Comments on: bootlegging http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/ a pulitzer contender for sure Tue, 13 May 2008 02:58:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: vlady http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-475 vlady Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:52:11 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-475 "establishment"ative. Why should Microsoft or Intuit develop Khmer versions of their software if they know they will never recoup any of their costs? BTW, I miss having these types of discussions with you in person. Looking forward to seeing you again this summer! “establishment”ative. Why should Microsoft or Intuit develop Khmer versions of their software if they know they will never recoup any of their costs?

BTW, I miss having these types of discussions with you in person. Looking forward to seeing you again this summer!

]]> By: Kevin http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-477 Kevin Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:17:54 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-477 Wow, Danny, I didn't know you had such an eclectic mix of readers. I have no idea if Details are Sketchy was responding to the issue you raised, or just making a blanket anti-missionary statement, in which case it was an empty comment. And Hado misses the point entirely, since nowhere in your post is there anything about being superior over Cambodians. That would be the absolute last thing to ever come from you. This is about the behavior of you and your team. Anyway, knowing you as well as I do, your response is very typcial Danny, and it makes me smile. You've never been one to sit quietly by in the face of injustice and sin. It's got nothing to do with you having a sense of superiority (usually). If you're correct that the vendors are trying to target the missionary market, then it puts the whole thing in perspective. At first I thought, well what Cambodian would even be able to use BibleWorks? It's in English, Greek, and Hebrew, and it's a tool for academics and pastors. So then I think you're right that foreign Christians (missionaries or otherwise) would be doing something dubious by buying it. The whole time I was reading your post, I was like, well just buy it from Amazon. I mean, how hard is that? Don't our smallest actions reveal the condition of our heart. And you are exactly right, God calls us to a life of holiness in all our actions, big and small. Compromise in the small things probably can lead to a willingness later on to compromise in the bigger things. Steven raises some good questions, although BibleWorks is not just the Bible, and as I mentioned, it would be useless for most Cambodians, even Christians probably. The issue of Bible smuggling is sticky. When I lived in China, Bibles were readily and easily available. You could buy them at a government church. I even saw them alongside Mao's little red book in street markets. I decided then that smuggling Bibles has little to do with the actual need, and more to do with foreign Christians wanting to feel like they're doing something dangerous and important. I suppose there are places in China where Bibles are not so freely available, but that was my experience in two different out of the way cities. Maybe you could have a discussion with your team about how buying bootleg stuff might adversely affect the team's witness, and how it might reveal a spiritual blindspot. At the same time, I'd guess that most people just don't really give it any thought, so it's not like they're out trying to break the law or be evil or something. So be gentle and humble. Wow, Danny, I didn’t know you had such an eclectic mix of readers. I have no idea if Details are Sketchy was responding to the issue you raised, or just making a blanket anti-missionary statement, in which case it was an empty comment. And Hado misses the point entirely, since nowhere in your post is there anything about being superior over Cambodians. That would be the absolute last thing to ever come from you. This is about the behavior of you and your team. Anyway, knowing you as well as I do, your response is very typcial Danny, and it makes me smile. You’ve never been one to sit quietly by in the face of injustice and sin. It’s got nothing to do with you having a sense of superiority (usually).

If you’re correct that the vendors are trying to target the missionary market, then it puts the whole thing in perspective. At first I thought, well what Cambodian would even be able to use BibleWorks? It’s in English, Greek, and Hebrew, and it’s a tool for academics and pastors. So then I think you’re right that foreign Christians (missionaries or otherwise) would be doing something dubious by buying it. The whole time I was reading your post, I was like, well just buy it from Amazon. I mean, how hard is that? Don’t our smallest actions reveal the condition of our heart. And you are exactly right, God calls us to a life of holiness in all our actions, big and small. Compromise in the small things probably can lead to a willingness later on to compromise in the bigger things.

Steven raises some good questions, although BibleWorks is not just the Bible, and as I mentioned, it would be useless for most Cambodians, even Christians probably. The issue of Bible smuggling is sticky. When I lived in China, Bibles were readily and easily available. You could buy them at a government church. I even saw them alongside Mao’s little red book in street markets. I decided then that smuggling Bibles has little to do with the actual need, and more to do with foreign Christians wanting to feel like they’re doing something dangerous and important. I suppose there are places in China where Bibles are not so freely available, but that was my experience in two different out of the way cities.

Maybe you could have a discussion with your team about how buying bootleg stuff might adversely affect the team’s witness, and how it might reveal a spiritual blindspot. At the same time, I’d guess that most people just don’t really give it any thought, so it’s not like they’re out trying to break the law or be evil or something. So be gentle and humble.

]]> By: Hado http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-480 Hado Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:52:40 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-480 thanks for your insightful comment. thanks for your insightful comment.

]]> By: steven http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-482 steven Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:15:24 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-482 NB. my question about smuggling bibles into countries was comparative in a regional sense because many governments ban this although I believe it is not true in Cambodia. But surely if you follow the law then missions to China or other countries could not happen? Is it okay to break the law for Jesus? NB. my question about smuggling bibles into countries was comparative in a regional sense because many governments ban this although I believe it is not true in Cambodia.

But surely if you follow the law then missions to China or other countries could not happen?

