Difference between revisions of "Kent Hovind"

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'''Kent Hovind''' (born 1953), called "Dr. Dino" because his purported expertise is in dinosaurs, is a prominent and controversial [[Young Earth Creationism|young Earth creationist]].
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[[File:KentHovind.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Kent Hovind giving a presentation]]
He founded [[Creation Science Evangelism Ministry]] in 1989<ref>http://www.drdino.com/</ref> and has a doctoral degree in Christian education from [[Patriot University]].
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'''Dr. Kent Hovind''' (born 1953), commonly called "Dr. Dino", is a prominent and controversial [[Young Earth Creationism|young Earth creationist]]. He founded Creation Science Evangelism in 1989<ref>http://www.drdino.com/</ref> and has a doctoral degree in Christian education from [[Patriot University]].
  
In 2001, Hovind opened a theme park in Pensacola, Florida called [[Dinosaur Adventure Land]], filled with exhibits putting forth a case for Young Earth Creationism.
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In 2001, Hovind opened a theme park in Pensacola, Florida called Dinosaur Adventure Land, filled with exhibits explaining God's Creation.
  
== Controversy ==
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On January 19, 2007, Hovind was sentenced to 10 years in prison on 58 federal accounts of offenses including structuring (taking a certain amount of money from his bank account to give to his ministry) and obstructing a federal agent (a charge he received after telling an agent he would pray for him). Hovind was released on July 8, 2015. His unjust internment was more likely for political reasons than for actual crimes.<ref>Freekenthovind.com, which no longer exists</ref>
  
Critics of Hovind question the quality of his doctoral thesis and the academic standards of the university from which he received it, believing both to be subpar for institutions of higher learning.<ref>[http://chem.tufts.edu/science/Stear-NoAiG/no-AiG/bartelt_dissertation_on_hovind_thesis.htm Karen Bartelt, Ph.D. "The Dissertation Kent Hovind Doesn't Want You To Read."]</ref>
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Hovind was inducted into the Creation Science Hall of Fame for his ability to make complex topics easy to understand, and for his persistent and large evangelism efforts.<ref>http://creationsciencehalloffame.org/inductees/living/kent-hovind/</ref> He has debated countless evolutionists, and challenged to debate [[Richard Dawkins]] and [[Bill Nye]].
  
Hovind has been criticized by fellow Young Earth Creationists for repeatedly using arguments that are unsound both Biblically and scientifically.<ref>Wieland, Carl, Ham, Ken, and Sarfati, Jonathan, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/2571/ Maintaining Creationist Integrity] October 2002</ref>
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Hovind is a member of the [[King James Version Only]] community. A loud flat-Earth community group consistently tries to make him believe the Earth is flat. So much so, that he has had to release a series of YouTube videos proving the Earth is a globe that goes around the Sun.  
  
He is currently serving a ten-year term in U.S. federal prison for 58 tax offenses, obstructing federal agents and related charges.<ref>''"10 years for 'Dr. Dino'"'', Michael Stewart. Pensacola News Journal, 19 January 19, 2007</ref>
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== Criticism ==
Hovind has maintained that there should have been no taxes because he runs a religious organization.
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Hovind, with his son Eric Hovind, had released a set of videos titled "Answering the Critics" whereby they answered some common criticisms of themselves, usually from Internet sources.  Hovind claimed he did not want to answer all the critics because he believed many critics criticize him without wanting to get any answers from him, so it was best to ignore them and continue preaching to those who really want to listen.<ref>Answering the Critics #1</ref>
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Dr. Karen Bartelt, a critic of Hovind, questions the quality of his doctoral thesis and the academic standards of the university from which he received it, believing both to be subpar for institutions of higher learning.<ref>[http://chem.tufts.edu/science/Stear-NoAiG/no-AiG/bartelt_dissertation_on_hovind_thesis.htm Karen Bartelt, Ph.D. "The Dissertation Kent Hovind Doesn't Want You To Read."]</ref> In 2009, Hovind's thesis was leaked to the public, with the content matching Bartelt's review.<ref>http://foo.ca/wp/2009/12/10/kent-hovinds-dissertation-for-doctor-of-philosophy-in-christian-education-full-text/</ref> Patriot University has stated that they were tricked into releasing the thesis by people claiming to be supporters, claiming the work was not a final copy, and that they do not release final copies.<ref>http://www.patriotuniversity.com/PriceOfTruth3.html</ref>
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Hovind has been criticized by fellow Young Earth Creationists for supposedly using arguments that are unsound both Biblically and scientifically.<ref>Wieland, Carl, Ham, Ken, and Sarfati, Jonathan, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/2571/ Maintaining Creationist Integrity] October 2002</ref>
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 +
Hovind, with his son Eric Hovind, had released a set of videos titled "Answering the Critics" whereby they answered some common criticisms of themselves, usually from internet sources.  Hovind claimed he did not want to answer all the critics because he believed many critics criticize him without wanting to get any answers from him, so it was best to ignore them and continue preaching to those who really want to listen.<ref>Answering the Critics #1</ref>
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In 2007, an [[Atheism|atheist]] group known for posting Hovind-critical videos on [[YouTube]] was banned from the site due to [[DMCA]] notices sent by Creation Science Evangelism. CSE had released videos made prior to 2005 into the [[public domain]], and sending DMCA notices over public domain material is illegal. Later, Hovind requested that YouTube remove the ban on public domain material, with Hovind retaining his copyright on future videos.<ref>http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2007/09/dr-dino-uses-dmca-takedowns-on-critics-admits-to-mistakes.ars</ref><ref>http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/09/youtube-support/</ref><ref>http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/news/2007/09/youtube_dmca</ref>
  
