Urantia Foundation Crimes Against The Master

Urantia Foundation's Crimes
Against The=20 Master,
The = Revelation, And=20 Believers

"By their fruits you shall = know=20 them.
Do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from=20 thistles?"=20
(Page = 1571/140.3.19)

Urantia=20 Foundation:

Told the copyright office and = the US=20 courts that the Revelation was a "work for hire", thus telling the world that a human or = group of=20 humans wrote the book, and that they were paid to write=20 it.

Told the copyright office = that the=20 Revelation was authored by the **"Urantia = Foundation".** Urantia Foundation did not exist at the = time the=20 papers came through, and the true authors are listed in the book. This = lie has=20 now spread around the world on computers and=20 microfiches.

Violates and completely = disregards=20 Jesus' teaching about not going to law among=20 ourselves.

"Be willing to suffer = injustice=20 rather than to go to law among yourselves." (Page=20 1571/140.3.14)

Has dragged the Revelation = through the=20 courts while vigorously suing believers for spreading the Revelation = in their=20 own way, and in the process has wasted millions of dollars of God's = resources=20 which could have been used to advance the Revelation.

Violates and completely = disregards=20 Jesus' teaching about forbidding others to spread the Revelation as = the spirit=20 leads them. Jesus said:

"Forbid him not. Do you not = perceive=20 that this gospel of the kingdom shall presently be proclaimed in all = the=20 world? How can you expect that all who will believe the gospel shall = be=20 subject to your direction? Rejoice that already our teaching has = begun to=20 manifest itself beyond the bounds of our personal influence." (Page=20 1764/159.2.1)

Violates and completely = disregards the=20 Master's teachings concerning "Freely you have received, freely give." = as=20 mentioned several places in the Revelation, = notably:

"Freely have you received; = therefore=20 freely should you give of the truth of heaven, and in the giving = will this=20 truth multiply and show forth the increasing light of saving grace, = even as=20 you minister it." (Page = 1918/176.3.10)

Promised in their Declaration = of Trust=20 (DOT) to keep the text inviolate, and then violated the text in secret = for=20 over 20 years before being discovered and exposed by a reader. Still = continues=20 to print altered text books without footnotes or in any other way = making it=20 clear to a new reader that they have changed the text, and does not = print an=20 original, authentic text book. Does not allow anyone else to print an=20 original, authentic book. Began altering the text in the Second = Printing. Has=20 dropped words from the Revelation, such as "in the manger" in the = middle of=20 page 1317 (119.7.6).

Has failed to "foster a = religion" as=20 their DOT requires. In fact, has denied in court that it is a = religious=20 organization or that the Urantia Book is a religious=20 book.

Told the US Government that = the word=20 "urantian" is a coined word, formed by, and from the name of Urantia=20 Foundation. The word is actually a revealed word, in the Revelation = some 33=20 times, pre-dating Urantia Foundation.

Did not tell the government = that the=20 three concentric circles are the "Banner of Michael" (Page 606/53.5.4) = and=20 does not so state when they use the circles, instead allowing people = to=20 believe the circles are the "symbol of Urantia = Foundation".

Tells fellow believers that = the=20 Foundation thinks the book was authored by God's spiritual agents and = that the=20 book is what it says it is, while telling the US government that the = book has=20 human authors and is not a religious book.

At one time had a blacklist = and=20 denied the = Revelation to certain people, fellow believers. Has = never=20 apologized to anyone for doing so.

Successfully floated the = "Confirmatory=20 Agreement". Thus, through the good will and naivet=E9 of others, = gained power to=20 disenfranchise the Brotherhood and to deny the use of the circles and = the=20 words "urantia" and "urantian" (through secular law) to any who didn't = agree=20 with Urantia Foundation.

By its actions and lack of = actions, has=20 created a vacuum that allows the formation of strange "isms", = "Teaching=20 Missions", Aquarian Concepts Communities", etc., along with news = stories=20 stating that the Revelation was written by space aliens, or through = its=20 machinations in the courts in a desperate attempt to keep control of = the=20 Revelation through copyright, has fostered news reports that the book = was=20 written by humans with the aid of space aliens.

