The legalistic Oaks era has begun

[Hagoth]

Remember when it was a victory for Satan to use the word Mormon, and church members were told to avoid it like a thing of pure evil?

Suddenly podcasters and bloggers are getting letters from church lawyers demanding that they stop using the word "Mormon." The reason? It's OUR trademark and you're unlawfully stealing our identity. I'm not sure who all has received this warning, but John Dehlin reports that Mormon stories has.

I don't eat soup, but no soup for you either!

This could be fun to watch.

[alas]

Wait, wasn’t it ruled already that “Mormon” is not a word that they can claim any kind of right to? But trust Oaks to ignore legal president as well as do a 180 on his predecessor.

[Palerider]

Wait, wasn’t it ruled already that “Mormon” is not a word that they can claim any kind of right to? But trust Oaks to ignore legal president as well as do a 180 on his predecessor.

I think you're right. I recall something about this in the courts back in the late 90's-early 20's....???

[Palerider]

From Chat GPT (I love this thing):

"The church did attempt to register “MORMON” as a service mark (for “religious services” / church-type services) — in 2002.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected the application: it judged “Mormon” to be a generic name for a group of believers — like “Presbyterian” or “Methodist” — and therefore not eligible for exclusive registration as a service mark.

As a result, the Church gave up on that application (i.e. the application was abandoned) by 2007.


In short — “Mormon” is considered by USPTO to be generic/descriptive, so it can’t be trademarked in the sense of being proprietary to one group."

[deacon blues]

But, but they've got raights.
And, you know God loves them more, and gave the special magic formulas that seal forever.

[alas]

I think those of us who remember this should come out openly and loudly in support of the podcasters and who ever the church is trying to bully out of using a perfectly good word. They could not make the word “Mormon” disappear by calling its use a victory for Satan, so now they are going to try to make the word go away by bullying anyone who uses it. No, it is not *their* word. Everyone owns this generic word for a group of people who identify as Mormon. They couldn’t guilt me into not using it, and they cannot threaten me into not using it. It is NOT their trade marked word and they cannot trademark it as theirs. And they don’t get to say who uses the word. And we can use it if we want.

[Palerider]

But, but they've got raights.
And, you know God loves them more, and gave the special magic formulas that seal forever.

"Think Celestial."

[2bizE]

Wait, wasn’t it ruled already that “Mormon” is not a word that they can claim any kind of right to? But trust Oaks to ignore legal president as well as do a 180 on his predecessor.

Yes, I remember that from about 20 years ago (or more)