Intellectual property is a sinΒΆ
The Synodal Church will be the first Christian institution to declare that intellectual property is a collective sin.
It is a sin because it creates a social and economic system that limits the freedom of some members, causing them harm. It causes social disorder. It causes the stronger to become even stronger, and the weak to become even weaker. It leads owners of proprietary software to use malicious strategies in order to increase their power.
These ideas are not new. Already in 1985 Richard M. Stallman designated intellectual property as a seductive mirage. Another software developer, Eric S. Raymond did similar work. Both remained focused on software, and both also caused controversial battles about unrelated topics.
In 2010 Lawrence Lessig extended the idea to all forms of published content. Both failed to consider the Church as their ally, and the Church failed to realize their work as important. Fratelli Tutti started to point at it, still without naming it.