Priest outrages police by telling congregation: 'My advice to poor is to shoplift'

[Are_grits_groceries]

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.
<snip>
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.
'I would ask them not to take any more than they need, for any longer than they need.
'I offer the advice with a heavy heart and wish society would recognise that bureaucratic ineptitude and systematic delay has created an invitation and incentive to crime for people struggling to cope.'
He added that he felt society had failed the needy, and said it was far better they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as prostitution, mugging or burglary.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1237470/Priest-outrages-police-telling-congregation-My-advice-shoplift.html#ixzz0aLISb5Vv

If a pastor did that in the US, DHS would probably be after him. Pray for anything or deliver a sermon on anything such as someone dying or executing someone, and it's ok.
Give this advice, and heads would explode.

[optimator]

1. awesome

.

[peacetalksforall]

2. The Bible is already the most stolen book in book stores.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Which Christian churches call their pastors a priest other than the Catholic

Church which does not have married fathers as priests?

[tomg]

6. Church of England. nt

[Ian David]

4. "...better they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as...

"... prostitution, mugging or burglary" or Prosperity Gospel.

[sarge43]

5. As long as Father Tim is willing to do slam time in place

of any of his congregation who get pinched after following his advice, fine; otherwise, he's merely proving there's more than one way to be a chickenhawk.

[SpiralHawk]

7. " Does that mean that diaper sex with hookers is better than

no sex at all?"

- Anonymous Republicon Senator

[ck4829]

8. Would one of our big box stores here in the US really be hurt all that bad if people stole food?

I really don't think they'll suffer all that much.

[Jim__]

9. I can't believe anyone would starve rather than steal.

As far as I am concerned, land is not available to me because we are in a social contract that allows people to own land. But I only agree to that contract on the condition I am able to survive under it. Of course I would steal before I would starve. I'm glad this priest told that to his congregation.

[TalkingDog]

10. You never met my mother.

That was the #1 sin in her book.

And since she didn't believe in "welfare", food stamps were out of the question too.

So, a lot of fatback biscuits for breakfast and dinner. If you don't know what those are:Nights of Blackberry Dumplings