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Million-Dollar Bill Tracts Seized
Status: Strange News
image Earlier this month the Secret Service raided the offices of the Great News Network (a Texas ministry) and seized 8300 inspirational tracts. The problem with the tracts? They were printed on million-dollar bills. I would say fake million-dollar bills, but since there's no such thing as real million-dollar bills, there can't exactly be fake ones either. However, the Secret Service felt they looked a little bit too much like real currency for comfort. Reportedly someone had tried to deposit one at a bank. Meanwhile, the Great News Network isn't happy and is threatening to sue the government. But they should realize the government has an extremely low tolerance for any kind of fake currency. Witness the case of J.S.G. Boggs (whom I write about in Hippo Eats Dwarf). He's an artist who creates counterfeit currency as art, though his bills are single-sided, so they're not likely to be mistaken for actual money. Nevertheless, the Secret Service raided his studio back in 1992 and seized thousands of his works, and haven't returned them to this day.

Incidentally, here's the tract that was written on the million-dollar bills. (You can try to purchase the bills here):
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.
(Thanks to Joe for the link)
Categories: Business/Finance, Religion
Posted by Alex on Tue Jun 13, 2006
Comments (114)
More from the Hoax Museum Archives:
Also, Sekano, you have one on your side, Charybdis in Hell. You proclaiming yourself as a Christian, should you not help your friend out of hell? Something to think about.

Instead of putting down the way God may get His WORD out, by these tracts, and HE uses many different avenues, you should be a participate in the proclaimation.
Posted by Guy  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  04:26 PM
James 4:6, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

Even if Jesus Christ would stand before you guys, you still would not hear Him. You have made up your minds how God must do things, and because of that you will miss out on His Mercy and Grace.

Only one who has been broken from their old ways can see the workings of God. Even HIM using tracts to reach to those who are heading towards eternal damnation. Humble yourselves, and know God and His workings.

I am not a very smart man, but I do know my GOD.
Posted by Guy  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  04:38 PM
Sorry Sekano, I was going to let this go but I could not pass this up. You quoted as saying "Yeah it may work for 1 or 2 people out of the thousands ". Would it not be worth all the tracks in the world to save even just one sinner from entering hell for eternity. You may say no. Well God gave the most presious He had, His own Son. I believe that if we printed tracks for 2000 years and handed out to every person on this earth and only one would come to know Christ because of it would be worth it.

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Posted by Guy  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  05:06 PM
Let me take the opportunity that He sent His Son, Jesus, to Earth. He didn't pour fake money down from Heaven that said "Thou shalt go to church, for thou art greedy." 😉 Obviously He didn't find them very effective either.
Posted by Sakano  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  05:11 PM
Well, Jesus also didn't use radio, or television or the internet. Are you going to try to say that He must not have found these very effective either? Just because Jesus didn't use a method doesn't mean that He didn't approve of it or find it effective. Different people are influenced by different methods. This is what makes the world an interesting place. One Christian will not use every method. Each Christian uses the methods that he feels comfortable with. Then we let God bring about the results. One Christian plants the seed in a persons heart, another comes along and waters it. God brings things into a persons life to cause the seed to grow. God is the one that actually saves a person. God gets the glory for it, not us. We do it for God, because we love Him and want everyone to come to a saving knowledgge of Christ. Every person that becomes a Christian is one less that Satan will get. You don't have to pass out tracts. How are you trying to bring people to Christ? Jesus didn't ask us to go out into all the world and tell them how to become Christians, He told us to. It is a Christians job to do Gods will in his life. Nothing else really matters in a Christians life. If something is more important than God and His will for your life, you can not please God.
Posted by Earl  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  06:30 PM
John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth."

Sakano, you sound just like me before I came to know Christ as my personal Savior. I was religious; actually I was Roman Catholic. I even thought of going into the priesthood. I looked at my own religious works as my way to God Ephesians 2:8-9..

The Bible to me was just a religious book with stories of the past in it. I never studied it during that time I was a catholic. So it really did not have an impact on my life. Not until the Holy Spirit began to draw me to Christ. It started as friends of mine began to point out certain teachings of the Bible. I began to read and study the Bible and ask The Lord to show me TRUTH in it. As I began to study it, The Lord began to speak to me through it. I finally humbled myself and admitted to God I was far from Him with my sins and I turned from my sins, asked Christ for forgiveness, asked Him to be my Lord and Savior. I began to follow Him (The Word of God). And forsook my religion. It actually kept me further away from God. It was a humbling experience.

