Praying for Pete Hendrickson

[Famspear]

From user “1776” at losthorizons:

As all of you know, the legal battle Pete is currently fighting against the corrupt civil lawsuit and the equally outrageous perjury charge is THE battle in our cause. His win in each case will be a major victory for the rule of law and it will put the opposition on defense. In other words, if Pete wins both cases, and I believe he will, then our opponents will have lost the last remaining tools at their disposal to intimidate Americans who properly file their tax returns. Think of that!

Clue: Pete has already lost his civil case. The U.S. Supreme Court will be no help to Pete.

In his latest criminal case, Pete has a slight chance to win an acquittal. But even if he were to be acquitted, that would not change his federal income tax liability, and it would not change the federal income tax liability of any of his followers. It also would not change the fact that Pete’s Cracking the Code scam will always be just that – a scam. The government will never stop going after people who use Pete’s scam, and the government will continue to win these cases.

User “1776” continues:

I'm nobody special, but I want to thank each of you who have contributed financial support to Pete. Your practical expression of assistance has provided not only the much-needed funds required for litigation, but has given Pete and his family a tremendous morale boost. When friends are willing to sarifice [sic] a portion of their hard-earned wealth on your behalf, especially in tough economic times, it says, perhaps better than anything else, that they believe in your cause...and in you. I'm convinced your friendship towards Pete, and the practical manifestations thereof, are a great part of what keeps him going.

I rather doubt that. Actually, Pete’s narcissism is, in part, what keeps him going.

User “1776” continues:

Now, therefore, I would like to ask one more favor from you on behalf of Pete (though he has not asked me to do this.) It is a simple request, but one that I believe is essential. I am asking all Forum members, who are so inclined, to join me in continual prayer for Pete between now and May 15.

I ask for your help in humility, as a person who readily acknowledges his many shortcomings. Indeed, it is my firm belief that everyone in this room is probably a much better human being than me. My only purpose in making this request, therefore, is to plead Pete's case before the Lord as a group, and to corporately acknowledge Him as the source of all blessings. In that way, CtC warriors can continue from victory to victory, secure in the knowledge that the Lord is guiding their steps. As the Bible says, If God be for us, who can be against us?

So, you're going to be praying for Pete so that the CtC tax evasion scam can succeed.

Many (possibly all) of you have been praying on Pete's behalf already. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Just to let you know, and so that I may join my prayers with yours, here is what I plan to do from now until May 15. I will pray for:

1. Victory for Pete and Doreen concerning the corrupt civil lawsuit. (A hearing and favorable judgment from the SC [U.S. Supreme Court] would be perfect.)

2. Victory for Pete concerning the nonsensical "perjury" charge. (And that it will soon be dismissed for lack of evidence and logic.)

3. Peace, wisdom, and strength for Pete and Doreen, throughout this trying time.

4. Victory for the rule of law in regards to taxation in America, and especially in regards to CtC returns.

5. Blessings, true wisdom, and salvation for our opponents. (I am reminded that but for the grace of God, there go I.)

I also plan to fast each Sunday during this time, and I invite anyone who wants to join me to please do so. I usually fast until 5 pm, but that's just me. I realize that prayer and fasting is a highly personal matter, and so I leave it to each individual to decide what's right for them in this regard. I would only observe that earnest prayer, combined with fasting, gets God's attention better than just about anything else. (I'll be fasting on April 19 and 26, and May 3 and 10.)

In closing, let me again say thanks to each of you for your contributions and support on behalf of Pete, both financial and spiritual. This is a battle we can win. With God's help I don't see any other outcome.

http://www.losthorizons.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1657

(some bolding in original; other bolding added).

If I may be so bold as to venture an opinion: It is one thing to pray for Peter and Doreen Hendrickson. I think that’s fine, as a general proposition.

