Is it ever okay to steal?

[leahrachelle]

I could probably see some situations where it would be okay even though I can't think of them off of the top of my head.
The only thing I've ever stolen though was a 50 cent rock from a souvenir store But I was younger then so I can't say if I regret it or not

 

[leahrachelle]

Oh and I cheat at arcades But that didn't come about until they completely ripped me off by always stealing my money with the machines and never giving me my coins back.

 

[Riverwolf]

Stealing is never ok.

But there are situations where there may be no other choice, like if you're starving. But that doesn't make it okay.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

When the act of stealing is less immoral than the alternative, then it's okay.

 

[linwood]

When the act of stealing is less immoral than the alternative, then it's okay.

Agreed.

Whenever this particular ethical question comes up I think of the media coverage of Katrina.

The video of the woman wading through waist deep water with three kids, 2 boxes of diapers and a case of baby milk was obviously stealing but I could justify it.

However

The video of the guy wading through waist deep water with two cases of beer and 6 boxes of Nikes I had a problem with.

 

[Peace]

Stealing is never ok.

But there are situations where there may be no other choice, like if you're starving. But that doesn't make it okay.

Even if one is starving he could ask for food rather than steal. Stealing has no excuses and never can be ok.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Even if one is starving he could ask for food rather than steal. Stealing has no excuses and never can be ok.

Just because you ask for food, doesn't mean you're going to get any.

If you had no way to get food, and nobody would give you any, and your child would be dead from starvation by tomorrow if you did not steal food, then you think it would be more okay to let your child starve than to steal some food?

 

[linwood]

Even if one is starving he could ask for food rather than steal. Stealing has no excuses and never can be ok.

What if there is no one to ask for food from?

What if your choice is stealing or allowing your children to starve?

Is it more ethical to allow your children to starve when you could have fed them?

 

[Peace]

Just because you ask for food, doesn't mean you're going to get any.

If you had no way to get food, and nobody would give you any, and your child would be dead from starvation by tomorrow if you did not steal food, then you think it would be more okay to let your child starve than to steal some food?

Thanks be to God I don't live in a country where people are so mean to give food. The Muslim country is a society of charity and solidarity.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Thanks be to God I don't live in a country where people are so mean to give food. The Muslim country is a society of charity and solidarity.

Ah, so you'd rather not answer the question. Got it.

 

[linwood]

Thanks be to God I don't live in a country where people are so mean to give food. The Muslim country is a society of charity and solidarity.

But you didn`t answer the question.

Consider the example I gave of a city that was destroyed by disaster.

There was no food, no one had any food to give.

Yet the grocery stores were full of food that was going to rot.

Is it better to steal than to starve?

 

[Peace]

What if there is no one to ask for food from?

What if your choice is stealing or allowing your children to starve?

Is it more ethical to allow your children to starve when you could have fed them?

By stealing? to feed my children Haram food? a food which is not theirs.

 

[linwood]

By stealing? to feed my children Haram food? a food which is not theirs.

Could you please answer yes or no?

If the only way to obtain food was to steal it ...

Would you would let your children starve instead of stealing food?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

By stealing? to feed my children Haram food? a food which is not theirs.

So you would let your kid starve rather than steal some food. Interesting.

 

[Peace]

Could you please answer yes or no?

If the only way to obtain food was to steal it ...

Would you would let your children starve instead of stealing food?

The One who created them won't abandon them! So never resort to stealing ... stealing can never be a solution.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The One who created them won't abandon them! So never resort to stealing ... stealing can never be a solution.

Sorry to break it to you, but countless millions have died from starvation. I'm sure most of them didn't resort to stealing.

 

[linwood]

The One who created them won't abandon them! So never resort to stealing ... stealing can never be a solution.

So your answer would be....

Yes, you`d let your children starve before you resorted to theft.

That is interesting.

Thanks.

 

[Caladan]

Sure, its ok to steal as long as you follow the simple golden rules:

-Not getting caught.
-Stealing something worth stealing.
-If you're stealing food, be successful in stealing some good drinks as well.
-Stealing enough to sell some of it.

 

[Nessa]

It is difficult not to show compassion to a father caught stealing a bushel of potatoes for his family. But our society has a bad habit of turning less-fortunate people into criminals/prisoners. And I suspect with the present world economy, it will only get worse.

 

[Sahar]

The One who created them won't abandon them! So never resort to stealing ... stealing can never be a solution.

Peace, let me disagree. I don't think we can blame the starving person if he stole food or even money to feed himself or his family.