The Ninth Day Before Christmas

For the 9th day Before Christmas, religion gave to me...

Priest advises congregation to shoplift rather than turn to 'mugging or prostitution'

I was tempted to just present the title without the "rather...", but even with the clarification it's still an eyebrow raiser. A priest, telling us to steal? Even if it is as he says, from big stores, it still something an intelligent person would not suggest. Yes, mugging is wrong, yes, prostitution is shameful (to some, there are others who might enjoy the money while enjoying having sex). But stealing is most likely to get you in jail and with a big fine.

I wonder what the reaction would be to "I stole it because the priest said it was ok".

This might be the case of just one crazy priest, but it is interesting how he explains that this advise does not goes against the "thou shall not steal" commandment. He says that God's love for the poor is bigger than his concern about his own commandments. I wonder how he knows. I wonder if God himself/herself/itself came down to tell him so. And in the same way many other church leaders give their own interpretation about what god supposedly wants, which of course, coincides with their own views. Whether it is hatred against gays, disregard for women's rights or contempt for science, it is not uncommon to see church leaders talking, god's name is always used, and those who use it are always regarded as respectable men and women in our society.