Mormon church objects to java-drinking angel

[IChing]

Source: AP/MSNBC

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah - For a coffee shop, t-shirts of an Mormon angel with java flowing into his trumpet are selling well. But they don’t have the blessing of religious leaders.

The shirts have upset the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Not only is Moroni a revered figure — Mormons believe he appeared to church founder Joseph Smith — but LDS members are discouraged from drinking coffee.>>>snip


The church informed Beazer that the angel’s image is a registered trademark.

“If they provide proof, we’re going to comply,” Beazer said. “We don’t want to break any laws or anything.”

>>>>>snip

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17766725/

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Sometimes you just need to read this kind of news.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[MADem]

7. Jeeeeeeeeesus!!! A Patented Figure of the Holy Roman Universal Church, then!!!

What a flaming load of horseshit!!!

It's either a bidniz or a religion...of course, religions do tend to give ya da bidniz!

[reprobate]

21. Organized religon is about power, and that means money. Lots or money.

[Mz Pip]

2. How does one

trademark an angel?

I've never heard of Moroni. Michael and Lucifer are the only angel names I remember. :shrug:

Mz Pip
:dem:

[WindRavenX]

3. I recommend reading "The Book of Mormon". Preferably while high.

Good stuff.

[mitchtv]

8. There's Gabriel, but Moroni?

the only one of those is "Boney Moroni" from the fifties.

[Mz Pip]

10. Oops, I forgot Gabriel

Kinda like forgetting Poland...

BTW, Billy Idol did a kickass version of "Bony Monie."

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Name removed]

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[Liberal Veteran]

20. Most of the Mormons I have met have been pretty nice people.

I don't get their religion and I don't like their politics on many things, but for the most part, the families I have known seem very happy and balanced (maybe a little too Ward and June Cleaver for my taste to feel like hanging out for extended periods).

They have some quirks in their faith I find interesting, but for the most part they seem better connected to the world around them than the evangelical/fundamentalist types.

[Hekate]

25. That is true. The religion encompasses a whole lifestyle; very family oriented, clean living...

...the works. Caffeine (coffee, black or green tea, and cola drinks), tobacco, and alcohol are all no-nos.

When my kids were young the parents who ran the Brownies and Cub Scout troops were Mormon, and since I was working full time I was really grateful that someone had the time and inclination to do those things.

I know enough about the religion and lifestyle to say that I would not fit in very well for very long, but for those that do, it can be a wonderful community.

Alas, those that don't fit in (such as feminist women who take issue with the male leaders) may find themselves disfellowshipped if they persist in the error of their ways. Disfellowshipping means losing your friends -- your whole community -- and is very hard indeed.

One branch of my father's family is Mormon, and a bonus of my Mom living in Salt Lake City was that she got to meet a lot of my Aunt Elaine's grandchildren and great-grandchildren as they passed through the holy city.

Hekate

[Name removed]

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[1monster]

15. Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, and another whose name I've temporarily forgotten...

[Bear down under]

16. Raphael. n/t

[1monster]

18. Gracias! I was thinking Raphael, but my kid keeps talking about

the Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and I wasn't sure if I was channeling them rather than remembering the four Archangles...

[fishwax]

32. moroni is only a mormon angel

that's why you've never heard of him, and also why, I suppose, they've been able to trademark the image.

[VegasWolf]

4. Kool! I'm going to beat the rush and trademark my very own sky person! nt

[Solly Mack]

5. So uh, does Moroni get paid for LDS using his likeness?

They got a contract that Moroni signed allowing them the use of his likeness?

[MADem]

9. I think it's a FICTIONAL character, like Mickey Mouse, see?

And they're the Disneys of God-ville....

[Name removed]

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[youngdem]

11. religion is so damned silly

So, they OWN an angel as a trademark, I guess? Really shows just how much of a business churches really are.

I gotta get me one of these shirts. I also think the name of the angel is hilarious. The sacred angel "Moron-i". :rofl:

[Lithos]

12. Interesting

I thought you could only trademark something if you created it. For them to make the claim that it is trademarked suggests they created Moroni (man created Moroni). Course I doubt that even if Moroni could be "trademarked", the Mormon church has failed to designate it as such through the use of the TM symbol before. Coupled with the fact that harassment over trademark is also in itself a crime, I would be very careful indeed.

