Is it a sin if you steal?

Answer 1

Yes. The Bible teaches us that theft is a sin. As our laws are based on the original 10 commandments, our law also states that theft is wrong, and is a crime that, if you are caught, will lead to punishment. In Catholic moral theology there are different levels of stealing and their penalties depending on the intent, circumstances and conditions of the theft. For instance, stealing $10 from a rich man, while a transgression, is not as serious as stealing $10 from a poor man, who needs that money just to make it through the day. Or stealing something from a house is not as serious as stealing from a church, which has the added sin of sacrilege. As well, in a case of necessity such as starvation or other circumstances that threaten death or body harm, the immediate acquisition of food or shelter through theft is not considered sinful. The theology of stealing can be discussed with a priest or reserved for the anonymity of the confessional. All culpable cases of stealing, whether caught or not, will have temporal consequences in this life or the next. The primary way Catholics make reparation for stealing is through restoring what has been taken, or, if this is impossible, making equal restitution or making a donation if the victim cannot be located.