Dear Friends,                                                               October 27, 2002

My name is Aubrey Vaughan. I have been the Pastor at the Grace Baptist Church in Houston, Texas for over 22 years. I graduated from Tennessee Temple University in 1978 and have been preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for over 37 years.

Recently I went to jail for the first time in my 58 years of living in the continental United States of America because of my sincerely held religious belief that the Social Security Number (SSN) is the fore-runner and indeed is the mark of the Beast as described in Revelation 13:11-18. It is not required in the forehead or hand yet. The jail time was about three and one half days.

As a Pastor I rescinded the SSN in 1984 after the Federal Government caused us to study the Social Security Tax placed on the Churches in America. Our Church studied and concluded that the Church could not pay a tax nor be a tax collector for the government and at the same time maintain the Lordship of Jesus Christ over His Church. At that time I developed a conviction that I had been sinning against the True God of the Bible in personally participating with the Social Security System. I asked God for forgiveness and repented by communicating to the Internal Revenue Service at the time that I had a religious objection to SSN. The SSN has become the number in buying and selling in the continental United States. It is being used as a national ID card with out being called a national ID card. I preach, exhort, and encourage all people, especially the youth, to reject the Socialistic System with its numbers. It is apparent that all do not have the faith to do so. God is ever merciful to those who
do not have the faith to do so. Faith must come from God. I am fighting the battle against the SSN for many who do not have the ability to do so at this time.  I do not judge them falsely for not taking my same stand, to his own Master he standeth or falleth. Many do not understand what I am doing and I ask for the same type of judgment from them who do not understand the scriptures that reject the Socialistic economic system. God has an economic system and Satan has an economic system. The SSN is that part of the System that God has given me the faith to reject and stand against. God help me and each one to surrender all to His perfect will no matter the cost.

The catalyst for the Texas Department of Public Safety (D.P.S.) having me locked up is over the Texas Driver’s License. In 1992 the D.P.S. began to enforce its rule concerning the SSN and denied the renewing of my  License. All drivers were forced to provide a SSN in order to obtain or renew their License. The D.P.S. reason was to catch the supposed “Dead Beat Dads”. Many people knew it was because of the coming Federal law that would cut off the federal funds to the State if they did not capture the SSN. The rule was made “law” in Texas by the Texas Legislature in 1997. It is interesting to study the Texas Driver’s License Act beginning in 1935. Here is an excerpt from the Appeal we submitted to the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals.

 “The Court should consider the constitutionality of the case since the Common Law duty has been recognized in Texas Appeals Courts see State v. Anderson, 26S.W.2d 174, 119 Tex. 110, 69 A.L.R.233. and Manning v. Block 322 S.W. 2d 651, ref. n. r. e. The appellant has been forced to drive under the Common Law and has not made any contracts with the State of Texas and is therefore not under its jurisdiction in the matter of driving an automobile on the roadways in the State.  A motor vehicle has been defined as a vehicle that is used for commercial purposes, which would bring that vehicle under the Uniform commercial Code.  Driving an automobile puts that automobile under the common law, which is distinguished from the statue law.  In this case the Common Law Duty would be the Least restrictive means for government's compelling interest see 42 U.S.C. 2000bb Sec. 3 (b) (1) (2) (c), In Miller v. U.S., 230 Fed 486,489 11

 "The claim and exercise of a constitutional right cannot be converted into a crime."

The appellant had no other recourse than to assert the basic right to drive (travel) under the common law.  Since driving on the states roadways is necessary in traveling in today’s society, the appellant’s right to travel and the right to drive is the same and cannot be converted into a crime.

In 1935 the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Driver’s License statue, which exceeded its “Legislative Jurisdiction” by
attempting to transfer a right into a privilege. At that time some freedom loving legislators included the words “right to drive” in sec. 17

“Any person denied a license by the Department shall have the right to file a petition in the county court... to determine whether the petitioner is entitled to the right to drive a motor vehicle on the highways of this state....”

Texas drivers had driven for over 30 years on the public highways without any license.  They looked upon their rights to drive as an unalienable right from God and could not be transferred.

In 1937 the legislature took out the phrase “right to drive” and in 1997 added the words “the privilege of a person to operate a
motor vehicle....”.  After sixty years the people had lost their understanding of their “right to drive” and the legislature stated that driving was a privilege and not a right.  A right to drive did exist before 1935 and before the national “law” of socialism came into being in this country.   The right to drive did exit then, and since that is true it still exists now.  A right cannot be converted into a privilege by the legislature.  Rights are inviolable and are secured in America by the Constitution.”

Most people do not understand a privilege is something the government benevolently bestows on its subjects. A right is something the True God of the Bible gives to the people he created on this earth.

