Stealing Music and Software – Does Digital Data Make Stealing OK?

Articles about song swapping have filled the newspapers and web sites for years. Song swapping is the practice of recording songs from commercially produced CDs or purchasing them from Internet sites  and sending the individual songs to people who did not purchase the music. Some companies developed web sites and software to make it easy and free to swap songs, movies, books, and other commercial (sold) products.

At different times, companies that control the production and distribution of music have filed lawsuits against some of the offenders charging that their activities defrauded the music companies of the profits due them. Some of these suits were filed against families whose children downloaded hundreds, sometimes thousands, of songs. The media immediately focused on the parents, some who had low incomes, who faced stiff fines for their children’s copyright violations. These stories highlighted the shock of the parents receiving notice of the charges against them. The stories I read failed to highlight the parent’s lack of oversight of their children’s online activities. With the proliferation of pornography, stalkers, and improper reading material on the Internet, parents are foolish not to practice oversight of their children’s online activities.

In the whole debate over song swapping, one issue seemed neglected: stealing. In order to produce a commercially available CD, someone must rent a studio, hire people to work in the studio to insure the best sound quality and, after the musicians have finished recording, edit and put together the finished product. Artists must create the artwork for the CD jacket and graphic designers must put together the artwork and words together in the jacket. The CD master copy must be sent to a production facility where teams of people copy the CD, pack and seal the discs, and prepare them for distribution around the world. Software professionals must prepare the music downloadable files that will be sold over the Internet through iTunes and other music stores. Everyone in this process—the musicians, artists, production and distribution crews, and industry executives who take the financial risk of hiring musicians—must be paid for their work. The Bible teaches that “if a man doesn’t work, neither should he eat,” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and that “the laborer is worthy of his wages,” 1 Timothy 5:18. The only way that these will not be paid is if someone is able to enjoy the product without paying for it.

When I started with computers many years ago, a friend told me about software piracy—copying computer software for your personal use that you did not pay for. He showed me the great difficulty in writing computer software and asked how I would feel if I sacrificed my time to write a computer program or did it full time as my job and found that hundreds or thousands of people were using it without paying me. Not only would I not be paid for my efforts which benefitted these other people (and they obviously appreciated my product), I would have to seek some other way to make money. He reminded me of the important words of Jesus, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them,” Matthew 7:12. I would not want others stealing from me, therefore I will not steal from them by copying software or music that I did not purchase. Yet many people, even Christians, use expensive computer software that they did not pay for or have the right to copy on their computer. Perhaps they justify it by bemoaning the expense of the computer software whose profits will go to already wealthy companies. Maybe they consider that the work that they do using the software for Bible classes, preaching, or teaching justifies their use of software that they did not purchase.

Some prosecuted song swappers and their defenders complained that the record companies made too much money and so they were justified in their activity. Perhaps a socialist or communistic mindset rationalizes stealing because others have so much money. However, would a person be justified in stealing a car because the automakers have so much money? Can I steal a book from the bookstore because the bookseller and the publishers make so much money? Can I leave a restaurant without paying because the owners made a profit the last month? Can I rob a bank because they make so much money? Can I steal money or credit cards from a rich person since they have so much money?

Is it right to walk into the music store and take a CD or DVD without paying? Is it right to shoplift a copy of computer software or a game? Stealing the product—computer software or copyrighted music— using the computer is no different than shoplifting.

We must not rationalize our actions because others are doing it without being caught. The Christian is called to a higher standard – we do right because it is the right thing to do.

Giving Back

Sorry I haven’t posted recently. I was in Florida doing service projects for a week at Florida College near Tampa. I attended there and support their desire to provide a good education in an environment that encourages Christian values. I worked with several great people at what is known as the Labor Camp to help clean up, repaint, and provide enhancements for the school. All the work during labor camp is volunteer work by others who believe in what Florida College is trying to do.

Service projects are a great way to support a cause you believe in. Some people might not have a lot of money to donate to a cause but can provide some time during the year to help a cause. Some can provide money but realize that some projects require the work of volunteers to suceed. Doing such projects not only helps your cause get the support they need, you often develop friendships with people who share the same appreciation for the cause or organization, and the good feeling that comes with helping others.

If you want to get involved with helping others, there are several options. For example, your parents might know of some people at church who would benefit from a visit, working around their house or their yard, or a meal. There may be some things at your church that needs to be done: cleaning, yard work, helping with the teacher’s resource room, or other things that need to be done.

National organizations have activities to raise money and make people aware of their work such as American Cancer Society walks, American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart, St. Jude’s Math fund raisers, etc. These provide great opportunities for you to serve others.

Earn To Live and Earn to Give

“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Ephesians 4:28 (ESV)

When a person becomes a Christian, his life must not just change, it must transform. The text quoted above is a great example of this change. We expect a thief to quit stealing when he becomes a Christian. We expect his change would involve pursuing honorable labor. Yet the transformation is manifest in his attitude towards the profit of his labor. Not only does his work satisfy his basic needs, he also gives to him who has need. The selfish, covetous thief has become a selfless, benevolent laborer and giver. It is often not enough to refrain from bad behavior; we must pursue what is good and beneficial to others.

