Mp3

[at0m1c]

Would it be a sin to download mp3s? Theres all this controversy for paying for CDs and all...

[Pio Nono]

JMJ

2/15 - Sixth Sunday

at0m1c,

Thanks for the question; it's a good one and pressing for our times. I will give an answer, as well as a couple of very important qualifications.

First, the Bible tells us that "the laborer is due his wage." This tells us that it is unjust to withhold pay from a man who works for us. Entertainers and authors do work for us - the public. Therefore, when we want to make use of their particular services (that is, to be entertained), we should make every effort to pay them their due wages. To withhold those wages (to illegally download music, movies, books, &c.) is therefore unjust, and could be classified as theft. What those due wages are, and how all that works out, is a different subject altogether, so I won't go in to it here.

Here are my qualifiers:

1.) Entertainment that is on the public forum (i.e. it is of a certain type or age that no one holds a copyright on it) is entirely legitimate to download onto computers. Don't be afraid to download this stuff. You're good to go.

2.) Entertainment which the owner has given you explicit permission to download is entirely legitimate as well. If our beloved Fr. Pontifex gave us permission to download his music from the internet, it would be fine; if he doesn't, though, then we are treading onto shaky (sinful?) ground.

3.) Entertainment which goes against Catholic social teaching ("Christian, know your dignity...") should never be dabbled with, even if it is entirely legal. Songs, movies and books encouraging and glorifying drunkenness, theivery, drugs, unchaste behavior (lustful, unloving stuff) and things of the like should not be touched because of what it can do to the person who takes all of it in. I know it's hard to give some of this stuff up (I've been through it, trust me, and I believe most people have), but it needs to be done.

I hope this helps.

Yours,

Pio Nono

[Theologian in Training]

Would it be a sin to go into a store, put a CD in your pocket, and walk out of the store?

Granted, the format may be different (mp3) but stealing is stealing no matter what medium it happens on.

Also, there are legal sites from which to download songs, ranging from the new napster at .99 to rhapsody at .79 a song. Although you may not get a CD case in which to carry the CD, in the long run, dowloading entire CD's are actually cheaper. For example, any new CD that is out can be downloaded from Napster for a flat rate of $9.95. That is much cheaper than walking into a store and paying up to $20.00 a CD.

Also, most pirated mp3's are usually chock full of virii or malicious code of some kind. Sometimes the quality is less than CD quality.

So, from a moral standpoint it is considered stealing and therefore a sin. From a legal standpoint it is considered stealing, and therefore illegal.

Your better off morally and legally paying for the song or CD rather than stealing it.

Hope that helps