Is this a Sin?

edited February 2007 in Faith Issues
Hello,

CASE 1:
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Imagine you are on a train that's packed, and you're stuck in front of someone reading their newspaper. He is so close to you, that you can comfortably read the paper during your train journey.

Is that stealing?

You never paid for the paper!? Did you? But its still not your fault that it's in your face. If your eyes just even LOOKED at one line of news (a heading maybe), and you found that heading interesting, then do you feel that that would be stealing, given that you didn't pay for that newspaper?

God have mercy on all of us...

Case 2:
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You come on a train where EVERY 1st class passenger's seat is layed out with the Times Newspaper. At the end of the carriage, there are loads of newspapers also. One day, you ask the train manager if you could have a newspaper ? He says :"Sure. Take one".

You take the train everyday. If you take a newspaper again, is that stealing , if you assume that the train manager would have agreed to it anyway??

Comments

  • I don't think that the first one is a sin but the second one might be border line. if you are not sure about something like this why don't you just talk to FOC.
  • OK , its a sin. THe 2nd is definately a sin, and so is the 1st.

    You should train your eyes not to look at things that aren't yours.

    THere was a story in the "Sayings of the Desert Fathers" where some monk found some chick peas on the floor. THey weren't his. He ate them. ANd he repented all his life for that.

    Now, i KNOW u will all be saying that "HOW CAN IT BE A SIN!? That's JUST FANATIC!".

    Its not at all.... sin starts by small things and then progresses.

    Let me tell u a story: I dated a girl who told me "Vassilios, don't call me again".

    I said "Why?"

    She said "Because u refuse to have sex with me".

    I said "But its against my nature".

    I told my mother, and said :"How is it that i ended up this way? I didnt really wish to be that religios. I never talked to that person really about my faith ; and you and dad NEVER really mentioned anything about sex when i was growing up"

    SHe said :"Well.. when you were younger, we taught you that the bad look, or a look with desire is wrong, so OBVIOUSLY more than that would be wrong for you".

    So, its important to train your eyes actually not to even look at something that isnt yours and benefit from it. Even a newspaper. If u can be honest in the little tribulations, then you will surely succeed the major temptations that may face you sooner or later in life.
  • hey dude,

    i really like the concept u have shared, ur last post highlighted a number of very good points which i agree with

    however...eventhough ur title was is that a sin? ur question re:scenario was whether looking was considered stealing? thus the answer is NO, stealing is as u know taking something from someone without consent.........i cant see how looking at someone's paper in the train is wrong, it may lead to sin coz u may start thinking deceptive thoughts like i want that paper etc but looking itself how is that wrong?? wat r u supposed to do? turn away, even wen u have ur own book to read ur eyes tend to wander every now and then

    i think it makes u a stronger person wen u are able to resist the temptation, and temptation as small as a paper are all around us, we need to learn to deal with temptation rather than avoid it as it is not always possible
  • Hi Kerestina,

    My point of view is this: we cannot deceive ourselves thinking that we are somehow "immune" to sin, or "above it" because we happen to always have good intentions.

    I think that a major sin starts by us doing small things that are wrong.

    For example: Lying is a sin. However, we may end up lying simply because we've grown into the habit of exaggerating the truth. Here's an example where I always fall short :

    Im ALWAYS late for appointments with my friends. They call me to ask me "when will u arrive" - i'll say:"Oh, we're NEARLY there".

    But the word "nearly" gives the impression that its only a few minutes away. However, i know scientifically speaking that, although we could be a few minutes away if there was no traffic, no traffic lights, and a speed limit of 200 mph.

    If i were to lie , i can see that it would be because i allowed myself to entertain "Exaggeration of truth" - i mean, its a habit that would allow perhaps the sin of lying to occur.

    Let's not forget that Christ said :"Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No, ANYTHING beyond that is from the devil".

    So, those that don't know whether this is a sin or not, its worrying.

    Another remarkable example is that of King David: He only looked. It clearly states that "he looked". Half way down the page, he's already committed adultary, and then planned the execution of her husband. Had he managed to control his eyes from the beginning, then he'd not have fallen into these 2 huge catastrophic sins.

    So, my point of view is: prevention is better than cure. And, its best to control your senses rather than fall into a sin and then beg God for a cure.
  • [quote author=vassilios link=topic=5001.msg67665#msg67665 date=1171631823]


    So, those that don't know whether this is a sin or not, its worrying.

    Another remarkable example is that of King David: He only looked. It clearly states that "he looked". Half way down the page, he's already committed adultary, and then planned the execution of her husband. Had he managed to control his eyes from the beginning, then he'd not have fallen into these 2 huge catastrophic sins.

    So, my point of view is: prevention is better than cure. And, its best to control your senses rather than fall into a sin and then beg God for a cure.


    point 1: we all know right and wrong and can make moral judgements, i know wat a sin is...... thankx for ur concern.....but u deviated from my point......ur question was whether looking at someone's paper was stealing.....and i stated that wat that look does leads to sin...... lust is a different story......

    point 2: i am not disagreeing with u mate......on the contrary i agree.........
  • Hi Kerestina,

    I asked the question because i was thinking about it whilst reading my stolen copy of the Times Newspaper. lol

    When i wrote the question, i ticked the last option :"I don't know, but this question scares me".

  • In spirituality, everyone is at a different level. I think that both situations are sin, but it is difficult for me to do it because im not at that level yet. I believe the first one is because the newspaper costs money and also a group of people work on writing the stories so reading without paying is stealing. Now if you read it and then go buy that newspaper then thats another story.
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