Originally posted by Don:
Guy,
Thank you. You've proven what I was trying to say. The word "pornography" may not be expressly or explicitly used, but the principle is clear.
The soldiers gambling for our dying savior's clothing...is much different than casting lots to see who is going to be the next disciple. The context is pretty clear that the soldiers were out-and-out gambling, while the disciples were voting....
Concern for our souls, and for our brethren, requires that we do those things that keep ourselves and our brethren from stumbling.
Knowing that some people gamble because it is an addiction...knowing that some people gamble in a vain hope to obtain funds they neither earned nor deserve, nor care about who suffers from the loss of it...knowing this, how can we, as Christians, give gambling a "stamp of approval"?
I am more with you than not on this. I join you in not giving gambling a "stamp of approval" and wouldn't gamble even if we could give it the "stamp of approval".
However, the issue of gambling points out a duplicity in Baptist ranks. Your church may be an exception but the membership of every Baptist church I have joined or visited has been dominated, numerically, by folks who are at or near obesity. And more than half of all pastors I know seem to be leading by example in this regard.
With some notable exceptions, we eat unhealthy foods, we live sedentary lifestyles, etc... but I have never heard these practices attacked with the same fervor as that of gambling.
I would love to see a Baptist people who were at least as concerned (as shown by our actions) about how a majority of us treat our "temples" as we are about how a minority of us spend our entertainment dollar.
As interesting story may illustrate my point. One of my close friends (a church member) runs marathons, is very healthy, lives a very Godly life, and has an occasional glass of wine at dinner (partly because of the health benefit/partly because of the enjoyment). Another friend of mine (member of the same church) is your stereotypical southern preacher boy (no slam intended) whose hobbies include amazing amounts of reading, study, and eating fried foods (we call this "fellowshiping" down 'hea'). He is about 65lbs overweight and should probably be saving ahead for that open heart surgery that is sure to come within the next 20 years.
Friend 2 found out about friend 1's occasional glass of wine and went ballistic. Fellowship between then is still a bit strained. BTW, friend 1, realizing that this glass of wine thing had caused something resembling a "stumble" by friend 2, decided to stop partaking (even in the privacy of his own home) as long as he was in the same church as friend 2.
At the writing of this post, friend 2 rejects any and all comparisons of drinking a glass of wine and eating an unhealthy diet.
[ May 15, 2002, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan ]
