Illegal Music and Penance

[M_Winters]

I never knew that download music through zip files was illegal until a few months ago where I learned the actual laws pertaining to records (and they are iffy at that).

I confessed downloading to my local priest and asked him what I should do about the music since much of it is also legal (free downloads or purchases) and I could not decipher through all of it. He suggested, after much thought that it would be okay to move on and not attempt to delete all of the songs (as I had already deleted much of my library because of its obscenity and vulgarity).

He did give me some prayers for penance afterwards.

Thoughts and suggestions?

God Bless

 

[svid2]

If it’s okay to keep it, why assign penance? Although it’s always good to pray…

Just go with what he said, and of course, sin no more.

 

[Shin]

Well…

If you are up to making a beginning of it…

‘In doing penance it is necessary to deprive oneself of as many lawful pleasures as we had the misfortune to indulge in unlawful ones.’

Pope St. Gregory the Great

In your case… I would say, specifically, that would mean renouncing what you have cleanly too. Living a more… spartan life…

 

[FNDRB58]

I never knew that download music through zip files was illegal until a few months ago where I learned the actual laws pertaining to records (and they are iffy at that).

I confessed downloading to my local priest and asked him what I should do about the music since much of it is also legal (free downloads or purchases) and I could not decipher through all of it. He suggested, after much thought that it would be okay to move on and not attempt to delete all of the songs (as I had already deleted much of my library because of its obscenity and vulgarity).

He did give me some prayers for penance afterwards.

Thoughts and suggestions?

God Bless

If you didn’t know it was illegal then you did not need to confess it since knowledge is one of the requirements for culpability of sin. I guess you did not tell him you didn’t know the laws so he presumed you knew what you were doing and advised you accordingly. But now you know.

Delete the ones you know were illegal but don’t rack your brain about it if it is difficult to figure out. As you come across one in the future that you remember was illegally downloaded then delete it. In good faith you are attempting to rectify it as best you can and you must rectify the situation even though there was no sin. It would be like accidentally breaking a window…no sin…but ya still gotta fix the window. That is all God is looking for.

 

[baltobetsy]

Why do you question your priest?