© 1995 Urantia Foundation
¶ The Urantia Book for $19.95 Softcover Edition
From time to time, over the years, readers have asked about a paperback or softcover edition of The URANTIA Book. But, because of the book’s size, our desire for a durable, high-quality product, and the relatively low number of books produced with each printing, a paperback edition of The URANTIA Book was, in the past considered to be impractical. Then, about a year ago, some readers came to us with some new ideas and informed us of new developments in printing materials and technology which have now made such a book possible.
We are pleased to announce that in May, URANTIA Foundation will make available a softcover edition of The URANTIA Book. The new edition is smaller, lighter in weight, easy to read, and durable. The binding and paper are of high quality, and the softcover is made of a durable, flexible vinyl, the same color as the hardcover book. In content and format, page for page, it is identical to the hardcover book. By using high-quality paper and paying careful attention to the spacing of margins, lines, and words, the type will be only one-half point size smaller than the type in the larger books. This is barely noticeable and provides a very readable text.
The softcover book will retail at $19.95 and, like the hardcover edition, will be available through bookstores. If your local, full-service bookstore does not already carry The URANTIA Book (either soft- or hardcover) on their shelf, they can order it from URANTIA Foundation. As always, if you do not have access to a bookstore, you may purchase The URANTIA Book direct from URANTIA Foundation.
¶ The Urantia Book Deluxe Editions to help Fund Translations
In addition to the new softcover edition, the Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of three new, leatherbound editions of The URANTIA Book. All three editions are hardbound in a high-quality, dark blue, smooth leather with pages edged in gold leaf. These deluxe editions are being made available for those who love finely bound books, and for those who wish to support the high cost of translations by purchasing one of these volumes. Each hand-crafted, deluxe book will be of heirloom quality and should be a valuable addition to any library. All profits from their sale will be reserved to fund additional translations.
Below is a complete list of the printed English editions of The URANTIA Book :
- The URANTIA Book—softcover (6“x 8”)$19.95
- The URANTIA Book—hardcover (8“x10”)$48.00
- The URANTIA Book—hardcover leatherbound (6“x 8”)$75.00
- The URANTIA Book—hardcover leatherbound (8“x10”) $150.00
- The URANTIA Book—hardcover leatherbound deluxe with leather slipcover (8“x10”)$250.00
All leatherbound editions will be available direct from URANTIA Foundation. For ordering and shipping information, please call the Foundation office at (312) 525-3319.
“. . .human evolution is still in progress, and the revelation of God to the world, in and through Jesus, shall not fail.” UB 196:3.33
¶ Second Printing of El Libro de URANTIA Available in July 1995
In less than two years, the first printing of 5,000 copies of El libro de Urantia, the Spanish translation of The URANTIA Book, is almost sold out. The second printing, with some corrections and revisions, is currently being prepared for printing.
El libro de URANTIA will be printed in the new, smaller, softcover version and sold through bookstores for a suggested retail price $19.95. We realize, however, that in certain countries, Chile, for example, the retail price will be higher because of shipping costs and rather high import duties, customs duties, and local sales tax. These factors, among others, have kept the retail price of the book in some countries quite high, and the Foundation has been, since the first printing, seeking ways to make available a less expensive book for readers there. Even though the shipping, the duties, the taxes, and generally higher mark-ups will still affect the price of the new, smaller volume, the overall price reductions should make El libro de URANTIA much more affordable to our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters. URANTIA Foundation is continuing to search for additional ways to reduce the price of the book, including efforts to overcome the complexities of printing the book locally in other countries.
¶ IUA’S Second International Conference August 1995
From Thursday, August 3, to Monday, August 7, 1995, the International URANTIA Association will hold its second international conference. The theme of the conference will be Dimensions of Study — Revelation Entering the Age of Discretion. This year’s highlights include: a first time “Kid’s Konference”; Special Study Sessions for New Readers and for Advanced Students; and All New, Take Home Study Materials.
The feedback from the attendees of last year’s conference was overwhelmingly positive and was carefully considered by planners of this year’s gathering in order to assure that suggestions which would make for a more useful and enjoyable conference were implemented. The location and environment was high on the list of positively rated features, so we shall be returning to the beautiful campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. This location is a day’s drive from half the population of the United States and also provides excellent airport facilities. The Southern Kindred Spirits Association of IUA will serve as the coordinator of the conference. If you have not already received information about the conference and would like to do so, please call the Foundation office.
