restitution question

[Monica4316]

I read what St Thomas Aquinas wrote about restitution. My questions are, what if the object is not good - ie a person stole a movie in the past but its a bad movie (against faith) - how could they do restitution? Second question how is restitution done for intellectual property? Thirdly St Thomas says that if a person is unable to make restitution they should ask the person for more time etc byt what if the owner is something like major media company? I’m seriously struggling with this

 

[Nelka]

Good question.

 

[TxGodfollower]

I read what St Thomas Aquinas wrote about restitution. My questions are, what if the object is not good - ie a person stole a movie in the past but its a bad movie (against faith) - how could they do restitution? Second question how is restitution done for intellectual property? Thirdly St Thomas says that if a person is unable to make restitution they should ask the person for more time etc byt what if the owner is something like major media company? I’m seriously struggling with this

1. (restitution about bad stuff) I don’t know.
2. Restitution for intellectual property- I guess it depends on how bad your action was. For example, if you plagiarized someone’s work in a school paper, you could admit to the teacher what you did and take the bad grade. Doesn’t really give something to the other person, but it restores his rights to his idea.
3. Restitution to a major company: Most would be willing to work with you on a payment plan, I’d assume.

 

[ynotzap]

The act of stealing something that is rightfully belonging to another is always
a sin even if it is something bad. Either return the stolen item, or reimburse the person the value of the item. If that is not possible, make that value a donation to a good cause, and of course confess the sin, and it depends on your knowledge of the seriousness of your act as to the guilt.

On intellectual knowledge It depends, a confession to the person it was taken from, maybe some kind of agreement, or restitution could be suggest by the person. More info is needed

To show good will in making restitution and let the offended party set to conditions for restitution I believe would be the best effort, some may just write it off, others may require payment

 

[sirach2v4]

The act of stealing something that is rightfully belonging to another is always
a sin even if it is something bad. Either return the stolen item, or reimburse the person the value of the item. If that is not possible, make that value a donation to a good cause, and of course confess the sin, and it depends on your knowledge of the seriousness of your act as to the guilt.

On intellectual knowledge It depends, a confession to the person it was taken from, maybe some kind of agreement, or restitution could be suggest by the person. More info is needed

To show good will in making restitution and let the offended party set to conditions for restitution I believe would be the best effort, some may just write it off, others may require payment

The catechism of the catholic church says otherwise. If you steal a minor item that would be insignificant to the owner, it is not a sin. This statement comes up in the discussion of gambling, paragraph 2413.

2413 Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.

I’d say, confess the sin, and go out and buy a legitimate copy of the movie, to make amends.

 

[thistle]

I read what St Thomas Aquinas wrote about restitution. My questions are, what if the object is not good - ie a person stole a movie in the past but its a bad movie (against faith) - how could they do restitution? Second question how is restitution done for intellectual property? Thirdly St Thomas says that if a person is unable to make restitution they should ask the person for more time etc byt what if the owner is something like major media company? I’m seriously struggling with this

CCC 2412 In virtue of commutative justice, reparation for injustice committed requires the restitution of stolen goods to their owner:

Jesus blesses Zacchaeus for his pledge: “If I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Those who, directly or indirectly, have taken possession of the goods of another, are obliged to make restitution of them, or to return the equivalent in kind or in money, if the goods have disappeared, as well as the profit or advantages their owner would have legitimately obtained from them. Likewise, all who in some manner have taken part in a theft or who have knowingly benefited from it - for example, those who ordered it, assisted in it, or received the stolen goods - are obliged to make restitution in proportion to their responsibility and to their share of what was stolen.

 

[Robert_Sock]

What if your sins (illegally obtained music and videos) have been reconciled with God through the confessional, with the priest not asking any restitution on your part?

LOVE!

PS Psalms 51:4 - “Against you, you only, have I sinned…”

 

[brigid12]

Since the priest didn’t recommend restitution on your part it is fully up to you (however the priest can’t demand restitution of you, that’s breaking the seal of the confessional to demand that you tell the company of your action, just recommend it). As the movie isn’t one that’s morally good, I would pay as much as it cost to a charity - if not more.

 

[ynotzap]

I would mention it to the priest,if I thought of restitution, if I didn’t think of it, I would think I am still forgiven. If I thought of it later, I would try to make a personal judgement as to what would be restitution, and make it,or even mention it in my next confession and let the priest decide. Otherwise me or the priest are not held responsible for making a human mistake or error. it was unintentional.

 

[SHoJjhmou]

I would mention it to the priest,if I thought of restitution, if I didn’t think of it, I would think I am still forgiven. If I thought of it later, I would try to make a personal judgement as to what would be restitution, and make it,or even mention it in my next confession and let the priest decide. Otherwise me or the priest are not held responsible for making a human mistake or error. it was unintentional.

Just tell the priest that you haven’t made restitution yet and he’ll say “Okay, do this and this etc…,” but usually stealing is a venial sin so the priest isn’t going to go into all the details of restitution if you’ve Confessed any mortal sins…b/c mortal sin is worse…

But if you’ve Confessed only venial sins in your confession, then yeah, he’s probably going to tell you that you should make restitution someway.

And you are forgiven from stealing when you honestly say to yourself that you will make restitution…but if it’s a mortal sin of stealing, then you still have to go to Confession.

Restitution shows true sorrow for stealing, and that’s what’s necessary to be absolved in Confession.

 

[Ignatius]

I read what St Thomas Aquinas wrote about restitution. My questions are, what if the object is not good - ie a person stole a movie in the past but its a bad movie (against faith) - how could they do restitution?

You could make the restitution in the cases that you mentioned or if the material had been destroyed by giving alms of equal value to a charity.