Creationism evangelist Kent Hovind, who served nearly nine years in federal prison on tax-related convictions, says the U.S. prison system should be abolished in favor of biblical punishments such as restitution, corporal punishment or execution. Hovind, who is known as “Dr. Dino" and founded Creation Science Evangelism and the former Dinosaur Adventure Land theme park in Pensacola, Florida, made the comments in a recently resurfaced Jan.
30 episode of the “Strength for Life” podcast with Pastor James C. Johnson of NorthStone Baptist Church in Pensacola. In the interview, Hovind, 73, said prisons are not part of God’s law in the Bible and called the modern prison system costly, corrupt and ineffective. “We shouldn’t have prisons at all. Under God’s law, you fine them, beat them or kill them," he said. "There’s no prisons.
The people in prisons in the Bible, the heathen prisons. Under God’s law, the only reason you lock somebody up is for medical reasons. You know, quarantine them for something.” “Under the Bible law, if you steal somebody’s sheep, you pay back four sheep. There’s no jail time. Or if you murder somebody, you get executed,” he said.
“If someone rapes your daughter, you don’t want her to have to watch him in jail for 20 years, hoping, 'oh, he’s going to get out someday.' No, watch him get executed.
Go spit on his grave.” Hovind said such an approach would allow victims to “emotionally heal up that way” and would be “much better for society and much cheaper.” Responding to a request Thursday for clarification on the video, a spokesperson told The Christian Post that Hovind “does not have the time to read or reply to emails.”