Copyright and mortal sin

[DeoJuventute]

Two questions:

1.) The examination of conscience I use lists copyright as a mortal sin (given the conditions necessary for a sin to be, in fact, a mortal sin). And yet that examination of conscience, which I found online, is itself copyrighted. So is it a sin to print it out?

What about other materials I find online, like prayers, Daily Offices, Novenas, Pslams, Scripture, etc.? Is it okay to print them out to use personally? Even if they’re explicitly copyrighted? Copyrights generally prohibit the duplication, copying, etc. of materials, and I figure that printouts would be included in that prohibition?

Or what about writing down quotes in your Bible that you find in a book? Is that a problem?

2.) When I’m done with those items, is it necessary to burn/bury them, or can they simply be thrown away? I know that sacramentals and certain other sacred items must be disposed of only by burning or burying, do this printouts of prayers, examinations of conscience, Psalms, Scripture, etc., likewise need to be burned?

 

[Joe_5859]

Two questions:

1.) The examination of conscience I use lists copyright as a mortal sin (given the conditions necessary for a sin to be, in fact, a mortal sin). And yet that examination of conscience, which I found online, is itself copyrighted. So is it a sin to print it out?

What about other materials I find online, like prayers, Daily Offices, Novenas, Pslams, Scripture, etc.? Is it okay to print them out to use personally? Even if they’re explicitly copyrighted? Copyrights generally prohibit the duplication, copying, etc. of materials, and I figure that printouts would be included in that prohibition?

Or what about writing down quotes in your Bible that you find in a book? Is that a problem?

2.) When I’m done with those items, is it necessary to burn/bury them, or can they simply be thrown away? I know that sacramentals and certain other sacred items must be disposed of only by burning or burying, do this printouts of prayers, examinations of conscience, Psalms, Scripture, etc., likewise need to be burned?

Copyright does not mean that you can never use anything by anyone ever. It simply means that the autor of the work retains certain rights with regards to the work and how it is used. We should be attentive, but we also want to avoid veering off into scrupulosity.

If a website has some content up for free (even if it’s copyrighted), it is most likely just fine to print it out for personal use. I cannot think of an example where this would not be the case. The copyright is in place to stop people from loading it to their own website and passing it off as theirs, printing it off and selling it, etc.

You do not have to burn printouts of prayers. You can recycle them or toss them. I would say it would be good to be respectful (i.e. don’t use them to line your bird cage), but simply throwing them away or recycling them is fine.

 

[Will_S]

The only kind of copyright violation that could be a mortal sin in my opinion would be the large scale production and sale of pirated texts/videos/music etc. in infringement of their copyrights.

However, even though stuff like illegally downloading mp3s for personal use may not be mortally sinful, it is venially sinful, and Catholics must avoid ALL sin, not just grave sin.

 

[edwest2]

Copyrigt simply means the right to copy. The copyright owner has this right. On web sites, you may see notices that nothing may be copied, or that if permission is given to copy, that you must list the web site as your source. Take a look around on the web site. If you’re unsure, contact the owner and ask for permission.

Peace,
Ed