Is this a wrong thing?

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I’m usually pretty liberal about this sort of thing, but in this case: it’s stealing. Plain and simple.
Mortal? When is stealing not mortal?
 
The situation was that I visited some family members and they gave the password of their neighbours internet
 
stealing is not good. the bible says “you shall not steal”.
 
Well at time they gave me it I thought they did but later on that day I found out they kinda were not
 
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Well, that sure sounds like stealing. You’re taking something of value without paying for it without permission of the owner.

There are worse sins, of course. But that doesn’t make this one right.
 
What do you mean, OP, by “kinda were not?” Do you mean that they expressly indicated that they didn’t want people using their WiFi? Or do you instead mean that they haven’t really voiced any opinion one way or the other?
 
Don’t know where it came from but I saw this thing which said if you steal a nickel off a rich man it is venial. So it’s not mortal as it needs to be a substantial ammount but I’m not necessarily saying that applies to this
 
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Okay I meant that my family did not clearly express that they were not allowed to use to the internet when I was given the password but it was later on in the day I found that they were not allowed
 
JCServant01 said:
Is stealing someone’s WiFi a sin?
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Yes.

It’s the sin of theft (theft of service).

It’s also the sin of greed.

And it’s also a violation, IMO, of the 10th commandment not to covet your neighbors things. (If its a neighbor you’re stealing from)

So, yes, stealing WiFi is a definite sin.

Although - and here’s a gray area - if they are broadcasting an unsecured, public WiFi signal, an argument could be made that technically that’s not stealing…

But a counter argument could be made that you should know that it’s probably someone who just doesn’t know any better and didn’t secure their WiFi.

If it’s a neighbors WiFi, why not ask them permission to use it? Or offer to give them a few bucks a month for access to it?
 
I visited some of my family members and they gave me their neighbours password
 
Did the neighbors tell your family, “Please don’t use our internet”?
 
JCServant01 said:
Well at time they gave me it I thought they did but later on that day I found out they kinda were not
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Then it was a sin for them because they knew better.

But for you it wasn’t a sin. You had no way of knowing.
 
Just don’t use it anymore in the meantime, and next time tell your family “I’m not comfortable using their WiFi unless I know I have their permission. Do you have their permission or cam I ask them for permission to use it?”
 
This is a complicated issue. I mean, if using their WiFi causes the neighbors to have slower internet and they don’t want you using their WiFi, then I think you should refrain from using their WiFi.

On the other hand, if you’re not taking away from their internet speed (imagine they’re out for a walk at the moment) and if you’re not costing them extra money, and if you’re not snooping on their privacy, I don’t see why it would be stealing to use their WiFi. What would you be robbing them of?

But I would ask a priest in confession just to be sure. In fact, it might be worthwhile asking multiple priests.
 
Then again, if using the neighbor’s WiFi would cause them to get mad at you and your family, I think it would be a sin to keep doing it because Our Lord commanded “Love thy neighbor.”
 
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OP’s not stealing from the neighbor, he’s stealing from the ISP.
 
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