stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (Don Stanwyck) (05/11/84)
With regard to my statement noting that not all Christians support the types of actions carried on in the name of God by some people, I wish to issue a first clarification (first, because I expect I will have to defend it yet more). 1. D. Seifert put it very well when he noted that before disobeying a government one should be absolutely certain that one is actually acting as God would have you. I would go a step further and note that sometimes our understanding of timing and priorities is only our own, and may not be what we want it to be - God's. 2. The specific action referred to in the original article would be just as illegal in the U.S., Canada, or most (if not all) so-called free countries. Smuggling anything across a border, whether it be books, drugs, people, or anything else is illegal everywhere. It is an intentional attempt to avoid the tariffs, import quotas, etc., of the target country. If someone were to attempt to bring a load of Bibles into the U.S. for distribution to the citizens of the U.S., and the Bibles were discovered at the border, they would be jailed for smuggling, copywrite violation, import law violations, and (most likely) a host of other charges. Would those who encourage it elsewhere try to defend their actions here? 3. Bibles, yeah, even Russian language Bibles, are available in the USSR. They are incredibly expensive, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of the expected results of purchasing one (persecution of various sorts, etc.). None the less, the USSR has copywrite laws that make it illegal to bring in books published elsewhere unless the proper permits are obtained. I, for one, am not sure that what is being done (smuggling of Bibles) is what God would have these people do. I think it could almost as easily be argued that we should smuggle people into the U.S. so that can have more "religious freedom" (and some are doing so - see recent news reports on churchs smuggling in Latin American refugees), another act I find very difficult to justify. This is long enough, and I am sure I will be flamed for it, so I will quit for now. -- ________ ( ) Don Stanwyck @( o o )@ 312-979-3062 ( || ) Cornet-367-3062 ( \__/ ) ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck (______) Bell Labs @ Naperville, IL
barry@ames-lm.UUCP (Kenn Barry) (05/14/84)
[*************=8>:) (snort)] You're right, Don, you get flamed for this one (but on low heat; that's my style). Regarding the smuggling of Bibles into the USSR, you say: > 2. The specific action referred to in the original article would be just > as illegal in the U.S., Canada, or most (if not all) so-called free > countries. Smuggling anything across a border, whether it be books, > drugs, people, or anything else is illegal everywhere. It is an > intentional attempt to avoid the tariffs, import quotas, etc., of > the target country. If someone were to attempt to bring a load of > Bibles into the U.S. for distribution to the citizens of the U.S., > and the Bibles were discovered at the border, they would be jailed > for smuggling, copywrite violation, import law violations, and (most > likely) a host of other charges. Would those who encourage it elsewhere > try to defend their actions here? I submit that it is not the same here. I doubt anyone would bother to smuggle Bibles into the US, since they're already available in every hotel room in the country, but if someone did smuggle them in, it would have to be with the intent of making a profit, not to fight religious oppression. Side note: smuggling, even just smuggling for profit, has a most romantic history, and has often been an informal weapon in the fight against tyranny. > 3. Bibles, yeah, even Russian language Bibles, are available in the USSR. > They are incredibly expensive, not only in terms of money, but also > in terms of the expected results of purchasing one (persecution of > various sorts, etc.). None the less, the USSR has copywrite laws > that make it illegal to bring in books published elsewhere unless > the proper permits are obtained. The Soviet approach to copyrights (note spelling) is quite one-sided. Ask any Western writer who has had his books published in Russia. Royalties are often not paid at all; when they are, they are usually made in rubles, which can only be spent in Russia. Also, please note, I doubt that this is really an issue. Copyright laws are to protect the authors of books; the Bible, per se, is not even copyrighted (though any given version may be). The laws being broken by the Bible-leggers relate to smuggling, not copyrights. > I, for one, am not sure that what is being done (smuggling of Bibles) > is what God would have these people do. I think it could almost as > easily be argued that we should smuggle people into the U.S. so that > can have more "religious freedom" (and some are doing so - see recent > news reports on churchs smuggling in Latin American refugees), another > act I find very difficult to justify. The reports I have heard on the smuggling in of Latin American refugees by church groups described it as a matter of saving these people's lives, not just insuring their religious freedom. In closing, let me add that I do not see this as mainly a religious issue - if I were smuggling books into Russia, they wouldn't be Bibles. But I applaud the efforts of anyone willing to put their lives on the line in the struggle against tyranny. [The opinions expressed herein are my own foolishness, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone that matters.] Kenn Barry NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Electric Avenue: {dual,hao,menlo70,hplabs}!ames-lm!barry