I would but how many would. I'm thinking of all the nastiness we see in evidence today.
That was not clear to me. I was thinking of the employee stealing in the general case.
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Stealing when you're hungry.
- Thread starter an anarchist
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I would but how many would. I'm thinking of all the nastiness we see in evidence today.
That was not clear to me. I was thinking of the employee stealing in the general case.
While true. That's not the question that was asked.
Begging would be better, and far less risky for the thief.
DNB
Christian
Of course it's a sin! Obviously there are reasons to exact clemency under such circumstances, but no one therefore permits the famished to continue stealing because due to the desperation, their behaviour has now become acceptable or benign. Again, we offer extenuation, but immediately instruct the thief to stop stealing and advise him where to find the food banks, donations, soup kitchens, shelters, etc...
A sin is always fundamentally a sin, it never becomes innocuous or without consequence to someone irrespective of the circumstances. We may not throw-the-book every time at the one who commits sin, but, again, we insist that they stop and exhort them to find an alternative means to achieve whatever good that they initially intended to obtain.
IndigoChild5559
Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
If you are starving, Judaism says you need to do what you need to do to save your life. Life comes before keeping the laws of the Torah (with only three exceptions).
In the Torah, there are so many laws there that are meant to prevent starvation. For example, farmers cannot harvest the corners of their fields but must leave them for the poor. Another example, if someone is hungry they may go into any orchard and eat until they are full. Jews routinely set aside 10% of our income for tzedakah -- usually translated as charity, but tzedakah is obligatory.
You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
Deu. 1:17
You shall not steal.
Ex. 20:15
That is why, stealing is always wrong. But I think it can be forgiven. However, it is also wrong not to help those who are truly poor, because:
“Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matt. 25:45-46
TagliatelliMonster
Veteran Member
syo
Well-Known Member
TagliatelliMonster
Veteran Member
I call things "right" or wrong" and have no use for the term "sin".
And "right" and "wrong" by itself are gradients as well, with many gray area's.
So... stealing when hungry. In the sense of stealing or starving.
I wouldn't call it "right".
I don't think I could call it "wrong" also.
There are circumstances there which are important. Morality, as always, is contextual.
You could call this one as "the lesser of two evils", the alternative evil being having your family (and/or yourself) starve to death.
If it's okay to kill someone in the context of self-defense (which is to say, for the purpose of preserving your life and / or health and thus avoid severe harm), surely stealing food when the alternative is starving should fall in the same category.
Hermit Philosopher
Selflessly here for you
Morals aside, there is also the undeniable fact that starvation in itself makes you think and act very differently to how you do otherwise.
Humbly
Hermit
No
Indeed I believe God wants us to eliminate poverty
So there are no beggars and no need to steal
Nonsense.
What about the small child? I taught a 10 year old girl once who stole food from her classmates. For several years she had been labeled as a thief, even punished for it, partly due to living in a town where poverty was so abnormal that people (teachers) couldn't even consider that as a possibility. The 'odd' thing was that her thievery stopped when I started bringing her a snack every day.
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I think it might depend on the person's acknowledging his guilt, seeking forgiveness.
Koldo
Outstanding Member
Here in Brazil, it is not illegal per se to steal food if you are very hungry and in an urgent need to eat.
CharmingOwl
Member
Nobody really owns anything. At the end of the day we are a bunch of animals on a giant rock in space, and any morality or systems we have are self-imposed. If those systems create hunger, we are screwing ourselves.
No it's literally not the question that was asked.
It asked if you're hungry and you have no other options for food, is it alright to steal.
In this instance yes it's ok. I'd rather someone eat via theft, then starve without it.
Why should I feel guilty about stealing food to survive?
Yes, quality food should be available to all, regardless of income.
Get a life.
My post was in response to the OP which "literally ... asked":
Now stop playing silly games.