Watching movies and downloading illegal music online a sin?

I’ve recently stopped watching movies off of watchmovie-online.com and downloading music off of limewire, because I felt it was a modern way of stealing, do you agree or disagree with me? =)

I'm really in a grey area about this. The way I look at it is, if you download a CD and you really like it, go buy it. If you download a CD and it sucks, you aren't going to listen to it again, so it doesn't really matter. This is nothing like walking in a store and shoplifting, because you're downloading from an unlimited source, you aren't taking anything physical. Downloading is kinda like a form of advertising. There literally are hundreds of bands I wouldn't have given a chance if I hadn't downloaded their work first; and I have bought dozens of shirts and have been to a bunch of shows from these bands that I now know about (as well as going back and buying the record). I dont listen to the radio. And I dont watch MTV because its a well known fact they dont actually play music videos. Downloading for me, is how I discover new music.

Personally I don't really care. I don't watch movies online, but I still download tons of music.

yea this is a tough call, its really no different than listening to the radio or watching cable TV, of course cable is not free so movies might be harder to justify. You could just use netflix, its relativly cheap and better than cable.

The very fact that it is illegal by law makes it a sin,

Romans 13:1-7 states, “Everyone 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. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For 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. For 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. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Unless a governmental law contradicts God's law, we must follow it.

Stealing, no. Copyright infringement, yes.

In certain cases, I believe that there is a conflict of rights and I'll always side with consumer's rights on the matter*. The industry exists to serve the people, not the people to serve the industry.

*Note: this is not the case for domestic movies and nearly all music sales; I'm thinking things like unreleased rarities and non-licensed foreign media that has no other outlet than unofficial translation.

And that's all I have to say on the topic; it's been reiterated more times around CF than I can count, and will hereby take my leave of the thread.

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Well, if you were trying to make a living off the music, how would you feel if instead of buying it from you, people are downloading it for free. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

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Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
- Proverbs 30:5-6

Sovereignty is not racism.

Anihilus> Not to disagree with you because I don't totally but the government does make a difference between stealing and copywrite infringment.

Stealing can get you in jail it is a criminal act. You can be charged by the state and put in jail for it.

Copywrite infringment is a tort. You can not get in trouble for it unless the copywrite holder comes and sues you. Then you have to pay them whatever the court judges to be fair. But it can't land you in jail. It is not considered a crime.

So the government does not make it equivilant to stealing.

On the other hand, is it morally stealing?? It very well could be. Everyone involved in those industries lives off of people paying money for the music and movies. And if no one ever paid money for these things, they obviously couldn't make their living.

It could be said that you are defrauding them of potential profits.

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I don't believe in the concept of sins, but I am quite nervous about being arrested for doing something illegal, so I try my hardest to keep myself from downloading music illegally. I do have my moments of weakness (such as over the summer, when I used LimeWire to download quite a few music and video files), and I am quite worried about whether or not I'll get arrested for those moments of weakness, but what's done is done, and I can't exactly change the past. (How's that for a run-on sentence, lol? )

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Downloading from Limewire is a sin for sure, switch to bit torrent.

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