I thought this was just another ‘news of the weird’ or the British press being true to its Enquiring mind.

Poor people who are desperate for cash have been advised to go forth and shoplift from major stores – by an Anglican priest.

The Rev Tim Jones said in his Sunday sermon that stealing from successful shops was preferable to burglary, robbery or prostitution.

This kind of jumps out at me, because we’ve recently heard testimony at the State House from women who say they work at the ‘spas’ because there is no other work that pays enough to support their families.

Neither prostitution, or shoplifting from a big box store, are victimless crimes. And shame on the Anglican church that they exist as a major part of British society and their voice of conscience has been so faint.

There’s something callous, too, about telling decent people that they might as well swallow their pride and become petty thieves. But if things are tough all over, here’s a look what we don’t want to be.

In related news, Sally Satel makes her second appearance in the New York Times arguing in favor of buying and selling kidneys. I commented on her earlier article here.

Two of my relatives had tumors, and one friend had an accident, which caused them to lose a kidney. They are all fine today because they had a spare. Just an example from real life.