entering competitions and lotto

[Goodbook]

What does God think about this?
Is it right to pray to win a competition or lotto?

If you are happy with what the Lord already provides, why enter the competitions, surveys etc?

Those online surveys take ages when I could be doing online bible study.

Aren't the competitions just marketing scams? I set up a separate email address for them. But I think I'd like to win prizes to give to friends as gifts. Like one of my friends wants to go back to the Islands where her family is from but can't afford to go, and has never been, so I entered her into a prize draw.

What about lotto? Bit different as you have to pay to enter that, and it's not cheap. And then what would you do if you won the jackpot? Does God determine who wins or is it Satan's ploy to get people distracted and hopelessly dreaming of a better earthly life? It's legal gambling...what about instant scratchy tickets? Is it ok to spend money on that as gifts to friends?

Or trying to win a job..isn't that kind of gambling as well? You apply and hope to get an interview, and then you have to beat out the competition. What does God think about competitions?

 

[Autumnleaf]

I've been told the lotto is a tax on the stupid. I don't know if that is true or not.

I think the Bible says the laborer should be paid fair wages. So get a job and do the work and collect the wages if you want the wages.

 

[Sketcher]

I take it you're not talking about science fairs or 5K runs. You're talking about entering games to win prize money or a new home theater system or something like that, right? If so, there are better ways to spend your time.

Entering the lottery IMO is a waste of money. I probably wouldn't win, and if I did, there's a good chance I'd lose it all like so many have.

 

[ForJesusChrist]

Is it right to pray to win a competition or lotto?

We can pray whatever we want. Doesn't mean it will necessarily come true.

 

[Goodbook]

No. not games just prize draws.
You just enter your name and address and go in the draw.

I never play lotto. Waste of time and money. But what about poor people who want to win and that's the only way they'll ever have any money maybe they are out of work or can't work and have no rich relatives to help them out? Welfare can only pay so much.

They can apply for grants too, but again, that's like a competition/prize draw too.

 

[Sketcher]

No. not games just prize draws.
You just enter your name and address and go in the draw.

I never play lotto. Waste of time and money. But what about poor people who want to win and that's the only way they'll ever have any money maybe they are out of work or can't work and have no rich relatives to help them out? Welfare can only pay so much.

They can apply for grants too, but again, that's like a competition/prize draw too.

Those are the kinds of people who lose the money if they win money. Better that they spend the lottery money on something else, something that they actually need.

 

[Goodbook]

you sound a bit judgemental. How do you know what they will spend money on?
Most people I know say if they win lotto they would pay off all their debts and mortgage.

 

[Sketcher]

you sound a bit judgemental. How do you know what they will spend money on?
Most people I know say if they win lotto they would pay off all their debts and mortgage.

Look at the statistics. Besides, I include myself in that category of people. I literally don't know what I would do with millions of dollars. That is a recipe for losing millions of dollars should you come into possession of it.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

To play or not to play: Is that Powerball ticket worth it? - CSMonitor.com

 

[Goodbook]

good article. Its not my mum who plays though, its the males in my family. My Dad has won a few times, not the 1st division though. My brother, I don't think he's won anything..one time he asked me to buy a power ball ticket , it was like $24. I felt wrong doing so.

But then he can afford it. Who am I to say it's a waste - it was his money. The winning you get is piddly just covering the cost of all the tickets you probably bought every week over all the years you were playing it.

Ok now what do people think of prize draws? What does God say about that? Would He nudge you to enter a draw you think? After all, the lot is cast in the lap, but the disposing thereof is the Lord. Proverbs 16:33

Is this verse saying..you can enter a free random prize draw, but what you do with the prize is what God wants? Or something like that?

