"The Congress shall have Power To ... promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." - The United States Constitution

Copyright is a government mandated monopoly that was only granted in order to advance the arts and science. Any interpretation that runs contrary to that is bollocks being used by the religiously or financially motivated to serve their own petty interests to the detriment of societies.