I would argue, however, that the motivation underlying the request for these prayers is corrupt. Are people supposed to pray for Pete and Doreen so that Pete’s tax scam will succeed? Are we to believe that the success of the scam is the Lord’s will, and that we should pray for Pete for that reason? Does merely believing that Pete’s scam is the truth justify the conduct of people who cheat on their taxes using Pete’s scheme? Does God exhort us to follow Pete Hendrickson’s tax scheme?

Why are these people going to be calling on the name of the Lord?

"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

---Matthew 7:21-27 (Rev. Stand. Vers.)

[Imalawman]

At this point, prayer is exactly what Pete needs. He will need divine help in order to avoid incarceration.

[absdes96]

At this point, prayer is exactly what Pete needs. He will need divine help in order to avoid incarceration.

...and/or during incarceration. I understand Bibles are plentiful in prisons.

[Number Six]

I pray PH will come to his senses and get his attorney to make what ever compromise and mercy might be had at this late date.
"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."(Matthew 22:21)
"Has it escaped you that in the eyes of the gods and good men, your native land deserves from you more honor, worship and reverence than your mother and father and all your ancestors? That you should give a softer answer to its anger than to a father's anger? That if you cannot persuade it to alter its mind you must obey it in all quietness, whether it binds you or beats you or sends you to a war where you might get wounds and death?" (Plato, Crito, 51, a,b)
"Part of us is claimed by our country, part by our parents, part by our friends".(Cicero, De Off:1,7)
"Put them in mind to obey magistrates"; "I exhort that prayers be made for kings and all that are in authority"(Titus 3:1;Timothy 2:1,2)

[Gregg]

funny you should bring over those quotes from "1776", because my first thought when I read them was that is was Pete his self doing a little under the radar fund raising.

[LPC]

If I may be so bold as to venture an opinion: It is one thing to pray for Peter and Doreen Hendrickson. I think that’s fine, as a general proposition.

I would argue, however, that the motivation underlying the request for these prayers is corrupt. Are people supposed to pray for Pete and Doreen so that Pete’s tax scam will succeed? Are we to believe that the success of the scam is the Lord’s will, and that we should pray for Pete for that reason? Does merely believing that Pete’s scam is the truth justify the conduct of people who cheat on their taxes using Pete’s scheme? Does God exhort us to follow Pete Hendrickson’s tax scheme?

The Quaker tradition is not to pray "for" someone or something, but to "hold them in the Light," which means to love them and entrust them to God, wishing the best for them according to God's will, but not trying to plan for or expect any particular outcome.

Quakers are humble enough to realize that we can not, and should not, control the future. As stated in the Tao Te Ching, "Trying to control the future is like trying to take the master carpenter's place. When you handle the master carpenter's tools, chances are that you'll cut your hand."

For that reason, I do hold the Hendricksons in the Light, and I do wish for whatever is best for them. Unfortunately, what is best for them might be conviction and a number of years in prison.

Amen. (Which is of Hebrew origin, meaning "so be it.")

[absdes96]

While my first post on this thread was intended to be comical, I do, on a more serious note, agree with Famspear and LPC.

Someone who is truly penitent will receive the consequences of her/his actions and seek to learn from them.

Obviously ring leaders of frauds are deserving of mercy, forgiveness, etc. but that does not mean they are deserving of trust.

Also, I remember having a discussion with one of my Microbiology professors many years ago. While the discussion was about the Evolution v. Creation dichotomy that has emerged in the last century, he said something I will never forget: "One of the worst things any person can be is aggressively ignorant. One of the worst things a person can do is to remain aggressively ignorant in the face of irrefutable evidence and facts."

[Imalawman]

Also, I remember having a discussion with one of my Microbiology professors many years ago. While the discussion was about the Evolution v. Creation dichotomy that has emerged in the last century, he said something I will never forget: "One of the worst things any person can be is aggressively ignorant. One of the worst things a person can do is to remain aggressively ignorant in the face of irrefutable evidence and facts."

