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US Patent Office wrote:advertising space by electronic means and global information networks; editing and publication of advertising matter for others via the internet, specifically websites [and] operate an online shopping site in the field of spirituality and meditation.
Freedom of speech and freedom of religion activists within the movement voice concerns that these trademarks could be intended to further exclude the followers of the religious movement from accessing the increasing secreted channelled messages from God on which it is based. Further centralizing power within the hands of an unaccountable and undemocratic leadership, whose positions are secured by their money power or family connections, rather than spirituality, it is thought these applications were made in order to support personally motivated legal action. The trademark applications, of which one claims a "pseudo mark" pretending that "BKWSU" is short for "BKWS You", cover;
Books and printed publications in the nature of magazines, newsletters, booklets, pamphlets and brochures, all relating to spiritual and meditation issues; stationery; printed instructional and teaching material featuring spiritual and meditation issues" including ...
the "provision of spiritual sacred text, specifically termed Murlis or Murli classes, for meditation students.
Initially refused under Sections 1 and 2(e)(1) of the Trademark Act because the applicant, BK Hansa Raval, was not the owner of the mark and because the mark was merely "descriptive", lacking in any limitations of the identification of services. It has been suggested that trademarking "Brahma Kumaris" is like trademarking "Christian" or "Buddhist". The application is current on 3 months hold after protests were made and concerned individuals are encouraged to contact the US Patent and Trademark Office ... or local BK center-in-charge.
Whereas the BKWSO legally has "no members" with rights, only donors they call "students", this move legalizes the right of an unelected minority to recognize who are official 'children of Brahma' in the same manner as China seeks the rights over Tibetan to appoint "official Lamas" ... the God of the BKs is not a Democrat.
The US Patent Office stated that such a mark would suggested that the applicant’s meditation and services follow or abide by the principles of Brahma Kumaris. If granted, it could be used to prevent other BK centers for calling themselves BKs and in the possibility of costly and aggressive infringement suits, such as the BrahmaKumaris.Info domain dispute. Much criticised by the Yoga movement, a recent US court case in the district court for the Northern District of California found that ancient Yoga positions could be the subject of a valid copyright, despite their previous existence for 1,000 of years. *
In a moment of outstanding enlightenment and rectitude, the Patent office stated that anyone ...
... who operates a center where the principles of Brahma Kumaris are taught has the right to use the wording “Brahma Kumaris” to describe their services.
And quite right by the BK Knowledge they are too.
However, attorney Pirkey for Colonel Raval of Texas respectfully submitted that these rejections are based on "a misunderstanding of applicant and its services, and should be withdrawn". Global Media Chief Karuna Shetty retrospectively provided a letter of authorization for the applications but no note is on record from the governing body of the chimeric BKWSU, 'The World Spiritual Renewal Trust' leading critics to ask whether the Brahma Kumaris' accountants have their eyes on the increasingly affluent but increasingly corporate New Age and self-improvement movement to market its diffusion range products to with rumors suggesting that the higher echelons of the Brahma Kumari movement were were divided over the matter.
- ... Before me, there was no money, no business with Yoga", Bikram said.
With its increasing profit margins on "service products", Godly artifacts and even images of its "Our-Gurus-are-not-Gurus" Sindhi Gurus ... certain sorts of Brahma Kumaris appear to be investing thousands of dollars in applications and attorneys to follow en suite ... all on the back of the reputation of a charity established over decades by the "two paise (donations) of old widows" in India.
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* Open Source Yoga Unity v. Bikram Choudhury, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10440, 74 U.S.P.Q.2D (BNA) 1434, Copy. L. Rep. (CCH) P28,982 (N.D. Cal. 2005)
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