For A Timeline of the Legal Persecution of the CSDA Church, Please Click Here!

For The Latest News and Media Coverage of Pastor Chick's Arrest and Story, Please Click Here!

Sued by a Fictitious Person
Hated of All Men for His Name's Sake

Because those who were once the depositaries of truth became unfaithful to their sacred trust,
the LORD chose others who would receive the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness,
and would advocate truths that were not in accordance with the ideas of the religious leaders.
And then these leaders, in the blindness of their minds, give full sway to what is supposed
to be righteous indignation against the ones who have set aside cherished fables.
Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 69, 70

Religious Liberty Restricted in Africa

Zambia Letter re: Mwange SDA Lay Revival, June 28, 2000

Zambia Court ruling re: Three Angel's Message SDA, December 16, 2014

South African Trans-Orange Conference Lawsuit

Letter from law firm in South Africa representing the Washington, D.C. General Conference, December 12, 2013

Letter from GC Secretary, June 6, 2014. Multiple legal filings in the High Court of South Africa, signed May 27, 2014; filed June 28, 2014

SAU Letter to Constituency, June 11, 2014

Settlement Agreement, December 24, 2014

GCC Threatens Any Group with "Adventist" in the Name

HISTORY REPEATS

In 1606, many Pilgrims were driven out of England because they illegally separated from the Church of England. Many were betrayed or lost personal property and dignity. Others were imprisoned, forcibly separated from their families, or driven into exile in Holland.

In the 1630's, the Puritans were persecuted for their efforts to reform and purify the Church of England from within. Unauthorized assemblies for religious worship were prohibited under penalty of imprisonment, exile, torture and death.

Quakers were also persecuted in England because of their refusal to conform to the Church of England. They believed each person could experience God directly, without benefit of church building, clergy or liturgy. Thus, these Quakers were burdened with excessive taxes and charged with blasphemy, disturbing the peace, disorderly behavior, and contempt of court. Many were sentenced to a whipping. Their goods and property were confiscated, and some meeting houses were destroyed. By 1680, 10,000 Quakers had been imprisoned in England, and 243 had died of torture and mistreatment in the King's jails.

In 1685, the Huguenots (Protestants living in Roman Catholic France) were denied their free exercise of religion. Their options were death, imprisonment, or emigration.

The plain, moral lives of the Swiss Brethren, nicknamed Anabaptists, attracted many converts from the state church in Germany. However, around 1700, they were persecuted when they insisted that only believers should be baptized.

October 31, 1731 (on the 214th Anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation) a Roman Catholic Archbishop in Salzburg, Austria, demanded that all Protestants recant their non-Catholic beliefs or be banished. All Protestant Bibles, books and hymnals were burned. Over 21,475 Protestants were forced into exile. Many fled through snowstorms and icy winds. Their money was soon spent to pay for excessive taxes, tolls, and protection by soldiers from robbers. Despite this adversity, they sang inspirational hymns: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "Now Thank We All Our God."

By establishing a rich heritage of religious freedom, America became a refuge from religious persecution for thousands of these Pilgrims, Puritans, Quakers, Huguenots, Anabaptists, and Protestants from Salzburg. In 1620, Pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower. In the 1630's, as many as 20,000 Puritans immigrated to New England. Quakers and Anabaptists escaped to Pennsylvania. By 1685 as many as 8,000 Quakers had come to William Penn's haven for religious tolerance. In the hundred years before 1725, about 5,000-7,000 Huguenot religious refugees came to New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina.

On January 19, 1734, 78 Salzburg exiles sailed for Georgia. Upon their arrival, they named their new home Ebenezer (stone of help or monument to God's protection) according to the sermon they had just heard from I Samuel 7:12.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all those who live in this country. Yet despite our reputation, rich heritage, and the guarantees of the Constitution, many American Christians are today being denied freedom of religion.

Quoted from: The Legal Alert
David C. Gibbs, Jr., Attorney
Email: DavidGibbs@ChristianLaw.org
Website: http://ChristianLaw.org

Seventh-day Adventists have long predicted the repeat of history with respect to religious intolerance, even in this "haven of religious liberty" -- the United States of America. With "worldly policy" governing the actions and reactions of "the church" of today, we see on the horizon -- a "civilized inquisition" unfolding. The "overwhelming surprise" comes as this "inquisition" now originates with the Seventh-day Adventist Church itself.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church's Published Position
on the
Name SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

Seventh-day Adventist Church's Trademark Registration Certificate

Attorney Carson talks about why...trademark protection

What does "CHURCH" have to do with "BUSINESS SERVICES"?

