Gambling

[Don]

Go ahead Don, keep trying to pick that mote out of my eye...

Care to tell me what the beam in my eye is?

I think if you go back and read, Brian, you'll NEVER see where I told you not to gamble. If you want to be judgmental, my friend, look to yourself first.

Christian Cynic:

That point can be eradicated if you know you can outsmart your opponent. Most people are quite stupid about probabilities, so if you get into a game knowing both the rules and the probabilities better than an opponent, it would not qualify as "poor stewardship."

Nope, but it sure does qualify as "taking advantage of others."

3) It could cause weaker brothers and sisters with gambling addictions to stumble.

Sure the Baptist fall-back verse.

The opposite side of that coin--the one that says we are our brother's keeper and should worry about not causing our brother to stumble--is the "who gives a rip about anyone other than me?" attitude....

Next time I have the chance to take some guy who has far more resources than I have, I might well seize the opportunity.

Yep, there's the concept of "brotherly love" that I've been looking for in Christians....

I'm tired of Christians who can't look beyond the tips of their noses, or worse, don't care about anything beyond the tips of their noses. If you can't see that gambling is a serious problem for some people, and that your participating in it doesn't help those people, then you need to ask yourself a question: Am I really exhibiting God's love towards others?

You have all the soul liberty you need; it's your choice. I neither condemn nor congratulate you on whatever choice you make, because it's between you and God.

I've said my piece. I think everyone knows where I stand. I'm outta here.

 

[BrianT]

Originally posted by Bible Student:
I wish you would take a deep breath and answer my question I posted a few back, If you gamble, whay do you gamble what is the reason or reasons.

I rarely gamble, but when I do, I do it because it's kind of fun.

by Eric
1) It is a complete waste of the resources God gives us, and therefore poor stewardship.

Three thoughts: 1. I have posted examples of where gambling is NOT a "complete waste of the resources God gives us", 2. "poor stewardship" is very vague and not necessarily a sin, and 3. I'm sure everyone here is "guilty" of "poor stewardship" every single day, for eating at restaurant instead of going to the grocery store, and then for paying regular price at the grocery store instead of clipping coupons first, etc.

2) It is a poor witness to non-Christians.

How so? Personally, I think legalism is a far worse witness.

3) It could cause weaker brothers and sisters with gambling addictions to stumble.

In such cases, we should not gamble and I have already said so. Eating meat can cause weaker brothers and sisters to stumble, but eating meat is not a sin. In fact, in the passage where you get your #3 from, the principle is that the *stronger* brother *knows* the practice is not sinful in and of itself.

Just because we have freedom under Grace doesn't mean we have no responsibilities.

I agree.

from Murphy
Brian here is proof just as sure as lying is sin so is covetousness. I am sure that someone will deny this and claim that this is out of context.

No, I won't argue that it is out of context. Some gamble, full of covetousness, and that would be wrong. Don't confuse the activitiy with how some people approach it. Lust is also wrong, that doesn't make sex sinful.

Again I say What is right about gambling?

What is right about the stock market, going to the ballet, going to a movie?

by Don
The opposite side of that coin--the one that says we are our brother's keeper and should worry about not causing our brother to stumble--is the "who gives a rip about anyone other than me?" attitude....

Who here has such an attitude?

 

[Bible Student]

Thank you Brian T for answering the question.

 

[C.S. Murphy]

Brian is there any activity that is sinful and prohibited if it is undertaken in the correct frmame of mind.

Murph

 

[BrianT]

Murphy, your question is worded strangely and I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. If you are asking me if there are absolutes, my answer is "of course".

 

[Johnv]

I still can't get an answer to my question... is it wrong for me wager the cost of lunch with a coworker that the Angels will win the world series instead of the Giants? Is that sinful?

 

[ChristianCynic]

I don't see what you are describing as "sinful." People 'pick up the tab' for their friends for a lot of reasons. The fact that you are letting an event over which niether of you have control be the determining factor does not make up theft. Technically it is gambling, so it may be a form of covetousness. But is it also covetousness to wish that a friend would invite you to his home for dinner? therefore, coveting his food?

 

[ChristianCynic]

Originally posted by blackbird:
Why don't you tell the boys and girls on the BB how much you lost on that LSU-Florida game this past weekend?? Tell them how "sure" you were that Florida was going to kick . . .!

Are you addressing me, Blackybirdy? I lost nothing on that game, and I did not even make any predicition. [And for the record, I know it has been years since I have made any kind of bet on any kind of ball game, though I have won a few hundred in contests without betting.]

In the majority of the casino gaming tactics based on the mathmatical theory of combinations and permentations I have studied--the house is gonna be the winner in about 99.5% of the time!! I mean, the odds are stacked against you.

You are right about casinos, although I don't know about your figure of 99.5%. That is carefully planned by statistical methods and the principle of extrema to find the optimum of balancing the probability of patrons winning with the ensuing interest among the largest number in playing. [This applies principally to the automated games. In playing the house for Blackjack, dealers are thoroughly taught to detect counting methods which enhance the patron's probability of winning and to switch decks when they see it.]

Remember the story of General Custer there at Little Big Horn!! Well, there are a lot of "Custer's" galloping into the casinos--and the Sioux are waiting to absorb their discharges!

So that's where Indians got the idea of building casinos!

George was so sure of himself, wasn't he? Wonder how much money he lost on that last bet? He didn't know it--but he galloped into the skermish--a loser!! And the Sioux were not taking "white flags" that day!! Gamblers are galloping into a skirmish they can't win at

Not always bad. I'm not looking it up right now, but didn't Jeremiah know that his warnings would go unheeded but he played them out anyway?

--why don't you enlighten their minds as to your views on Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and NIKI(Japan stock market)--

That would be about the same as my "views" of a yardstick. These only measure performance.

[ October 18, 2002, 04:54 AM: Message edited by: ChristianCynic ]

 

[blackbird]

Brother Cynic!!

Dog-gone! You're such a cynic!(I finally looked the word up in the dictionary!) Now I suppose you'll want the Brother/Sister Moderator to do something about my insulting you!!**

edited

***
There sure is a lot of predicting going on over on the "Sports" thread--or is it better called--"forecasting"?? I always knew there was a lot of sports meterologists camping about!!

Glad you can be my friend--honestly & truly!!

Your friend,
Blackbird

[ October 18, 2002, 07:35 AM: Message edited by: C.S. Murphy ]