My contention with the D.P.S. is over the matter of requiring an individual person to produce a SSN in order to
practice his right to drive.

I attempted to renew my Texas Driver's License in October of 1992.  The Texas Department of Public Safety told me at the time that I would have to provide a Social Security Number in order to renew my License.  I explained that I had a religious objection to the Social Security System including the Social Security Number.  The following briefly states some of those objections:

The Bible teaches ... "that if any would not work, neither should he eat." II Thessalonians 3: 10 In Psalms 128:2 God teaches, "For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands....  Socialism is an economic theory where government owns the major industries of any nation and only allows private individuals to labour under regulation.  The people basically work for the state and not for themselves.

The Social Security System is a part of socialism that takes from one by coercion and gives to another even if that one does not work.

It has its roots in Marxism where the state is supposed to bring in a classless society without God.  Socialism is man's self-religious effort to bring in a Kingdom of man's goodness without God.  It is doomed to fail.

Socialism is the same as Babylonianism revealed in the scriptures as a socio-economic, political, religious system that
exits and functions in contradistinction and / or in conflict with God's law Word and orderly way.

God tells the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to come out of the Babylonian system in Revelation 18:4 Political socialism produces tyrants like Hitler and Stalin.  Socialism is immoral because it forces one to give against his will that is "legal" theft.  Socialism is anti-christ because it forces all who buy or sell to use a number (666) as recorded in Revelation 13:11-18.

The Department denied issuing a License without the SSN.  I have a religious conviction against the Social Security
System and must not sin through violating the faith by participating with an anti-christ system of numbers.  The rule
was made "law" in Texas on February 3,1997. I received a citation in 1998 for no valid Texas Driver’s license. A jury
trial in the Justice of the Peace Court (J.P.) resulted in a conviction and appeal to a higher court, which resulted in a
County Court at law conviction through a judge trial. The case was appealed to the State Appeals Court in the year
2000. The Appeals Court waited after a Texas Attorney General’s opinion in 2001 stating the Federal or State statue
does not require a person who does not have an SSN to provide one in order to obtain a Texas State Driver’s license.
In 2002 the Appeals Court ruled that since I rescinded my old number and did not have a number my case was based
on a faulty premise and ruled in favor of the State since I did not need to provide a number in order to get my license.

On September 25, 2002 I attempted to get a License from the D.P.S. as per the Attorney general’s opinion and the D.P.S. denied my affidavit. Now, I have sent a 60-day letter to the D.P.S. for them to correct the problem or face legal battles for discriminating against my religious convictions.

The attached forms show some of those facts. This is a brief summary of the reason I was placed in Jail. Since I did not pay the fines I sat in jail for $62.50 a day until the fines were exhausted. I still must face the J.P. fines. I hope the new judge will dismiss the fines since the first J.P. that caused me much grief is no longer in office. Some heard about my jail time and prayed for me. I truly appreciate the calls, prayers, and attempts to help. For those that did not here I hope this explains some of the battles for an American Christian that wants to leave a little resemblance of liberty to his grandchildren. Pray for us.

Aubrey Vaughan

Jer. 33:3, Ecc. 3:14  

Email your support to Pastor Aubrey Vaughan aubreyvaughan@yahoo.com

Aubrey Vaughan, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, is scheduled to be released from Brazoria County Detention Center this morning.

Vaughan has been unable to get a driver’s license because he rescinded his Social Security number in 1984 on religious grounds.

Vaughan’s congregates, who prayed and sang gospel songs in front of the jail Wednesday, said the Social Security number is the mark of the devil.

“He and I believe the Social Security number is the forerunner of the mark of the beast,” said the Rev. Donald Busby.

Vaughan was ticketed in Brazoria County for driving without a license in 1998. After appealing the case to county court, Vaughan was assessed a $25 fine, plus court costs, which brought the total to about $300, said his wife, Alyce.

Vaughan declined to pay the fine and opted to serve three days in jail instead. He surrendered to Brazoria County authorities Monday.

“He’s a righteous man who doesn’t deserve this,” church member Desi Kelly said.

Busby said paying the fine would be an admittance of guilt and giving in to government control of citizens’ lives.

“This is the enemy,” Busby told the crowd, pointing to the jail. “The government of the United States of America has become the enemy of the people.”

Vaughan’s supporters said he has provided the state with an affidavit of fact and his passport, items the Attorney General’s office has ruled are acceptable in lieu of a Social Security number. They say the DPS simply refused to accept the alternate documentation.

“It’s a personal vendetta against Pastor Vaughan,” said Nicky Sikes, Vaughan’s son-in-law. “He’s fighting for all of us.”

Alyce Vaughan said her husband has another citation pending in Brazoria County and intends to fight it as well. His church members vowed to stand behind him.