If a person claiming to be a Christian steals another Christian's ideas, is it a sin, or just plagiarism?

Question

I see lots of folks on here taking C.S. Lewis' arguments and stating them, yet they typically do not cite them - even when Y!A provides the space specifically to list sources.

So - is such a practice a sin?
Is it worse when a Christian to steals from another Christian?

Or is it just simply plagiarism? (Which would, if pursued, possibly earn you a failing grade in a class or even expelled from school.)

Answer 1

There's a huge difference between unintentionally copying someone else's ideas and passing off someone else's words as your own, The free exchange of ideas on Yahoo Answers is going to end up with some people either coming up with the same ideas as someone else, or stating the ideas of another as their own without realizing they're doing so.

When we're talking about academic integrity, that's a different story. Any time you produce something for school it's implied that you've researched your ideas sufficiently so that you won't be using someone else's ideas without giving them credit.

Therefore, on Yahoo Answers, you're going to see some unintentional plagiarism. I wouldn't qualify that as a sin myself, but you'd have to make that call based on your own belief structures.

Answer 2

Since this is a simple debate forum... I don't think such strict rules of publishing apply. No one is making any money off of their Yahoo answers, and I can't speak for the man, but I believe C.S. Lewis would wholeheartedly permit usage of his ideas in this context without citation :)



Citations are nice on this forum, but not necessary!



Now if I were to publish an article or write a book with C.S. Lewis's ideas and not cite them, that would be plagarism and a sin!

Answer 3

The truth is owned by no one and God is truth so if their words are truth and are God therefore they are not plagerizing because God lives in each of us so the truth/God we write/speak is ni fact our own.



I know horrible circular logic. But it is the truth.



THe reality is many do not know the original source of their answer. Since most Christian sources did not write for personal gain but to educate and illuminate source citing gets lost but the authors don't care because by being quoted they recieve confirmation that they spoke the truth.



The other circular side is all is from God and as long as you give God credit the original orator/writer is being cited. The human source is just secondary.



The good news is life is not a classroom, this is not a term paper and and the pass fail grade is based on accepting the passing grade even though you do not deserve it or choosing to be proud and fail. It takes a lot of guts to say I suck and deserve death. We Chrisitians are chickens and say sorry I goofed up but thanks for the "A" teach.

Answer 4

Oh, you poor dear. Raised seeing "guilt" around every corner. That's probably why you asked such a ridiculous question as to whether Christians who "steal" from other Christians are sinning..



I would say, yes it is a "sin." Theft is theft no matter who commits it. It is also nothing to waste your time on.



Get a life. Meet a more diverse group of people who don't obsess with the preachings of rich televangelists.

Answer 5

Copyright laws had to be invented to protect artists with original concepts.



In my opinion, if we quote someone verbatim, we are obliged to acknowledge the source. If the concept is repeated in their own words, then not acknowledging the source is simply unethical, but not illegal.



There are a lot of ethical misdemeanors goin' on in here... but that's just human nature, isn't it?

Answer 6

Sometimes people think alike. They may not have known they were stealing it. Yet I would like for the church to recognize it as a sin, so they would stop repeating each other.

Answer 7

Which instances are you referring to ? I am going to the bookstore tomorrow to see about getting some of C.S. Lewis' books.

Answer 8

Plagiarism is stealing and stealing is a sin.

Answer 9

It has been said that getting the ideas for your book from a book written by someone else is plagarism, but getting the ideas for your book from a library is scholarship.

Answer 10

My friend, you are stealing the word "Christian". Did you make it up? You wrote it.



C.S. Lewis...is being quoted? So...we are really in Hell!

Answer 11

it is stealing if they are presenting it as their own.

do you present ideas as if they were your own?



let's see,

I think many people present opinions without ginving credit and no one leaps to tghe accusation that this is plagiarism if the reference is common.

for example: any of the Darwin/evolution arguments/research.

Answer 12

Really, it's just an idiot with no sense of creativity and lack of originality.

Answer 13

Stealing is stealing if you are Christian or not.

Answer 14

its a form of flattery. everything taken, is from the bible. everyone has ideas and opinions on everything in the bible. no two people ever agree.

Answer 15

I think it can be considered a sin.

Answer 16

No, It's called the "Blind robbing the Blind"

Answer 17

IDEAS

are everybody's



a

n

d



whoever it was who invented the COPYRIGHT

was

an

EVIL MAN

with no idea

but that idea

to make

money

with

ideas.



Ach!

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