Downloading songs

[kxaddiso]

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero’di-ans, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.

(Math 22 15-22)

I have struggled with this very topic myself, and when I read the verse above, I thought of this very topic. As the Author/Artist has “copyrighted” the music, it technically belongs to them, and can therefore be alikened to Caesar’s head on the coin in the passage above. I know that we can “fool” ourselves into beleiving that these are just 0’s and 1’s that we are copying…but it is not. That is like saying that I am not stealing this car…just the molecules that make the car!!!

Many Christian Artists do subsidise sales to poorer countries, and I have seen Top Chrisitian Artist Legit CD’s going for the equivalent of $5 in places in Africa. No they can do this if better off people in the 1st world pay slightly more.

So having looked into this myself, I no longer download any MP3’s unless it is from proper sites, that pay royalties. That is what Jesus would do. If Jesus could not afford it at the time, he would listen to music on the radio, or internet radio station where it is free.

I am sorry Ladies and Gentlemen…as much as I tried to justify it to myself, and BELEIVE ME I TRIED>>>>I could not!!!

I put the old…What would Jesus Do, and I do not honestly beleive that he would download music, and not pay it’s royalties.

beisdes there are sites now that you can buy single songs from for 99c. Not that bad really, we just have to be a bit more selective as to which songs we buy

God Bless!

 

[challenger]

It’s stealing, man. Although I probably wouldn’t listen to whatever was downloaded in the first place… I’m rather anti-rock and all encompassing.

 

[kxaddiso]

Challenger…There is a lot of really good Christian Worship artists that sell music on the internet as well!

 

[Glutamine]

AngelsThree:

Maybe someone could tell me why it is not illegal to copy a song off the radio, but it is illegal to copy it off the computer? Aren’t they both public airwaves? I know once I have said something in public, anyone has the right to use my words with no repercussions by me (unless of course they skew my words or sell them for profit). So exactly, what is the difference?

The difference is in the right to distribute. Radio stations have permission to distribute their songs. Plus notice that the songs on the radio are never the complete song (there’s interruptions/changes in words/sometims the dj will start saying stuff before the song ends/commercials to just name a few)

When you download music, you are in fact receiving the file from someone…and that someone does not have permission to distribute that song. When they bought that song/cd, it was for their personal use only. They do not have permission to distribute the music. So by downloading, you are participating in an illegal activity. In this case, the illegal activity also happens to be stealing. Consider this, if a robber steals money from a bank and then distributes the money and you take it, that is stealing. It is the same thing when you download music.

Downloading in of itself is not sinful/illegal. It depends on what you are downloading and whether the person(s) you are downloading it from has a right to distribute.

Hope that helps

 

[James_2_24]

I have come to the conclusion that it is stealing after grappling with it for a long time. When it came down to it I think i just didn’t want to believe it was stealing since i already had something like 1,000+ songs

Well, I am just going to keep these songs long enough to remember what they are before I go out and buy them… eventually. I won’t “use” them, but have them there for reference in order to buy them. Is that okay?

Also, what about the music I have downlaoded that is from a foreign country which doesn’t sell the music anymore, or you basically have to fly out to that country to go get it cause they are 3rd world… and I sersiously can’t find them?

thanks…

 

[turboEDvo]

I’ll admit that I have downloaded about 1500 mp3’s. However, recently I have realized that I shouldn’t be downloading them. I generally confine myself to only downloading songs that cannot be found elsewhere (eg. the unreleased version of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s Suite Judy Blue Eyes). They can’t be purchased anywhere. The other time I download is usually to find out if I like an artist or not. If I do, then I will buy one of their cds, maybe more. And, I plan on signing up for one of the online services (probably e-music), so that I can legitimately download music. Till then, I have mostly been refraining from downloading, except in a few circumstances that won’t permit me to find a song any other way.

The only other exception I make is downloading tracks from LP’s that we have. We already own that music.

Eamon