Like the apostles unseemly = jostling for=20 preference and first place at the table, and reminiscent of the Church = in=20 Rome, insists that it is the "official" organization and that its = cynical=20 replacement creation for the Urantia Brotherhood, the subservient=20 International Urantia Association (IUA), is also an "official" = organization,=20 apparently chartered by God himself.

Foundationist philosophy:=20
"Often problems are not solved; they are = just=20 outlived and become irrelevant."
From Urantia Foundation's = "SETTING THE=20 RECORD STRAIGHT"
Copyright 1999 Urantia=20 Foundation

Urantia = Revelation philosophy: =
"Unresolved conflicts destroy = unity and=20 may terminate in mind disruption."

"Highlights" from Urantia Foundation's=20 History

1958 =

Bill Sadler submits memo to = Foundation=20 Trustees regarding potential pitfalls and frictions between the two=20 organizations, along with recommendations for policies designed to = minimize=20 inevitable frictions. An excerpt from that memo reads:"Unless the = Foundation=20 conducts itself with wisdom it may breed dissension between itself and = the=20 Brotherhood. In the opinion of the writer, there is no place in = URANTIA=20 Foundation for naivet=E9, or any exhibition of proprietary feeling = toward the=20 Urantia Papers." William S. Sadler, Jr., -April, 1958

Marian = Rowley=20 creates first secondary work -- The Story of Joe -- a fictional = account of an=20 average mortal person's ascent through the universe to Paradise. The = book was=20 never published.

1962 =

Publication of La Cosmogonie = D'Urantia=20 -- First French translation (in three volumes) available until early = 1970's=20 when Urantia Foundation brought legal action against the = translator-publisher=20 for enforcement of terms of contract.

1966 =

Urantia Foundation = establishes formal=20 policy regarding permission to quote passages from the book, to use = the name=20 "Urantia" and to use the concentric circles = symbol.

1968 =

Martin Myers moves into 533 = Diversey=20 Parkway.

1970 =

September 29 =
Urantia Foundation applies for a = trademark on the=20 stylized word, "URANTIA".

1971 =

May 6
Urantia Foundation orders plates used in = original=20 printing to be destroyed.

June 29 =
Urantia Foundation receives registration = for the=20 name "URANTIA" as a "trademark for books." (Registration #=20 915734)

July
Urantia Foundation submits application to = register=20 the name "URANTIA" as a service mark -- application is denied by = trademark=20 examiner.

Martin Myers and Vern = Grimsley=20 appointed "agents" for the Trustees of Urantia=20 Foundation.

1972 =

Urantia Foundation submits = re-written=20 application for registration of the name "URANTIA" as a service mark, = receives=20 approval "for educational purposes -- namely, religious teachings."=20 (Registration # 948104)

1973 =

August =
Fourth printing of The Urantia Book -- = 25,000=20 copies. With this printing, Urantia Foundation began inserting a = "notice"=20 regarding copyright and trademark claims related to the name and = symbol inside=20 the cover of every book.

Martin Myers appointed = Trustee of=20 Urantia Foundation.

December =
Urantia Foundation submits application to = register=20 the word "URANTIAN" as a trademark. Initial application denied. = Application=20 later approved after Urantia Foundation convinces trademark examiner = that the=20 word "URANTIAN" has no known meaning.

Urantia Foundation submits=20 "Confirmatory Agreement" to Urantia = Brotherhood.

September 3 =
Paul Snider, President of Urantia = Brotherhood,=20 signs "Confirmatory Agreement."

November =
Copies of Urantia Foundation's = "Confirmatory=20 Agreement" sent to each of the eight Urantia Societies for=20 ratification.

December =
Urantia Foundation initiates lawsuit = against=20 Urantian Research for the use of the word "Urantia" and the concentric = circles=20 symbol in the preparation of study aids for The Urantia=20 Book.

