Woody Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 Second Man Arrested in Trademark Battle over the Name “Seventh-day Adventist” Submitted: Aug 1, 2012 By AT News Team Lucan Chartier turned himself in at the Redlands, California, police station last night on a Federal warrant after holding a press conference on the sidewalk near the Loma Linda University Church. He had planned to surrender to U.S. Marshals on the Loma Linda campus, but they did not show up, nor did county sheriff’s deputies or local police. Campus police did ask him to move from the place where he was on the lawn behind the church and move his press conference to the sidewalk and he complied immediately. Reporters from the daily newspapers in San Bernardino and Riverside were present, as well as the local community news service in Loma Linda. Chartier distributed a news release and related statements, and answered questions for half an hour before friends drove him to the police station. Adventist Today has previously reported on this case which dates back to 2006 when the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination sued for trademark protection against the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church of Guys, Tennessee. This small group splintered off from the denomination because it follows a more fundamentalist version of Adventist faith which it claims represents the original teachings of the Adventist movement. Walter “Chick” McGill, pastor of the Creation church, was arrested by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies on Friday, July 13, on the grounds of the Loma Linda church. He is involved in a hunger strike in his cell in the county jail. Both men were arrested on Federal Court bench warrants because they have defied the order of a Federal judge to cease and desist using the name “Seventh-day Adventist.” The North American Division of the General Conference issued a statement soon after McGill’s arrest claiming that it never intended for him to go to prison. George Johnson, the spokesman for the denomination, stated that it respects the religious rights of McGill and his group, but wants to stop the misleading use of the denomination’s name by a group that is not affiliated. McGill and Chartier believe that God has told them to name their group Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church. They believe that if they were to comply with the Federal court order, they would be disobeying God. “This is a silly situation,” one pastor employed by the Adventist denomination told Adventist Today. “You would think that the people at the GC would be smart enough to see that they are creating publicity by the tactics they are using. This is a miniscule group that would otherwise be unknown.” McGill and Chartier contend that they have not tried to mislead anyone about their relationship to the denomination. One of their handouts even includes a quote from Judge J. Daniel Breen that “there is no evidence that the Defendant intended to confuse the public into believing that his church was one of the Plaintiff’s.” There has been a proliferation of independent congregations and ministries in the Adventist movement over the last couple of decades. Denominational leaders are concerned that this trend may reduce the ability of the denomination to “speak with one voice” and weaken their control over the local church. Before he retired in 2006, Dr. William Johnsson, beloved long-time editor of the Adventist Review, wrote a book entitled The Fragmentation of Adventism, commenting on this trend. It is unclear how long Chartier and McGill will be held. Local news media in Tennessee have reported in recent days that the offending, hand-painted sign is still visible at their church. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Moderators Bravus Posted August 2, 2012 Moderators Posted August 2, 2012 Quote: There has been a proliferation of independent congregations and ministries in the Adventist movement over the last couple of decades. Denominational leaders are concerned that this trend may reduce the ability of the denomination to “speak with one voice” and weaken their control over the local church. Yup. Quote Truth is important
Gordon1 Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 I've never known the Church to speak with one voice in the last two decades. Women's ordination, Trinity, the Daily, the image of the beast, etc. Quote
Woody Posted August 2, 2012 Author Posted August 2, 2012 You are right Gordon. There will not be unity. Then why do we continue to expect it? Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Nic Samojluk Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 I have been in communication with Walter McGill, Lucan Chartier, and David Aguilar of the Creation 7th Day Adventist group. My understanding is that McGill will probably remain in jail for 30 days and Chartier for ten days. I do not see a logical reason to hold these men in jail. They are not a threat to the safety or society and should not be held in a place where common criminals reside. What did they steal? A name? There are millions in the world who identify themselves with the Adventist name who are not members of the SDA church who do not accept all the Fundamental Beliefs of the church, and who are not sending their tithes to the coffers of the General Conference. Should we prosecute them? My understanding is that the GC has invested nearly $100,000 in their efforts to prosecute these men. Is this the best way to manage sacred tithe funds? Why are we so concerned about other people using the generic “Adventist” word? I Googled the “Baptist” word and discovered that there are almost 100 different organizations using the “Baptist” term in their name and they are not suing each other nor is anyone trying to monopolize said name. What is wrong with us? Quote
Woody Posted August 2, 2012 Author Posted August 2, 2012 You are comparing apples with oranges friend. Yes - there are many churches that have the name Baptist in them just as there are many that have Adventist in them. But there are not many that have Third Street Baptist or Seventh day Adventist. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Nic Samojluk Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Here is a list of Baptist denomination in the U.S. alone. If they can live in peace without suing each other or claiming ownership of a generic name, then why can't we? The tern “Creation” in the name of their church sets them apart from our church. When John and James complained that someone was healing in Jesus name without authorization, Jesus told them to leave the man alone. Can’t we follow Jesus’ example? • United States o Alliance of Baptists o American Baptist Association o American Baptist Churches o Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America o Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists o Baptist Bible Fellowship International o Baptist General Conference o Baptist Missionary Association of America o Central Baptist Association o Christian Unity Baptist Association o Conservative Baptist Association of America o Continental Baptist Churches o Cooperative Baptist Fellowship o Enterprise Association of Regular Baptists o Evangelical Free Baptist Church o Free Will Baptist o Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship o Fundamental Baptist Fellowship Association o Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of America o General Association of Baptists o General Association of General Baptists o General Association of Regular Baptist Churches o General Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc. o General Six-Principle Baptists o Independent Baptist Church of America o Independent Baptist Fellowship International o Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America o Institutional Missionary Baptist Conference of America o Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association o Landmark Baptists o Liberty Baptist Fellowship o Macedonia Baptist World Missions o Mainstream Baptist Network o National Association of Free Will Baptists o National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. o National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. o National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A. o National Missionary Baptist Convention of America o National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. o North American Baptist Conference o Old Regular Baptist o Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists o Old Time Missionary Baptist o Original Free Will Baptist Convention o Primitive Baptists o Progressive National Baptist Convention o Reformed Baptist o Regular Baptist o Roger Williams Fellowship o Separate Baptist o Separate Baptists in Christ o Seventh Day Baptist General Conference o Southern Baptist Convention o Southwide Baptist Fellowship o Sovereign Grace Baptists o Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists o United American Free Will Baptist Church o United American Free Will Baptist Conference o United Baptists o Unregistered Baptist Fellowship o World Baptist Fellowship o Worldwide Baptist New Testament Missions • United States - Regional bodies o Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches of Northern California o Association of Independent Baptist Churches of Illinois o Baptist General Association of Virginia o Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma o Baptist General Convention of Texas o Dakota Baptist Association o District of Columbia Baptist Convention o Empire State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches o General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc. o Inter-Mountain Baptist Fellowship o Minnesota Baptist Association o Minnesota Baptist Conference o Mountain States Baptist Fellowship o New England Evangelical Baptist Fellowship o Ohio Valley Association of Christian Baptist Churches of God o Southern Baptists of Texas Convention o Wisconsin Fellowship of Baptist Churches Quote
JoeMo Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 This fiasco is simply a manifestation of corporate monopolistic control by the SDA Corporate entity in the name of sustainability and political clout; and confusion between unity and uniformity. Look at C/A - its amazing that an2 two of us speak with one voice on every issue; yet we are all generally unified in our pursuit of Christ. Quote
fccool Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Quote: confusion between unity and uniformity You got that one right Quote
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