Copyright And Trademarks

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URANTIA Foundation registered the copyright in The URANTIA Book as of 3 January 1956 as legal owner of the copyright and legal author of The URANTIA Book.

The copyright gives the Foundation the legal power to preserve inviolate the text of The URANTIA Book. In addition, the copyright gives the Foundation the right to control all media for the printing and reproduction of The URANTIA Book and all translations thereof. The copyright enables the Trustees to protect the text against additions, subtractions, or substitutions which someone, well-intended or otherwise, might desire to make. The Trustees want readers to have access to the unaltered text, so that they can interpret the book in accordance with their own understanding.

Regarding the Concentric-Circles Symbol, URANTIA Foundation has used the circles as a mark since 1950. The symbol was registered on 15 June 1952 as a service mark and in 1971 as a trademark. These facts give the Foundation the right to control the use of the circles as that use relates to activities and organizations with which the circles might be associated and publications on which the circles might be affixed. If there were no such control, the circles might be used to give credibility to publications, activities, and organizations either promoting personal interpretations of The URANTIA Book or having little or nothing to do with its teachings. Thus, the Foundation's use and registration of the circles give the Foundation the right and the power to prevent unauthorized, inappropriate, or unacceptable use of the marks. The use of the circles by the Foundation in association with The URANTIA Book assures the reader that he or she has the genuine text. (It should be noted that, even now, there are individuals and groups actively seeking to change the text, binding, and even the length of the book.)

What is true of the Concentric-Circles Symbol is also true of the word "URANTIA" except that this mark was used and registered somewhat later.

The United States copyright in The URANTIA Book will expire in 2030, and the copyright in translations will expire 50-80 years after the date of their issuance, depending upon applicable law. Even so, the Foundation's ownership of the marks will continue in perpetuity, which means that, after the copyright runs out, only those copies of The URANTIA Book published by the Foundation can bear the Concentric-Circles Symbol, assuring future readers of the authenticity of the text.

Foundation Info

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