 

[Quasicentennial]

If the huge win is for a good purpose such as supporting a charity then you should be supernaturally rewarded by our Lord Jesus through spiritual renewal of a new and positive confidence that is beyond material wealth:.
As I see it, spending say at least $30 bucks a month on lotto is like buying groceries - you buy, consume, and be stomach-satisfied that you bought the stuff. As with lotto, you might feel mentally satisfied if you win some of it back, but at the same time, your energy into your job each week is translated into income that's enough to survive, let's say for example, if you are boarding with your family relatives in a 2-bedroom rental unit and earning $180 or so weekly in a part-time job and all you pay is $25 per week board money:.
Being Christian in this tight budget situation has made me wonder if God put me in this semi-homeless situation on purpose so that Jesus does not sit and twiddle his thumbs if he is our healer for finances, besides sickness and emotional terrorism (depression and anxiety).:
The best is yet to come from Jesus who will return anytime soon in the future and pull the red carpet under Satan's feet, and where Satan will fall short of reaching the finish line where society will become violent and corrupt to the point where Christianity becomes more personal and can even be a total secret in disguise, such as certain Muslims who have secretly accepted Jesus Christ,being rather than being well-known as a Christ-believing individual, such as Christians and Mormons going to church on Sunday.;'*';.

 

[Goodbook]

Well we are all pilgrims on a journey..this really isn't our home it's in heaven, so I wouldn't worry if I didn't own a house by the time I'm a certain age - Jesus gave his up, didn't he?

Lots of people say that if they won lotto they would not tell anyone and just secretly donate it to charity. I think that's what I would do if I won. I think if people can afford it they and bought one and won they genuinely would spend it on other people, not just for themselves. I'm not a cynic, there are many good-hearted people and we shouldn't condemn people just because they happen to be poor. Not many people are born rich.

Middle-class smugness is super annoying.

 

[Goodbook]

Well we are all pilgrims on a journey..this really isn't our home it's in heaven, so I wouldn't worry if I didn't own a house by the time I'm a certain age - Jesus gave his up, didn't he?

Lots of people say that if they won lotto they would not tell anyone and just secretly donate it to charity. I think that's what I would do if I won. I think if people can afford it they and bought one and won they genuinely would spend it on other people, not just for themselves. I'm not a cynic, there are many good-hearted people and we shouldn't condemn people just because they happen to be poor. Not many people are born rich.

Middle-class smugness is super annoying.

 

[Quasicentennial]

I can well-imagine what's it like to be in Christ's shoes - if literally, that our future-coming footwear and bodywear will have to be materials far superior where 'wear and tear' can be an inferior hidden quality nuisance, especially with mankind's modern washing machine technology with spin dry feature - a dead giveaway, if consumers forget to read the clothe label warning. No wonder that footwear, such as socks, and bodywear, such as underwear, are treated like groceries - you buy, consume, and repeat- buy:.
It will definitely be a unique experience to literally experience "ultimate material comfort", where there is not a single negative criticism because Jesus has been spiritually ever-present with mankind on Earth since his resurrection in heaven, and knows mankind's modern civilization problems that sharply contrasts to the superior material fashion comforts and luxury inside the kingdom of God, especially with "science and technology on a supernatural level" where the tablet PC - a frame-shape computer device - is a drop in a ocean, where man is unknowingly heading towards God's mysterious supernatural science and technology.;'*';.
Rev 21:2

 

[Goodbook]

Quasicentenniel..your posts are always ahead of our time, I always enjoy thinking of what it will be like in heaven where we won't need to do any laundry.

I sometimes envy animals as they don't need to wear clothes, like my cat has a beautiful fur coat she wears plus socks everyday and doesn't need to change her outfit. Just a lick every now and then lol.

 

[TheyCallMeDavid]

What does God think about this?
Is it right to pray to win a competition or lotto?

If you are happy with what the Lord already provides, why enter the competitions, surveys etc?

Those online surveys take ages when I could be doing online bible study.

Aren't the competitions just marketing scams? I set up a separate email address for them. But I think I'd like to win prizes to give to friends as gifts. Like one of my friends wants to go back to the Islands where her family is from but can't afford to go, and has never been, so I entered her into a prize draw.

