Is Playing Cards a SIN??

Okay, I have thought of one other way card playing could be sinful in my life. That would be if I did it and nothing else. Not likely! There are so many other things in life that are fun and productive.

I appreciate the balanced, thoughtful replies on this thread.

 

Might be fun to do a poll on the BB about this. But it's the weekend--preachin' time, right?

 

Wow! What a deprived childhood and youth! But then as I recall your testimony you probably wouldn't have been interested at all in us Fundamentalists. In fact, we'd have been the enemy to you, right!? Praise the Lord for saving you. (And you are not required to be a Fundamentalist--at least not right away. :smilewinkgrin: )

 

Not exactly. IMO you are buying a service when you pay insurance, not saving money, betting money or hoping to get someone else's money. In fact, you hope not to get someone else's money, don't you? You have the insurance just in case, but you are disappointed and maybe even in trouble when it is needed--kind of like a famous person hiring a bodyguard.

 

Playing cards - in moderation - is not a sin.

Gambling - in moderation - is not a sin.

Drinking alcoholic beverages - in moderation - is not a sin.

Eating - in moderation - is not a sin.

Etc., etc., etc.

Some things are sins even if done in moderation - adultery, bearing false witness, coveting, etc., etc., etc.

 

What you say is true.

Nevertheless, in spite of what I am hoping for or not hoping for, I'm "gambling" that I won't need the gazillion dollar heart surgery.

But, if I do then I'll get it for a tiny fraction of what I've paid and several others who didn't need it will pay for mine.

It's a kind of collaborative or group agreement to play the odds, but then so is the lottery. I don't see a big difference.

With the health insurance the "winnings" go for your surgery, with the lottery the winnings go for whatever you want.

Same thing for fire insurance on your house, auto insurance, etc, etc.

Personally I see controlled gambling as a form of entertainment.

Think about going to a ball game, what in the world do you come away with after spending several hours attending a ball game (especially if your team looses) but a thinner wallet and time spent in an exercise of the flesh (shouting, hooting, booing, etc) ?

Don't get me wrong, IMO entertainment is necessary (even shouting insults at a ball game) as an safe and acceptable outlet of emotion and pent-up hostilities and/or just having a good time with family and friends.

As for entertainment gambling, there is another factor, it can be very offensive to certain brethren, so I always keep that in mind (as should we all) at whatever local church the Lord leads me into.


HankD

 

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

I saw very little Scripture in this thread. It seems it got derailed into a gambling thread rather than a playing cards thread. I love pinocle. Other games are fun but pinocle is the best!!!!

As to the gambling question; these Scriptures among others present a principle which we should bear in mind when discussing whether gambling is sin or not. Is gambling work for 'bread' ? I don't believe it is. Gambling is premised on the fact that you hope to take another person's money without working for it.

I'll take my stand here. Gambling (as is commonly understood) is Scripturally wrong.

 

That's fine. Just don't try to force your stand on your fellow Christians.

 

When I was in the military (40 plus years ago), we gambled playing pinocle, poker, blackjack, hearts, spades, etc.

That's the reason gambling was introduced into the thread.
Card playing and gambling are almost synonmous.

HankD

 

:thumbs: I agree with you.

And most of my cousins think drinking coffee is a sin (see my location). :flower:

 

I accepted Christ while going to a church called Fundamental Baptist. However, since terrorists are now called "Fundamentalists", I don't care to call myself one any more.

 

Yeah, probably so. But I probably would not have known what a Fundamentalist was, at least by that label. I did go to various churches and I knew about some denominations (mainline ones mostly) but not Fundamentalists.

Amen! :laugh:

 

Are you saying that because you gambled with cards 40 yrs. ago, card playing and gambling are almost synonymous?

Card playing and gambling have never been the same thing for me, with the exception of poker. The only way I knew of poker being played was with gambling.

But I always played cards just for fun! I guess it's the circles/past you've been in.

 

The odds are 185,000 to 1

 

a regroup

I would far rather make a mistake and think that something was a stumbling block when it wasn't, than to think that something was not a stumbling block when it was. Catch my drift? = John of Japan
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Furthermore, we would gain more spiritual understanding of discerning "good and evil" if rather than saying "I haven't been convicted about that yet" or "What's wrong with"... that we start asking the Lord "What is right with?..." or "From what I find in the Scriptures, Lord, this seems well pleasing to you and above reproach to the World ... Is that true and right altogether as your judgments are Lord... please Let me know and I will Follow...."

Seems a lot of the above mentioned "gray areas" would not past question one if men were spiritually honest and willing to submit their wills to God... if you catch my drift? = Me
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Lastly Gambling is NOT wrong just because you CAN NOT guarantee you WILL GET RICH . . . and the Bible says that Lusting for riches is wrong and to be good stewards of your money (not contradictory), NOR is it wrong just because you DO NOT have enough to waste . . . and again the Bible says to be a good steward, NOR is it wrong just because it demands that you TAKE MONEY from others . . . and again the Bible says love your neighbor as your self, NOR is it wrong just because of its evil associations...and the Bible says avoid the appearance of evil, NOR is it wrong just because you are leaving chance to bring you your fortune, rather than faith... and God says that the just shall live by faith... [never saw someone saying that it was the will of God for them to enter a poker game and kick people's butts], NOR is it wrong just because others say so... and the Bible says obey them that have the rule over you..because they watch for your souls and that in the multitude of counsellors is wisdom...NOR is it wrong just "because"
.... Many also make much of "entertainment" and "discretionary income" as if they are not stewards of the living God totally responsible before Him for every choice they make before Him and others.... Nor is it wrong just because others can be drawn into sin and the acceptance of sin because they see you gamble ... and the Bible says that we are be aware of the "weaker brother" and not to become a "stumbling block" Ultimately it is wrong because GOD is holy and anything that violates his will is SIN.... Read this, no read the verses that teach the above principles and tell me that any sober minded, God fearing Christian can honestly say that GAMBLING is NOT A SIN?

God bless,

Michael

 

Something someone may also want to research.

Years ago, can't remember the program...

Back in the 1980's, I saw a program where they were telling history of cards. They told how that back in late 1700's or maybe 1800's, the red cards had nitroglycerine in the ink. A Soldier supposedly took a deck of cards andwhile in prison, cut the red hearts and diamonds out and soaked them in a bowl of (water??).

He then put the paste one the bars of his prison, fashioned a fuse and shielded himself with a mattress. You gressed it... he escaped.

 

Whew. Good thing I hadn't sent any yen to El Guero for stakes!