Posted on 06/03/2006 6:54:04 AM PDT by TheBattman
Press Release
On June 1st, 2006, Secret Service agents showed up at the office of Great News Network in Dallas, Texas and demanded their entire stock of $1 million dollar gospel tracts that are produced by Ray Comforts ministry, Living Waters. The tracts are used by Ray Comfort and his co-host Kirk Cameron and have been promoted on their national television program.
Reports were that the Secret Service was going to pay a visit to Comforts national offices in Bellflower, California and confiscate their entire stock. Apparently someone in North Carolina took one of the $1 million dollar tract to a bank and tried to deposit it into their account.
After Ray Comfort alerted Brannon Howse, President of Worldview Weekend and Christian Worldview Network of the Secret Service action, Brannon urged Comfort to call their mutual friend, Tim Wildmon, President of the American Family Association and AFA Center for Law and Policy. After Howse and Comfort contacted Wildmon, AFAs lead trial attorney took the case.
Ray Comfort told Christian Worldview Network:
People love this gospel tract. It's my personal favorite because it makes people laugh, and the reason they laugh is because they know that there's no such thing as a million dollar bill.
When it comes to producing counterfeit money, there must be intent to defraud. This wasn't produced with the intent to buy anything, or to get change . . . it was produced as a gospel tract. That's its sole intent.
Besides, any bank teller or shop assistant who is duped into giving change on a million dollar bill shouldn't be behind a counter.
Comfort sent out an e-mail alert to his e-mail list telling his thousands of supporters and customers:
Today (Friday, June 2nd) the Secret Service seized a large supply of our Million Dollar Bill tracts from The Great News Network in Texas. They told them that someone in North Carolina tried to deposit one in their bank, and that if they didn't give up their supply, they would arrest them. Then they said they are going to seize our supply in California. If you want Million Dollar bill tracts, you had better order them pronto.
CWN was told by Living Waters customer service manager that their website was being slammed with orders after they sent out the e-mail alert.
Brian Fahling, Senior Trial Attorney AFA Center for Law & Policy who is now representing Comfort and his ministry told CWN:
I am more than a little amazed that the Secret Service has chosen to harass Ray Comfort because of his $1 million dollar gospel tracts. It is abundantly clear to anyone with a modicum of common sense that the bills are not made with an intent to defraud, but rather, they are distributed with the intent to reveal the Truth (the Gospel message is written around the border on the back of the bill). No thinking person could believe the bills are real. If the Secret Service does not cease from this intrusion upon the free speech rights and free exercise rights of Ray Comfort and others, that agency will be explaining its outrageous conduct to a federal judge.
Apparently some cognitively challenged individual in North Carolina attempted to deposit one of the bills into his account and the Secret Service decided that was enough for them to treat the bills as counterfeit. By that type of reasoning, if someone should attempt to deposit Monopoly money in a bank, the Secret Service could seize all the monopoly money held by Americans. Surely the Secret Service has more important things to do.
Comfort was encouraged by his legal counsel not to give the Secret Service his stock of the $1 million dollar tracts if they showed up at his office without a federal warrant. The thinking is that if the agents show a judge a copy of the $1 million dollar tract that he would laugh till he cried and then after catching his breath he would thank the agents for the good laugh and then ask them to stop wasting his time.
Here's the text on the back that should give a clue that it's not Government issued:
The million-dollar question: Will you go to Heaven? Heres a quick test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, or used Gods name in vain? Jesus said, Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already with her in his heart. Have you looked with lust? Will you be guilty on Judgment Day? If you have done those things God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer-at-heart. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. Thats not Gods will. He sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. Jesus took your punishment upon HimselfFor God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and trust Jesus, and God will grant you everlasting life. Then read your Bible daily and obey it. www.livingwaters.com
The front of the bill says "This note is not legal tender" as well as "Thou Shalt Not Steal," the words "Department of Eternal Affairs" and the web site www.WayOfTheMasterRadio.com, along with a picture of Grover Cleveland--a President who has never been on any bill.
CWN will keep you updated on this story as it develops.
Personally, I voted for Bush twice. So, please don't blame me for Kerry. In NY (Like Lousiana) a republican couldn't get elected with much regularity unless he offered free booze and liquor at the polls.
In any case, we've had republican mayors and governors for the last 12 years, and that's in a place where New York City alone accounts for half the population of the state. That ought to tell you something right there.
And New York city was once full of military bases (Brooklyn Navy Yard, Staten Island Homeport, Floyd Bennet Field, Fort Tilden, etc) which were all closed at one tim eor another for political purposes. In New York stated alone, you'll find Fort Drum, Fort Totten, West Point, Plattsburgh AFB. This state shoulders it's military responsibilities, so that argument holds no water.
As for midwesterner's being "more responsible" the myth of the yeoman farmer, self-sufficient, rough and ready, the backbone of American should have died along with the wave of foreclosures that have occurred since the 1970's. There ar plenty of repsonsible and self-sufficient people her eint he Northeast, we're just outnumbered by the dregs of society. Not our fault.
And I never accused you personally of taking a handout. I haven't taken one either. But don't frame the argument as rich, arrogant, selfish New Yorkers begging for money they don't need when we have the ghosts of 3,000 on our minds and the reminder of that day still in plain sight.
A few years ago my company was a NASCAR team co-sponsor. I've seen the demographics breakdown of the average NASCAR fan. It was surprisingly high with a large percentage holding college degrees or post graduate.
Pit crews are full of engineering degrees and there are a growing number of drivers with college degrees. My father in law and my mother in law are both MDs and they go to every race at MIS as do my wife (who is a PA) and I.
That was part of the rift between Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman. Rysty would drive and diagnose the car by experience and the seat of his pants, Newman, a mechanical engineer would only use math and computers to study the best way around the track.
A visitor from Zimbabwe could easily be fooled by such a large denomination bill.
Be respectful in your challenges and rebuttals.
For newcomers to the Religion Forum click on my profile page for other guidelines.
Yes, but Zimbabweans are used to seeing $million bills that aren't worth anything.
God would never "save you out of" His church. I pray you find your way home soon. You shouldn't listen to the lies of Chick, etc. Read the early Church fathers and your Bible to find the whole truth. Good luck to you!
No religion will save anyone - it's Jesus Christ plus nothing.
Yup ;)
How do they fit all that in the border of the bill?
Hear hear. :-)
#6
Toiletpaper
#7
Beer
FMCDH(BITS)
Is it OK if we skip the religion and just trash NASCAR? ;'}
NASCAR is an issue - feel free to discuss it all you want, but do not make it personal in the Religion Forum.
It appears to me that to you everyone who isn't a catholic is an anti-catholic. I follow Ray Comfort's TV Ministry and I have never heard him utter a single syllable of anti-catholic propoganda. But then since I am not a Catholic, you probably consider this post to be anti-catholic.
"I'm glad to see my tax dollars at work."
Supressing free speech???
Is that what you pay taxes for???
No - nailing people who attempt to make fake money (for any reason)...yep THAT is what I want to see for my tax dollar.
The guy's a nut, a bigot and, as I said, a low-cal version of Jack Chick. Anything like this that can be done to Islamic Jihad, the KKK or the Chick-like nuts...I'll cheer for that.
You mean like these?
POPE JOHN PAUL II 1920 - 2005 COMMEMORATIVE BILLS
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.