“Hi, this is Vaughan from Grave Forsaken. The issue of music downloading is a complex one. A massive number of people download music without paying for it, so you can make yourself quite unpopular if you speak out against it. I’ve heard all the justifications and reasons people give, but to me it boils down to one simple fact – it is illegal so, therefore, we shouldn’t do it. As far as I can see, if something is against the law of the land, as Christians we are morally obligated to not do it. This is problematic for us music lovers, as it is so easy to obtain material with no direct consequences.

I will never point the finger at a friend or colleague who downloads, as I realise it can be a complex moral minefield. What I try to do is set an example and support legally purchased music. Being in a band, I’m asked about this on a weekly basis. People ask me if downloading impacts our album sales, so it’s obviously on their minds. It is impossible to tell for sure but I will say this – the number of people who are familiar with our music seems to be a lot higher than our album sales! Granted, you can hear it on YouTube without downloading it, but it would be fair to suggest a significant number of people have obtained our music illegally. As an individual, I don’t mind as I’m not in it for the money. If someone comes to Christ through an illegal download of Grave Forsaken that is great. But every album or song not purchased hurts Soundmass and that in turn affects their decision making on future projects. Labels are run by passionate people who need sales to keep their business g

So what’s my point? It is illegal, so we shouldn’t do it. As Christians we should set the example and support legally purchased music. My stance may be unpopular with some but it is what I apply to my own life. I think in any area of life we should live by example rather than pointing the finger. Noone can accuse you of double standards if you eliminate the behaviour from your own life.

God Bless
Vaughan”

Source:  RoweProductions

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