Should a Christian use a VPN or is that sort of like lying?

[Bible Highlighter]

Should a Christian use a VPN or is that sort of like lying?

VPN is a virtual Private Network that attempts to tell others that you are in another location other than the one that you are at.

If you are still unsure of what a VPN is, here is a trailer promotion for a VPN company (Promoted on a Christian website).

Basically if you live in Denver Colorado, and you wanted to use a VPN (while you surf the internet), you would choose another city to show other people online that you actually were surfing the internet from a different city or location like say: Tampa, Florida.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I personally lean towards the side that says that it is like lying.

 

[solid_core]

Everybody should use a VPN. Its a basic privacy and security measure, together with https and adblock.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Everybody should use a VPN. Its a basic privacy and security measure, together with https and adblock.

And privacy is a basic right.

I am not against protection of privacy, or encryption or firewalls, etc. but when it comes to telling other people that you are in another location (via a VPN) when in reality you are not in that location, then it falls into the realm of lying in my view. In other words, would you lie to a person on the phone that you were in another place to protect your privacy or yourself?

We have to realize that Christians faced persecution and even death for speaking the truth. So the goal of the preservation of our lives is not always the main purpose in God's plan. Sometimes God does call us to be persecuted for the faith. Granted, we should always strive to fight to stay alive and reach others for Christ, but to live life in fear of others and to lie to them, I just do not see that as a part of the faith.

 

[solid_core]

I am not against protection of privacy, or encryption or firewalls, etc. but when it comes to telling other people that you are in another location (via a VPN) when in reality you are not in that location, then it falls into the realm of lying in my view. In other words, would you lie to a person on the phone that you were in another place to protect your privacy or yourself?

We have to realize that Christians faced persecution and even death for speaking the truth. So the goal of the preservation of our lives is not always the main purpose in God's plan. Sometimes God does call us to be persecuted for the faith. Granted, we should always strive to fight to stay alive and reach others for Christ, but to live life in fear of others and to lie to them, I just do not see that as a part of the faith.

VPN is not lying, VPN is hiding your IP behind a public server.

You connect to the server and the server connects to the website.

This hides what you are doing on the internet from your provider, government etc.

 

[Allen of the Cross]

No, i don't think it's lying. Unless you plan on using it to lie, or to trick people. In that case, it may be lying. But to use it to protect your identity and your security, i don't think it's lying. I view it a bit like wearing camouflage in the woods. You aren't necessarily telling people you are a tree and some shrubbery. Though I do see many flaws with that analogy. Anyway...

There are also many other uses of a VPN than location spoofing. If I remember correctly from Cisco 3&4, a VPN also encrypts data. Data encryption is very important to many people & businesses. In that regard, there is nothing wrong with a VPN.

Now if you use a VPN and tell people you're from the location your VPN says you are, then yes, you are lying.

This has been an interesting thought exercise. I appreciate this. God bless you my friend.

 

[solid_core]

What is a VPN and why is it needed? | Mcafee

I personally reccomend swiss VPNs.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

VPN is not lying, VPN is hiding your IP behind a public server.

You connect to the server and the server connects to the website.

This hides what you are doing on the internet from your provider, government etc.

Did you watch the video in the OP?
I signed up with a VPN with Avast and it was wanting me to say I was in another location as a part of it's service. So I canceled it.

 

[Hammster]

The Covenant Eyes app uses a VPN. So I’m all for it.

 

[solid_core]

Did you watch the video in the OP?
I signed up with a VPN with Avast and it was wanting me to say I was in another location as a part of it's service. So I canceled it.

NO idea why you canceled it. Did you sign some agreement that when you will be using internet, you will provide your identity to everybody on the internet?

But I would not use any VPN from antivirus companies. There have been many information leaked that they collect your data and even sell it.

 

[Isilwen]

Nothing wrong with using VPNs. As others have said, it's not lying.

My girlfriend is currently working from home. Before they would let her do that a VPN had to be installed on her computer to ensure its security while she was working from home.

 

[Jesus is my Superhero]

Opera web browser comes with VPN option.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

No, i don't think it's lying. Unless you plan on using it to lie, or to trick people. In that case, it may be lying. But to use it to protect your identity and your security, i don't think it's lying. I view it a bit like wearing camouflage in the woods. You aren't necessarily telling people you are a tree and some shrubbery. Though I do see many flaws with that analogy. Anyway...

There are also many other uses of a VPN than location spoofing. If I remember correctly from Cisco 3&4, a VPN also encrypts data. Data encryption is very important to many people & businesses. In that regard, there is nothing wrong with a VPN.

Now if you use a VPN and tell people you're from the location your VPN says you are, then yes, you are lying.

This has been an interesting thought exercise. I appreciate this. God bless you my friend.

I agree that using a VPN to say you are in another location when you are not in that location is lying.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

To all:

Man's ways are not God's ways. His ways are higher than our own.
What is usually the easy and common place thing to do does not mean it is always the right thing to do.

 

[Hammster]

To all:

Man's ways are not God's ways. His ways are higher than our own.
What is usually the easy and common place thing to do does not mean it is always the right thing to do.

And your ways aren’t always God’s ways.

 

[Minister Monardo]

No, i don't think it's lying. Unless you plan on using it to lie, or to trick people.

Good answer!
Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Did you watch the video in the OP?
I signed up with a VPN with Avast and it was wanting me to say I was in another location as a part of it's service. So I canceled it.

One has to really stretch the definition of lying to get using a VPN doing its job in preserving your privacy from big corporations or bad people on the internet to be an issue.

Yes, a VPN by acting as a proxy through a computer network is going to show your location somewhere else. No, that is not lying.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Hammster]

One has to really stretch the definition of lying to get using a VPN doing its job in preserving your privacy from big corporations or bad people on the internet to be an issue.

Yes, a VPN by acting as a proxy through a computer network is going to show your location somewhere else. No, that is not lying.

-CryptoLutheran

And to add, I don’t see why we are even obligated to share that info.

 

[Isilwen]

To all:

Man's ways are not God's ways. His ways are higher than our own.
What is usually the easy and common place thing to do does not mean it is always the right thing to do.

That doesn't mean you are correct.

In the case of my girlfriend, is she using the VPN for nefarious means or is she doing what her place of employment implemented for them to be able to work from home?

 

[Allen of the Cross]

I agree that using a VPN to say you are in another location when you are not in that location is lying.

Here is what I am thinking: if it is a sin to you, then don't use it. But I wouldn't shame someone else for using one, as it is a very useful tool for businesses, such as banks, or any business with trade secrets, or any business that performs financial transactions online, etc, etc, to prevent hackers from stealing valuable information. Them seeing your IP address as the IP address of the VPN, which would be based in another location, is not necessarily lying. You aren't necessarily announcing to the world that you are from that location. Make sense?

I just ask you not to shame or guilt others out of using them (which, by the way, i'm not saying you're doing.) I won't shame or guilt you out of your understanding of lying, either. In fact, I appreciate your question a lot.

Like I said, this is a fun thought exercise. It's interesting applying these ancient, biblical concepts into modern day practices. What is a sin for you to use, might not be a sin for that man's girlfriend who uses it for her job. Do you agree?