Is Gambling Wrong?

By that reckoning, entering any contest or sweepstakes, whether there's an entry fee or not, would be wrong.

 

Biblical support? There is none. You'll find that there's only a biblical ban on drunkenness, not alcohol consumption in general.

 

Not necessarily. If you set aside a portion of your hard earned money for entertainment and liesure, and if you choose to spend such funds on a weekend in Reno, it is not any more poor stewardship than if you take a luxury cruise to the carribbean, or spend it on renting a nice car, or treat the Mrs to a night of caviar and lobster at a 5 star restaurant, etc etc etc.

As a way to gain income, you're right. As a liesure activity, so long as it's not abused, some will beg to differ.

 

Gamblers Anonymous 12 Step Program

We admitted we were powerless over gambling - that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to a normal way of thinking and living.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of this Power of our own understanding.
Made a searching and fearless moral and financial inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have these defects of character removed.
Humbly asked God (of our understanding) to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having made an effort to practice these principles in all our affairs, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive gamblers.

If even the world sees the harm in it, then maybe we should examine how it effects our relationship with our Lord.

 

Look at Alcoholics Anonymous. Just because AA exists, that doesn't mean that use of alcohol is a sin. It also doesn't mean that being an alcoholic is a sin (since all members of AA are alcoholics, but they do not drink).

No, according to the Bible, only ABUSE of alcohol (as in, drunkenness) is a sin.

 

If you look closely at the twelve points, I believe you will see it differently. I know you can abuse anything. Just look at all the buffet, all you can eat restaurants now. However, if youy look closely ven GA understands that it is doing wrong to gamble.

At least I bet they do.

 

Just as AA sees it as wrong to drink. A person in GA, AA, or NA must vow never again to partake of the vice to which they became a slave.

 

Not really.

First of all, the Bible doesn't tell us that either one of these is sinful, only that drinking to excess is sinful.

Second, to say that I indulge implies that I do both of these things to excess, which is dishonest on your part.

I still have two bottles of a six pack of Corona in my fridge from a party in February. I would hardly call four beers in two and a half months "indulging".

As for "indulging" in gambling, this, too is laughable.

I honestly can't remember the last time I spent more than thirty dollars at the track.

I don't know when the last time was that you went anywhere, but thirty bucks for a night out is about average. Lower than average in some cases.

When compared with the money I spend in other recreational pursuits and, most importantly, when compared with my total income, that's a negligible amount.

Let's say for the sake of argument that I bet thirty dollars everytime I go to the track. Let's also assume that I lose thirty dollars everytime (although, in reality, I rarely lose money - I almost always win or at least break even).

Over the course of a year, that's what? $240...$270?

Do you realize that $270 a year is roughly $5.20 a week?

Five dollars and twenty cents a week is "indulging"? You've got to be kidding me.

[ April 05, 2004, 06:52 PM: Message edited by: Mike McK ]

 

I agree with Johnv. It's the abuse that is wrong and not the once or twice a year lottery ticket. We get a charge out of buying one ticket when the pot is about $200 million. We talk about paying off the church building, buying all of our kids homes, etc.... and then pretend to be all mad when our numbers don't come up.

Diane

 

...and, by the way, although I don't smoke, I don't see anything in scripture to indicate that it's sinful. Stupid, maybe but not sinful.

 

First: anything you do should be done in a spirit of humility and obedience to God through faith in Christ.

Second: drinking, gambling, and smoking are not godly pursuits, no matter what we try to call them. I understand about St. Francis' quote about good/evil and the uses of things, but I also understand that we need to submit our ways to Him who died for us. Do we really think Jesus would be gambling His hard-earned paycheck and calling it "recreation" or "fun" while people nearby lost their bank accounts and souls. Do you really think Jesus would stand idly by and never think, "Am I becoming a stumbling block and bad example for these people?" Any serious Christian knows the answer to these things. Does anyone really think these activities are good for your health and witness?

Last: I do not condemn anyone who participates in the aforementioned activities, each of which I have done in the past. However, we need to be very careful when we (attempt to) justify our sinful and selfish pursuits. Sin is sin, and when He is not the focus and aim of our pursuits, it's sin.

 

And fishing, tying my shoe, getting a Big Mac Combo, and memorizing Irish limericks does this how, exactly? Not that I don't disagree, but only as a general statement.

Neither is consuming caffiene, a 3 Musketeers bar or Krispy Kreme doughnut, nor attending a baseball, football, or NASCAR game, nor is going to the Renaissance Faire, or choosing a color of hair dye, or selecting a brand of toilet paper. "Not a Godly pursuit" is not synonymous with "an ungodly pursuit".

