British Vicar Criticized for Advocating Stealing

York, UK: December 22, 2009, (PCTV Newsdesk)

An Anglican priest in the United Kingdom has stirred up a firestorm over his comments that poor people who are desperate this Christmas should shoplift from major stores.

According to London's Premier Radio, the Rev Tim Jones said in his sermon this week that stealing from shops was better than burglary, robbery or prostitution.

Premier Radio says he told stunned parishioners at St Lawrence's in York that it would not break the eighth commandment 'Thou shalt not steal.'

But his sermon has sparked outrage, the radio station reports.

The Diocese of York says Jones is guilty of giving 'very bad advice' to poor people this Christmas.

Eleanor Course, a spokesperson for the Diocese, said: "That's great that he is raising these issues because they are very real issues for people not just at Christmas, but people all throughout the year face extraordinarily hard financial problems.

"But to offer shoplifting as a way out of that problem is misguided and very bad advice."

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police also condemned the idea, branding it irresponsible, and insisting shoplifting is a criminal offence.

Father Jones, 42, was discussing Mary and the birth of Jesus when he went on to the subject of how poor people coped over Christmas and dealt with the recession.

The father of two, whose congregation is a mix of people, said his advice to people during a recession-hit holiday is that they should not hurt anybody and do the best they can.

He said: "The strong temptation is to burgle (burglarize) or rob people -- family, friends, neighbors, strangers.

"Others are tempted towards prostitution, a nightmare world of degradation and abuse for all concerned. Others are tempted towards suicide. Instead, I would rather that they shoplift."

PC (Police Constable)Dan Stork-Banks, from the Christian Police Association, told Premier Radio there has to be a better solution.

He said: "Instead of telling people who are hungry that they should go out and steal, we should be, as churches, looking for radical and innovative ways to get through to people who are hungry and to helping people who are hungry to go about new ways of receiving food."

News source: www.assistnews.net