Memphis said:
Just how exactly do I harm the interests of the WBTS by copying something they want to suppress? Mull that over a little and figure out which is the greater right - the right to knowledge about a harmful cult, or the right of a cult to suppress that information.
Watchtower would argue that the illegal distribution of their copyrighted work meant only for their BOEs could cause many rank and file members to leave the organization, taking their voluntary contributions to the world wide work with them. That is financial loss. It may be ethical from our standpoint to do so, and it most definitely is to wake people up causing them to abandon the WT organization. But it does not lift the violation of copyright infringement. Call it civil disobedience if you like.
Now, in conjunction with this, you will see in this forum, on reddit, and on multiple FB walls, that there is a huge number of ExJWs that are still justifying the pirating and distribution of CoC. To us it is unethical and morally corrupt to do so. But justifications for "civil disobedience" are really only in the eye of the beholder aren't they?
Watchtower is just as livid over the breach of copyright for their publications, documents, files, letters etc. as are the large percentage of us that now unequivocally believe the piracy of CoC is horrendous. Which leads me to another question.
Why now? Why such a pinnacle of outrage with this issue today? Tens of thousands of pirated PDFs of CoC have circulated for many years amongst this community. I find it extremely ironic that a Cedars video and a Mike Kim rebuttal have propelled this issue at present into epic proportions.
