[sword-devel] Copyright Scripture distribution

[Pergamum]

> With my own shareware Bible software, SwordSearcher, I do ask people to
pay
> for it (and I then send them a CD-ROM), but I also allow ANYONE who
requests
> a free registration to use it without pay. It's the least I can do, and
> since God is blessing me with enough paid users to support my family, I
> think I have the right attitude. And I doubt anyone here would argue that
> programming is not a creative work. :-)
>
> -Brandon

That is actually a very valid point, and one I have been trying to make (in
regards to profit, that is).  There is nothing wrong with profit... but you
also do not tell people that the bible text you use in SwordSearcher is
illegal to use without permission.  That is exactly however what these
companies are doing.  I never assume to be able to quote Zondervan -specific
texts, but for them to forbid me using the text of Gen1 - Rev 22 is sheer
lunacy and goes against GOD commands me to do.  Thus, relying on what GOD
defines sin as: i.e. NOT doing what He commands.  Isn't Zondervan, i.e.
forbidding me to follow GOD's command. a sin?
Oh well, I guess I was wrong to think that the Word and Command of GOD was
LESS important than the law of the copyright office.  Perhaps, if I
understand this correctly and the word of Man is to be feared more than the
Word of GOD.  Perhaps I should renounce my faith and go out and preach the
Profit of Zondervan to these foolish mislead sheeple that seem to think of
the Word of GOD as GOD's intellectual property.  As was stated in another
topic.  GOD promised to protect the sanctity of His Word..  Period.  He
NEVER said "I will protect the sanctity of the original Hebrew, Aramaic and
Greek only."  He said "His Word".  If His Word is protected only in the
original languages then I guess we're all lost no matter what we do, even
though Jesus Christ died for us ALL.  Were still lost.  (In case you don't
know, these are the jokes folks, laugh any time.)
The point I'm trying to make here is that GOD said NOTHING regarding
languages in His Promise.  A Translation into another language is just that.
Nothing more, nothing less.  There are only so many ways grammatically one
can rearrange the structure of a sentence and it STILL retain its meaning.
If I choose to post a bible in the English language I must use certain
guidelines to insure that the message is unaltered and true to GOD's Word.
That is why the Holy Spirit is in us.  In order that the sanctity and
meaning all remain True and Faithful.  Mistranslations, as I said, happen,
and glory be to the Holy Spirit within us these wrongful translations are
relegated to things like Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Caths, Branch
Davidians, Heaven's Gate nuts, and other churches in which the Holy Spirit
of GOD has little or no presence in.  Therefore I do not like the thought
that Zondervan, Nelson, UBS, GBS,  or the like have any business suing me
for following GOD's COMMAND to spread His Word because I choose a
translation that scholars that the Holy Spirit moved through to create, and
these Profit-driven companies subsequently petitioned the secular government
to grant copyright to.  These companies, if anything, should be thanking me
for liking their translation enough to bless them by using it online or
wherever.  I do not LOSE them a cent.  If anything I GAIN them sales by
giving them FREE ADVERTISING.  They, if they do a thing should be to ADD me
to THEIR PAYROLE as an "ADVERTISING EXPENSE.  People read it online, they
cannot drag their desktops to church and so they buy it.  But I'm not doing
this because I want money.  If I only served GOD for the SOLE PURPOSE of
reaping profit I would be disingenuous and simply need to renounce any
so-called faith I have.  Sin is much easier to indulge in and materially
more profitable.  I do it because I LOVE Jesus, I LOVE GOD, and I wish to
serve in any way in which HIS GLORY and WILL may be justified, spread,
exalted and expanded to all the World.  I could just as soon move to Mexico
and start a UFO/sex cult.  Be a lot of fun.  But where would it end me up
when all comes to pass?  Surely not at the Right Hand of GOD.  It'd have me
doing the biggest stage-dive in history right into the mouth of hell.
Bottom line: GOD said NOTHING about giving Zondervan, Nelson, or anyone ELSE
for that matter sole right to spread His Word in English or any OTHER
language on the planet.  Until I find that verse that says "Thou shalt not
spread My Word except that thou payest homage to Zondervan and Nelson" I
will continue to give them the proverbial finger.  When their wishes go
against the Word of GOD then they cause others to fall into indirect sin.
This, as I have stated, is SIN.  If these companies are so profit-minded
that they feel one's use of their version online will make them bankrupt
then they need to just go into another line of business because, spiritually
they do themselves and us, the consumer, a disservice.  Not to mention
exalting themselves above GOD and essentially spit in His Face concerning
His Command of spreading His Word..
Sure, there are those out there that will scoff; that will say I take things
to seriously (me?? naaaa!); that will say I'm wrong because of the "Law of
the Land" or simply because they are too timid or apathetic to face call a
"spade" a "spade" and stand up to sin.  As long as attitudes like this
persist in people then Satan has truly won a large victory.  Thus, we, as
Christians, continuing to condone or ignore the sin by allowing it to
continue and not speaking out against it is wrong.  I have no respect for
one that is so weak in their convictions that they just  coast along living
their lives, blinding themselves to the problems around them just so they
can be "left alone" or not have to fight what they think is a "losing
battle".  People like this are shameful and selfish.
I'm NOT saying that anyone that doesn't get involved with this particular
cause is selfish, etc.  GOD has a plan and area of activity or ministry for
each one of us.  I am speaking though, to people that call themselves
Christian, yet stay in their little shells living their little lives, but do
not find a way to serve GOD other than sitting on their butts and saying
"yay GOD!" all day.  The people that when you ask them to help with anything
to further the cause or Will of GOD, refuse on the grounds of fear of
persecution or what-not.  Face it boys and girls: We're CHRISTIANS.  We
CHOSE this path.  We elected to follow a very unpopular path.  We must stand
up for that movement.  ESPECIALLY when the problems and sins are committed
by those that claim to be OF us.  THIS, is what dishonors and shames Christ
among the heathen: Christians allowing someone claiming to be Christian
blatantly spit in the eye of GOD and disobey His Word in order to protect
their checkbooks.  What would you do if your brother, sister (or whoever),
claimed to be Christian, but chose to do sinful deeds in the "Name of Christ
Jesus" as a means of supporting here opulent lifestyle?  But for some reason
we allow this behavior to continue in the "Christian" Corporate World.
Why?

In Christ Jesus,
Pergamum
(Skip)

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