Here’s a refreshing story where two parties have a dispute, listen to each other and find a resolution — with neither side demonizing the other. It’s the best kind of Man Bites Dog — the kind where no one actually gets bitten.

It all started when Best Buy, the electronics retailer behind the famed Geek Squad, issued a cease and desist order against a Catholic priest in Wisconsin known for driving around in a VW Beetle sporting an oval God Squad logo the company found to be too similar to that of its ubiquitous squad of computers fixers.

Father Luke Strand (who is the pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Fond du Lac) has agreed to stop using the logo — and, get this, says he was surprised initially but, after listening to their point of view, actually understands the company’s position. What? No charge of Catholic bashing? No calling out the faithful to boycott Best Buy? And did someone actually listen to what the other side has to say?

For its part, Best Buy says “This was a really difficult thing for us to do because we appreciate what
Father Strand is trying to accomplish with his mission. But at the end of the
day, it’s bad precedent to let some groups violate our trademark while pursuing
others.” The company is said to have no problem with him continuing to use the name God Squad. No hardball.

So, bottom line, the God Squad is looking for a new logo but the two sides have resolved the issue without lawsuits and, even more surprising in this day and age, without calling each other names.