Rumors

Satan seems to delight in sending the Christian community on wild goose chases, having them waste time spreading false rumors instead of the gospel. Below is the truth about some of the most notorious rumors, which still surface from time to time.
FCC ban of Christian Broadcasting
Procter & Gamble Trademark

Christian Broadcasting

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

March 8, 1984

Thank you for your communication concerning the broadcast of religious programs. The information here presents basic facts on a subject that in recent years has aroused widespread interest and has resulted in a great number of letters and telephone calls to the Commission.

In December, 1974, a petition from Jeremy D. Lansman and Lorenzo W. Milam asked the FCC to inquire, among other subjects, into the operating practices of noncommercial educational broadcasting stations, including those licensed to religious educational organizations. The petitioners also asked that no licenses be granted for any new noncommercial educational stations until the requested inquiry had been completed. The "Lansman-Milam petition," which was routinely assigned the number RM-2493, was DENIED by the Commission on August 1, 1975. The Commission explained then that it is required by the First Amendment "to observe a stance of neutrality toward religion, acting neither to promote or to inhibit religion." It also explained that it must treat religious and secular organizations alike in determining their eligibility for broadcasting channels.

Early in 1975, the FCC began to receive mail which indicated that in many parts of the country there were rumors claiming the petitioners of RM-2493 had called for an end to religious broadcasting and that the Commission was going to prohibit religious programs on radio and television. Such rumors are false. Additional mail and telephone calls came in from people who thought that Mrs. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, a well known atheist, was a sponsor of RM-2493, or had separately proposed that the FCC consider limiting or banning religious programming, and that she had been granted a federal hearing to discuss this matter. Those rumors are also false.

No federal law or regulation gives the FCC the authority to prohibit radio and television stations from presenting religious programs. The Communications Act (the law that established the FCC and defines its authority) prohibits the Commission from censoring broadcast material and from interfering with freedom of speech in broadcasting. The Commission cannot direct any broadcaster to present, or refrain from presenting, announcements or programs on religion, and it cannot act as a judge of the wisdom or accuracy of such material. Broadcasters -- not the FCC or any other governmental agency -- are responsible for selecting the programming that is aired by their stations.

We hope the preceding paragraphs will help to correct any and all misinformation about Commission policies on religious broadcasting. Over the past seven years, this agency has received more than 14 million pieces of mail on this subject; In 1983, an average of over 130,000 pieces of mail still arrived each month. Every effort has been made to advise the public of the action taken on RM-2493. The laws and the newspapers and magazines (including TV Guide and Time), in religious publications, and in meetings of religious groups. Because these false rumors still persist, any assistance you can provide by telling your friends and neighbors what the facts are will be greatly appreciated.

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Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble's Moon and Stars Trademark
The Moon and Stars has been used as P&G's corporate trademark for over 100 years and remains an important Company identification.

False Rumors
Unfortunately, this familiar trademark has been subjected to preposterous, unfounded rumors since 1980-81. The rumors falsely allege that the trademark is a symbol of satanism. Typically, the story reports that a P&G executive discussed satanism on a nationally televised talk show.

The rumors are, of course, totally false. The P&G trademark originated about 1851 as a symbol for Star brand candles. Later it was designed to show a "man-in-the-moon" looking over a field of thirteen stars commemorating the original American colonies. It represents only P&G.

The stories about an executive appearing on a talk show are totally false. Producers for the programs mentioned in connection with the rumor have confirmed that no one from P&G has ever appeared on their shows.

About the Trial
In 1995, with the push of a button, some of Amway's top distributors used Amway's vast voice mail system to spread the rumor. Calls from our consumers spiked dramatically after Amway spread the rumor and decreased significantly after we filed suit. They go to the heart of who we are and what we do. We believe Amway and its top people should finally be held accountable for the huge damage they have caused.

Religious Leaders Offer Support
Several nationally prominent religious leaders also have called for an end to the false stories. These leaders include the Rev. Jerry Falwell; evangelist Billy Graham; the Rev. Jimmy Draper, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention; the Most Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Catholic Archbishop of Cincinnati; and the Rev. Donald E. Wildmon, a Methodist minister and Executive Director of American Family Association. These and other prominent religious leaders have asked people to stop the rumors, calling the stories "vicious" and "ludicrous."

Legal Victories
We have filed 15 lawsuits in the past, six against Amway distributors. They were all concluded in our favor. The trial in Houston began on May 3. Additionally, there is an active case currently under appeal in Utah Federal Court.

History of the Moon and Stars Trademark
P&G's trademark originated around 1851, when many products did not carry a visible brand name. Even people who could not read could see P&G's trademark and know they would get consistent quality.

The original trademark was refined into a star which multiplied into thirteen stars for the 13 original colonies and a man-in-the-moon, a popular decorative fancy of the 1800's. P&G management recognized the importance of the man-in-the-moon element when they eliminated it from the trademark in the 1860's. A merchant "down river" rejected a shipment of Star Candles, an early P&G product, which carried the modified trademark. He chided the Company by letter for sending imitations. The moon promptly went back into service, and the trademark was officially registered with the U.S. Patent Office in 1882.

Evolution of the Moon and Stars Trademark
Procter & Gamble's Corporate Biography

Established in 1837, Procter & Gamble (P&G) began as a small, family operated soap and candle company in Cincinnati, Ohio. From that modest beginning, P&G has grown into a global company which today has sales in over 140 countries and on the ground operations in more than 70 countries.

P&G is a recognized leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of a broad range of superior quality products including Crest toothpaste, Tide laundry detergent, Ivory soap and Pampers diapers, to name just a few.

P&G's corporate tradition, spanning over 150 years, is rooted in the principles of personal integrity--doing what's right for the long-term, respect for the individual, and being the best at what it does.


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