Morality
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In certain cases theft is not a sin |
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The
Roman Catholic Church teaches that in certain cases theft is not a sin. Here
is what the Catholic Encyclopedia says: ‘…. Thus one in danger of death from
want of food, or suffering any form of extreme necessity, may lawfully take
from another as much as is required to meet his present distress even though
the possessor's opposition be entirely clear. Neither, therefore, would he be
bound to restitution if his fortunes subsequently were notably bettered,
supposing that what he had converted to his own use was perishable. The
reason is that individual ownership of the goods of this world, though
according to the natural law, yields to the stronger and more sacred right
conferred by natural law upon every man to avail himself
of such things as are necessary for his own preservation. St. Thomas (II-II: 66:7)
declares that in such straits what is taken becomes, because of the dire need
experienced, one's very own, and so cannot be said to be stolen. This
doctrine is sometimes expressed by saying that at such a time all things
become common, and thus one reduced to such utter destitution only exercises
his right.’ |
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According
to this teaching, a person is allowed to help the person in need with the
goods of another person. In other words, if I see a person in need, and I do
not have anything to share with him, I am allowed to rob someone of something
in order to help the person in need (cf. Jean-Marie Aubert, Compendio della morale cattolica
[Compendium of the catholic morals], Cinisello Balsamo, Italy, 1989, page
405). |
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Confutation |
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The
Scripture says: “You shall not steal” (Exodus |
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Of
course, the Scripture says that “people do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy himself when he is starving” (Proverbs 6:30 – NKJV), however – pay
attention to this – it does not justify him, for immediately after it says:
“Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all
the substance of his house” (Proverbs 6:31 – NKJV). That means that even the conscience
of a thief who has stolen out of necessity accuses him of theft. Why must he
restore sevenfold and may he have to give up all the substance of his house
when he is found? Is it not because his conscience accuses him of doing an
evil thing? Does Wisdom not say: “Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” (Proverbs |
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Neither
is a man allowed to rob someone of something in order to help those who are
in need, for the command not to steal is mandatory in all circumstances of
our life. We are not allowed to rob someone of something in order to help
those who are in need for the Scripture says: “He who has been stealing must
steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands,
that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28 –
NIV). Note that we must meet the needs of the poor by working with our own
hands and not by stealing. The apostle Paul says in another place that “if
the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,
not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians |