WWJD? Take a five-fingered discount, apparently.

In light of the recent economic downturn, a British clergyman has advised his parishioners that they can steal when in “desperate situations.” It would appear that those ten commandments are subject to a liberal interpretation in the land of Queens and crumpets.

We’ve already chronicled the fact that shoplifting is on the rise during this recession, but never before has it received a blessing like this. I wonder if Tigers Woods can get a pass on that whole adultery thing based on extenuating circumstances. (Like the fact that he’s under a lot of stress, is very rich, and women throw themselves at him.)

In a recent Sunday sermon the Reverend Tim Jones of the Anglican church said that society “leaves some people little option but crime,” the BBC reported. He was addressing how the poor deal with the holidays.

But he did not advocate a free-for-all. Reverend Jones stated that the people should only steal from large corporate stores and only take what they truly need. He considers it a form of charity since the profit lost will be absorbed and passed on to paying customers in the form of higher prices. Nice.

Father Jones feels this is better than prostitution or violent crimes, which in his mind would be real sins.

He is also no stranger to this kind of drama and self-promotion. In May of 2008 he protested the sale of Playboy branded stationery and went into local stationers and threw the Playboy merchandise on the floor.