Robin Hood...Moral Hero or Sin in Disguise?

[Luminous_Rose]

I have been thinking quite a bit on the one. Robin Hood is quite famous in literature and there are many versions for kids and adults alike. Most people havr heard something of the story of Robin Hood - "Steals from the rich, gives to the needy." This makes him sound like a hero. Was he really? The Bible warns us about stealing being against God's laws, which makes stealing wrong. In this scenario of the corrupt powers taking too many taxes and too much from the people, does this make it right for Robin Hood to steal back? Two wrongs don't make a right. I lean more towards the sin was glorified in a hero guise.

What do you all think?

 

[jasonc]

I have been thinking quite a bit on the one. Robin Hood is quite famous in literature and there are many versions for kids and adults alike. Most people havr heard something of the story of Robin Hood - "Steals from the rich, gives to the needy." This makes him sound like a hero. Was he really? The Bible warns us about stealing being against God's laws, which makes stealing wrong. In this scenario of the corrupt powers taking too many taxes and too much from the people, does this make it right for Robin Hood to steal back? Two wrongs don't make a right. I lean more towards the sin was glorified in a hero guise.

What do you all think?

He actually was stealing,from the state who by legalized thievery overtaxed ,john the king,the magna Carta was about excessive taxation.

 

[Luminous_Rose]

He actually was stealing,from the state who by legalized thievery overtaxed ,john the king,the magna Carta was about excessive taxation.

Yes, so you mean what he was doing was wrong or right? What should Robin Hood have done differently?

 

[jasonc]

Yes, so you mean what he was doing was wrong or right? What should Robin Hood have done differently?

Just because the state legalized over taxation ,doesn't mean it right .its a grey area.can one protest a king who does that and slavery is legal?

In the time of john ,there were nobles by,birth or granted by the king these had slaves,the poor were serfs who,lived on the land of a noble . while robin hood today doesn't go into that ,historically the king john over taxed all his nobles to,the point of a forced signing of the magna Carta which created the parliament.wars were fought on this taxation,he sought more land ,and wealth .

 

[Luminous_Rose]

Just because the state legalized over taxation ,doesn't mean it right .its a grey area.can one protest a king who does that and slavery is legal?

In the time of john ,there were nobles by,birth or granted by the king these had slaves,the poor were serfs who,lived on the land of a noble . while robin hood today doesn't go into that ,historically the king john over taxed all his nobles to,the point of a forced signing of the magna Carta which created the parliament.wars were fought on this taxation,he sought more land ,and wealth .

Right, and that's what makes me wonder because the taxation was too much and the King kept the money for himself, and many were suffering because of it. It is an interesting topic on morals...I am not 100% sure on this, either, so it is interesting to think about.

 

[jasonc]

Right, and that's what makes me wonder because the taxation was too much and the King kept the money for himself, and many were suffering because of it. It is an interesting topic on morals...I am not 100% sure on this, either, so it is interesting to think about.

Robin is a legand,king Richard was ransomed and was not a brave king .

Its not ,I,don't think we should became vigilante in this but neither should sit by.Harriet tubman freed slaves while armed .

 

[JohnDB]

Actually...
A sherriff...not even a Lord had usurped the King's authority and was in process of staging a coup (with the blessing of corrupt church officials).
Robin Hood's "Stealing" was taking back from the wealthy who wished to hire mercenaries to ensure the Coup.
Thus...Robin was loyal to the King and people and not the usurper to the throne.

If I understand the story correctly.

 

[jasonc]

Actually...
A sherriff...not even a Lord had usurped the King's authority and was in process of staging a coup (with the blessing of corrupt church officials).
Robin Hood's "Stealing" was taking back from the wealthy who wished to hire mercenaries to ensure the Coup.
Thus...Robin was loyal to the King and people and not the usurper to the throne.

If I understand the story correctly.

Depends on the version.

The last movie he was a Saxon ,and was caught by a norman for breaking a hunting law,lost his case and stripped of nobility and he set ought to revenge himself on the sheriff ,he won and the sheriff was stripped of his power and king john abdicated once king Richard found out.

The story their played upon Norman barbarity versus Saxon nobility as in,reality the Saxon rules of courts and much of English law is from them.by Saxon .I, mean the Anglo Saxon and jute tribal alliance .

It depends on the story ,I have seen your version with rich little in it.lol

 

[JohnDB]

Depends on the version.

The last movie he was a Saxon ,and was caught by a norman for breaking a hunting law,lost his case and stripped of nobility and he set ought to revenge himself on the sheriff ,he won and the sheriff was stripped of his power and king john abdicated once king Richard found out.

The story their played upon Norman barbarity versus Saxon nobility as in,reality the Saxon rules of courts and much of English law is from them.by Saxon .I, mean the Anglo Saxon and jute tribal alliance .

It depends on the story ,I have seen your version with rich little in it.lol

So who wrote the original to begin with?

 

[jasonc]

So who wrote the original to begin with?

There are a lot of versions ,just like king Arthur ,that is an English story but the French,Spanish have added their story to it

 

[WIP]

Nowhere in Scripture that I'm aware of is stealing from rich to give to the poor condoned. Instead, Scripture speaks about being content with what we have, loving our enemies, going the extra mile, working for what we have, being worth our wages, etc.

This is why I am not a supporter of taxing the wealthy at higher percentage rates than others in order to balance the playing field. While income inequality may not seem fair, it is not appropriate at all to steal from the rich to give to the poor.

We are called, each and every one of us, to share what we have but to force it on others is stealing.

 

[Luminous_Rose]

Nowhere in Scripture that I'm aware of is stealing from rich to give to the poor condoned. Instead, Scripture speaks about being content with what we have, loving our enemies, going the extra mile, working for what we have, being worth our wages, etc.

This is why I am not a supporter of taxing the wealthy at higher percentage rates than others in order to balance the playing field. While income inequality may not seem fair, it is not appropriate at all to steal from the rich to give to the poor.

We are called, each and every one of us, to share what we have but to force it on others is stealing.

This is an interesting way to put it since there is a lot of talk about taxing the rich extra to "even the playing field", and I know that things like Medicare even have IRMAA - that charges people with more money extra.

Good, relevant modern examples.

 

[humble soul]

in hindsight this story is not a good one to teach kids/teenagers .
The evil in power doesnt justify evil revenge from the powerless.

 

[humble soul]

in hindsight this story is not a good one to teach kids/teenagers .
The evil in power doesnt justify evil revenge from the powerless.

How would a Christian Robin Hood act? With more dignity I mean.

 

[jasonc]

in hindsight this story is not a good one to teach kids/teenagers .
The evil in power doesnt justify evil revenge from the powerless.

Then because Harriet tubman was stealing property ,neither should her or those like her be told,after all slavery dealt with property .

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

I think that just because he stole from the rich and gave to the poor doesn't mean that it wasn't justified. I still really like this version of the story though.