Your Mission Money at Work! TM
Remember back when the LCMS canceled the radio show "Issues, Etc." for budgetary reasons? You know, the radio show that promoted a very strong, traditional Lutheran theology that exposed the quackery of much modern evangelicalism and latest fads?
Well, "Issues" didn't die. The LCMS had let the trademark name lapse in 1999, so the men behind the show were allowed to use it's name and begin broadcasting again on "Pirate Christian Radio."
But the story is not quite over.
As it has been reported all over the internet, the LCMS is now threatening to sue the host and producer for using the lapsed trademark. They have hired attorneys to fight the permanent legal aquistion to the trademark--that is no longer properly theirs, mind you. They have offered the host and producer a settlement that includes a gag order--not to disparage the LCMS on their show.
It's funny how the LCMS canceled the show to save money, but is now spending God only knows how much in order to fight the use of its lapsed trademark. It's as if money weren't the real issue after all.
As usual, much more information can be garned from Steadfastlutherans.org, including actual scans of the legal documents already filed.
Remember: your congregation's mission dollars are being spent on this.
3 comments :
Now I feel bad - I finally put a blurb in my bulletin about Issues, ETC. and now this happens. . . it's almost like I'm bad luck.
Maybe I should put a blurb about you in the bulletin and see who threatens you with a lawsuit.
Perhaps the radio show could sidestep all this very neatly simply by making some very slight modification to the name. Change it to something like, "More Issues, Etc." or "New Issues, Etc." or "Issues and Answers, Ect."
Doing so could prevent all parties from wasting a good deal of money.
The more I think about it, the better I like the above idea. It gives Todd and Jeff the heroes' part, check-mates their opposition, avoids more divisiveness, bitterness and scandal, saves a ton of money for everybody concerned (except the lawyers), sets a good example...
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