Stealing is a sin that is obviously contrary to the spirit of Christ. It involves an inordinate desire to possess something that belongs to another. The desire becomes so strong that, instead of working to purchase what the person has, the thief steals the object of his desire. This self-centered covetousness hardens the heart of the thief as he satisfies his own desires with no care or concern for others. If a thief desires to become a Christian, he must cast off this lifestyle and the lusts that feed it. His heart must change from covetousness to contentment. He cannot meet his needs by stealing but must pursue honorable work.

The Christian is not allowed to live off his brethren when he has the means to work, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12. It is good for a person to work diligently and enjoy the fruits of his labor, Ecclesiastes 3:13; 4:6. The Preacher further admonishes us to work with all our might in the work that we find to do but not in an obsession for riches that will not be satisfied, Ecclesiastes 5:10-12; 9:10. When we find work that is satisfying to do, adequate for our needs, and allows us the time to do other things in life that we enjoy, we are truly blessed. We should work diligently, not to please our boss, but to please God, Ephesians 6:5-8.

However, the Christian transformation does not end with ceasing the evil behavior. It is good that the thief has abandoned his evil ways and pursued honest labor. Although the fruits of a Christian’s labor should meet his financial obligations, he should help others as well. A miser may pursue honest labor and be a burden on no one, yet if he does not share his riches for the Lord’s work or to help his fellow man, he has benefited no one but himself. He may not be a thief, but he is just as covetous. Like the Dead Sea, described in the hymn “There is a Sea”, he receives a full tide of blessings from the Lord, but “receives for self alone, nor takes to give again.” It does not share its water with the land surrounding it, nor, like Galilee, send the water further down to benefit others. Not only is the Dead Sea useless for the surrounding land, no life can grow in it for the salt content is too high. “That dreadful name doth ‘ere proclaim, that sea is waste and dead.”

We must be generous with the blessings we have received from God. We are simply stewards of what God has given us. We earn it through our labor, but God controls everything that supports our labor and what we can purchase with it. When we die, we will leave these things behind. We must use our possessions wisely and for the work of God when we can. We are to give financially to support the work of the church, 2 Corinthians 6:9-14. This money supports the spread of the gospel. We are to help our brethren in a time of need, 1 John 3:16-17. It is a way to show our faith, James 2:14-17.

God has blessed us richly; let us be a blessing to others.

 

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To Remember and be Thankful

Statue Details Of Soldier's Memorial At GettysburgThe final Monday of May is Memorial Day. For many it is a day of play and the symbolic beginning of summer. It is an extra day off, possibly with pay. For others it is time to go to the lake, beach, or BBQ in the backyard while enjoying the three-day weekend. The federal government originally instituted this holiday as a day of remembrance for soldiers who died in the Civil War. Today Americans honor the day to remember all who have died fighting for our nation. When we think about the sacrifice that men and women made for our country, it is hard to grasp the significance of what they gave and what we have received.

Perhaps we have trouble memorializing the war dead because they seem so far removed from us. The Civil War was fought so long ago that we can hardly relate to those soldiers. The wars of more recent times, the World Wars, Asian wars, and the Middle Eastern wars, were fought on foreign soil far from our homeland and for people that we do not know personally. Yet we must not forget the blood shed for our country.

Several years ago, CBS aired a special on D-Day commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Normandy invasion. The most moving moment came at the end in which the camera panned back from a ridge where the U.S. infantry spent their first night on French soil after the invasion. That spot is now the burial ground for over 4,000 soldiers who died to take Omaha Beach. My heart groaned when I saw endless rows of white crosses. From the air it looked like a small farm surrounded by cotton fields. Under each cross was a man who, fifty-nine years ago, stepped from an American ship into eternity, their bodies to rest under foreign soil. Because of these Americans, and many like them, we enjoy so many freedoms today. Memorial Day is a day to honor all of them. Sadly, many casually acknowledge their sacrifice. These young men, most in the prime of youth, never saw their dreams realized, never married or had children, did not develop a lifelong career, and did not retire and grow old with a beloved spouse. The documentary ended with these sobering words, “These men gave their tomorrows for our todays.”

As Americans, we owe a debt to these men. We have the responsibility to make our country the best it can be. Many people divide the country over ridiculous issues, become selfish and lazy with this country’s bountiful wealth, and make excuses for every failing. We should live lives worthy of the freedoms that they purchased with blood. We should live to fulfill their lives and give their deaths meaning. In a sense, we live their lives by living meaningful lives as so vividly expressed in the movie Saving Private Ryan.

When we soberly consider the sacrifice of our nations soldiers to defend the principle of freedeom illustrated by acres of white crosses, remember also the one cross that led to our spiritual freedom.