Click on Image to Hear Real Audio Program

Seventh-day Adventist Church Trademark Guidelines

Seventh-day Adventist Church Trademark Policy Amended 2003
Nearly 300 pastors, lay members, educators, and administrators gathered at the Adventist world headquarters for the 2003 Annual Council, October 10-15. . . .

The committee heard reports, voted new policy items, and approved the church's 2004 world budget. Among the items voted were new statements on labor unions and church trademarks. . . .

Adventist Review, November 2003, p. 43

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TRADEMARK NEWS from 2003

Canadian SDA Ministry (Henry Black, "Be Bold for Jesus") Under Fire from the Conference

Listen to Part One of a Telephone Conversation Regarding This Conflict

Listen to Part Two of a Telephone Conversation Regarding This Conflict

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Words of Inspiration from a Founder of Seventh Day Adventism

     "The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man's relation with his God is above human legislation, and his rights of conscience inalienable. Reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth; we are conscious of it in our own bosoms. It is this consciousness which, in defiance of human laws, has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and flames. They felt that their duty to God was superior to human enactments, and that man could exercise no authority over their consciences. It is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate." Congressional documents (U.S.A.), serial No. 200,document No. 271. Quoted in The Great Controversy, pp. 295-96.

    "To protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state, and this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion. Every secular government that attempts to  regulate or enforce religious observances by civil authority is sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical Christian so nobly struggled." The Great Controversy, page 201.

     "Let the principle once be established in the United States that the church may employ or control the power of the state; that   religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured."The Great Controversy, page 581.

     "In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. "The Great Controversy, page443.

Is Barabbas Released (the second time)?
(Unofficial Report from Eternal Gospel Church Representative)
(Official Report from the Adventist News Network)
("Official Perez Report" from LandMarks Magazine)

Response to the "Leading Brethren" from an SDA Layperson

A Message for the Eternal Gospel Church

Judge James Lawrence King's SDA Trademark Decision

Initial Associated Press News:
GCC vs. Eternal Gospel SDA Church

March, 2000 SDA Trademark Trial Summary

Judge King's Decision: As posted by Adventist News Network

THE PALM BEACH POST
Saturday, April 29, 2000

Pictures from the March, 2000 SDA Trademark Trial

Demand Letter from Attorney Tew to Pastor Perez: June 20, 2006

Contending for the Faith-- A Spectator's Summary

Email to President Clinton RE: SDA Trademark Decision

The Road to the Inquisition

Elder Floyd A. Hunt's Letter
Regarding the General Conference Trademark Policy

West Palm Beach, Florida

Unofficial Report: December 13, 1998

SDA Pastor Jim Cox admits (though not "meaning" to)
"the true church" will NOT "finish the work"

Check the Eternal Gospel Church web site for latest updates.

Following are the files we have to post at this time:

Eternal Gospel SDA Church Legal Files (scanned)
First Letter to Pastor Perez from the General Conference
Pastor Perez Responds to General Conference Letter
Second Letter to Pastor Perez from the General Conference
Demand Letter to Pastor Perez from General Conference Attorneys

GC to Enter Trademark Case in New York

       The General Conference has authorized its attorneys to file a trademark infringement lawsuit against an independent New York congregation for that body's improper use of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's name.
       The unincorporated body separated from the Immanuel [Emmanuel] Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brooklyn [the Bronx], New York, and goes by the name Emanuel Seventh-day [Seventh Day] Adventist Church. This group has asserted claims against tithes and offerings belonging to the established Adventist Church that is recognized by the Greater New York Conference. The claims were subsequently brought to civil court.
       The GC became involved because of the independent body's continued use of the former church's name, though the group uses a slightly different spelling. GC officials are concerned about the integrity of the Seventh-day Adventist name and wants to prevent confusion with its unauthorized use. The Greater New York Conference made unsuccessful attempts to clear the matter.

Adventist Review, Newsbreak, January1998, page 22

[Brackets of correction supplied by web publisher.]

Pastor Chick's findings on this case when he traveled to New York City

LINKS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

Can this SDA Church ever become "the hated sect"?

See story: Adventist Review, June 30, 2000, page 28

"The Mark"

"666" = "The Number of Mankind"

Roman Catholic Church and SDA Church Compromise

EDUCATIONAL STUDY LINKS

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