ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 16, 1997 TAG: 9703170114
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-17 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LONDON
An Anglican priest offered a controversial exception to the commandment against stealing: Giant retailers are fair game.
Despite what the Bible says about stealing, a Church of England priest suggested Saturday it was no sin to shoplift - as long as the victim is a big supermarket.
``Jesus said, `Love your neighbor'; he didn't say, `Love Marks and Spencers,''' the Rev. John Papworth said, referring to the big British retailer.
Papworth drew a distinction between stealing from individuals or small merchants - which he says is wrong - and stealing from giant retailing corporations. Those, he said, have run little stores out of business and harmed local communities.
``With these institutions, all you are confronted with are these boardroom barons sitting round the boardroom plotting how to take the maximum amount of money out of people's pockets for the minimum in return,'' Papworth said on BBC Radio.
British newspapers were filled Saturday with similar comments from Papworth, who works at St. Mark's Church in London. He initially made his remarks to an audience of police officers last week.
The Church of England distanced itself.
``The commandment `Thou shalt not steal' is an absolute one,'' said a regional church official, the Venerable Pete Broadbent.
Papworth said he was not encouraging people to shoplift, although ``if people wander in and wander out without paying for the stuff, I think it is a perfectly comprehensible action.''
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Short : 41 linesby CNB