The tracts that are given out has the WORD of GOD on them and is JESUS HIMSELF. By accepting The Word of God we have in the Bible, we accept Jesus in our lives. You say you are a Christian, I don
Posted by Guy  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  07:47 PM
Blah blah blah. I'm bored of arguing with you. It's obvious that no matter how much anyone tries to talk sense into you guys, you're just going to justify yourself by saying "I HAVE JESUS BEHIND ME!!" Sadly, this is the case with many Christians. They get so convinced that what they're doing is right and the will of God that they can't take a step back and look at things rationally. They also automatically assume anyone who disagrees with them is against God. It's pretty tiresome, and there's no winning with someone who has become that stubborn and closed minded.
Posted by Sakano  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  05:45 AM
Talk about closed minded. "Rationally" is doing what God wants and not making excuses or putting down those who are trying to do Gods will. You even claim to be a Christian but you are against telling other people about how they can go to Heaven when they die. It is obvoius that you don't care about other peoples souls. You may consider yourself a Christian, but your words say the opposite. What will you say to God on judgement day when He wants to know why you wouldn't do His will? What are you going to tell your friends and family on their way to Hell when they want to know why you didn't tell them how to go to Heaven? Will you say that you didn't think it mattered? You didn't want them to think you were one of those fanatics? When your friends and family are in Hell and you are sitting in Heaven, they will HATE your guts because you could have saved them from an eternity of suffering and pain. This is what it all comes down to. You are not against God because you disagree with me. You are against God because you refuse to do His will and try to make others feel bad about doing Gods will and trying to help others into Gods kingdom. I can show many verses in the Bible that tell us to share the gospel with others. You can not show me a single verse that says to sit back and let the world go to Hell like you are doing. You can not show a single verse that says to try to discourage people from sharing Gods word with others. Your own words condemn you. If you really are a Christian, you are not a happy one. I know this because you can not fight against Gods will and be happy. If you are not a Christian, God may be trying to tell you thay you need to change your life and live for Him. Either way, you need to make some changes in your life because right now you are not doing God any favors. You are not doing anyone else any favors. The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:13 that we can know that we have everlasting life. If a person deosn't know they are going to Heaven whren they die, there is a good chance that they won't go there. That's because God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants us to have confidence that we are safe in Him and His salvation. Trust in God, not yourself. Only the Blood of Jesus can save your sins. Not going to church, living a good life, or anything else that you can think of.
Posted by Earl  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  08:13 AM
Ahem.

At the risk of getting back to the topic, you still haven't explained how it's moral to prey upon a person's needs. Do the ends actually justify the means in your beliefs?

I'll refrain from the second part of my comment until after I see your response, Earl.

Guy, you're crossing the boundary into incoherence.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  08:35 AM
Please keep to the topic in the original post, guys.
Also, personal attacks are NOT appropriate around here.
You have been warned.

-Moderator
Posted by Boo  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  08:41 AM
Also lets remember that these $1,000,000 dollar tracts are not deceptive. There is no such currency as a million dollar bill. Do you know that Toy's R Us and other retail places sale play money like this. But I do not hear you attacking them. According to you, these stores would be deceiving our children. Come ON
Posted by Guy  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  10:09 AM
Don't bother asking, Charybdis. They'll just quote the Bible at you and babble about your soul some more.

Maybe we should let this topic die. The argument's been going on for long enough. At least I'm going to bow out. I've wasted enough time and rolled my eyes enough for one topic, I think. :lol:
Posted by Sakano  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  11:38 AM
Ahem, The original topic was about passing out million dollar tracts. These tracts couldn't be conterfeit since there is no such thing as a million dollar bill. The bill says right on the front of it "This note is not legal tender for all debts public and private". The back of the bill can not even come close to passing as a real bill. Let's see now. You talk about taking advantage of a persons needs. There is no greater need than salvation. You don't like tracts, but you haven't told us how you soul witness to your friends and family. Some of us have told you that we do feed the hungry and talk to them about God. You don't like that either. Your whole argument is that we need to feed them and help them physically. We are doing that and helping them spiritually. You still put us down for helping them. If I only fed them or put gas in their car you wouldn't care. Something about telling them how they can go to Heaven really bothers you. Tracts really do work. I got those $10 money tracts from Make it Clear and as I told you that I would do, I watched to see how people reacted. So far they love the tract. At one restraunt three of the employees were reading the tract and thought it was great. One of them said he was going to play a joke on one of his friends with it. This afternoon a lady pickked it up and told the people with her that she loved these things. She said that people put messages on it for you. She looked at it and them put it in her pocket. No one got mad at it or cursed. So far everyone has liked them. I will continue to see if I find anyone that is offended by it. I don't know if these tracts will help to save a soul but it looks like they may get Gods word out to quite a few people since they want to show them to their friends. It looks like a cute way to share Gods word. If I see otherwise I may change my mind.
Posted by Earl  on  Fri Jul 28, 2006  at  06:42 PM
I work with the elderly, during our community activities I have given out some of these million dollar bills. I told them that there was a Gospel Message on the back of them. Not one got offended. I also use the wallet tracts everywhere. The one I like the best is the curved illusion tract. Not only do people not get offended at these tracts, but they ask for more so they can give away.

