Father Tim Jones of St. Lawrence’s Church in York, England has ignited controversy with a fiery sermon, in which he told his congregation that it is better to shoplift from major retailers, than to turn to robbery or prostitution.
Father Jones claims that he did not violate the eighth commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Steal” because “God’s love for the people outweighs the property rights of the rich.”
“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 recognize [sic] that bureaucratic ineptitude and systematic delay has created an invitation and incentive to crime for people struggling to cope…Let my words not be misrepresented as a simplistic call for people to shoplift. The observation that shoplifting is the best option that some people are left with is a grim indictment of who we are.”
Yorkshire is understandably upset. Father Tim Jones now stands to face Archdeacon of York, the Venerable Richard Seed.
To read the complete transcript of the sermon, click here.
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