Which is worse - stealing or lying?

debodun

debodun

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Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I was watching an episode of "M*A*S*H" where Maj. Burns steals an antique gun from a wounded officer and tries to impress Hot Lips saying it's his. Of course he's eventually found out and Hot Lips, furious, says something to the effect that he stole it then lied about the gun being his. When he tries to justify his actions, she says something to the effect, "It's worse to steal than to lie." That struck me as odd - I would have thought the opposite. What's your feeling on which is worse - lying or stealing, or is each about equal in wrongness.
 

Stealing is worse.

We all tell little white lies all of the time. It's what keeps conversation and relationships going. I don't really like confrontation so I'll make up a lie to a friend I haven't seen in a while who pissed me off. "Oh, I've been busy"...etc.

Stealing hurts more and destroys trust. I think you catch my drift.
 
debodun said:
What's your feeling on which is worse - lying or stealing, or is each about equal in wrongness.
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More or less the same, what makes them worse or less worse is what is lied about or what is stolen...

White lies are something different, I don't think there is anything wrong with saying nice things about or to a person, even if not fully true. Can't think of an equivalent "little white theft".
 

It depends on the circumstances
Many people lie. Itā€™s fairly common and done for many reasons, some of which are quite noble

Stealing on the other hand is calculated deceitfulness and where I live, quite common. I donā€™t think itā€™s as common in most places or , at least, Iā€™d like to think so.
Hiding stuff doesnā€™t always work.
 
I donā€™t think itā€™s possible for me to say which is worse. I think itā€™s very subjective and depends on severity and contexts, and the consequences it has on others.

The level of financial loss and even emotional distress, particularly when someone burgles a home. Lying can also cause the same depending on the severity. They can be as equally bad as each other.
 
Beezer said:
Doesn't every guy lie about their height to women on dating sites? Haven't we all 'embellished' on our resume?

I'd sooner keep the company of a liar than a thief. With a thief you are always on guard.
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I can't say that I have. I wouldn't see the point. I've had to tone down a resume; never embellished one.
 
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Naturally said:
At the end of the day, I see lying and stealing about the same. Neither are earnest and forthright endeavors.
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true.. both drive me up the wall..I've been unfortunate to have a lot of liars in my life.. and also to have been stolen from on more than one occasion including a house Burglary and twice my car broken into.. so I despise both..
 
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Beezer said:
Doesn't every guy lie about their height to women on dating sites?
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Never been on a dating website, but years ago I placed a couple of personal ads in the dating section of a newspaper. One wording I tried was something to the effect of a short balding overweight man looking for a date. It was actually an exaggeration the other way. Got more responses to that ad than any other I posted. And I met some nice ladies, never got a complaint about those lies. Seems it made women more comfortable in responding...
 
Both are from the lowest functions of the mind and soul.
Find a liar and you have found a thief.
Find a thief and you have found a liar.

Bobby Jones, a 1920's golf pro, called a foul on himself just as
he was to win an important tournament.
The reporters asked why he did that because he could
have easily gotten away with that and won. "No one would know."
He said, "I would know. There's only one way to play the game."

Once a man has evolved to a state where all qualities of the heart
are imbibed in the mind of the soul, it becomes inconceivable for
him to behave in any other manner than truth and honesty.
 
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They're both bad.

Of course, we know that context is everything. Telling your lady she looks as good as when you met is an okay lie. :D

Now, I've not been on a dating website for myself. I did help a friend set up an account, and he met his wife! But here's the thing - if I was honest on a dating web site, I might as well not post on a dating website. Facts.

But generally, why draw a distinction between lying and stealing? They both speak negatively to the character.
 
debodun said:
I was watching an episode of "M*A*S*H" where Maj. Burns steals an antique gun from a wounded officer and tries to impress Hot Lips saying it's his. Of course he's eventually found out and Hot Lips, furious, says something to the effect that he stole it then lied about the gun being his. When he tries to justify his actions, she says something to the effect, "It's worse to steal than to lie." That struck me as odd - I would have thought the opposite. What's your feeling on which is worse - lying or stealing, or is each about equal in wrongness.
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Don't go there, a wrong is a wrong, however you dress it up. One wrong isn't as bad as another, nor is it worse that another. If you either tell lies or steal and your conscience pricks you, there's still hope. Enough said.
 
Which is worse - stealing or lying?
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Stealing has to be worse, ultimately. Lying comes in all shapes and sizes, for a myriad of reasons. Stealing is taking that would does not belong to you. People tell "white lies", they lie to themselves about their own honesty. They lie to protect their own egos, protect others from the ugly truth etc.
Stealing is consistently an offense against another person, lying is so endemic with humans, it's part of their reality.
 
I do think the two do go hand in hand, selfish self centered people who only care about what they want from others without any thought to the people they hurt.
 

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