Is stealing a car more wrong than stealing a stick of gum?

Question

plus I am bored, so if you like this question feel free to add me to your Y answers network

for reference, in the eyes of american law. The answer is yes.

Also, since this is an opinion question i am going to give best answer to whoever expresses themselves the best, regardless of their opinion.

Answer 1

No, it's exactly the same thing, the only difference is the material value of the item.

Edited to add:

From a legal point of view, obviously it's a different matter. Losing a car to theft will have a lot more impact on the person whose car is stolen. In fact, it could be devastating, depending on their circumstances, which is why the law punishes car theft more severely than gum-stick theft. After all, if a stick of gum is stolen, this is not likely to be life changing for most people!

Having said that, your original question was about the relative 'wrongness' of the act of stealing, not about how the law regards it. If stealing is wrong (and I believe it is, not only because it takes from another but because it takes from oneself), then any act of stealing is equally wrong. To 'value' stealing according to the amount stolen (so that it is OK to steal gum but not to steal a car) means that stealing is not wrong as an act, but only as an act which does not sufficiently enrich.

Answer 2

There are degrees of right and wrong which are actually infinite.

On a plain day with no reason for stealing either, I'd say stealing a car is 'more wrong'.

But..... if you had to get to your Grandma's house because your Grandpa just called saying "The cats up the tree again..........and Grandma is putting on the climbing harness....", so you stole the nearest car....so on and so on!!?? I'd say the chewing gum which was not essential.

If there was a kid who just bought gum for the 'big kid on the block'. And you were aware or that fact, so you disregard the danger to your young friend and steal the gum. This being done in the knowledge that he will be punched as a minimum. I'd be thinking that was a tad towards the 'more wrong'.

So there is a real simple infinite-valued logic on the car or the chewing gum.

What worried me most? The Life Savers I stole from my Grand pop. I never told him and it was still crossing my mind years later. Sorted it now though.

Answer 3

From a secular point of view, I think stealing a car is far worse than stealing gum.

From a Christian theological view, there are those who will say 'sin is sin', and there is no difference, but I think this verse in the Bible provides evidence that in Christian theology there are greater and lesser sins.
"Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." - John 19:11 KJV

Answer 4

stealing is stealing,but let me incrimainate myself,I chopped a few stolen cars when i was young and dumb(my friends stole them)when I got older,I bought a car,that needed work.$3000.00 dollars later it ran great and the next payday was gonna buy my insurance.I awoke the next day after having it fixed and it was gone,Life is a circle my friend,which would you rather lose..a car,or a stick of gum?

Answer 5

yes,
if you would have asked nicely,
i would have given you the stick of gum, no problem
i wouldn't have given you a car
also I can easily afford to replace the stick of gum and won't miss it. it would be hard for me to replace my car and I'd be out of transport for a while
the damage to me is very different. The more damage you do to me the greater the offense.

Answer 6

there are degrees to sin. some sins are worse than others. at the same time, in regards to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. each and every sin will lead to eternal condemnation

all sin, no matter how “small,” is against an infinite and eternal God, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty. further, this is no sin too “big” that God cannot forgive it

Answer 7

Stealing is a sin. It doesn't matter the size or value. If you intintially take something that isn't yours then you sin.

Answer 8

You touch my car I break your face,
you touch my gum ,my grand kids break your face.
Sin is sin.
Who you sin against is another matter all together.
There is a sin unto death,and there are sins not unto death.
1 John 5 :16,17<><

Answer 9

If your speaking in terms of sinning, and degree of such, there is no difference in God's eyes.
Sin is sin, and it separates us from him.
Good thing HE only looks at our good side. Hard to believe isn't it?

Answer 10

stealing the car could land you in jail