Tao Bible - Exodus 20:15

Thou shalt not steal.
~ King James version ~

For each being to survive, it must "steal."
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

This is the eighth biblical commandment. God commands that we should not take things that belong to others.

Not unlike the post for Exodus 20:13, in order to survive, all beings take things from other beings. When we appropriate the body of a cow or a carrot for our nourishment, we are "stealing" its life and using it to sustain our own. When we claim a patch of ground as being our property, we are "stealing" it from all the organisms that call it home AND from Mother Earth.

Again, like I mentioned re the commandment against killing, the determining factor is between need and desire. Taking what one needs to survive is far different than taking what one wants.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.