L-

[IChing]

13. I found the t-shirt

[Hekate]

19. I feel wicked for laughing out loud. My mom would've bought one in a heartbeat!

She lived in Salt Lake City the last 13 years of her life, and was not not not a Mormon. For her birthday my nephew gave her a sign for her condo parking space that read: "Witch's Parking. All Others Will Be Toad."

I, personally, would not buy or wear that T-shirt, but I know a little old lady who would have.

Hekate

[IChing]

22. LOL..good for her.

Sometimes the real news is funnier than even what The Onion could write.

Jesus brand jeans were banned in Great Britian but not in the low countries or Germany.

[HuffleClaw]

30. THAT is offensive????

ooooooookay.

[daveskilt]

36. sacred symbol to mormons doing something which is wicked for mormons

its a bit like a picture of Mohammed eating a pig. Or a picture of a crucifix with a condom on.

silly but I can see it being offensive to some mormons.

not this mormon of course - I think it is hilarious. about time there was more parody of mormonish things.

[Bear down under]

34. Aha! That's what it's about.

It's a photograph (or painting?) of a statue, presumably of Moroni. And if the statue is the property of the Mormon Church they may be able to claim they own the copyright in it as an artistic work.

But they can't claim copyright in the person the statue depicts, ie Moroni himself -- unless they want to claim they created him as a character in a literary work. Which would lead to embarrassing questions about the authorship of the Book of Mormon and whether it is to be considered as a work of fiction...

If I understand correctly, if T-shirt people were to recreate their design with an original depiction of Moroni they would not then be infringing anyone's copyright. That the Mormons might still take offence is a separate issue.

[daveskilt]

35. as a mormon, BYU alum, former missionary, seminary teacher etc

this is hi-frakin-larious! I want one of those shirts.

[1monster]

14. Not just coffee. Tea was forbidden to at least the early followers of

Joseph Smith's religion. It was considered a stimulant and stimulants as well as depressants (alcohol) were BIG NO NOs

[WindRavenX]

23. still are

My SO's parents don't drink tea, coffee, or any alcohol :o

I went crazy when I stayed there. I need all three ;)

[nealmhughes]

24. None? And they stay alive? Must be why Mormonism is not very popular in the South...

We prefer snake handling and arsenic for our outlandish cults. Something that can induce death.

[FreeState]

37. Actually it was not a no no - Joseph Smith drank and owned a bar

it was actually much later on that it became a no no. Joseph Smith had a revelation called the Word of Wisdom that was seen just as that - guidance. It was almost 50 years after Joseph Smiths death that it became a commandment and a no no. Even Brigham Young had a favorite Tea - and no it was not an herbal tea. The Hotel Utah - owned by the church - operated a bar for years and years too.

[IChing]

26. Romney really needs to make a stand on this issue of

java-drinking angels!

[regnaD kciN]

28. O.K., that does it...!

As a Priest in the Apostolic Catholic Church in America, I'm officially trademarking Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

(tm)

Dear Pope Benedict,

You owe us royalties for every likeness of Christ in every one of your churches. Pay up!

[HuffleClaw]

29. i can't see that succeeding

how do you copyright an angel?

[Joe Bacon]

31. Why, High Priestess Ayn Rand will let you own anything!

It's just so amazing to see millions of "christians" bullshit about JC, but they follow Ayn as in Mine when they walk out of their megachurches!

[K8-EEE]

33. OMG Anybody see the play CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY?

About a "perfect" but gay mormon and the "SSA" (same sex attraction) "reparation therapies" they put him through....IT WAS WILD...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The author of the play performed it, it's his autobiog...the part where he becomes a hustler after moving to NYC (after having the "perfect" marriage and children life post "reparation") he takes his clothes off and even the holy Mormon underwear off, I really never even knew about the "sacred garments" and all THAT!!!

Anyway this play is FANTASTIC, it travels around so check and see if it's coming your way, I saw it in LA but it's also been in SF, NYC AND....SALT LAKE CITY!