July 2004     "What we have to understand is that pirating music is really no different than shoplifting from a store." Many teens, and the adults in their lives, don’t realize that making unauthorized copies of music and videos from the Internet is illegal. In fact, a recent Barna study found that only 46% of teens said they have never heard anyone discuss the morality of music downloading. What we have to understand is that pirating music is really no different than shoplifting from a store. For students, the issue of piracy must be addressed because this practice is so accepted today. One question teens ask about Internet piracy is, “What is the big deal…nothing is going to happen to me?” More than likely, nothing will happen, however, there are factors to consider. When you download music, some files will have viruses and cause major problems and damage to your computer. Also, lawyers for the recording industry are now going after the parents of teens that have downloaded pirated music. There have been hundreds of cases filed already across the country. Another factor to consider is that pirating music shows no regard to the artist and his work. The bottom line is that pirating music is stealing. Exodus 20:15 tells us that “you shall not steal". It can’t get any clearer than that. We must equip our teens with the ability to choose right from wrong. Teaching our teens integrity with the little things will allow them to make sound decisions with the big things! Where can my teen find legal music download sites? Here is a list of the most popular music download sites and their costs... 1. iTunes Music Store http://www.apple.com/itunes Cost: $.99 a song with many albums under $10, and no subscription fee 2. BuyMusic.com http://www.buymusic.com Cost: $.79 to $.99 a song 3. Rhapsody http://www.listen.com Cost: $9.95 for unlimited streaming plus $.79 per song for burning on a CD 4. MP3.com http://www.mp3.com Cost: Free - used for publicity and CD sales by many up-and-coming/unknown groups 5. Napster http://www.napster.com Cost: $.99 a track and $9.95 an album Below are some interesting findings on how divided America is on music piracy... Online piracy...How do you plead? 18% - Guilty 14% - Not Guilty 12% - A Tad Guilty 8% - Sorry 48% - Unapologetic 2-4-7music.com Should Internet users have the right to swap music from CDs online? 43% - Yes...it should be legal. 46% - No... it should be illegal. 11% - I am undecided. CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll

	Want to learn more about your teen? Ask the following questions to better understand their Point Of View... 1. What is your favorite musical group and why? 2. Do you believe it is wrong to download pirated music? Why or why not? Do your friends believe it is wrong to pirate music? Why or why not? 3. Hypothetically speaking, what if you wrote the most incredible song in the world. Before you were able to release your CD, someone took your song, made YOUR CD, and became a millionaire. How would that make you feel? Why?		Pray that: 1. God will instill integrity into every facet of your teen's life. 2. God will teach you the value of living above reproach as your teen watches you live your life in front of them. 3. Your teen will understand that just because most teens feel something is ok (such as downloading pirated music) does not mean that it is. 4. God will allow you the opportunity to talk to your teen about the "little" sins in their life. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV) These verses remind all of us that Jesus calls Christians to be salt and light to this world. Our culture is rotting and decaying. We must teach our teens that living above reproach will only make Christ look more attractive and inviting to a lost world.
	Did you know... * An online survey of 1,449 Christian teenagers found 80% of teens surveyed had engaged in at least one kind of music piracy, such as making copies of CDs for other people, downloading unauthorized free music or uploading music files to the Internet in the past six months. Only 8% said unauthorized downloading and copying CDs was morally wrong. (biblicalrecorder.com) * An estimated 57 million Americans in the United States illegally download free music. Two out of three say they don't care about copyright laws. (wishtv.com) * The recording industry says compact disc sales have dropped from a high of $13.2 billion in 2000 to $11.2 billion in 2003, much of it because of piracy. (washingtonpost.com) * 70% of Americans say that if the price of CDs was a lot lower, there would be a lot less downloading of music off the Internet. (harrisinteractive.com)

	This page is designed to inform and educate parents and is not meant to endorse any product, music, or movie. Our prayer is that you will make informed decisions on what your student listens to, wears, and sees!
	Eso-Charis was originally formed in 1996 under the name of Elliot. After recording a four-song demo, they were discovered by Bruce Fitzhugh who later took the band into the studio to record a full-length album. Eso-Charis toured the US twice with Embodyment and once with Living Sacrifice. Frontman Matt Putman says of the band’s music, “We want the music to carry a feeling as opposed to catch attention to a certain riff or breakdown. . . we strive to make a song beautiful. . . to make it conjure images of worship and thankfulness, along with lyrics that encourage the same.” (solidstaterecords.com) Q: Hot fashion trends usually last only one year. What is the best defense for quickly changing trends? A: Have a wardrobe stocked with mostly classic looks: jeans, T-shirts, blazers, flip-flops, and add the basic black dresses for the ladies. Use trendy items as an addition to a core wardrobe to give it some kick. (fashion.about.com)		Albums: "Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses" - 2004 "Iowa" - 2002 "Slipknot" - 2000 Background: Slipknot, a nine-member band with stage aliases 0 through 8, was formed in 1995 in the unlikely locale of Des Moines, IA. After a self-released debut album in 1996 and constant touring, the group signed with Roadrunner Records. They went Platinum in 2000. Slipknot’s music is a mix of grinding alternative metal with a “Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock.” Slipknot’s attention-grabbing antics involve wearing industrial jumpsuits and Halloween masks as well as referring to their fans as “Maggots.” Their most recent album was released in 2004. (sonic.net) Potential Controversy: Slipknot's image and lyrics have a pre-occupation with darkness. Their most recent album contains some questionable language and has an overwhelmingly negative tone. Parent/Teen Q&A: Regarding his anger, frontman Corey Taylor says, “Life is a good enough excuse to be angry. I have a lot of ideas that don’t mesh with society.” (nyrock.com) Q: Do you have any views that don’t mesh with society? Are there ways to express these differences other than through anger?
	Here are just some of the summer movies that will be getting the attention in July... TITLE RATING RED FLAGS GENRE STARRING Sleepover PG For thematic elements involving teen dating, some sensuality and language Comedy Alexa Vega, Mike Boorem, Sam Huntington, Jane Lynch The Cinderella Story PG For mild language and innuendo Comedy Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray Anchorman PG-13 For sexual humor, language, and comic violence Comedy Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday         1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31