They were purchased at http://www.livingwaters.com

I have been purchasing tracts from them for years now. Also http://www.chick.com has some Gospel tracts that are interesting.

Like I stated before, The Lord used a tract years agoe to get my attention, so I feel they are affective. Only the Holy Spirit can draw men, but He can use what He so desires to do so. Even if it is a talking donkey.
Posted by Guy  on  Sat Jul 29, 2006  at  11:21 AM
Sorry Guy but passing out tracts at a community center to people who already know what they are isn't the same as preying on the needy, which is my argument. Let's say these people were destitute and you told them you were giving them money instead. Do you think they wouldn't have been offended then?

And don't even get started on chick tracts. They're nothing more than a source of almost pure hatred, paranoia, and fear.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Sun Jul 30, 2006  at  07:48 AM
Charybdis in Hell - People at a community center need Jesus just the same as other people. They don't necessarily know about God. Many people just go there to meet other people. My father in law goes to the local community center all the time and it is anything but Christian. Just a lot of elderly people that like to hang out and have fun. They go on trips to different places by bus. Some of them are poor and can't go on the trips. Many go there because they can get a good meal for $1 or so. They give a donation and if they can't pay anything, they don't pay. Guy didn't tell these people that he was giving them money. He told them he was giving them tracts. We can "what if" all day and come up with all kinds of situations. You and Sakano keep comming up with "what ifs" for your arguments. Guy keeps coming up with real stories for his situations. Quite a difference in the weight of the arguement. As for the chick tracts, I don't like them myself so I don't use them. Some people like them so they use them. Isn't America great? Better yet, you don't have to read them. Espically since you can see one from 20 feet away and know it is a chick tract. You don't even have to go near it. It is that way with any tract. You don't have to read any tract. You can just ignore it if you want to. How about if Guy just gives out the money tracts to places where only rich greedy people hang out? That way they the greedy people get what they deserve when they are dissapointed. Maybe they will even get saved and start giving their money to the poor. That sounds like a pretty good way to do it to me. See what you all think about this.
Posted by Earl  on  Sun Jul 30, 2006  at  11:10 AM
Earl, I'll put this simply so you can understand it.

The topic is about tracts printed on fake money, not people in a community center finding Jesus.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Mon Jul 31, 2006  at  10:08 AM
Charybdis in Hell, I'm typing this slow just for you. Guy passed out money tracts (Just read his post again) to the people in the community center and they weren't offended. I told how that the people that I observed picking up the $10 tracts (also fake money) loved them. I believe that you are offended by them even though you have never found one. At least you have never told us how you found one and it distroyed your life. I pointed out that the needy go to these community centers. You should have jumped on that one since they are the ones that you are trying to defend. I even pointed out that I don't care for the chick tracts. You should be very happy with my posts about now. I guess that you are upset because I pointed out that your "what if" arguments for Guy just dont hold water. I don't think the needy people are so stupid as to be fooled by a "fake" million dollar bill tracts. I give people credit for having more brains than you do. If I were a needy person, I would be offended by your posts.
Posted by Earl  on  Mon Jul 31, 2006  at  07:14 PM
Oh god.. I *HATE* these things.. with a loathing, burning passion.. They're not the first to use the 'fake money' tract, and likely will not be the last.

There I was, several years ago.. I was utterly broke, homeless and hungry. Things were pretty bleak.

Then, one afternoon, I see a neatly-folded $20 in the bushes outside a small restraunt. I could not beleive my luck! This meant enough food that I could stave off starvation for another week, and possibly treat myself to a bit of Real Food for a change..

Then my heart fell a bit.. Surely someone would miss having dropped a twenty. Even as desperate as I was, it wouldn't be right. I looked around a little, trying to see if anyone was nearby who might have dropped it.. but nobody else was near, so my heart lifted again.. I walked towards the local grocery store with a spring in my step, visions of a decent dinner floating in my head..

Halfway there, I noticed the bill was a bit odd.. too stiff and slick.. I unfolded it, and my heart fell.. The tract was designed so that, when folded into quarters, it exactly resembled a $20, but when unfolded, chided the bearer for their greed and promised a 'treasure greater than money' at the local church.

I collapsed on a bench and nearly cried that someone would come up with something so *cruel*.. that in my hour of greatest need, I'd had that which I needed most dangled before me, then cruelly yanked away..
Posted by Robin Bobcat on Tue Jun 13, 2006 at 05:43 PM


That doesn't sound like a "what-if" to me.
Posted by Sakano  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  05:36 AM
Earl, he passed them out to people who already knew what they were.

