Conversations with God Author's Essay May Have Been Someone Else's

The question of plagiarism and theft of intellectual property is one that keeps coming up. Churches and Christians are some of the worst offenders, I find, though I am certain Jesus would not be happy about us cutting corners or ignoring what is right. To make sure you're complying with the law, and to make sure that you are using other people's works with integrity, take our workshop on copyright law for churches to find out how and when you can use someone else's work (http://masterworkproductions.homestead.com/workshops.html). Most of the time it's very easy and inexpensive to do what is right.

If you're not sure, here's a good guideline: pretty much if you didn't create it, you can't use it in print, online, in a church service, at youth group night, in the church bulletin, at bible study or because your event is free or nonprofit or anywhere else unless you have permission.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/conversations-with-god-author-accused-of-plagiarism/