Urantia Foundation sues = Jacques Weiss,=20 translator of La Cosmogonie d'Urantia essentially halting sales to=20 French-speaking readers. Price of photocopied editions soars to over = $200.00=20 per copy in France.

Urantia Foundation sues = Burton King for=20 giving away quotes from The Urantia Book.

1975 =

January 11 =
Paul Snider, President of Urantia = Brotherhood=20 and Tom Kendall, President of Urantia Foundation meet with Oklahoma = City=20 readers in an attempt to calm reactions to Urantia Foundation's = Confirmatory=20 Agreement which had been signed by Paul Snider as President of the=20 Brotherhood, and now needed for the ratification of the Societies.

Library of Congress = classification for=20 The Urantia Book changed from "Parapsychology and Occultism" category = to=20 "Other Religions" and "Other Beliefs and = Movements".

Urantia Foundation sues Bob = Burton for=20 sending out copies of "Government on a Neighboring Planet" (Paper 72) = to the=20 members of Congress (he also gave a Urantia Book to President Kennedy) = and=20 also for sponsoring a Spanish translation of the Urantia=20 Papers.

Urantia Foundation sues = Urantia=20 Universal Studios for use of the name = "Urantia".

1976 =

Urantia Foundation registers = name=20 "Urantia" and the concentric circles symbol as trade=20 marks.

March 31
Urantia Foundation issues strict = guidelines=20 regarding what is permissible at any conference of readers regarding = how=20 quotes may be used from the book, as well as the use of the name = "Urantia" and=20 the concentric circles symbol on any materials used in conjunction = with the=20 conference.

April 4
Urantia Brotherhood submits formal = protest to=20 Urantia Foundation for attempts to control Brotherhood internal = affairs,=20 specifically, the up-coming conference in Oklahoma=20 City.

Urantia Foundation initiates = lawsuit in=20 state of New York to protect claims to the word=20 "Urantia".

Urantia Foundation submits = "Assignment=20 Agreement" to the Executive Committee of Urantia Brotherhood with = pressure to=20 sign. This agreement required Urantia Brotherhood to sell all rights = it had=20 acquired during its 23 year use of the name "Urantia" and the = concentric=20 circles symbol to Urantia Foundation for = $1.00.

November 23 =
Urantia Foundation files to register = the=20 stylized word "URANTIA" as a collective membership mark to indicate=20 "membership in URANTIA Brotherhood."

1977 =

March
Urantia Foundation wins lawsuit = against Burton=20 King and Urantian Research. Burton King ordered to turn over all study = aids=20 and class materials containing the word "Urantia" or the concentric = circles=20 symbol to Urantia Foundation for destruction.

Urantia Foundation announces = it will no=20 longer allow readers to purchase case lots of books at wholesale=20 prices.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Begemann = from the=20 Netherlands visit Urantia Foundation to discuss problems in Europe = resulting=20 from the Foundation's withdrawal of the French translation from = circulation as=20 well as issues related to Henry's work on the Dutch=20 translation.

Houston Society splits in two = -- one=20 portion aligned with Foundation principles and the other declaring = itself an=20 independent organization -- "First Urantia Society of Houston,=20 Inc."

1978 =

February 1 =
Urantia Foundation submits = application to=20 expand trademark registration of the stylized word "URANTIA" to = include=20 "printed publications -- namely, books, booklets, brochures, = pamphlets,=20 newsletters, bulletins, and leaflets concerning educational, = religious, or=20 philosophical subjects."

April 18 =
Urantia Foundation granted registration = of the=20 stylized word "URANTIA" as a collective membership mark "Indicating = membership=20 in a Social and Fraternal Organization."' (Reg. # 1089942) =

Urantia Foundation sues = reader Arnold=20 Zakow for copyright infringement.

Unable to get the Urantia = Societies to=20 ratify the "Confirmatory Agreement" signed by the President of Urantia = Brotherhood, Urantia Foundation submits a highly restrictive = "licensing=20 agreement" to the individual Societies for purposes of licensing them = to use=20 the Foundation's registered marks.

Urantia Foundation sues Don=20 Pettrie.