My argument is that you're preying on the needy. These are people who think they see money on the ground, then discover they're fake bills designed to teach them about God.

I'm sorry, but that is so immoral that it just disgusts me. Once again - the ends do not justify the means, even if you're a Christian.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  08:44 AM
Sakano, I have been wondering about something ever since you mentioned it earlier. How do we know that you and Charybdis in Hell are not the same person. How far do we take this one? Could you also be Robin Bobcat? If not and she was so bad off, why didn't she go ask someone for help. Earl has pointed out there are places to go for a meal.
Posted by Julia  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  01:13 PM
How do we know that you and Charybdis in Hell are not the same person.

Because I've been on this site for quite some time. http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/forums/member/13/ That's my profile. Unless Charybdis knew he was going to be getting into a religious argument on a topic about tracts, I don't see why he would have any need for a ghostnic. While I'm not a "regular" on this site and don't talk in the forums very much, I leave comments all the time. Which is more than I can say for Guy and Earl...who only post in this topic, and who have a similar writing style.

Robin Bobcat is a member on the message boards and she talks on them a lot. You can check out her profile here: http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/forums/member/1647/ She joined way before this argument started.
Posted by Sakano  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  05:46 PM
The ones who give out these tracts do it for one purpose. I stated this earlier "Because of LOVE". No other as suggested. Why would someone hand out these $1,000,000 bills otherwise. They must purchase them, then they hand them out because they care for others in this world. Their heart has no other motive than this. They just want to share the LOVE that God revealed through HIS SON. If I lived after the selfishness of my flesh, I would not care about anyone else, I would not hand out these $1,000,000 nor any other tract for thaat matter. I would not give to aid the poor nor pray for them. All I would do is fulfill my own desires at the expense of others not caring about any other person upon the face of this planet. But I give these tracts OUT OF LOVE, no other purpose.
Posted by Guy  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  05:47 PM
Sakano
I like you, I really do. I know you might consider this inapropriate, but can I ask your age? And are you married and/ or have children?

I am just trying to understand why you come against this so much. I assure you I do not mean any disrespect. I would give any information you ask of me.

I hope you don't get offended at me asking.
Posted by Guy  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  05:53 PM
Sakano

Believe this or not, but I and Earl are not the same person. He seems to be more Intelligent than I am through his comments, and I am sure he probably is better looking than I am and seems to be more patient than I.
Posted by Guy  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  06:35 PM
You're member 13, Sakano? Cool, I'm member 12 myself! I think we're the two oldest members still posting, other than Alex. Which probably means we're in cahoots.

Guy, these tracts are made to deceive, at least initially. Are you deceiving out of love? Isn't that wrong? Why wouldn't you just use a normal piece of paper? It has to be cheaper.

It's not because you're using bait to lure them in, is it?
Posted by Charybdis  on  Tue Aug 01, 2006  at  08:51 PM
Charybdis in Hell

It is $1,000,000 bill, there is no such currency as this, how could it be deceiving? The tract begans on the back as "The million dollar question". Why not use a regular piece of paper? We do at times, and other times we use something that is eye catching. These 1,000,000 bills are attractive to some people, not becasue they believe it is real currency, just because they are attractive.

Attention getters, look everywhere in advertizing, there everywhere to grab the attention of the person. Look at telivision advertisements, newspaper advertisements, magazine advertisements and so forth, they are everywhere to get the attention of the person. Many different ways to grab the attention to people.

Where I work, I must do marketing almost daily, we must go to different businesses and put out flyers, each month is a different theme to get the attention of the people to stop and take a look at what we offer. Many people wear T-Shirts with colorful sayings to get their point across.

The $1,000,000 is just an attention getter to get ones attention for a moment to at lease hear what the gospel is. Faith comes by hearing.
Posted by Guy  on  Wed Aug 02, 2006  at  04:35 AM
Because from a distance you can't tell it's a fake bill. I looks like a real one lying on the road ten feet in front of you.

I'm well aware it's an attention getter. I still think it's immoral. Using deceit to spread the word of God just seems wrong to me, but I'm sure you've rationalized it to the point that you're not committing a sin.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Wed Aug 02, 2006  at  10:11 AM
Oh, and I just love how you compare spreading the word of God to advertising. I couldn't have put it better myself. :lol:
Posted by Charybdis  on  Wed Aug 02, 2006  at  10:12 AM
Here is the Webster's Dictionary of Advertise

Definition of Advertise
Ad`ver`tise
Posted by Guy  on  Wed Aug 02, 2006  at  06:36 PM
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