Ah, therein lies the rub - there are very few things in life where something will be considered "irrefutable evidence and facts". I've argued, to a judge, that my case was made up of such irrefutable evidence and facts (and really believed it to be so) only to have him/her disagree. If only life were so simple.

[Doktor Avalanche]

If it helps, I'm praying that Pete gets his a** thrown so far under the prison they have to use SONAR to find him.

Is that okay?

[The Operative]

While I do not wish for excessive punishment upon anyone, I do hope that he is convicted and sentenced appropriately. In addition, I hope that, when Pete makes his inevitable appeal of that conviction, the appeals court uses the precise words that 'CtC' followers claim the courts have never spoken. Then, the IRS can send copies of that decision to every person who files 'CtC' to eliminate any good faith belief for any future prosecutions.

[ASITStands]

While I do not wish for excessive punishment upon anyone, I do hope that he is convicted and sentenced appropriately. In addition, I hope that, when Pete makes his inevitable appeal of that conviction, the appeals court uses the precise words that 'CtC' followers claim the courts have never spoken. Then, the IRS can send copies of that decision to every person who files 'CtC' to eliminate any good faith belief for any future prosecutions.

And, what precise words would those be?

I jumped on PalTalk last evening and asked Pete if there was a Docket Number for the Petition for Certiorari at the Supreme Court. The only answer he gave was what he said in the newsletter, "The Court asked for more information," then talked about amicus briefs.

You can read/listen to the recording at the link provided.

And, anyone else struck by the similarity of his voice and phrasing with Barack Obama?

I had never heard the man speak, and it was striking to me how he started/stopped in just the same manner as our esteemed President, replete with the "ums" and "ahs."

No offense to either Pete or Barack! It just sounds like a professor lecturing the People.

[Famspear]

I had never heard the man speak, and it was striking to me how he started/stopped in just the same manner as our esteemed President, replete with the "ums" and "ahs."

No offense to either Pete or Barack! It just sounds like a professor lecturing the People.

No offense to Pete, but it sounds like someone who is unprepared -- someone who isn't sure about what he wants to say.

EDIT: Maybe it's just me, but I don't get that impression with President Obama. He's a very effective speaker.

[Judge Roy Bean]

...

No offense to Pete, but it sounds like someone who is unprepared -- someone who isn't sure about what he wants to say.

EDIT: Maybe it's just me, but I don't get that impression with President Obama. He's a very effective speaker.

Sorry for the diversion from the topic, but from a professional view, when Obama's operating without a script he's less than effective. If you can't answer a question in less than sixty seconds you need to turn and point to someone who you're sure is ready to handle it. Trust me. It's CEO/CFO bootcamp stuff nowadays in the investment world.

Obama's a victim of what we call "the applause factor." It tends to reinforce your belief in what you say. In our current situation, he's got four years no matter what. A CEO who blunders may not have that long.

[Famspear]

...

No offense to Pete, but it sounds like someone who is unprepared -- someone who isn't sure about what he wants to say.

EDIT: Maybe it's just me, but I don't get that impression with President Obama. He's a very effective speaker.

Sorry for the diversion from the topic, but from a professional view, when Obama's operating without a script he's less than effective. If you can't answer a question in less than sixty seconds you need to turn and point to someone who you're sure is ready to handle it. Trust me. It's CEO/CFO bootcamp stuff nowadays in the investment world.

Obama's a victim of what we call "the applause factor." It tends to reinforce your belief in what you say. In our current situation, he's got four years no matter what. A CEO who blunders may not have that long.

Come to think of it, regarding the President's speaking ability, I am thinking of his prepared speeches, with TelePrompter assistance.

I have indeed heard reports that he is less effective when speaking "off the cuff." For some reason I haven't seen many examples of that (maybe it's because for the past few years I rarely actually watch a full news cast on TV).

So, if I were to see President Obama speaking without a TelePrompter, I guess I might possibly have a different view of the President's ability.