz, Jonathan Schwartz Finishes His Account Of Kent Hovind's Trial, July 15, 2015 According to Jonathan Schwartz, "The dissenter who hung the jury, was a militia member who appears to have been in prior contact with Free Kent Hovind supporters."Jonathan Schwartz, Jonathan Schwartz Finishes His Account Of Kent Hovind's Trial, July 15, 2015 The judge later dismissed Hovind's guilty contempt charge and as the federal prosecutor prepared for retrial, she dismissed the remaining charges without prejudice due to "the defendant’s concerns about the technical sufficiency of the superseding indictment and to be sure that defendants are adequately apprised of the nature of the acquisition against them."Free Kent Hovind Movement Has Big Win by Peter J. Reilly (May 18, 2015 @ 08:32 PM) Forbes.
==After prison (2015 to present)==
Federal prisoners who maintain good behavior can serve 85% of their sentence and be released. (archived on July 10, 2010). Hovind's scheduled end of federal custody was on August 11, 2015, and on July 8, 2015, Hovind was released to home confinement for roughly one month to finish his prison sentence.
In 2016, Kent Hovind divorced his wife of 40 years, Jo Hovind, and remarried a divorcee and anti-vax crusader Mary Tocco by Joshua Joscelyn (September 7, 2016) Facebook. (disregarding for just a moment what Matthew 5:32 among others prescribes on that topic). This was after Kent condemned his wife Jo to a year in prison for the tax-fraud related matters because he refused to admit that he was solely responsible for the scam. This perhaps explains why the divorce was uncontested. By 2017, the marriage with Mary Tocco was over, with her leaving Kent claiming to feel "unsafe".
As of 2017, Kent Hovind has resurrected himself as a self-styled YouTube "personality", but usually spends his time shooting himself in the foot and permanent damage-control mode, in the best tradition of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Hovind has expressed an intention to re-open his "Dinosaur Adventure Land" facility at a new location in Alabama. Hovind boasts the theme park will be uninsured, and that children going on rides will "do so at their own risk". The compound regularly attracts unpaid volunteers, who share Sov-Cit conspiracy theories, and that never ends badly. Hovind is also reported to be locking horns with Eric.
In late 2018, Hovind engaged in yet another debate with AronRa and committed still more logical fallacies, including denying the validity of Chromosomes as evidence and using selective horse breeding as "justification" for kinds. by u/Benjamin5431 (2018) Reddit. Also in 2018, Dinosaur Adventure Land came back to life in a donated gravel pit.
In early 2020 he had a debate with Professor Dave Farina in which he showed further ineptitude/dishonesty such as his question "do you believe we came from sponges, Dave?" After the debate, Dave gave Hovind five challenges, and of course he never took his offer for the second debate. I wonder why?
In 2020 he also sued the government again, for half a billion dollars, over "unjust imprisonment". The case was dismissed with prejudice in 2021, with the judge ruling:
In 2018, Hovind began asking his followers to write to Donald Trump on his behalf for a presidential pardon. In January 2021, Hovind made a feeble, last-minute attempt to get a pardon from soon-to-be twice-impeached, almost-ex-President Trump by perpetrating lies about Dominion Voting Systems regarding the 2020 election outcome.Kent Hovind Spreads Lie About Dominion To Support His Pardon Claim by Peter J. Reilly (Jan 17, 2021) Your Tax Matters Partner.Dr. Kent Hovind — Biblical Submission (Jan 11, 2021) YouTube.
===Domestic violence===
Hovind was arrested on 19th July 2021, due to allegations that he deliberately threw Cindi Lincoln, his estranged wife, onto the ground, injuring her. Lincoln petitioned for protection from Kent Hovind in Conecuh County, Alabama. Lincoln wrote, “He wants to silence me. It depends on public opinion for its vitality [sic.] …. [I] fear he will kill me to silence me.” Lincoln further maintains that Hovind sent his “right-hand man” to threaten her with a gun, and the next day, the right-hand man ransacked her property.Alabama evangelist Kent Hovind arrested for domestic violenceBible-Dinosaur-Ex-Con-Creationist Kent Hovind Arrested For 'Bodyslamming' His Wife (For Jesus?) Hovind must spend 30 days in jail, he must pay for Cindi Lincoln's medical expenses, he must pay a $500 fine, $100 bail bond fee and court costs. Hovind must avoid contact with Lincoln and may not come within 500 yards of her, he will be on probation for a year and must give up all his firearms.Creationist Kent Hovind Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail for Domestic Violence
==Stopped clock moments==
Despite Hovind being a posterboy for creationists and a general batshit conspiracy theorist, he has shown rare glimpses of sanity, albeit clearing an absurdly low bar. He accepts the scientific fact of heliocentrism and accepts that the Earth is round and not flat, and has denounced both geocentrists and flat earthers.What On Earth Does Kent Hovind Believe - Part 1 - The Flat Earth by ArguingFromIgnorance (Sep 19, 2015) YouTube (archived copy).
==See also==
*Cryptozoology
*Evil Liberal Science Conspiracy
*Genesis 3D
*Texe Marrs
*Pious fraud
==External links==
*
:*Kent Hovind on Wikiquote, in case you can't stomach going through his whole seminars
* YouTube channel
*Student descriptions:
:*An insider's story
:*IAMA former pupil of shyster Kent Hovind, "Dr. Dino" who taught me and a class of homeschool kids all about "science", Reddit
*Video rebuttals:
:*Point-by-point takedowns: Critical Analysis of Kent Hovind Series, Extant Dodo Productions, YouTube
:*Digestible chunks: Kent Hovind's Bad Arguments, Hovind's Folly, YouTube
:*Music video: Tribute to Kent Hovind, eddygoombah, YouTube
*Kent-hovind.com archive, a detailed analysis of Hovind's mishegaas
*Kent Hovind gets interviewed by Ali G. Within, he is accused of not flushing the toilet, and it's hilarious.
==Notes==
==References==
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