The Bible is silent. However, I do believe Jesus would have engaged in recreation and fun as a typical normal Jewish boy. He would have done what all healthy and normal Jewish boys did. But again, the Bible is silent.

I think Jesus would have practiced healthy discernment, as we should as well. Jesus certainly practiced discernment when he drank wine at the wedding at Cana, the last supper, or any Sabbath meal that he attended in his lifetime.

I agree with you (most people here do, I think). But no one (including me) is justifying sin, simply because we're not calling the aforementioned sin. A properly discerning Christian (which I believe you to be) can and will discern between non-sinful consumption of alcohol, and sinful consumption of alcohol.

Many people here will be consuming a glass of wine with their Easter or Passover meals this weekend. Certainly, in and of itself, not a sinful use of the drink.

 

I appreciate your attention to my message. I agree with you completely that one can (should) identify harmful behaviors, and I think it is a healthy Christian debate that can help each of us decide individually what is or is not acceptable. I believe we both can agree that what may be acceptable for you in one situation is not necessarily acceptable for me, even in the same situation and vice-versa. We all need to be very, very careful not to cause another to stumble due to our freedom in Christ.

Again, I think we can agree on these things.

As to your first requote of me about humility and obedience, I think we could all use more of these attributes, even in the smallest choices and activities of our lives (it can be done).

God bless you and yours!

 

You could apply the same logic as some folks do regarding Sunday school! Since it's not specifically mentioned in the scriptures then it's either completely okay or completely not okay depending upon your own particular Christian beliefs! Laugh, it's an "inside joke"!

But, seriously, I believe gambling is one of those things not specifically addressed in a concise verse but covered in a more general manner along with a whole lot of other conduct. The Bible is not a codified book of instructions but it does contain information we need to know. Consider the following two verses:

I Corinthians 10:23 - "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."

Galatians 5:13-14 - "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

These two verses, somewhat out of context, instruct us that we're not bound to follow a kind of law that, if it could somehow be followed to the letter, would make us righteous but instead we are bound to follow a better way based upon the guidance of the scriptures and the Holy Spirit that abides in us as the result of our salvation through Jesus Christ. We follow the law in order to serve and glorify the Lord but not to gain our salvation.

I believe if we consider the potential results of gambling we have to conclude that it is a loosing proposition for most players and certainly for those addicted to the habit who'd wager everything they have for just one more chance. We'd have to feel at least some remorse at helping ourselves to a part of their former wealth as a winner. Large scale gambling also seems to be surrounded by other elements of sinful conduct that are more clearly identifiable. Consider the nature of the large centers of organized gambling. Take a look at the fact that the house wins big at the expense of hard earned money from people hoping for a big win.

We could ask the question "What good comes of it?" or "How does this serve our Creator, Savior, and Master?" or "Will this help others in need?" which most probably brings negative answers. Negate the questions and the answers probably become affirmative.

I don't believe it's gambling per se that's evil but that which it does to the participants - winners, losers, consumer, and providers - that is evil. I don't believe the Lord is pleased with what we do to one other in this manner. People can get into serious trouble taking up gambling and it's destroyed a lot of people and families. Many people participate casually and walk away breaking even more or less. But what about those who loose big? What about those who win big? What happens in their hearts?

I can't say that all forms of gambling fit the same criteria or at least to the same extent. Somehow a high stakes poker game, $500 in quarters into a slot machine, a last ditch mortgage on the family home for one more chance, a friendly pool bet on a football game, a church bingo game, a target shoot game at the county fair, and a $2.00 State lottery ticket all seem different to me. You have to use some judgment at try to err in the favor of doing what's right.

 

There is no scripture against gambling???

How about this one:

Ex. 20-17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thou shalt not covet anything that is your neighbors. Means you shouldn't want something
that belongs to your neighbor.

Who is your neighbor? Everyone in these fast times!

When you go to a casino, or buy a lottery ticket, etc, you are coveting. You want to win the money that somebody else lost.

What would Jesus do?

Are we trying to see how much we can get away with?

Working for Jesus,

Tam,

 

I don't see anything wrong with buying a lottery ticket. Chances are, I won't win. But the money is used for various groups (ie schools, veterans, wildlife fund). So I see it as a charitable contribution.

However, if I was playing because I was motivated by greed than that would be a sin. Or if I spent all my money on the lottery and didn't fulfill my obligations as far as paying bills or providing for my family than it would be sinful.

 

Alright, if you need money and you see a 'neighbor's' lawn that needs mowing and you offer to mow that lawn for $xx, you are wanting what currently belongs to your neighbor. Is this what you're talking about?

 

Saying "I wish I could have that {car, dress, slice of meat, million dollar prize) is not coveting.

Saying "I should be having that (car, dress, million dollars, wife of my neighbor) INSTEAD OF HIM HAVING IT is coveting.