1979 =

February 6 =
Urantia Foundation receives expanded = trademark=20 registration for the stylized name "URANTIA" to include "printed = publications=20 -- namely, books, booklets, brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, = bulletins, and=20 leaflets concerning educational, religious, or philosophical = subjects." (Reg.,=20 # 1112713)

December =
Henry Begemann declares Urantia = Foundation in=20 default.

1980 =

June 27
Urantia Foundation sues First Urantia = Society=20 of Houston, Inc. for using the word "Urantia" in their name and=20 publications.

August 29 =
US District=20 Court in Michigan upholds = Urantia=20 Foundation claims against Bob Burton.

1981 =

April
Forum member and author Clyde Bedell = publishes=20 a call to action in response to Urantia Foundation's repressive=20 policies.

1982 =

June 14
Urantia Foundation issues = comprehensive=20 guidelines for permissible use of The Urantia Book, including = permission to=20 read up to 500 words aloud in public.

Reader claims to have vision = of Michael=20 forgiving Lucifer -- gives rise to channeling phenomena within portion = of the=20 readership.

1983 =

January Vern Grimsley notifies Martin Myers and = the=20 Kendalls that he began receiving "messages" on December 16,=20 1982.

August 19-21 =
Center for Urantia Book Synergy -- CUBS = -- sponsors=20 "The Art of Living" conference in Santa Barbara, California, with over 300 participants = from 22=20 states and Canada.

October 6
Vern Grimsley announces he has = received a=20 "message" from superhuman sources warning that World War III is = imminent,=20 converts Family of God Foundation's 1.5 million dollar commodity = account=20 (managed by Richard Keeler) into gold coins and bullion, stashing it = at his=20 California seminary.

December 31 =
Thomas Kendall, President of the = Board of=20 Trustees, ostracized for having supported Vern Grimsley, is informed = that he=20 is being removed as President of the Foundation and that steps are = being taken=20 to remove him from the Board of Trustees.

1984 =

June 17
Richard Keeler and Hoite Caston = publish "Vern=20 Grimsley Message Evaluation" for Urantia Foundation, a 283 page = document=20 denouncing Vern Grimsley and his = "messages."

1985 =

March 25
World War III fails to occur as = predicted by=20 Family of God Foundation.

1987 =

Urantia Brotherhood proposes = test=20 marketing study for The Urantia Book.

July 28
Urantia Foundation threatens to = revoke the=20 Brotherhood's right to use the concentric circles symbol and the name=20 "Urantia" as well as its freedom to sell books if it carries out a = marketing=20 study. Urantia Foundation stresses its desire for a "de-emphasis of = book=20 sales."

1988 =

Joe Pope announces himself to = be "the=20 new John the Baptist" -- starts "Elijah Ministry" in Canada and=20 publishes a book on the coming end (late 1997) of the=20 world.

April 29
Urantia Foundation Center for Urantia = Book=20 Synergy for using the word "Urantia" as part of their name. Case was = settled=20 out of court with CUBS retaining the right to use its name. =

October =
Urantia Foundation denies the revealed = nature of=20 The Urantia Book in copyright case.

1989 =

Urantia Foundation refuses to = allow=20 public access to their financial records.

February
Urantia Brotherhood President submits = confidential memo to Trustees of Urantia Foundation expressing concern = about=20 the manner in which Martin Myers is manipulating Urantia=20 organizations.

Martin Myers resigns from his = job as=20 Vice President of a Chicago bank to work full time for Urantia=20 Foundation.

July
Three trustees (Helena Sprague, Frank = Sgaraglino, Gloriann Harris) resign from Urantia=20 Foundation.

Richard Keeler elected = Trustee of=20 Urantia Foundation.

July 21
Urantia Brotherhood submits letter to = Urantia=20 Foundation requesting the resignation of Martin=20 Myers.

September
Urantia Foundation office staff=20 resigns.

September 16 =
Urantia Brotherhood General Council = holds=20 special session to evaluate the deteriorating situation with Urantia=20 Foundation.