¶ Copyright Update
Since 1990, URANTIA Foundation has been involved in a court struggle to uphold the copyright in The URANTIA Book and to retain its custodial ownership of the nine registered trade-, service, and collective membership marks, that is, the Concentric-Circles Symbol and the words “URANTIA” and “URANTIAN.” Unfortunately, this court struggle is far from over, but some major rulings, both favorable and unfavorable, have been issued. In what follows, we shall explain what has taken place, what is going to take place, and what is still unclear or undecided at the time of this writing. But before addressing the specific legal rulings, we should like to make a few general comments.
URANTIA Foundation is the organization which has been assigned the task of publishing The URANTIA Book, disseminating its teachings, and, through its custodial ownership of the copyright and marks, protecting the integrity of the text on behalf of all the peoples of the planet. For forty-five years, the Foundation has quietly discharged its Trust, protecting the copyright and marks, translating the book into other languages, and encouraging the patient, person-to-person, non-invasive dissemination of the book and its teachings.
¶ The Fruits of Progress
We are currently in the twelfth printing of the English edition. Some 285,000 copies of The URANTIA Book in all languages have been printed and over 250,000 sold or placed in libraries. The book has been translated into French, (recently revised and corrected by a French translation team that worked on this revision for 12 years), Spanish (the first Spanish printing is almost sold out), and Finnish (there are more Finns reading the book per capita than anywhere else in the world). In addition, translations into Dutch, Russian, Korean, and Swedish are well under way, with translations into German, Italian, Estonian, and Portuguese in the planning stages.
URANTIA Foundation, in association with a professional recording studio, publishes the English book on 96 audio cassettes. The Foundation also publishes a computer version in English, French, and Finnish and will be publishing a computer version for the Spanish translation. These computer versions have a powerful search mechanism for researching any word or concept found in the book. Furthermore, a hardcover, exhaustive Concordance is available in English as well as an index in Finnish.
From the URANTIA Foundation headquarters in Chicago, we maintain a central hub which efficiently ships over 10,000 books a year with a normal turn-around time of 24-48 hours. The Foundation’s staff of only four persons also responds to about 300 reader service inquiries every month and performs numerous other tasks related to fostering, coordinating, and facilitating the growing interest in The URANTIA Book. Great progress has resulted from the opening of Foundation offices in Australia, Finland, England, and France, with several others currently being organized. Since its inception in August, 1993, thirteen Associations of International URANTIA Association have been chartered in Finland, Australia-New Zealand, and the United States, with plans underway for Associations in France and several other states of the United States.
While much work remains to be done, URANTIA Foundation has had noteworthy success in its work of publishing, protecting, and disseminating The URANTIA Book. More and more people every day are learning about the book; more and more people are reading it; and more and more people are dedicating themselves to its study and to the living of its teachings.
Given the above successes and the Foundation’s efforts toward future growth, the ongoing vehemence of the opponents of the Foundation is somewhat hard to fathom. It is easier to criticize than to construct, easier to complain than to contribute. But the distortions and the outright falsehoods which have been repeatedly and publicly leveled against URANTIA Foundation by a vocal minority are well beyond the bounds of fair play and honest disagreement. We would like to address some of these issues as they apply to the recent court case.
¶ Favorable and Unfavorable Court Rulings in URANTIA Foundation vs. Maaherra
The judge of the federal district court for the district of Arizona in the Maaherra case has ruled against URANTIA Foundation on the validity of the copyright renewal. We shall appeal this decision, so the final ruling will not be made for at least twelve months, possibly longer. The decision against the Foundation was based on the judge’s interpretation, which we believe to be erroneous, of the applicable law and the unusual facts of the case. However, the final interpretation will ultimately be made by a panel of three judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. These judges will review the lower court’s decision de novo, which means that they will review the entire record of the case and draw their own legal conclusions. They will not be bound by the lower court’s opinions and will not be required to give any deference to them. Until the higher court decides any issues brought up on appeal, the lower court’s decisions are not final and the validity of the copyright is not finally determined. We found the lower court judge’s ruling surprising in its treatment of the facts and the relevant law. As a result, we are confident that we shall prevail on appeal in the higher level court. Nonetheless, if the adverse decision is not eventually overturned, the Foundation will not be able to enforce its copyright in the future. Without getting into the details of this complicated case, we are now at work on the appeal.
