Respect for People's Property: Does this cover...?

[Lost_Wanderer]

From the Catechism:

2407 In economic matters, respect for human dignity requires the practice of the virtue of temperance, so as to moderate attachment to this world’s goods; the practice of the virtue of justice, to preserve our neighbor’s rights and render him what is his due; and the practice of solidarity, in accordance with the golden rule and in keeping with the generosity of the Lord, who “though he was rich, yet for your sake . . . became poor so that by his poverty, you might become rich.”

Respect for the goods of others

2408 The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another’s property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing . . .) is to put at one’s disposal and use the property of others.

I’ve read a few accounts of religious and certain saints destroying idols, burning books, and basically trashing everything that they considered contrary to morals and the faith. The way I see it, they seemed to have also done it without second thought and most likely without heeding any appeal from the owners of such property.

Now this isn’t to bash them. What’s past is past. My concern now is with people who wish to emulate them.

Suppose that I have a collection of assorted objects from all geekdom such as figurines, comics, books, posters, games etc (and I actually plan to start one once I get a job). Now enter the person who wants to emulate the religious I have previously mentioned. He/She thinks my room is full of idols, immodest art, and occult imagery so he/she seeks to ‘purify’ it by smashing and ripping every single piece of valuable merchandise inside.

Do you think I should cite the Catechism passage above? Will it work?

I’m not saying this scenario is actually happening to me right now (and I pray to God it never will), but I’ve seen threads a couple years back from people who were gonna do something more or less that same crime of property damage in the name of religion.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

A few years back, I was a co-leader of a Christian youth group. One of the teens reported to me that she had been taking the magnetic “Darwin” fish off the backs of cars. She thought she was doing a great deal of good. I told her she was committing theft. She was surprised. I told her while it is one thing not to agree with someone else’s beliefs, or lack thereof, it was a sin to steal that person’s things, no matter what. I suggested that praying for the person who owned the car with the “Darwin” fish would be a much better thing to do. Or even leave an invitation to her church on the windshield.

I don’t have any great degrees in theology, but I try to practice Catholicism with the faith of a peasant.

 

[momor]

From the Catechism:

I’ve read a few accounts of religious and certain saints destroying idols, burning books, and basically trashing everything that they considered contrary to morals and the faith. The way I see it, they seemed to have also done it without second thought and most likely without heeding any appeal from the owners of such property.

Now this isn’t to bash them. What’s past is past. My concern now is with people who wish to emulate them.

Suppose that I have a collection of assorted objects from all geekdom such as figurines, comics, books, posters, games etc (and I actually plan to start one once I get a job). Now enter the person who wants to emulate the religious I have previously mentioned. He/She thinks my room is full of idols, immodest art, and occult imagery so he/she seeks to ‘purify’ it by smashing and ripping every single piece of valuable merchandise inside.

Do you think I should cite the Catechism passage above? Will it work?

I’m not saying this scenario is actually happening to me right now (and I pray to God it never will), but I’ve seen threads a couple years back from people who were gonna do something more or less that same crime of property damage in the name of religion.

If the He/She are parents who own the room the stuff is kept in and the stuff was largely purchased with money provided by the parents, they probably have a right to remove it, especially if it qualifies as “idols, immodest art, and occult imagery”.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

If the He/She are parents who own the room the stuff is kept in and the stuff was largely purchased with money provided by the parents, they probably have a right to remove it, especially if it qualifies as “idols, immodest art, and occult imagery”.

I was under the impression that the situation I presented involved an independent adult with his/her own living space. Did I mention anything family-related? No.

And even in the cases of children living with their parents, children mature enough to earn their own living are well aware of the rights to their own property. I’m sure that, legally speaking, even parents aren’t allowed to touch anything their children have bought with their own income.