Christian Song Pirating

http://www.thestate.com/m…on/15763242.htm

It is wrong for Christians to download songs for free of the internet? What if they are songs by Christian artists- hoping to share the good news? This is really the same debate that has been going on in the Christian community for a while. Previously it has been over whether book publishers should copyright Bible translations- hence limiting who can publish and distribute the Word of God. Is it wrong to make money in the name of Jesus- whether by a song or Bible-translationg? Isn’t a worker worth his due?

Part of how you might answer this question depends upon how you might approach culture. Someone in the Christ Against Culture perspective might be opposed to making money in the name of Christ while someone subscribing to Christ of Culture might think it Christ-like to manage a business profitably and responsibly.

When you bring evangelism into the question, you bring yourself into the more centrist views- because of their shared importance in redemption. Here’s, also, where things get more complicated. I can’t give a clear description of how these perspectives might approach this debate. Christ and Cultuer in Paradox might not care about this worldly debate. Christ Above Culture would want Christ to be proclaimed no matter how this debate might be solved- whether that’s allowing it so more people have access to Christian music or paying for it so these artists can continue to promote the Gospel. No matter the outcome, Christ Transforming Culture would want the world to be a better place as a result for both Christian musicians and non-Christians.