October 17 =
Urantia Brotherhood informs Urantia = Foundation=20 Trustees it will no longer solicit funds for Urantia Foundation due to = the=20 Foundation's refusal to allow the Brotherhood Finance Committee to = review=20 Foundation financial records.

October 30 =
Urantia Foundation disenfranchises = Urantia=20 Brotherhood Corporation as sales and distribution agent for The = Urantia Book,=20 de-licenses Urantia Brotherhood and forbids the use of the name = "Urantia,"=20 "Urantian," or the concentric circles symbol; terminates Urantia = Brotherhood's=20 lease of office space at 533 Diversey = Parkway.

Urantia Brotherhood moves = into new=20 offices at 529 W. Wrightwood Ave. in Chicago -- changes its name to = "Fifth=20 Epochal Fellowship" and becomes known as "The Fellowship for Readers = of The=20 Urantia Book."

Trustee Emeritus William = Hales resigns=20 from Urantia Foundation.

1990 =

"Sintesis Del Libro De = Urantia"=20 published in Barcelona, Spain by the I Am Brotherhood. (Complete with = blue=20 concentric circles on the cover -- no "R".) ISBN=20 48-7720-230-3

Banner of Michael (the = concentric=20 circles symbol described in The Urantia Book sans Urantia Foundation's = "R")=20 raised at the General Conference of the Fellowship at = Snowmass, Colorado,=20 used by the readers as a religious symbol as it had been since the = first=20 Triennial Delegate Assembly in 1964.

April 1
Representatives of Urantia Foundation = meet with=20 Society representatives in New York=20 regarding the de-licensing of Urantia Brotherhood. The Brotherhood=20 representatives put forth the suggestion that an attempt be made to = put the=20 disagreement before a conciliating commission. The Foundation responds = that=20 conciliation is only relevant to disputes between equals. According to = the=20 Foundation, since the Brotherhood is a wholly subservient creation of = the=20 Foundation, the concept of conciliation is irrelevant to the dispute. = A=20 Foundation representative maintains that the Foundation is in effect a = Sovereign Power in this dispute and that it would be inappropriate for = the=20 trustees to subject the direction of their enterprise to the whims of = an=20 external conciliating commission.

April
Urantia Foundation publishes a massive = "Special=20 Report" detailing its disenfranchisement of Urantia Brotherhood, = mailing=20 copies to some 6,000 persons.

Urantia Foundation "delists" = The=20 Urantia Book with all major book distributors; book sales begin to=20 plunge.

1991 =

Urantia Foundation initiates = legal=20 action against Kristen Maaherra for creating and giving away an = electronic=20 index to The Urantia Book.

November
Trustees of Urantia Foundation = appoint advisory=20 committee to help create a new social organization to replace Urantia=20 Brotherhood.

1992 =

Martin Myers dismissed as = Trustee of=20 Urantia Foundation.

Michael Million starts = "Urantial" on=20 server at the University of Arkansas - first readership discussion = group on=20 the emerging Internet.

March
Urantia Foundation refuses to sell books = to=20 individuals known to be unsympathetic to Urantia Foundation's = socio/political=20 objectives. See Refusal=20 Letters.

1993 =

The Urantia Foundation = publishes El=20 libro de Urantia, a faulty Spanish translation of The Urantia Book, = utterly=20 violating the original text and damaging the image of the=20 Revelation.

November =
Having lost the greatest majority of the=20 experienced readership along with their base of financial support in = their=20 1989 disaffiliation with Urantia Brotherhood, Urantia Foundation forms = "International Urantia Association (IUA)," a new organization for = readers=20 designed to give Foundation Trustees a much greater degree of social = control=20 than the original Urantia Brotherhood constitution (which was drafted = by Forum=20 members -- primarily written by Bill Sadler -- and approved by the=20 revelators).

1994 =

Reader Chris Hansen = independently=20 publishes Part IV of The Urantia Book under the title, "God's Bible, = An=20 Epochal Revelation Sponsored by God's Angels -- Part IV, Papers = 120-196, The=20 Life and Teachings of Jesus".

