What if this happened to a Baptist church?

Imagine the following hypothetical situation. I am going to use the Southern Baptist Convention as an example of a religious organization, but it could be any national or international religious organization.

Imagine the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a new position that it was OK to worship Buddha in addition to Jesus. Obviously, many local Baptist congregations wouldn't go along with that. Imagine the international Baptist church used the police to kick local congregations out of their buildings because they didn't agree and taught that these changes were wrong. After meeting in homes for a while and eventually building new churches, the expelled groups have a practice of calling themselves, "the original Southern Baptists" because they teach the original Southern Baptist doctrines. The new Southern Baptists, who took over the old organization, then turn around and sue a small "original Southern Baptist" congregation (the smallest they could find, which they know will be least able to mount a defense) for trademark infringement.

Thankfully, the Southern Baptist Convention hasn't done any such thing. But this exact situation (a worse one, actually) is happening to a group of Latter Day Saints - the Devon Park Branch in Independence, MO. Back in the 1980s, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) split into two factions. One group favored changes to a more liberal theology, and there are people who still remember the days when they silenced ministers without appeal and locked the doors of church buildings belonging to congregations who wouldn't go along with their radical agenda. This organization became what is now known as the Community of Christ.

The other group of expelled saints were scattered and met in homes for a time until they could afford to start building their own churches. Many, if not most of these individuals still consider themselves to belong to the church they were baptized into - the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That name identifies their specific doctrinal belief system which is absolutely unique in the world and there is no other term to describe that belief system.

What used to be called the RLDS church was renamed to "Community of Christ" back in 2001. A representative said this change, "reflects who we are striving to become." (source) Apparently, they must be striving to become something other than the RLDS church. Some of us are still striving for the church to become what the founders of the RLDS church were striving for it to become, and not for it to become something else.

The Community of Christ claims that it's mission is to "promote communities of love, joy, hope and peace." (source) But that's all a lie. According to the actions that the Community of Christ has taken, these concepts apply to everyone - unless they claim to belong to the original RLDS church.

On December 1st, 2008, the Community of Christ (which is apparently large and affluent enough to have it's own legal department) filed suit in federal court against Devon Park Branch and it's pastor for trademark infringement. It's pastor is an unpaid volunteer and father of nine who was battling Thyroid cancer at the time. He is my father, David McLean. Goliath sued David.

I believe that if all the members of the Community of Christ knew what their leadership was doing to this little church, they would either leave the CoC or they would stage a major protest at their world conference. I know I wouldn't stay a member of a church that engages in such un-Christian conduct!

On April 23, 2009, they got a preliminary injunction against the branch. The newspapers ran a story that basically came right out of the CoC's press release, saying they had won the case. This has made most people think they have won. They haven't won the case! Devon Park's defense is very much alive and the case still hasn't had a main trial. No matter who wins, it is likely there will also be an appeal. The final result is probably more than a year away. Devon Park is obviously very much in need of funds to help defend it against this immoral and tyrannical attack! This blog will help keep the public informed of what is going on, so stay tuned for more information on this continuing story.