You would think that since God had Moses include “You shall not steal” at least three times in the Pentateuch (Exod. 20:15; Deut. 5:19, Lev. 19:11) we’d be perfectly clear on that whole not stealing thing. But Anglican priest Fr. Tim Jones clarifies for us that what God really meant is that we should only steal from large national businesses because God loves the poor but hates Walmart:
A clergyman has been criticised as ‘highly irresponsible’ after advising his congregation to shoplift following his Nativity sermon.Father Tim Jones, 41, broke off from his traditional annual sermon yesterday to tell his flock that stealing from large chains is sometimes the best option for vulnerable people.
It is far better for people desperate during the recession to shoplift than turn to ‘prostitution, mugging or burglary’, he said.
The married father-of-two insisted his unusual advice did not break the Bible commandment ‘Thou shalt not steal’ - because God’s love for the poor outweighs his love for the rich . . . .
Delivering his festive lesson, Father Jones told the congregation: ‘My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift. 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.
Perhaps instead of advising them to steal, Fr. Jones should recommend his needy congregants attend a church that believes helping the poor requires more of them than paying higher prices on retail goods.
(Via: Neatorama )