Melchizedek fails to appear = at Holiday=20 Inn in Napierville, Illinois as predicted by channeling readership=20 group.

August 21
Large group of readers led by = Berkeley Elliott=20 celebrates the 2,000 anniversary of Jesus' birth in Jerusalem. = Michael's=20 banner with the concentric circles symbol described in The Urantia = Book flown=20 from the top of the Mount of Olives at=20 dawn.

1995 =

February 10 =
Urantia Foundation's claim to a = copyright in=20 The Urantia Book ruled invalid in Summary Judgment by United States = Senior=20 District Judge in Arizona - copyright placed in public domain. Urantia = Foundation files appeal.

Popular writer Martin Gardner = publishes=20 Urantia: The Great Cult Mystery in an apparent attempt to discredit = The=20 Urantia Book.

Reader Chris Hansen = independently=20 publishes 5,000 copies of The Urantia Book as The Urantia Papers and = God's=20 Bible, both exact facsimiles of the First = Printing.

Urantia Foundation initiates = lawsuit=20 against Kristen Maaherra's husband, Eric Schaveland, for using = "urantia" as=20 part of a URL (universal resource locator) for his=20 website.

Urantia Foundation hires = public=20 relations specialist to manage office and interface with=20 readers.

1996 =

February 28 =
The Fellowship for Readers of The = Urantia Book=20 files Brief Amicus Curiae in support of Kristen Maaherra's defense of = Urantia=20 Foundation appeal in the copyright matter.

April 7
Reader Paul Bond hires two = professional PR wire=20 services to issue a "Proclamation Document" to some 1200 media outlets = worldwide.

April 21
Michael Million gives Urantial e-mail = Urantial=20 list to Urantia Foundation.

July
The Fellowship publishes 15,000 = copies of The=20 Urantia Book through its newly established publishing corporation, = Uversa=20 Press.

International Conference 96 = --=20 Approximately 1,000 readers from the United States and many other = countries=20 attend Fellowship's international conference in Flagstaff,=20 Arizona.

Approximately 70 readers = attend Urantia=20 Foundation's third IUA conference in Nashville,=20 Tennessee, USA.

August
Eric Schaveland and Kristen Maaherra = sued for=20 trademark infringement.

Urantia Foundation takes = legal action=20 against the Fellowship as well as Jesusonian Foundation (Jesusonian = acts as a=20 distribution agent for both the Foundation's and the Fellowship's = published=20 edition of The Urantia Book) for listing 1-888-URANTIA as an = information phone=20 number on literature distributed at the American Booksellers = Association=20 convention in Chicago.

September 17 =
Urantia Foundation drops legal = complaints=20 against the Fellowship and Jesusonian Foundation after discovering = there are=20 insufficient grounds for prosecution.

Philip Rolnick resigns as = Trustee of=20 Urantia Foundation.

1997 =

January 11 =
Urantia FoundationTrustees and = members of the=20 Fellowship Executive Committee meet to discuss matters of mutual = concern for=20 the first time since 1990.

March
Urantia Foundation publishes = self-promotional=20 video highlighting Foundation doctrines as set forth in Martin Myer's = 1973=20 talk, "Unity, not Uniformity."

Rocky Mountain Spiritual = Fellowship=20 passes unanimous resolution formally declaring themselves a religious = group=20 whose symbol of religious belief will be the "Banner of Michael" -- = the=20 concentric circles symbol described in The Urantia=20 Book.

June 10
Court of Appeals reverses decision of = District=20 Court, restoring Copyright to Urantia Foundation. Case is remanded to = lower=20 court for consideration of damages.

June 17
Urantia = Foundation's=20 apparent victory, murky as it may be, intimidates the Fellowship into = ceasing=20 all of its own activities associated with publishing and distributing = the=20 Revelation. The Fellowship announces its discontinuation of = publication and=20 distribution of the Uversa Press Edition of The Urantia = Book.

June 24 =
Petition for Rehearing filed in Copyright = case by=20 Kristen Maaherra.

