A lawyer claiming to represent the developer of video games based on Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins’ “Left Behind” novels refused to accept a certified letter from the Baptist Center for Ethics answering allegations that EthicsDaily.com carried statements about the game that were “false and misleading.”

EthicsDaily.com was one of several Web and blog sites in late September to receive a form letter threatening legal action unless they remove “any and all information contained on your site about the above-stated game that is false and misleading, including any such statements or commentary and the responses thereto.”

“If you do not comply immediately, the company will be forced to pursue additional legal action which will include claims for damages, costs of suit and attorney fees,” said the letter signed by Gordon Katz, a lawyer in Narberth, Pa. “This may subject you and your organization to significant legal and financial damages.”

 Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, responded in a certified letter Oct. 5 asking Katz to substantiate claims of “false and misleading” information.

“Please provide to me in writing where you believe our news story about this matter contains false and misleading information, and why you believe the material you identify is false and misleading,” Parham wrote. “It is impossible for me to consider compliance with your request to remove material that you claim is false and misleading without knowing about which you write.”

“EthicsDaily.com strives for truthfulness, balance and accuracy in its news stories,” Parham continued. “We would be most concerned if in fact any information archived on our site is false or misleading.”

Parham’s letter, sent via certified mail, was returned this week with an explanation from a representative of the U.S. Postal Service that Katz refused to accept it.

I’m know only two of us (BDBO - Canada and Bartholomew’s Notes on Religion - UK) that wrote about Left Behind: Eternal Forces outside the US and we’ve not received the SLAPP letter from Katz. There may be more international bloggers that wrote about this game, but I’ve not found them.  Mainstream Baptist sent a certified letter  asking Katz for clarification which was accepted. There has been no response.
I suspect a few certified letters asking for clarification may have ended the er, discussion.
The game company had bigger issues to deal with when ABC news broke the story of the Pentegon dropping their deal with the company to ship the game to it’s troops after copious complaints.

The story on the SLAPP letters here.  Most blogs and sites posted Katz’s letter and kept their content about the game up. A few removed their posts.  Daily Kos has a good round up of most sites and blogs that received the letter.
The Daily Kos diary also has background on Mr. Katz. 

A suitable response by bloggers to the vague letter Mr. Katz sent is to:

a) request exactly which statements are “false or misleading” and
b)why such statements are “false or misleading,”   such as Ethics Daily and Mainstream Baptist sent.

The total number of people that received the SLAPP from Mr. Katz has not been disclosed. Nor is there any indication of reply and requested clarification by Mr. Katz in the search engines I looked in.

Left Behind Games Inc. stock has dropped to .07 cents from a yearly high of $5.45.

Did any Canadian bloggers write about Left Behind: Eternal Forces or Left Behind Games Inc.? If so I’d like to hear from you.