Online Piracy

Tomorrow marks the day for Wikipedia and several other big internet sites to go dark for the day in protest of the SOPA and PIPA bills. I too am in protest of these bills. I am not a proponent of stealing movies and music, but I do not believe that these bills provide the solution. Check out this article for more: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wikipedia-blackout-websites-wikipedia-reddit-dark-wednesday-protest/story?id=15373251#.TxW3i4E8fZ0

The fact is, the love of money is the root of all evil, and in this consumer driven culture there is no end to the greed that accompanies the love of money.

Most of the parent companies that are throwing a fit about piracy and claiming that profits are down because people are stealing the music or movies instead of purchasing them are at the very same time adjusting contracts in such a way that they are able to pay as few royalties as possible to those who are being affected the most by the pirating.

This is a really big debate. So let me just make a few quick summary statements.

1. If you like it, buy it.
2. If you want to sell it, make it affordable. McDonald's is willing to lower costs to sell more food items. It works. Follow their lead.
3. Pay the royalties that are due to all the people who work on films and in the music industry.
4. Stop being so greedy. Consumers, be willing to spend your money. Manufacturers, be willing to lower the costs of your products so that consumers will desire to purchase them.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.(1 Timothy 6:10)

Money is not evil, but when we love it so much that we are willing to do evil things, such as overcharge people for goods and services, or steal from others because we do not wish to pay them, then our priorities are sadly out of order, and our integrity is placed into question.