July 9-13
At the Triennial = Delegate=20 Assembly, Resolutions calling for religious activism submitted by = Rocky=20 Mountain Spiritual Fellowship.

October 17 =
Urantia Foundation issues subpoenas for = financial=20 records of independent readership organizations.

October 28 =
Urantia Foundation trustee Patricia = Mundelius=20 informs Fellowship president Janet Farrington that the subpoenas are = being=20 withdrawn due to community outrage.

Fellowship apparently gives = the=20 Foundation a large sum of money, some say $10,000, as payment for the=20 Foundation not suing them. Fellowship gets invited to Foundation = Translation=20 Conference in Gay Paree (France). See ASSESS.htm and geiger1.htm

December =
Two trustees of Urantia Foundation = abruptly resign=20 without explanation. The Foundation's "Code of Silence" is reminiscent = of some=20 police departments. Within days, two members of Urantia Foundation's = office=20 staff also abruptly resign without explanation.

December 20, 1997=20
Urantia Foundation announces = its new=20 "PERMISSION-TO-QUOTE POLICY". This policy dictates that no one in the = world=20 may quote more than 1,000 words of the Son of God, Christ Michael, = Jesus of=20 Nazareth, our Creator Son, or any of the rest of the Urantia = Revelation,=20 without permission from the Urantia Foundation. See permission.htm

1998 =

February
Fellowship Executive Committee = members and=20 longtime Brotherhood leaders, Mo Siegel and Gard Jameson, abandon the=20 Fellowship and switch to the Urantia Foundation, becoming = Trustees.=20

Urantia Foundation begins a = large scale=20 public relations campaign; stresses "unity". Trustees take show on the = road.

Urantia Foundation asks court = for=20 permanent injunction against Kristen Maaherra and "those in concert or = participation with her."

1999

Urantia Foundation passes 8 = year, 4=20 million dollars spent milestone in the Maaherra suit with at least = three=20 motions still before the court. Total costs of Urantia Foundation = litigations=20 since 1955 are estimated to be in the range of 6 million=20 dollars.

February
Judge Urbom issues declaratory judgment in = Maaherra case upholding Urantia Foundation's claim to copyright but = declining=20 to assess damages or issue the requested injunction against Kristen = Maaherra.=20

August 5
Urantia Foundation sends notice of complaint to = Harry=20 McMullan regarding the publication of Part IV =

October
Urantia=20 Foundation files new brief in Maaherra case

October = 12
Urantia=20 Foundation sends letter of complaint to The Urantia Book Fellowship = regarding=20 alleged "infringements" on the Fellowship website. The Fellowship = responded by=20 requesting a meeting with the Trustees.

November 30
Urantia=20 Foundation initiates lawsuit against Michael Foundation, Inc. for = publishing=20 "Jesus -- A New Revelation"

2000

January 14
Rumors begin = circulating=20 that Martin Myers has filed a complaint with the Illinois State = Attorney=20 General's office seeking removal of all 5 trustees of Urantia=20 Foundation.

January 21
Michael Foundation files brief in = response to=20 Urantia Foundation's request for preliminary injunction in the suit = related to=20 the publication of "Jesus--A New Revelation."

January = 26
Fellowship=20 receives registered letter from Georges Dupont -- regarding alleged = website=20 infringements.

February
Final ruling handed down in Maaherra = case=20 upholding Judge Urbom's granting of Urantia Foundation's Declaratory=20 Judgment.

March
Urantia Foundation = begins=20 claiming trademark in the phrase, "The Urantia=20 Book."

April 7
Urantia = Foundation=20 revokes policy of offering website = licenses.

April=20 8
Fellowship meets with Baney-Dupont committee. = Members of=20 the Fellowship group were given some 700 pages of material relating to = Foundation complaints about alleged trademark, copyright, and license=20 violations in the Fellowship website and publications. Before the = meeting, UF=20 issued a public announcement that it has now begun to claim the phrase = "The=20 Urantia Book" (in addition to the words "Urantia" and "Urantian") as = its=20 trademark. This announcement included a policy statement prohibiting = use of=20 the phrase "The Urantia Book" as an identifying element in the names = of=20 organizations because of trademark=20 = infringement.