Is it okay to break the law for Jesus?

]]> By: steven http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-481 steven Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:06:06 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-481 Is this bible software from a non-profit or for-profit venture? Should the bible be exploited for financial gain? Isn't it a good thing to distribute the bible in any manner possible? Is illegally smuggling a bible into a non-Christian country any worse than selling a copied CD? This is an interesting topic with hard to define, "right or wrongs" Is this bible software from a non-profit or for-profit venture?

Should the bible be exploited for financial gain?

Isn’t it a good thing to distribute the bible in any manner possible?

Is illegally smuggling a bible into a non-Christian country any worse than selling a copied CD?

This is an interesting topic with hard to define, “right or wrongs”

]]> By: vlady http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-483 vlady Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:09:24 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-483 Hi Hado, I just sent you the following email at the address you gave but it bounced back saying it didn't exist...<blockquote>thanks for the comment ... i definitely appreciate varying viewpoints from any and all persons who read the blog.-dc</blockquote> Hi Hado,

I just sent you the following email at the address you gave but it bounced back saying it didn’t exist…

thanks for the comment … i definitely appreciate varying viewpoints from any and all persons who read the blog.-dc

]]> By: Details are Sketchy http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-484 Details are Sketchy Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:20:07 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-484 Anita responds: <blockquote>More than disgusting me, it saddens me that we missionaries are ruining our own witness by encouraging illegal activity. Are we any better than the “pagans” we are trying to “convert”?</blockquote>Um, no. Welcome to reality. What took you so long to get here? Anita responds:

More than disgusting me, it saddens me that we missionaries are ruining our own witness by encouraging illegal activity. Are we any better than the “pagans” we are trying to “convert”?

Um, no. Welcome to reality. What took you so long to get here?

]]> By: Anita http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-485 Anita Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:41:18 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-485 I remember I was in total shock at how little our teammates responded to your "gentle rebuke" regarding purchasing non-copyright stuff. Just a week later, I wanted to lend a book to a teammate and she responded, "Could you just make photo copies of it for everyone?" I've heard many excuses from our fellow Christians, "But there is no where in Cambodia to buy legitimate stuff.", "Microsoft/Hollywood is making billions anyway.", "Why would a Christian author mind if we distribute tons of photo copies of their books if we're not making a profit.", "There is no copy-write laws in Cambodia so it's actually not illegal." One teammate, Hayden, who is usually really calm surprised me when he had an outburst, "I just bought 3 movies from Amazon.com and had them delivered to me here in Phnom Penh. I'm tired of hearing people making excuses saying that they can't get things legally!" Hayden has since formed a "Legit DVD club" for those who refuse to buy and watch bootlegged DVDs to share and swap real stuff. Unfortunately, I don't think many people joined. When it's so easy, available and CHEAP to buy bootlegged stuff, we fail to see that we're just giving into the corruption that we've become so used to. More than disgusting me, it saddens me that we missionaries are ruining our own witness by encouraging illegal activity. Are we any better than the "pagans" we are trying to "convert"? I remember I was in total shock at how little our teammates responded to your “gentle rebuke” regarding purchasing non-copyright stuff. Just a week later, I wanted to lend a book to a teammate and she responded, “Could you just make photo copies of it for everyone?”

I’ve heard many excuses from our fellow Christians, “But there is no where in Cambodia to buy legitimate stuff.”, “Microsoft/Hollywood is making billions anyway.”, “Why would a Christian author mind if we distribute tons of photo copies of their books if we’re not making a profit.”, “There is no copy-write laws in Cambodia so it’s actually not illegal.”

One teammate, Hayden, who is usually really calm surprised me when he had an outburst, “I just bought 3 movies from Amazon.com and had them delivered to me here in Phnom Penh. I’m tired of hearing people making excuses saying that they can’t get things legally!” Hayden has since formed a “Legit DVD club” for those who refuse to buy and watch bootlegged DVDs to share and swap real stuff. Unfortunately, I don’t think many people joined.

When it’s so easy, available and CHEAP to buy bootlegged stuff, we fail to see that we’re just giving into the corruption that we’ve become so used to. More than disgusting me, it saddens me that we missionaries are ruining our own witness by encouraging illegal activity. Are we any better than the “pagans” we are trying to “convert”?

]]> By: mike park http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-476 mike park Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://colombara.org/danny/2008/02/28/bootlegging/#comment-476 1" "0 " 431 " stevenvlady "dcolombara@gmail.com "http://www.colombara.org/danny 202.47.102.37" "2008-02-29 01:09:24 2008-02-29 06:15:242008-02-29 01:09:24 " Hi Hado, I just sent you the following email at the address you gave but it bounced back saying it didn't exist...432thanks for the comment ... i definitely appreciate varying viewpoints from any and all persons who read the blog.-dc 1″

“0

”

431
”
stevenvlady

“dcolombara@gmail.com

“http://www.colombara.org/danny

202.47.102.37″

“2008-02-29 01:09:24
2008-02-29 06:15:242008-02-29 01:09:24
”
Hi Hado,

I just sent you the following email at the address you gave but it bounced back saying it didn’t exist…432thanks for the comment … i definitely appreciate varying viewpoints from any and all persons who read the blog.-dc

]]>