There was an AI global summit. One university got a Robodog online, which was readily available in the market. However, they displayed in their booth as a product of excellence, of their research. Alert netizens found the product was from China, and circulated on social media, calling out the university for faking it. (BBC 19 February 2026) If an educational institute adopts plagiarism, claiming credit for others’ labour, and faking it as their own, what will be the direction of such a nation? ‘You shall not steal,’ is the eighth of the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:15)
Money and valuables: The most common form of theft is money and valuable things like jewellery. In ancient times, sheep and other cattle were stolen. Now, even bikes and cars are stolen. Pirates even capture ships, repaint them and use them.
Assets: Faking documents and gaining assets is a sin against God and against fellow citizens. Even public lands are encroached upon using fake documents.
Dishonesty: Quoting and charging different rates for the same service reveals dishonesty and covetousness. Evading taxes is a dishonest deed. Creating a false resume to get a job is evil. God detests those who use differing measures and differing weights to cheat in business. (Proverbs 20:10)
Plagiarism: Copying documents and claiming authorship is plagiarism. In the arena of higher education and research, this has become a common problem.
Credit /name: Claiming ownership for creations of others. Arts, music, and stories are stolen. Higher management personnel take their juniors’ work and projects and claim authorship, a bonus, and promotion.
White-collar theft: Hacking the computer systems and networks, and stealing money, is another form of stealing. Creating links to cheat people to transfer money online, ransomware, and malware are stealing in the sight of God.
Oppression and extortion: Withholding or underpaying labourers their wages is stealing. Cyber criminals use fake digital arrest warrants to digital arrest individuals and extort money.
Dowry: Demanding and taking dowry from the bride’s family is a violation of this commandment. Sadly, many brides are burnt, strangulated, and driven to suicide by the dowry monster.
Do I obey all the Ten Commandments of the Lord?