September
Tonia= =20 Baney writes to Maria Eileene:
Dear Maria, You seem like = a very=20 religious person, and a devoted URANTIA book reader. I do not know = whether you=20 are aware of the fact that the word URANTIA is a trademark meaning to=20 represent the URANTIA book and its teachings as well as name of our = planet.=20 Some have started to use it for various projects, and we have come to = the=20 point where we must remind everyone of the primary use and ownership = of the=20 trademarks URANTIAN, URANTIA, and the Three Concentric Circles. Please = change=20 your E-mail address to one that does not contain the trademark = URANTIA, within=20 30 days and confirm by writing or E-mail that you have done so. Thank = you in=20 advance; through this action you will assist in preserving the = trademarks for=20 future generation not yet born throughout the planet, and for that we = are=20 truly grateful. Sincerely, Tonia Baney Executive Director URANTIA=20 Foundation

September = 30
David Kantor releases an important = statement.=20 Click=20 Here.

October
Urantia Foundation deposes Meredith = Sprunger and=20 David Kantor, subpoenas their documents=20 collections.

2001

March 16 - = 17
Negotiations held in Chicago between=20 representatives of the Fellowship and Urantia Foundation in an attempt = to=20 settle problems related to Urantia Foundation's efforts to control = content on=20 the Fellowship website. The Fellowship's Executive Committee had been=20 attempting for the past 2 years to arrange a meeting with the trustees = of=20 Urantia Foundation to discuss alleged copyright and trademark = violations on=20 the Fellowship's website. The trustees continually refused to meet = with the=20 Executive Committee resulting in these attorney-mediated=20 "negotiations".

May 25
Urantia Foundation shuts down French = Canadian=20 website containing the revelation in=20 French

May=20 26
Urantia=20 Foundation shuts down Brazilian website containing Portuguese study = aids and=20 translations of papers.

June 4 -- Final Michael Foundation filing = in=20 Federal copyright infringement = case.

June 20 -- = Oklahoma City Federal Court = places=20 the U.S. copyright to The Urantia Book in the public=20 domain.

August 13 -- General Council votes to = publish The=20 Urantia Book.

September -- Rob Crickett claims to meet = Michael=20 and Machiventa on the top of Mt. Hermon. He claims to = witness the=20 transference of the title of Planetary Prince to Machiventa. Michael=20 supposedly instructs Rob to find 300 people who will give him $40 per = month to=20 support his ministry.

September 13 -- Urantia Foundation files = appeal in=20 the Michael Foundation case.

September 24 -- Urantia Foundation = formally=20 complains about Mexican reader's use of the name and symbols in = outreach=20 projects.

October 15 -- Urantia Foundation lays = further=20 groundwork for commercial exploitation of their trademarks. = Application is for=20 "The Urantia Book" and concentric circles design. New trademark = applications=20 published for opposition are:

1. Serial No. 76-008,232: canvas tote = bags=20
2. = Serial No.=20 76-008,234: coffee cups and mugs
3. Serial No. 76-008,235: pens and = pencils=20
4. = Serial No.=20 76-008,233: clothing, namely caps, hats and shirts=20

October 17 --=20 Urantia Foundation attorneys send additional complaints to Fellowship=20

November 15=20 -- "Asociaci=F3n Civil Grupo Orvont=F3n" formed in=20 Mexico.

November 20 -- Federal Court denies = Urantia=20 Foundation petition to stay the effects of the judgement in the=20 Oklahoma copyright case = pending the=20 Foundation's appeal.

Larry Mullins denounces Urantia = Foundation for=20 false and misleading advertising regarding their supposed First = Printing=20 reprint.

2003=20 March 11 -- Federal Appeals Court upholds jury decision in Michael = Foundation=20 case, confirming that the copyright to the English edition of The = Urantia Book=20 has been in the public domain since = 1983.

Compiled by Norm Du = Val (main=20 source is David Kantor's History Timeline)

The=20 Banner of Michael