Stealing

I assume there is no argument that stealing is a direct violation of a divine command not to do it. But in keeping with the tendency to grind things finer and finer, what is and is not stealing?

 

This is one thing that led to this poll. I asked for some pepper with my DQ lunch deal, chicken strips, but I do not use ketchup with these. They do not want to take them back and possibly re-serve them these days. So this is not stealing. But in a situation where they are not served, but available for one to grab many more than needed there, I think doing so would be.

 

Partaking of a group's "potluck" meal without furnishing any part of it

I suppose this would come down to a bi-level issue. Certainly we like to invite and encourage people to join in if they are visitors, or members who knew nothing about the meal, or who are facing hard times or were just pressed for time, or have a lot of kids or ... But if someone who shows up for a lot of these and never brings anything, that's really the type of person I had in mind. I really think most of us, instead of considering such a person a moocher, would think more about the enjoyment he or she is missing by not being a provider.

Delaying calling someone with relevant news you said you would share when you found out

It's a fairly new thing for the intangible to be considered "stolen," as opposed to withheld, invaded, or misused, although defrauding information has long been prosecuted as a method of abetting of a theft. I do remember a day in Vacation Bible School once when the teacher wrote a question on the blackboard: "Are you a robber?" I don't remember if it referred to the tithe and Malachi 3-- in those days it likely did-- but I do remember her saying you are a robber if you do things like whisper or make faces in church, because you're robbing someone of giving their full attention to the sermon or their own consideration of what is going on. She probably said the same thing about making jokes or giggling in Sunday School.

But in the case I mentioned, consider it in light of something I remember doing once and having second thoughts about the morals of it. I was working a security job, as a part timer then, and I knew that meant I would occasionally get calls to work a shift where someone had called off. We had no cell phones and call notes and texting then, but we did have answering machines for our phones. I got one of those messages on a day I did not want to go in to work-- I think it was just laziness on my part-- so I let an hour pass after hearing the message before I called back, and expectedly the supervisor said that post had already been filled. So I pleased myself for that day, but maybe whoever did go in to work also did not want to go, perhaps with a better reason that I had; and it was likely, I'm sure, that the person being relieved had to stay over some time, and may have had other responsibilities to attend. I didn't know any of these things, but I may have stolen (?) someone's time that was needed more than mine, because I was available.

Or think of the case as a minor league soap opera... 2 women are interested in the same man, who does prefer one over the other, but does not want to 'hurt the feelings' of the other. The one he does not prefer invites him for a picnic in the park, and he says he will let her know if he will be free that day. Actually he is waiting to find out if the woman he prefers is available to do something with him that day. He eventually finds out the one he prefers is available and wants to be with him, so he calls the other and says he will be busy at that time, so perhaps they can have their picnic another day. Is he "stealing" knowledge she should have, that she is not his first choice, and that she may be wasting her time and interest thinking about him?