 
== $250,000 Offer ==
 
== $250,000 Offer ==
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Contributors at [[Talk.origins|TalkOrigins]], a pro-evolution web-site, have pointed out that Hovind's challenge includes not just biological evolution but also [[abiogenesis]], [[cosmology]] and other things, and have claimed that the challenge is worded in a way that makes it impossible to fulfill since it requires proving the negative statement that "evolution" is the only possible explanation for the existence of life.<ref>Isaak, Mark, (Ed.) [http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CA/CA341.html Claim CA341], 2006</ref>
 
Contributors at [[Talk.origins|TalkOrigins]], a pro-evolution web-site, have pointed out that Hovind's challenge includes not just biological evolution but also [[abiogenesis]], [[cosmology]] and other things, and have claimed that the challenge is worded in a way that makes it impossible to fulfill since it requires proving the negative statement that "evolution" is the only possible explanation for the existence of life.<ref>Isaak, Mark, (Ed.) [http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CA/CA341.html Claim CA341], 2006</ref>
  
== External link ==
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== External links ==
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*[http://www.drdino.com/ Creation Science Evangelism] Official home page (DrDino.com)
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*[http://foo.ca/wp/2009/12/10/kent-hovinds-dissertation-for-doctor-of-philosophy-in-christian-education-full-text/ Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Education] Full text of Hovind's dissertation
 
*[http://www.archive.org/details/KentHovind_Part1_HowOldIsTheEarth How Old Is The Earth?]
 
*[http://www.archive.org/details/KentHovind_Part1_HowOldIsTheEarth How Old Is The Earth?]
  
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[[Category:Young Earth Creationists]]
 
[[Category:Young Earth Creationists]]
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[[Category: Christian Apologists]]

Revision as of 02:02, December 12, 2016

Kent Hovind giving a presentation

Dr. Kent Hovind (born 1953), commonly called "Dr. Dino", is a prominent and controversial young Earth creationist. He founded Creation Science Evangelism in 1989[1] and has a doctoral degree in Christian education from Patriot University.

In 2001, Hovind opened a theme park in Pensacola, Florida called Dinosaur Adventure Land, filled with exhibits explaining God's Creation.

On January 19, 2007, Hovind was sentenced to 10 years in prison on 58 federal accounts of offenses including structuring (taking a certain amount of money from his bank account to give to his ministry) and obstructing a federal agent (a charge he received after telling an agent he would pray for him). Hovind was released on July 8, 2015. His unjust internment was more likely for political reasons than for actual crimes.[2]

Hovind was inducted into the Creation Science Hall of Fame for his ability to make complex topics easy to understand, and for his persistent and large evangelism efforts.[3] He has debated countless evolutionists, and challenged to debate Richard Dawkins and Bill Nye.

Hovind is a member of the King James Version Only community. A loud flat-Earth community group consistently tries to make him believe the Earth is flat. So much so, that he has had to release a series of YouTube videos proving the Earth is a globe that goes around the Sun.

Criticism

Dr. Karen Bartelt, a critic of Hovind, questions the quality of his doctoral thesis and the academic standards of the university from which he received it, believing both to be subpar for institutions of higher learning.[4] In 2009, Hovind's thesis was leaked to the public, with the content matching Bartelt's review.[5] Patriot University has stated that they were tricked into releasing the thesis by people claiming to be supporters, claiming the work was not a final copy, and that they do not release final copies.[6]

Hovind has been criticized by fellow Young Earth Creationists for supposedly using arguments that are unsound both Biblically and scientifically.[7]

Hovind, with his son Eric Hovind, had released a set of videos titled "Answering the Critics" whereby they answered some common criticisms of themselves, usually from internet sources. Hovind claimed he did not want to answer all the critics because he believed many critics criticize him without wanting to get any answers from him, so it was best to ignore them and continue preaching to those who really want to listen.[8]

In 2007, an atheist group known for posting Hovind-critical videos on YouTube was banned from the site due to DMCA notices sent by Creation Science Evangelism. CSE had released videos made prior to 2005 into the public domain, and sending DMCA notices over public domain material is illegal. Later, Hovind requested that YouTube remove the ban on public domain material, with Hovind retaining his copyright on future videos.[9][10][11]

$250,000 Offer

Hovind is well known for his standing US$250,000 offer to anyone who can "prove evolution".[12] The offer has gone unclaimed. Contributors at TalkOrigins, a pro-evolution web-site, have pointed out that Hovind's challenge includes not just biological evolution but also abiogenesis, cosmology and other things, and have claimed that the challenge is worded in a way that makes it impossible to fulfill since it requires proving the negative statement that "evolution" is the only possible explanation for the existence of life.[13]

External links

References

  1. http://www.drdino.com/
  2. Freekenthovind.com, which no longer exists
  3. http://creationsciencehalloffame.org/inductees/living/kent-hovind/
  4. Karen Bartelt, Ph.D. "The Dissertation Kent Hovind Doesn't Want You To Read."
  5. http://foo.ca/wp/2009/12/10/kent-hovinds-dissertation-for-doctor-of-philosophy-in-christian-education-full-text/
  6. http://www.patriotuniversity.com/PriceOfTruth3.html
  7. Wieland, Carl, Ham, Ken, and Sarfati, Jonathan, Maintaining Creationist Integrity October 2002
  8. Answering the Critics #1
  9. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2007/09/dr-dino-uses-dmca-takedowns-on-critics-admits-to-mistakes.ars
  10. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/09/youtube-support/
  11. http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/news/2007/09/youtube_dmca
  12. http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=67
  13. Isaak, Mark, (Ed.) Claim CA341, 2006