Priest in Britain Advises Congregation to Shoplift

[MyOwnDrum]

What do you think? When is it morally acceptable to shoplift? What items do you feel are necessary enough to justify stealing?

Priest in Britain Advises Congregation to Shoplift - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

A priest in Britain is under fire Monday for advising his congregation to shoplift in tough economic times, the Daily Mail reports.

Father Tim Jones, a 41-year-old clergyman at St. Lawrence Church in York, England, said that shoplifting — rather than prostitution or burglary — is sometimes the best option for poor people struggling to make ends meet, according to the Web site.

"My advice as a Christian priest is to shoplift," Jones reportedly told churchgoers during his Sunday sermon. "I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or because I think it is harmless, for it is neither."

"I would ask that they do not steal from small family businesses, but from large national businesses — knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices," he continued.

"I would ask them not to take any more than they need, for any longer than they need ... My advice does not contradict the Bible's eighth commandment because God's love for the poor and despised outweighs the property rights of the rich."

Jones' sermon, meanwhile, has been blasted by police, the British Retail Consortium and a local MP who all say that shoplifting is a crime regardless of circumstances.

 

[Dezaad]

What do you think? When is it morally acceptable to shoplift? What items do you feel are necessary enough to justify stealing?

Priest in Britain Advises Congregation to Shoplift - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

I have often wondered about this. Is it ok to steal food if you are starving... ok to steal a coat if you are freezing. Etc.

I think if I was a store manager, I might look the other way if I saw an obviously poor, emaciated person stealing.

What would you do?

 

[MyOwnDrum]

I have often wondered about this. Is it ok to steal food if you are starving... ok to steal a coat if you are freezing. Etc.

I think if I was a store manager, I might look the other way if I saw an obviously poor, emaciated person stealing.

What would you do?

If someone was stealing bare necessities, I would most definitely look the other way. If they were stealing steaks or some other more luxurious item, I would feel less sympathetic.

 

[TheNextEra]

If someone was stealing bare necessities, I would most definitely look the other way. If they were stealing steaks or some other more luxurious item, I would feel less sympathetic.

Depends on what they are stealing. I don't think the homeless need Ralph Lauren jackets that cost $1000 a piece and then expect the store owner to look the other way.

 

[American]

I have often wondered about this. Is it ok to steal food if you are starving... ok to steal a coat if you are freezing. Etc.

I think if I was a store manager, I might look the other way if I saw an obviously poor, emaciated person stealing.

What would you do?

Some people actually ask.

 

[EpicDude86]

I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled,
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And they're farming babies
While slaves are working
Blood is on the table
And the mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry

 

[Orion]

I agree with the priest.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

Stealing is stealing. I disagree with the priest, completely.

 

[Councilman]

I don't know how desperate the situation in the U.K. has become I would suggest the we all look around at the statistics in this country where the numbers on food stamps is approaching the all-time high of 10.5 percent of the population.

I have no idea what kind of programs they have in the U.K. but I know that since the majority of the system is socialist the living standards in part because of terrible taxes put many more people at risk than need be.

This should be a warning that this may be coming here soon if the push for Socialism/Communism is not recognized for the danger it poses and stopped before it's too late.

There should be no reason for people in a nation with the potential of the U.K. to have go hungry but those who do have a job are taxed to the point that charity by necessity must start and sadly remain at home.

I don't agree with the idea of promoting shoplifting. I would suggest a serious revolt against costly socialist policies, waste fraud and abuse, something like is coming here if people don't wake up soon to the massive and growing corruption in Washington.

 

[American]

I agree with the priest.

With a lack of moral standards, you can justify anything.

 

[Manc Skipper]

I don't know how desperate the situation in the U.K. has become ...

I have no idea what kind of programs they have in the U.K. ...

There should be no reason for people in a nation with the potential of the U.K. to have go hungry ...

You could have sensibly stopped at either of the first two statements, but ignorance of the reality didn't prevent the parochial partisanity. The last statement (as edited) is accurate.

 

[sazerac]

Priests should collect donations and distribute them to the poor. Or would that take too much work?

 

[spud_meister]

I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled,
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And they're farming babies
While slaves are working
Blood is on the table
And the mouths are choking
But I'm growing hungry

wow, you're the only other person i've ever met that knows that song

 

[Hatuey]

Priests should collect donations and distribute them to the poor. Or would that take too much work?

They do. People are cheap.

 

[Middleground]

They do. People are cheap.

I think you're right, Hatuey.It seems that the needs of the poor are growing faster than the donations.

I'm torn by this. While I do agree with Captain that stealing is stealing, sooner or later, there's going to be some sort of revolt. Hunger and thirst will drive man to do what is necessary to survive.

 

[Dutch]

I have often wondered about this. Is it ok to steal food if you are starving... ok to steal a coat if you are freezing. Etc.

I think if I was a store manager, I might look the other way if I saw an obviously poor, emaciated person stealing.

What would you do?

I've stolen food. I don't recommend it. I do highly, recommend working for it instead.

 

[Dutch]

They do. People are cheap.

particularly liberals. :mrgreen:



source

Bleeding Heart Tightwads
Published: December 20, 2008
This holiday season is a time to examine who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, but I’m unhappy with my findings. The problem is this: We liberals are personally stingy.

Liberals show tremendous compassion in pushing for generous government spending to help the neediest people at home and abroad. Yet when it comes to individual contributions to charitable causes, liberals are cheapskates.

Arthur Brooks, the author of a book on donors to charity, “Who Really Cares,” cites data that households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than households headed by liberals. A study by Google found an even greater disproportion: average annual contributions reported by conservatives were almost double those of liberals.

Other research has reached similar conclusions. The “generosity index” from the Catalogue for Philanthropy typically finds that red states are the most likely to give to nonprofits, while Northeastern states are least likely to do so........

 

[aps]

particularly liberals. :mrgreen:



source

Maybe you could stay on topic instead of looking for ways to insult liberals. How incredibly immature.

 

[ukangel]

I would have thought the welfare benefits in the UK preclude the need for that much theft. In the position that one must steal in order to steal to survive or to feed children, whilst I think its wrong I cant summon up a strong moral argument. I would rather people just took food that is thrown out in the way freegans do though.

 

[Ikari]

I was sure "Thou shall not steal" was one of them there commandments Christians were supposed to follow.

 

[Captain America]

I have often wondered about this. Is it ok to steal food if you are starving... ok to steal a coat if you are freezing. Etc.

I think if I was a store manager, I might look the other way if I saw an obviously poor, emaciated person stealing.

What would you do?

Take them to lunch.

 

[aps]

As for the comment.....this coming from someone whose fellow priests think it's okay to molest children, I'm not remotely surprised.

 

[Orion]

With a lack of moral standards, you can justify anything.

I have moral standards, which is why I agree with the priest.

 

[EpicDude86]

With a lack of moral standards, you can justify anything.

With moral standards, you can justify anything.

:lol:

 

[Hatuey]

particularly liberals. :mrgreen:



source

I don't have a God telling me to engage in charity. You do.