Stealing when you're hungry.

[an anarchist]

Hypothetical I want to pose to religious folk.

Suppose you're hungry, and can't afford food. Is it a sin (however you understand "sin") to steal food? Would God frown on the beggar who steals?

 

[The Hammer]

Nope. Perfectly acceptable imo. As long as they aren't hurting others in the process.

In the west we have more food then we can eat, and more food "waste" that is perfectly suitable for consumption.

 

[Altfish]

No

 

[syo]

Is it a sin (however you understand "sin") to steal food?

Food is free. It's a theft to ask money for food. Food belongs to empty stomachs and NOT to wallets with money.

 

[Audie]

Hypothetical I want to pose to religious folk.

Suppose you're hungry, and can't afford food. Is it a sin (however you understand "sin") to steal food? Would God frown on the beggar who steals?

Pay back double if you ever can.

 

[Audie]

Food is free. It's a theft to ask money for food. Food belongs to empty stomachs and NOT to wallets with money.

Twaddle

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Hunger is not, in and of itself, a license to steal.

 

[SalixIncendium]

While the concept of "sin" does not exist in my paradigm, stealing results in negative karma.

It is preferred that one begs for food (monks at ashrams in India do this to eat; they go to the nearest village and beg for food) if they are hungry rather than stealing it.

 

[sun rise]

Pay back double if you ever can.

Absolutely 100% yes. "Pay it forward" as and when you can.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Food is free. It's a theft to ask money for food. Food belongs to empty stomachs and NOT to wallets with money.

You're right. What right to people that work to cultivate land to grow ingredients or those that work to mix/prepare/cook those ingredients to make the resulting food have to money?! They should be working for free!!

[/sarcasm]

 

[sun rise]

While the concept of "sin" does not exist in my paradigm, stealing results in negative karma.

It is preferred that one begs for food (monks at ashrams in India do this to eat; they go to the nearest village and beg for food) if they are hungry rather than stealing it.

That's true in India but it's not our tradition in the West..

But also I was told by a resident there that some children are maimed to make them effective beggars.

 

[SalixIncendium]

That's true in India but it's not our tradition in the West..

But also I was told by a resident there that some children are maimed to make them effective beggars.

While it's not a tradition in the West, if you were in the business of selling food, would you rather have someone hungry beg for your wares or steal them?

 

[sun rise]

While it's not a tradition in the West, if you were in the business of selling food, would you rather have someone hungry beg for your wares or steal them?

Thought experiment. Someone who is starving walks into Safeway and asks for bread. What is the result? Take it further - an employee feeling very sorry for someone hands them a loaf of bread. What would management do?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Thought experiment. Someone who is starving walks into Safeway and asks for bread. What is the result? Take it further - an employee feeling very sorry for someone hands them a loaf of bread. What would management do?

I ran Burger Kings for nearly 20 years and have had people who are starving come in and ask for food. I've bought them a meal. I've had employees of mine do the same.

Did the employee in your analogy buy the loaf of bread before handing it to the starving person? If not, what is the difference between the starving person stealing and the employee stealing? Theft is theft regardless of who the culprit is.

 

[icehorse]

Hypothetical I want to pose to religious folk.

Suppose you're hungry, and can't afford food. Is it a sin (however you understand "sin") to steal food? Would God frown on the beggar who steals?

Well I'm not religious, but I am spiritual

I'd say the US is now a kleptocracy, so the 99.999999% of us all being stolen from. If we put an end to this there would be no need for anyone to be hungry or homeless or without healthcare.

So the hungry person steals bread from a store, not great. But the hungry person and the store owner should both be fighting the kleptocrats.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Thought experiment. Someone who is starving walks into Safeway and asks for bread. What is the result? Take it further - an employee feeling very sorry for someone hands them a loaf of bread. What would management do?

The thought experiment suffers from being insufficiently thoughtful. In fact, it is almost trite.

Clearly other options can be posed:

• What if the person were to ask if s/he could work for some food?
• What if the person were to ask if there was a food pantry near by?
• What if the employee were to pay for the food given?

Obviously, we can conjure up innumerable examples where the alternatives are theft or death by hunger, and I suspect that most of us would support the former. But that's a hell of a lot different that walking into a store thinking that you're entitled to steal because you stomach is growling.

 

[Viker]

Hypothetical I want to pose to religious folk.

Suppose you're hungry, and can't afford food. Is it a sin (however you understand "sin") to steal food? Would God frown on the beggar who steals?

It's illegal and thusly not recommended. But it's not an infraction according to my religion. It's always better to ask. If that fails then get creative. The Gods appreciate creativity and ingenuity.

 

[stvdv]

Well I'm not religious, but I am spiritual

I'd say the US is now a kleptocracy, so the 99.999999% of us all being stolen from. If we put an end to this there would be no need for anyone to be hungry or homeless or without healthcare.

So the hungry person steals bread from a store, not great. But the hungry person and the store owner should both be fighting the kleptocrats.

Winner

The rich 1% elite steals the most, as well as those manipulating stock markets

 

[sun rise]

I ran Burger Kings for nearly 20 years and have had people who are starving come in and ask for food. I've bought them a meal. I've had employees of mine do the same.

Did the employee in your analogy buy the loaf of bread before handing it to the starving person? If not, what is the difference between the starving person stealing and the employee stealing? Theft is theft regardless of who the culprit is.

How many would be or could be as generous? Many employees are close to the margin.

And the difference is motive. That appears not to count for you but it counts enormously for me.

 

[SalixIncendium]

How many would be or could be as generous? Many employees are close to the margin.

Would you skip a meal to feed someone who is starving? I would.

And the difference is motive. That appears not to count for you but it counts enormously for me.

I'm confused by this statement. Isn't the motive in either case to feed the starving person?