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Canada says Messianic organization can't claim menorah symbol
The Federal Court of Canada has told Chosen People Ministries, an international evangelistic ministry for Messianic Jews, that it may no longer use its stylized menorah as its official symbol.

Specifically, the court overturned the Registrar of Trademarks decision to award the group's logo design "official mark" status. Because official marks offer more exclusive rights than trademarks, the Canadian Jewish Congress argued that the messianic organization could deny any menorah symbols to synagogues or other Jewish organizations.

The court agreed. "The menorah [has been] the official emblem of the Jewish faith and its people since antiquity," wrote Justice Pierre Blais. "It would be counterproductive to prohibit Jewish organizations and associations from using and adopting a mark such as the menorah, since it [has] always been historically associated with the Jewish culture."

But this battle goes far beyond the spurious accusation that Chosen People Ministries would have forced synagogues and other Jews to stop using menorahs. What the Canadian Jewish Congress really wants is to force Chosen People Ministries to stop using the symbol. "These groups create the misleading perception of Jewish affiliation through their appropriation of Jewish religious symbols (such as the menorah), holidays, traditions, and terminology, all to facilitate their proselytizing campaign," CJC president Keith Landy said after the court's decision.

So far, Weblog hasn't seen any comments from Chosen People Ministries, but organization president Mitch Glaser earlier said, "Interestingly, it's our responsibility to defend the Canadian government's decision, but what I really believe is that our faith is on trial."

Chosen People Ministries continues to seek trademark status for its symbol, and the Canadian Jewish Congress continues to oppose that move as well.

Disgraced evangelical cricket star Hansie Cronje dies
Longtime Weblog readers will remember the sad tale of Hansie Cronje, the outspoken evangelical South African cricket star who was forced to resign after admitting he took money from a bookmaker. The tale just got even sadder: Cronje, 32, died Saturday in a plane crash.

Church & state:

• No-church zoning district faces a challenge | A federal law enacted in 2000 to protect churches against most zoning restrictions is being tested in a suburb west of Philadelphia. (The New York Times)
  
  
• Judge orders preacher to pay $1,000 | Tape shows Ovadal calling woman 'heifer,' 'whore' (WISC, Madison)
  
  
• Also: Pastor fined $1,000 for preaching the priceless gospel of Jesus Christ | Sentence to be appealed (Press release, Wisconsin Christians United)
  
  
• Your taxes for church schools? | The vote in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris will, in all likelihood, be 5-4, with Sandra Day O'Connor deciding whether to tear down much of what remains of that wall separating church and state. (Nat Hentoff, The Village Voice)
  
  
• Prayers in schools walk fine line | Few groups take advantage of the Equal Access Act (Palm Beach Post)
  
  
• Graduation 2002: One last lesson in freedom | First Amendment provides all the guidance we need for these ceremonies: Public schools must respect students' rights to freedom of speech, religion. (Ken Paulson, Freedom Forum)
  
  
• Local religious groups voice concerns over FBI policy allowing increased surveillance | New rule gives FBI agents authorization to attend public events open to any other citizen to seek signs of terrorism. (Waco [Tex.] Tribune-Herald)

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June (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46