What about lotto? Bit different as you have to pay to enter that, and it's not cheap. And then what would you do if you won the jackpot? Does God determine who wins or is it Satan's ploy to get people distracted and hopelessly dreaming of a better earthly life? It's legal gambling...what about instant scratchy tickets? Is it ok to spend money on that as gifts to friends?

Or trying to win a job..isn't that kind of gambling as well? You apply and hope to get an interview, and then you have to beat out the competition. What does God think about competitions?

Taking a hard look at Gods character, nature, and person along with commands in the BIble not to acquire a love for money, etc.... I think God would have his Followers not play the Lotto which is just legalized gambling for the individual and for the particular State to get more revenue for often wasteful projects that we don't agree with.

The BIble tells us to be content with what we have, what God has already provided, and our inheritance in him... and to distance ourselves from the things of the world.

As far as taking surveys to try to win money payouts....its really the same as what ive already said.

Taking surveys just to provide information to a Company, etc... is a neutral thing that is neither right nor wrong. It could be wrong if the Person becomes inundated doing it or if it becomes addiction.

I see nothing biblically wrong with tryin to get a better job , and in fact I think we can make a biblical case for working, excelling in what we do, providing for our families, and taking Christ to the workplace. I think there should be good reason to change Employers though ; sometimes people jump from the frying pan into the fire.

 

[Goodbook]

I guess it depends on what kind of survey. If it's just marketing research for companies, then forget it, I've got better things to do with my time.

If it's something like a people's panel for council services or improvements to local and national government, then sure.

I got on to it because my pastor suggested it lol. I'm sure he meant well, he's a recovered gambler so..I think he knows a bit about addiction. I don't think its because he looks at me like if I don't have a job I'm not going to pay a tithe or something (we are not commanded to anyway). He says I can't live on nothing.

 

[Goodbook]

I'm female.
I can make a biblical case for not working. It's a man's job to provide. Why should I take that away from a man? My role would be to support a man - but he does the hard work.

Otherwise I can see why people play lotto. Men aren't doing a good enough job providing for their own families, that women have to resort to neglecting their families and working full-time, paying for childcare on top of that, and the women who do the childcare have to give up any prospect of starting their own families because they are taking on the role of what the mother is meant to do but isn't being paid for.

I'm probably not making sense..I'm tired and just want to go home. I feel like I want to retire because working is just to hard for me and I will not ever be strong enough. And basically what the pastor is saying to me, is..nobody is going to personally support me so I might as well accept money from the government. There should be no shame in it. When I was working, I paid my taxes for it. God bless the government and welfare.

 

[TheDag]

you sound a bit judgemental. How do you know what they will spend money on?
Most people I know say if they win lotto they would pay off all their debts and mortgage.

perhaps they will. However a number of times in various countries they have looked at past lotto winners and many end up bankrupt from debt. I worked in a store that sold first prize in lotto which was shared (about $400k to each winner). Within the year they had spent it on alcohol and lotto. They said they were going to buy their own place (lived in public housing). Instead of spending $50 a week on lotto she started spending thousands a day. It was very sad. Whats more she would often make so many mistakes on the form that they had to be done again to which she would get verbally abusive. We actually had a unofficial rule. If you served Betty you got an automatic ten minute break after her so you wouldn't be grumpy to the next ten customers.

 

[TheDag]

to the question in the OP I would say regarding lotto is that the bible tells us to be wise stewards. Considering the chances of winning lotto I don't think that would be considered being a wise steward.

Regarding competitions. I have no problem with them. Yes they are designed to collect information that can be used in marketing and/or contact details. One should be aware of that and make a informed choice and consider if they are happy to put up with that. I have eight different email addresses not counting the one that comes with my ISP. I have a purpose for each. For example one is used for all matters relating to work eg pay slips or job hunting. One for kids school stuff which only the school and outside of school care has. One for software registration. Others for other things. I even have one specifically for facebook. This all means that if need be I can easily discard an email address if it has problems such as getting spam. I have only had to change two which were facebook and work. Just a smart move to compartmentalize emails.