I bought a laptop 3 months ago and my Microsoft Office trial version has expired after two months. I now cannot use all the important and critical functions of the software and require to purchase the full version. I knew the price of the software is considerably costly so I hesitated to purchase it without looking for other options. My good friend knew my problem and he passed me his pirated Microsoft Office 2007 to install. I did not feel very right to do so without giving some thoughts on the piracy issue.
In the movie commercial ad, we are told that piracy is equal to stealing. The widespread of piracy activities are affecting the profittability of many businesses who sell their copyrighted products. When we use or buy pirated products, we are indirectly supporting the proliferation of piracy activities by encouraging illegal manufacturers to produce more such illegal products. We are not only doing wrong to the affected business people/product owner, in fact, our action is against the law.
From the biblical perspective, I thought of the following principles:
In the movie commercial ad, we are told that piracy is equal to stealing. The widespread of piracy activities are affecting the profittability of many businesses who sell their copyrighted products. When we use or buy pirated products, we are indirectly supporting the proliferation of piracy activities by encouraging illegal manufacturers to produce more such illegal products. We are not only doing wrong to the affected business people/product owner, in fact, our action is against the law.
From the biblical perspective, I thought of the following principles:
- "You shall not steal" is one of the 10 commandments in Moses' time. Stealing is wrong. Stealing is getting for ourselves something that does not belong to us.
- Jesus says in Matt 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." Just put ourselves in other's shoe, if we don't want people to do this (supporting piracy) to us, then we should not do this to others!
- Violating law intentionally is not submitting to authority and is wrong. In Rom 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."
Is it worthwhile to compromise the biblical principles to gain a little money and conveniences? I seriously doubt so. What other alternatives for me now? I hope I can get a shared licenced Microsoft Office 2007 with other people.
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