The Sin Bay, What Does The Bible Say About Pirating Software?

Last year Microsoft made $13.7 billion. Big budget movies like Transformers 3 and Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince made $300 million each. The music industry made $10.4 billion. With all these people getting rich, what is wrong with downloading software, movies, and music from illegal pirating websites? If I download a copy of Microsoft Office will Bill Gates go hungry?

There is no question that pirating software (making copies of illegally or legally obtained media in your possession for further distribution regardless of financial gain) is against Federal Law. But many have convinced themselves that pirating music, movies, and software for personal use is not a violation of the law.  Some also reason that the law is overly restrictive and senseless and have decided that they will not obey it.  Even more are compelled by their sense of need for whatever they are stealing that they ignore their conscience and take whatever they want.

Of course whatever your reason for stealing intellectual property, it is still stealing.  Exodus 20:15 clearly says "You shall not steal." Stealing is taking the property of another without permission. When you make or receive a copy of any intellectual property that you have not properly paid for you are taking from the creator of that property the right to receive compensation.  This is the textbook definition of stealing.

Our opinions o f whether or not copyright law is right or wrong is irrelevant.  The fact is that it is the law and we are admonished in Scripture to "be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient" (Titus 3:1). Pirating software is illegal in the United States and whether or not we agree with this law or not Scripture instructs us to submit to these laws. Paul tells us in Romans 13:1 “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.” (Romans 13:1) Paul is saying that we obey the authorities because they receive their authority from God alone.

 What really drives the pirating community is greed. Christians and non-Christians alike have convinced themselves that their need for a song, movie, or software title far outweighs whatever God has to say on the subject.  They have “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.” (Romans 1:25) God has spoken in regards to stealing and obeying the authorities but some have exchanged that knowledge for the lie that it isn't stealing, or they are not hurting anyone, or that God doesn't care about pirating, or these industries are ripping us off and deserve it.

Of course these are all excuses that allow us to keep doing what we know is wrong. We are good at justifying our sin.  However, God desires that we would simply repent of our sin and turn to Him.  Do you really need that song, movie, or program that badly?  Is separating yourself from God worth it?  If you are pirating software, music, or movies delete them today and commit to live above reproach in this area of your life.