On virtually all the issues, other than copyright, the judge ruled in favor of the Foundation, thus settling major issues without the need for a trial by jury. These favorable judgments include the rejection of Maaherra’s First Amendment arguments (from the American Constitution), religious freedom arguments, and arguments about our alleged failure to uphold our Trust. Most important, especially for the members of IUA, the Foundation’s nine registered marks were affirmed, including the name “URANTIA” and the Concentric-Circles Symbol. The judge rejected Maaherra’s claims of fraud and “genericness.” After reviewing all the correspondence between the Foundation and the Trademark Office, the judge wrote: “I find no merit in the defendant’s [Maaherra’s] allegation of fraud.” In rejecting her allegations about the “genericness” of our registered marks, the judge wrote: “The defendant [Maaherra] attempts to rebut the plaintiff’s presumption against genericness by misrepresenting cases and selectively quoting statutes.” The remaining issue of whether Ms. Maaherra infringed the Foundation’s trademarks was settled out of court. Ms. Maaherra has agreed to refrain from using the word “URANTIA” and the Concentric-Circles Symbol in connection with the promotion or dissemination of any books, study aids, or publications.
Many of you have called or written, asking what you can do to help. And we thank you for your offer of support. While there is little or nothing that you can do in regard to the final legal outcome, your continued patience, loyalty, and prayers are greatly appreciated. In the meantime, you may be asked questions by readers who will naturally want to know what is happening. And we shall do everything we can to keep you informed. Please feel free to get in touch if you have questions, and we shall do our best to answer them.
In closing, the policies, programs, and plans of URANTIA Foundation and of IUA have not been based on the copyright in The URANTIA Book but instead, on the contents of the book. Therefore, with or without the copyright, the Foundation will carry on. Nonetheless, the copyright has been an important mechanism for URANTIA Foundation. With it, the Trustees are empowered to discharge what The Declaration of Trust calls their “primary duty,” and that is “to perpetually preserve inviolate the text of The URANTIA Book.” We shall make every effort to retain the copyright. Fortunately, URANTIA Foundation and the International URANTIA Association will continue to be distinguished as the sole authorized users of the registered marks. Any product published by the Foundation, most critically, the book itself, will be distinguished by its bearing the registered marks “URANTIA” and the Concentric-Circles Symbol. In the social arena, IUA alone will be authorized to use the marks. This will identify IUA as the only social group which is officially connected with URANTIA Foundation and not with other organizations, groups, or individuals focused on channeling, organizational politics, or other activities not directly related to furthering one’s understanding of the teachings of The URANTIA Book.
We look forward to having these matters fully and finally settled. We regret that certain individuals and groups have challenged and attacked the integrity of the Foundation and its custodial ownership of the copyright and marks. We look forward to a time of greater understanding and mutual respect among those dedicated to the book which URANTIA Foundation has faithfully published since 1955.
¶ Reader Comments About The URANTIA Book
“During the past seventeen years the book has given me tremendous insight into what our world and universe is really all about, and an intelligent basis for my growing faith in God. Without The URANTIA Book 's replete and plausible perspective, I’m sure I would be very frustrated with the myriad understandings and belief systems available to us as humans.” ~ Dallas, Texas U.S.A.
“As I read The URANTIA Book, my soul fills with a sensation of peace I have never experienced.” ~ Mexico D.F., MEXICO
“The URANTIA Book has been a fulcrum in my life; I do not need any supplement to it. It stands on its own. It allows me to open my doors to my Thought Adjuster at my own pace. Precious benefit.” ~ Longview, Washington U.S.A.
“The URANTIA Book is brilliant, we thank you, that this kind of Book and URANTIA Foundation exist. We wish you luck.” ~ Tallinn, ESTONIA
“I was lucky enough in finding this book in a shopping center bookstore. It was the last one. And since then I have been reading it, …with great enchantment, for it seems that at long last I’m getting the answers to many issues I’ve always wanted to know about.” ~ Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
“I believe this personal approach of introduction is one of the things that separates these teachings from all others and encourages thinking individuals to give it a chance unencumbered by a sales pitch that is so often associated with other religious teachings. I also believe this is more important today than ever before as we become bombarded with so many religions trying to sell their wares or beliefs through every form of media.” ~ Sixes, Oregon U.S.A.