Catholic Online Forum

I thought this interesting: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/26/italian-jeans-maker-with-trademark-on-jesus-cracking-down-on-us-apparel/!

So do we now have to pay royalties when we celebrate Mass, pray or print catechisms?
What moronic bureaucrat issued this Trademark? Should we register the name of Mary before someone else does, what about "God"?

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BobA

Your question is answered by reading the article you posted.

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Jeff Stevens

The article says "If somebody, small church or even a big church, wants to use 'Jesus' for printing a few T-shirts, we don't care,", it also goes on to state the use cannot be for profit, that doesn't give me a lot of comfort. There are certain words and phrases which, due to historical and traditional usage, should never be trademarked and Jesus certainly fits that category. How far would they get if they wanted to trademark Muhammad?

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BobA

Do you know how trademarks work?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark



They trademarked the brand Jesus for use in apparel. They did not trademark it for every use.

http://www.inquisitr.com/544947/jesus-j ... in-the-us/

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Jeff Stevens

Wouldn't you consider T-shirts apparel? I know many Christian churches and a few Catholic youth programs that sell Jesus themed T-Shirts. Trademarking a name like Jesus is as ridiculous as trademarking "radio", "television", "automobile" and yes even "Nike"; the historic use and connotation of those words should preclude any right to exclusivity by any private enterprise. I understand trademarking an originally coined word with a specific application like Google, Buick or Hydro-glide but not those cited above.

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BobA

Moving the goalposts, I see, Bob.

You were concerned about liturgical use in your first message. That's what I was replying to.

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Jeff Stevens

I wonder if "Obama" is trademarked yet?

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BobB

Fiat voluntas tua

I moved this thread as " Out of the Ordinary" is for news from the various offices of the Bishops.

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Bob C

All,

This is blasphemy. It ought to be challenged in the law courts on that ground.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

James, moving the thread is blasphemy?

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In Christ,

Jim B

I will consider your position if stated with firm, well-thought-out, quiet reasoning. Hateful diatribe, ad hominem attacks and shouted rhetoric don't impress.

So, why doesn't the Church copyright and/or trademark "Catholic", to prevent it from being used by our enemies?

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

Jim,



Ho, ho. Perhaps that would be sacrilege (being an act) rather than blasphemy (an utterance).

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

David,



Perhaps because our Holy Mother the Church is not a commercial enterprise?

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

Then why have they copyrighted certain editions of the Bible?

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

David,

It is the translation that is copyright, not the Bible. (And that is IRP, not trade or commerce.)

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

Indeed.

Nevertheless, they require us to give them money before we can have access to the Word of God. It is reasonable to ask the question.

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Jeff Stevens

Jeff,

You have access to the Word of God every time you attend Mass and every time you attend Divine Office. There is no charge.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

All,



I was forgetting the US no longer has laws against blasphemy.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

James,

Whether it is a translation, or a format, or something else is irrelevant to my question.

If the Church doesn't copyright the term "Catholic" because the Church is not a commercial enterprise, then why does it copyright particular editions of the Bible, or anything else?

BTW, what does "IRP" mean?

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

But if you want to own the book you must purchase it, and the copyright owner probably collects a royalty on every sale. If you want to reproduce a substantial portion of it, you must get permission from the publisher and probably pay a fee.

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

David,



Intellectual property rights.

I don't know what arrangements, if any, the Church (or rather, it differing bodies - eg ICEL) may have regarding copyright and royalties. I was simply making a possible suggestion as to why the word "Catholic" had not been registered as a trademark.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

I think the copyright for the New American Bible belongs to the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] who collect the royalties for its use. [I had best not comment on how this relates to their approval for its use in the liturgies. ]

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

Checking the copyright notice in my NAB, it says:



There is more, but that is the basic notice.

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

The USCCB makes The entire New American Bible, Revised Edition available for reading on their website.

The use restrictions are spelled out here: Permissions Information Page


I frequently use it. Before I retired from lectoring, I would print out a copy of Sunday’s readings on Saturday to familiarize myself with them.

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In Christ,

Jim B

I will consider your position if stated with firm, well-thought-out, quiet reasoning. Hateful diatribe, ad hominem attacks and shouted rhetoric don't impress.

Funny, Mormons are always trying to give me the Book of Mormon and I remember finding a Gideon Bible in every hotel room when I traveled, not sure if the local Bible churches have any KJV freebies but I could find out. I do know the Bible church where we go to for a Christmas concert has KJV Bibles in the pews as does the local Lutheran church. Sometimes I think we Catholics are missing the point when it comes to evangelizing.

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BobA

I fail to understand how trademarking the name "Jesus" could be considered blasphemy.


http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02595a.htm

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

Precisely.

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Jeff Stevens

Aside - I'm not sure the copyright status of the Book of Mormon, but the KJV's been out of copyright for about 300 years, I thought?

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Jeff Stevens

Jeff,

The coyright on the Authorized Version is held by the Crown.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

David,



No, using the Most Holy Name as a brand name is blasphemous. (Personally, I believe the way some Protestants bandy about the Most Holy Name is blasphemous.)

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

What about the practice of naming children Jesus? I always kind of cringe when I hear of somebody named Jesus being accused or convicted of criminal activity.

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David L (CA)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” - Groucho Marx

Only where the Crown holds sway.

In the parts of the world not mired in the 17th century, the work is in the public domain.

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Jeff Stevens

How about another outrage of copyrighting the work of God...by our own Church?

The USCCB has taken Flocknote to task for emailing out excerpts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in daily emails so that thousands can read through the whole Catechism in the Year of Faith. Violates their copyright.

Their...copyright. On the beliefs of the Catholic Church. This is not only an outrage, it is undermining the Great Commission by Our Lord.

http://www.flocknote.com/note/87705?tok ... afJy2wEjZC

One comment:


This is an outrage. Copyrighting and restricting the use of FUNDAMENTAL Church documents undermines Christ's Great Commission. While I understand that justice requires that publishers and translators be paid a just wage, Divine Commands to spread the message are far more important. This is why we exist; to save souls and bring the love of God to all people.

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Jeff Stevens

It seems proper that Royalty should get the royalties.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

David,



That varies from one culture to another. It is common in Spanish-speaking communities, unheard of in English-speaking communities.

In Irish-speaking communities children are not named Mary. Out of respect for the Mother of God the name Mary is reserved to her - a variant form is used in naming children.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

I wonder if that is limited to Australia? My Irish grandmother was named Mary and named one of her daughters Mary.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

Joe,



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muire

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)