If and when the Secret Service visits the offices of Living Waters Ministry in Southern California to collect more "counterfeiting evidence" in the form of gospel tracts disguised as $1 million bills, agents better be armed with a warrant.
Ray Comfort, the world-renowned evangelist and head of the ministry, says he is not inclined to turn over any more copies of one of his most effective tools for witnessing his faith just because some Treasury agents demand them.
Comfort was advised by his attorneys not to hand over the same gospel tracts seized Thursday in a raid on Living Waters' partner ministry in Denton, Texas.
"The thinking is that if agents show a judge a copy of the $1 million tract, he would laugh till he cried and then, after catching his breath, he would thank the agents for a good laugh and then ask them to stop wasting his time," explained Comfort.
The controversy began Thursday about 1 p.m. when Secret Service agents visited the Great News Network in Texas and threatened with arrest Tim Crawford for hiding evidence in a counterfeiting investigation and seized 8,300 gospel tracts designed as "million-dollar bills."
I like how the article handled describing the person who actually went to a bank to try and cash a million dollar check (which don't exist, BTW) as "cognitively challenged"!
Here's a description of the bill that is used as a Bible tract:
The tract also includes this message: "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 in Jesus, and God will grant you everlasting life. Then read your Bible daily and obey it."
The tracts are also clearly marked on the front: "This bill is not legal tender." It also includes the message "Thou Shalt Not Steal," the words "Department of Eternal Affairs" and a picture of President Grover Cleveland, whose image has never appeared on any bill. The website address for the radio program of Comfort and Cameron, "The Way of the Master," is also emblazoned on the "bill."
WorldNetDaily has a poll where you can voice your opinion on this incident. Here are the results as of May 4, 2006 at 7:49 a.m.
What are your thoughts on the Secret Service seizing the 'million-dollar' gospel tracts?
It's Exhibit A for demonstrating how stupid bureaucratic government can be 39.17% (606)
It's further evidence of the creeping persecution of Christians by our government 21.59% (334)
How can anyone be charged with counterfeiting something that's not real? 12.09% (187)
I hope somebody wins a real million dollars for having their constitutional rights violated 10.99% (170)
It's a wake-up call to Christians to learn and exercise their constitutional rights 9.63% (149)
If the publishers are truly Christian, they'll submit to whatever the authorities say like the Book of Romans requires 1.62% (25)
I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding that will be cleared up soon 1.42% (22)
The publisher of the deceptive tract got caught by his own cleverness 1.23% (19)
If citizens are being fooled into thinking it's real currency, the government has to act 1.23% (19)
Other 1.03% (16)
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TOTAL VOTES: 1547
But hey! This incident will result in some good for the Kingdom of Christ! As a result of the controversy, which was first reported by WND yesterday, there has been a "run" on demand for the million-dollar tracts. Living Waters' website was nearly incapacitated by the number of orders for the tract from the public.
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