Is it stealing or not?

[ethereality]

Your post gets to the other question I had posed:

How should we define stealing? (Or how has the Church revealed it?) Is there a ‘reasonable right to ownership’ involved, or is it strictly a matter of permission, regardless of need or waste?

To answer your questions:

1. I think there is a reasonable right to ownership. Toilet paper is regarded as affixed to the toilet station, for use there only. Water is portable and a natural resource, and hence not limited to one area.
2. Homeless people have a certain right to what they need to survive (e.g. food, water). Taking toilet paper from libraries would be stealing, unless such a need can be demonstrated.

 

[truetofaith]

This is an interesting issue. Many people said that it was stealing. But I wonder if we considered another case if they would agree it was stealing. What if you carried a water bottle as so many people do these days. What if you filled it up at a water fountain at the university but consumed some of it off campus. Wouldn’t this be stealing? I imagine many people do this at one time or another.

Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if many homeless people take toilet paper from universities and public libraries. Is it stealing if they do?

If you took water on campus…but held it in your mouth, then swallowed it off campus…would that be stealing :banghead:

 

[exnihilo]

Your post gets to the other question I had posed: To answer your questions:

1. I think there is a reasonable right to ownership. Toilet paper is regarded as affixed to the toilet station, for use there only. Water is portable and a natural resource, and hence not limited to one area.
2. Homeless people have a certain right to what they need to survive (e.g. food, water). Taking toilet paper from libraries would be stealing, unless such a need can be demonstrated.

Regarding toilet paper what if you take a few squares to use as tissue paper? Especially if you intend to use it in the same building from which you take it? For instance I would think it is reasonable for a student in class to use it in such a manner. So it isn’t necessarily only to be used where it is affixed.

Water is a natural resource but you can still own it. And you can steal it. If you took my bottle of water you’d be stealing it, even if you only took the contents, the water itself. I would think most people who supply it through a water fountain wouldn’t mind you taking some with you. But there would be a limit. And isn’t this just an assumption? Who has asked for such permission? And if water wasn’t so abundant the attitude might be very different.

What about taking extra napkins from a fast food place? Many folks, myself included, have at times taken a few with the idea I’d keep some in my glove compartment box for later use. Is that stealing?

 

[truetofaith]

Another thread gone…RIDICULOUS !

 

[on_the_hill]

I asked again more recently, and the custodian gave me permission to replace the roll myself when it was running low and bring the leftover back home with me. It’s no longer stealing with her permission, right?

Only if she has the authority to give you permission.

When I was in college, a few of the maintenance workers got in trouble because they were selling things like paper towels and toilet paper out of the back of one of the university’s delivery trucks.

When I was in college we had an old decrepit gymnasium with gang showers. The custodian would dump a box of (unwrapped but unused) yellow Dial soap bars on a corner shelf every few weeks. I have to admit taking one back to my dorm once or twice because it was easier than remembering to buy it at the store.

And also–didn’t my tuition pay for that soap in the first place?

But as for the U.S. Dept. of Ed, interest rates, loans, etc.-- if you feel the federal gov’t is engaged in such immoral, corrupt, criminal activity that you’re upset about your loan repayments–which you are obligated to make–why in the world did you take out the loans and participate in the program in the first place? And what’s your degree in that you racked up $137,000 in student loan debt?

 

[Laurent_LUG]

As long you don’t have paid for it or didn’t get any permission ,
it’s stealing someones property . Suppose if they do the same thing at your place

If you took water on campus…but held it in your mouth, then swallowed it off campus…would that be stealing :banghead:

NO

Salute & Cheers from a NON BELIEVER:
– Laurent LUG (.@…), july 2, 2015