Spiritual Memorial Day

Adolph Hitler’s Third Reich was a fearsome enemy. The dark storm troopers who marched across Europe, the blitzkrieg attacks, and nightly bombing that decimated England struck fear into the hearts of all Europeans. However, when we consider the power of the prince of darkness and his hellish host, we face a more formidable army that has waged war against humanity for ages. We could not resist this enemy alone for Satan had the power of death and mankind was within his powerful grip, doomed to an eternity of pain suffering for yielding to him.

In this dark hour, Jesus invaded this world, empowered by God through the Holy Spirit, and took the battle to the devil. Demons cried out for mercy when Jesus confronted them. The devil retreated from each conflict with Jesus. He used various tactics, even killing the Savior, but could not gain the victory. Jesus rose from the dead, breaking the hold of death and crushing the head of Satan. The apostles died carrying the gospel of a risen savior to the world; they sacrificed to spread the word that even today can save us from the power of sin and death. When the oppressors killed the Christians, the message continued to spread. “Oh grave, where is thy victory? Oh death, where is thy sting?”

Sometimes we can enjoy freedom from the power of sin and the glory of the new life in Christ that we forget the cost paid to secure them. Jesus left the glory of heaven and suffered a terrible death so we could have these blessings. Before He died, He instituted a memorial, the Lord’s Supper, as a weekly reminder of His death. We must be careful not to let this special time become a meaningless ritual. We must make an effort to remember the blood shed for us. It was no small thing for Him to die on the cross to atone for our sins. Let us not be casual in our observance. Let us daily remember that He died to give us life and wants to live His life through us.

Are Virtual Friends Inferior to Physical Friends?

At the beginning of 2011, Simone Beck committed suicide after posting a suicide note as a Facebook message. As expected, the continued debate about true friendship and the value of online friends reignited. Having read several of these debates arising from various events, I believe the debate is primarily among those who are in their mid-20’s and older. For those who are younger, their friends have always included a blend of friendships made or partially developed through online communication: Facebook, MySpace, texting, email, etc. For older people, especially those who are not comfortable with, or have animosity towards, computer technology, these “virtual” relationships are suspect at best or an indication of the demise of civilization at the worst.

The article title is a little misleading because all the friends under consideration are physical beings though they may not frequently enter the physical space we occupy. The question addresses the most common way we communicate with these friends or where these friendships were formed: in person or online.

Many consider a friendship that is formed in cyberspace does not have the value of a friendship formed in “meatspace” (physical reality). However, devaluing an online-only friendship because it takes place through email, chat, or social networking sites reflects an “old world” mentality. Why is the relationship with the people who just happened to buy the houses around me or work in the same building considered inherently more valuable because of physical presence? Some neighbors and coworkers are nice people and I like them, but we have nothing in common but physical co-location. I have some online friends that I have not met physically, or limited encounters, but I enjoy communicating with them and feel a connection with them.

Why is sitting on a front porch talking about uninteresting info or gossip considered an inherently more valuable interaction than an excited chat/email session with someone across town or across the world on a subject that we are both passionate about?

Then there is personality. Although I do many public facing things, I am an introvert. It is difficult to call people out of the blue no matter how much I like them. I’ll call for business or to address an issue if a call requires it, but it is very difficult to call my friend to share a joke or ask what they did today. I will however check that person’s FB page and exchange email jokes or discussions. I communicate much better and exchange on a deeper level via the written word than through phone contact. Many devalue the email communication compared to the phone call. Other personality types need to have someone in front of them–physical presence–and do not enjoy the virtual exchanges as much. Neither personality type is the right one, just different ways of interacting with the world.

There are friends from high school, college, prior jobs, and cities I’ve lived in that I would have no contact with today if it were not for LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. because we are no longer in the situation that brought us together physically. Does that mean our continued friendship maintained online is plastic? Do I have to fly/drive across the company to get back into physical presence with them or call them weekly to turn it into a genuine friendship?
Of course I have people on my Facebook and LinkedIn friends lists that are acquaintances but we share some common interests and have good discussions. I don’t expect them to drop everything in my hour of need but I’m sure they would show concern and many would offer genuine help if I needed it. But I had those same kind of relationships in high school, college, and every place I worked–physical co-location and communication methods were irrelevant–but no one questioned the value of those relationships.

Remember this when spending time with friends: If you are spending time with friends physically, don’t interrupt that time to interact with people online (email, Facebook, Twitter). That’s just rude. If you are at the birthday party–be at the party. If you’re having dinner with friends–be there. If you need to step away to help a friend through a difficult crisis through a phone call or text, do that. But that’s an issue of courtesy and respect for those with you and has nothing to do with technology or the value of the friendships.

In the Simone Beck story, many criticized the lack of help by those on her “friends” list on Facebook. However, upon reading the article, it appears that Simone Beck’s “no local” FB friends (therefore not real friends by some people’s estimation) were trying to get phone and address info to help her and urged the local “friends” (physically co-located and therefore “genuine”) to act. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jan/05/facebook-suicide-simone-back

What is your answer to the title question? Do you have strong relationships with people that you only know through online interactions?