Is downloading from Internet against Religion in any way?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Casawi

Platinum Member
Oct 31, 2004
2,366
1
0
Shouldn't your answer be in the bible ? you are the one reading it you tell us :)
 

inveterate

Golden Member
Mar 1, 2005
1,504
0
0
Well, ok , so my revelation from today is, I'm a sinner, OMG am I a sinner, I looked up 7 deadly sins, <<I HAVE ALL OF THEM TO THE EXTREME>>, Boy I'm glad i'm on the path to commit religiously.

I don't think there is this "entity described in the bible"

However, if we were to believe anything, why not something that is perfect.
 

Ruptga

Lifer
Aug 3, 2006
10,246
207
106
Originally posted by: GuideBot
According to the Bible, unless a man-made law conflicts with a god-made law, the man-made laws will be respected by God and He made it a sin to break them.

It's pretty much like US Federal Constitution versus the state constitutions.

It could also be compared to the 3 Laws of Robotics, where the order is

1. God decides if it's good or bad
2. Society (law) decides if it's good or bad, unless it conflicts with 1
3. personal preference rules, unless it conflicts with 1 or 2

As for ownership, I don't think a definition was ever laid down. Also, the dominant belief (at least in my school of thought) is that the Bible is 100% flawless in regards to our salvation, that is, it will never tell you to do something that is going to put a wall up between God and yourself. The Bible was written by ancient Jews, Greeks, and Romans (mostly), and you need to have a handle on their culture and general ways of doing things before you can begin to apply the Bible to our modern time when you're talking about secular issues (like fair use vs. piracy and where the lines are drawn).

Personally, I don't download music, movies, etc at all. For one, I figure it's stealing because the stuff isn't meant to be free, yet I'm getting it for free (unless you get it off of an ad-supported service or something like that). There's also the practical angle, I only get things I know I'll like, and if I like it I want them to make more of whatever it is, so I want to give them my money and keep them in business. Crazy that something practical is in there, isn't it?

Edit: You're obviously looking for justification when you already know the answer, guess I'll read more than three posts before responding next time.
 

TreyRandom

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,346
0
76
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Jesus himself violated copyright laws when he duplicated fish and loaves and distributed among a large crowd of people.

No copyright was violated...

...because they're His fish and loaves. ;)
 

Engraver

Senior member
Jun 5, 2007
812
0
0
Originally posted by: inveterate
I was reading the bible.

Let me know how it ends.



I would say companies have a bigger chance to go to hell for whacked out DRM than you do for pirating.
 

Tobolo

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
3,697
0
0
Romans 13:1-7

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'm not so sure the Bible would consider it stealing. Did they consider someone making a duplicate copy of the Bible to be stealing it? Illegally downloading songs is copyright infringement, not stealing. However, as Mosh pointed out, God honors man's laws.

Arr, I thought I'd call ye out on it! That was not Mosh but really GuideBot!
 

teclis1023

Golden Member
Jan 19, 2007
1,452
0
71
The quick answer - are you stealing things? Does your religion prohibit stealing?

You can probably figure out the answer.
 

teclis1023

Golden Member
Jan 19, 2007
1,452
0
71
Originally posted by: sao123

Does that mean its a sin to break speed limits?

:frown:

;I think a better question is - are those speed limits posted for a reason? Is it conceivable that breaking the speed limits will endanger lives on the road? I don't mind people going 5 miles over, but when they're significantly above the limit, those people willing to put the rest of the people on the road at risk.
 

Xavier434

Lifer
Oct 14, 2002
10,373
1
0
Originally posted by: Engraver
Originally posted by: inveterate
I was reading the bible.

Let me know how it ends.



I would say companies have a bigger chance to go to hell for whacked out DRM than you do for pirating.


LOL! This is my favorite response so far.



The funny thing about this topic is that the term "stealing" when used in the bible did not take into consideration that original owner could still be in possession of said item. So, basically, technology and man has changed the definition of the term through the development of copyright laws. However, before copyright laws were written, man was still able to commit the same actions except it just wasn't illegal until the copyright laws were made.


So my question is this:

Are the actions (copyright infringement) that man has committed before copyright laws were put in place considered to be stealing according to the bible or are only the actions that were committed after copyright laws were put in place considered to be stealing?

Who makes that decision? God or man? How will we ever know which is right and which is wrong (pre/post copyright laws)?