"Shields! SHIELDS!!!"
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 Comfort’s 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 Comfort’s 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, AFA’s 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? Here’s a quick test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, or used God’s 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. That’s not God’s will. He sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. Jesus took your punishment upon Himself—“For 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.
But it also raises the question of what happens with all the Shrillery and Bill political 'notes' which circulated during the elections, and will continue to, regardless. Popular items, those.
This reminds me of Registered's "New Iraqi Dinars" that were being circulated early in the Iraq War. They were even shown on television! Had "All Your Base are Belong to Us!" in an Araby-looking font.
Nutty? Depends on your definition. The man is not anti-Catholic and more than I am - he is just pro-Bible. He believes in New Testament-described and taught Salvation. If that is anti-Catholic, then maybe it's not Mr. Comfort with the problem....
[flame suit ON]
LOL! That brings to mind a scene from the movie "Ghost" in which Patrick Swayze's character guides Whoopi Goldberg's character into closing a bank account central to the plot of the movie.
Whoopi's character is shocked when the bank officer informs her the account she is closing is valued at 4 million dollars. Whoopi yells, "Four million dollars!!??" To which the bank officer says, "Yes. How would you like that?"
Whoopi says sheepishly, "Tens and twenties?"
He calls Catholics several things - accusing the mother Church of heresy is not something found in the Bible, is it?
You are sadly mistaken - the incest captial of the country is the state of Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. I also hear that Alabama hs rapidly approaching the top spot as well...what a race...inspired by NASCAR!!!
Got a source for that? That Wall Street "engine of American Economic growth" is important to our economic system, but those working on and making significant money (and paying significant taxes) are in the minority. Yes, there is a lot of tax money coming from New York citizens. But when you consider the overall population as well as the many projects that NY benefits from paid by tax dollars....
Sorry - legitimate story. Not a candidate for Snopes.com
"Shields! SHIELDS!!!"
I am a firm believer in the principal that any teaching in the Church (regardless of denominatin) that conflicts with the Bible is inherently wrong. Even from the early days of the Church - when someone would recognize conflicts with Scripture (keeping in mind this was the time when many of the Epistles were still in-hand, as well as a great deal of the other Scriptures (although it was not yet Canonized in it's current format), they would be "dealt with". This example has been repeated many times throughout Church history.
The other problem - and this quite possibly is the biggest - is the defense of theology and practice using "tradition" and those same Church fathers. My belief is that the Bible is the only source for revelation - it is complete and doesn't need additional input from man. This belief is backed up by the Bible itself (Psalm 119:160; I Corinthians 2:13).
And having done a bit of study on Mr. Chick and others like Ray Comfort, I have found an underlying theme - they take the New Testament literally and rely on the Scripture alone for their guide. Mr. Chick is far more agressive than most regarding the Catholic Church - possibly because he feels deeply that there are still many false teachings within the Catholic Church. In fact, have you read any of Mr. Chick's arguements with an open mind?
My primary problem with Chick is that he is a Bible Translation snob---he is dogmatic about translations other than the King James.
***He calls Catholics several things***
Could you give me a source where you get this from?
Sorry, but it seems a bit contrived. Who were the SS agents that contacted them demanding surrender of the bills? Surely they got their names. A search of the Dallas news showed a crack down on counterfeiting, but no mention of this. I suspect that someone may have contacted them about someone trying to cash in on the bill, and they used it to sell more of them (get them while you can, because the SS is gonna seize them). I am not swayed by the one-sided reporting.
"In fact, have you read any of Mr. Chick's arguements with an open mind?"
Like 'The Death Cookie'? Yes, I've read some of them. I'm suprised there are so many like you that believe them. I find it sad and discouraging. Would you please read through this article? I think maybe you should read a little more about Mr. Chick.
http://www.catholic.com/library/sr_chick_tracts_p1.asp
I read the Early Church Fathers because they learned from the Apostles. It helps to understand what it was like then. It rounds out the scriptures for me. Puts them into context. Our traditions are scriptural. Our teachings do not have any conflict with the Bible. You use "tradition" as if it were a bad word. What in the world did all those Christians do before the printing press was invented?
"Paul illustrated what tradition is: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. . . . Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed" (1 Cor. 15:3,11). The apostle praised those who followed Tradition: "I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2)."
You see, I can quote scripture as well as you can. The problem lies in the interpretation. When there is conflict to whom do you turn? I listen to scripture and turn to the Church. Maybe you should attend Mass some day. You'll find that the entire thing is scriptural. There are a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic Church spread with the help of Chick and others. It's a pity that so many hate what they think they know of the Church instead of attempting to find the Truth.
I hope you find it someday.
God Bless!
http://www.livingwaters.com/cgi-bin/search/ksearch.cgi?sort=Matches&display=5&showm=5&search_livingwaters=Catholic
The guy's pathetic...just go ahead and read his smarmy, "gotta save those dumb Catholics from their heresy" articles.
Here's an excerpt:
continued...
People actual believe what Chick says? I suppose this says much about the effects of public education on the minds of our citizens...not to mention the impact of trailer park livin'...
I have read that page as well as the tract "Death Cookie". Although it appears a bit contrived - it does contain a significant basis in truth.
The Catholic Church does have a sortid history, with many unscriptural practices and traditions.
And yes, prior to printing, the scripture most believers had access to were either hand-copied epistles, and the Tora which was maintained by the Jews and thus was not really accessable to the "Gentiles".
One question - why did the "Church" fight so strongly against having a Bible in languages other than Latin? Was it because they really believed that the "unwashed masses" couldn't understand, or was it to protect their power?
Notice how things got really interesting when the Bible was made available for people other than the clergy... For that matter, how about clergy who actually opened up thier mind and took off the blinders placed by the church - who realized that not all the Church was teaching was truth - many paid with their lives.
Also note that the "Church History" the Church (Catholic) doesn't exactly line up with actual historical fact. The trouble came, as I posted before, when the Apostles were martyered - men began inserting their own ideas (actually, this wasn't new - thus the reason for the Bible to give a measure of what is true and of God). What we know now as the Catholic Church immerged - but power and strength do not equate superiority or even right.
Many martyrs came about from the power grab by the Catholic Church. The Church was further corrupted when the church and the Roman Government (and indeed most government of Europe) became basically one. Those who more closely followed the teachings and "traditions" to use your own term, were persecuted and even killed for their adherance to the Apostle's teaching - by those who claimed to be the direct successors to the Apostles...
But I don't necessarily think that this thread is an appropriate venue for a complete dissertation on theological error in the Catholic Church.
And Catholics NEVER say things like that about Protestants or Protestantism, right?
Ray Comfort is a protestant. He believes protestant doctrines. A princlple protestant doctrine is that the Catholic Church is in error. A principle Catholic doctrine is that the Protestants are in error. You seem to accuse everyone who takes their protestantism seriously of being "anti-Catholic." Well if that is the way you define it, then every Protestant is anti-Catholic and every Catholic is Anti-Protestant.
I believe that Catholicism is riddled with doctrinal errors. If that makes me a rabid Anti-Catholic, then so be it. Frankly, I am pleased to number myself among people like Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron.
...and Jack Chick...
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