There are few topics that received as much ‘push-back’ in my media presentation as piracy or the stealing of music, movies, and games.  As we transition to a few weeks of talking about music, I wanted to get started with this very important topic.

I’m Not Hurting Anyone

According to Forbes magazine, the highest paid musician in 2012 was Dr. Dre whose annual income was pushed to $110 million by his popular line of Beats headphones.  The casual observer might have expected it to be Justin Bieber or another pop phenom but Bieber only ranks 10th on the list, tied with Toby Keith with $55 million for the year.

Hollywood actors did pretty well too.  Robert Downey Jr. enjoyed an estimated $75 million income for 2012, fueled by the $1.5 billion box office take for The Avengers.  A surprising second on the list was Channing Tatum who financed his own film in 2012 and earned $60 million for his effort.  Hugh Jackman rounds out the top three with $55 million for the year thanks to a successful X-men movie and a broadway career.

It’s easy to look at the income of these multi-millionaires and the billion dollar income of some movies and conclude that stealing music and movies isn’t hurting anyone.  Aside from the moral implications of stealing, theft of creative content steals from the pockets of those involved in the industry.  It is estimated that The Avengers was illegally downloaded 8.1 million times in 2012.

It Is a Crime

A study by the Institute for Policy Innovation estimates that the annual impact of music piracy on the U.S. economy is $12.5 billion.  The theft costs non-performing employees in the music industry $2 billion annually.  Illegally downloading music, movies, and games has a large and direct impact on honest people trying to make a livable wage in the entertainment industry.

The RIAA defines music piracy as:

• You make an MP3 copy of a song because the CD you bought expressly permits you to do so. But then you put your MP3 copy on the Internet, using a file-sharing network, so that millions of other people can download it.
• Even if you don’t illegally offer recordings to others, you join a file-sharing network and download unauthorized copies of all the copyrighted music you want for free from the computers of other network members.
• In order to gain access to copyrighted music on the computers of other network members, you pay a fee to join a file-sharing network that isn’t authorized to distribute or make copies of copyrighted music. Then you download unauthorized copies of all the music you want.
• You transfer copyrighted music using an instant messenging service.
• You have a computer with a CD burner, which you use to burn copies of music you have downloaded onto writable CDs for all of your friends.
• Somebody you don’t even know e-mails you a copy of a copyrighted song and then you turn around and e-mail copies to all of your friends.

The entertainment industry has adjusted to the changing marketplace.  Digital downloads of music are simple and low cost.  Music is even provided for free using services like Spotify and Pandora in a model that compensates musicians and others.  Renting and purchasing movies and games online is also simple and low cost.  There is simply no good reason why any honest person should steal content online.

Stiff Punishment

I will be the first to admit that the few cases that have been prosecuted for illegal downloads have had overly severe punishments.  Case in point, the Boston University grad student who has exhausted all efforts to appeal a $675,000 fine for illegally sharing 31 songs.  His attitude of defiance through much of the court proceedings probably led to the large fine.  It is the same attitude of defiance I have seen when discussing this subject with teenagers and even some parents.  Parents can be prosecuted criminally and in civil court if their children use parent-owned computers or internet services to download illegal media.

The Spiritual Answer Is Clear

Past posts in this series have been read mostly by Bible believers.  If you believe the Bible to be your guide for right and wrong, the answer for illegal music, movies, and software downloads is clear…

Ephesians 4 speaks about the new life that believers are to live.  Specifically Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”  Any honest person will readily admit that taking something that does not belong to you is stealing.  The entertainment industry has made low cost options for legally owning music readily available.  Taking it illegally is stealing.

There are stiff consequences for stealing.  Listed among the sins in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 are thieves, the greedy, and swindlers.  The text clearly states that these people, among others, are unrighteous and will not inherit the kingdom of God.  I am tired of speaking to various church groups and getting push-back and eye rolling on what is such a clearly wrong activity.

Guiding Principles

At this point in this series of posts I typically share a guiding principle for wise media decisions from Philippians 4:8.  This week I won’t be sharing one.  I am saving it because the next guiding principle ties in so perfectly with the topic for next week.  I will use this opportunity to examine how our previous guiding principles would apply to the topic of media piracy.

Whatever is true, honorable, just and pure….think on these things.   Stealing can not be described as true, honorable, just, and pure.  I have heard people try to rationalize illegal downloading with the ‘Robin Hood’ philosophy.  “I’m stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.”  The entertainment industry hasn’t taken anything that they haven’t earned.  They aren’t unjustly taxing the people and they aren’t stealing our money.  This philosophy is simply an excuse.  There is nothing true, honorable, just, or pure about stealing.

Conclusion

It is interesting how our society views pirates.  This past summer we looked at some VBS material with a pirate theme.  My wife reminded me that pirates in the past and today are actually stealing, murderous, drunken, rapists.  Why would we ever want to associate that type of behavior with God?  I think many Christians also view ‘piracy’ with a cavalier attitude.  Media piracy costs our society billions of dollars a year and adds to the expense that honest people must pay for entertainment.  It is a serious consideration as we try to raise good kids in a tough world.

If you found this post to be thought provoking would you consider sharing it using the buttons below?  I would appreciate your help in getting this message out.  Click the ‘good kids‘ tag below to read all posts in this series.

Don’t forget about our ongoing family worship series.  You can download this week’s guide here Week 40 – The Kingdom Divided