Re[3]: Microsoft takes over RC

[Michael LaTorra <mikel -at- HUEY -dot- ACCUGRAPH -dot- COM>]

Actually, Virginia, these "mindboggling" thoughts are not all so
farfetched as we might want to believe.  According to Paul Johnson's
book _A History of Christianity_ during the medieval period it was
not unusual for the king to have his chosen loyalists made bishops,
even if those men were not even priests at the time.  One example
is Thomas Beckett (now St. Thomas), a royal loyalist who got
in trouble with his king after Thomas placed his duty to the Church
before his duty to the king.  BTW, in the movie version titled _Beckett_
Richard Burton does a creditable job in the lead role.

As for the matter of incorporating or even copyrighting religious
material, I believe the only reason we have not seen this done by
any major religions so far is because the issue has not really come
up.  However, there was an interesting case of a church being sued
for copyright infringement about ten years ago.

Catholic missionaries in New Guinea had been trying to instruct
the natives by creating educational comic books in order to get
their messages across.  The comics they created were based on
the Phantom ("the ghost who walks").  Well, the publishing
syndicate that owns rights to the Phantom character successfully
sued the Catholic Church for copyright infringement.

Strange but true!


Live long & prosper,
Mike LaTorra

Documentation Supervisor
Accugraph Inc.
mikel -at- accugraph -dot- com
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The opinions expressed are my own, and not necessarily those of my
company -- but they probably should be.
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Date:    Wed, 21 Dec 1994 08:48:56 -0600
From:    "Virginia L. Krenn" <asdxvlk -at- OKWAY -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Subject: Re[2]: Microsoft takes over RC

  Even churches can be sold if they are first deconsecrated. But, for
  anyone to seriously think that the religious rites, sacraments, etc.
  could be incorporated or that laymen could suddenly be appointed
  cardinals is just mindboggling.

 Virginia Krenn
 asdxvlk -at- okway -dot- okstate -dot- edu

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Author:  Terry Riffey <RIFFEYTR -at- sluvca -dot- slu -dot- edu> at SMTP

I can't believe people would take seriously the report on Microsoft's
takeover of the Catholic Church, however, just about the same day I read
it on the net there was a news report on TV about the Catholic Church in
Albuquerque (I believe) selling off much of its property . . . seemed
kind of humorous in the timing.
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