The Gambling Thread

[Diane_Windsor]

I'll wager 3 to 1 odds that someone will start a gambling thread in the next day or so....

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Ok, I'll start one

We've had a dancing thread, a smoking thread, and a drinking thread. Now the topic turns to gambling. As a Southern Baptist growing up I was always aware that "good" Baptists don't drink, dance, smoke, or gamble. In fact, Roman Catholic apologist Patrick Madrid once tells of a story about a Baptist man interested in converting to the RCC. He wants to take this man inside a RC parish to show him a wall illustrating a particular RC practice, but when they walk inside to the sanctuary they see a bunch of RCs playing Bingo! It gets worse-they get passed by a gentlemen carrying four large beers in each hand and a smoke in his mouth! Madrid said that the look on his friend's face was one of shock. By this time Madrid finished his story I was ROFLOL.

Anyway, now I see no point to gambling, but where does Scripture prohibit such as thing? Where did our forefathers get the idea that gambling was a sin?

diane


ETA: Another Baptist gambling thread can be found here.

 

[rural_preacher]

but where does Scripture prohibit such as thing? Where did our forefathers get the idea that gambling was a sin?

I don't know...but I'll bet you that we have folks who will put their chips down by posting Scripture passages both for and against.

For now, I'm not going to let on what I'm holding in my hand.


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[unimportantbuthisnameis]

What's the odds on this thread taking off?

 

[Sword-In-Hand]

Ok. We can look at the verses where Christ goes into the temple and finds people gambling among other things. He says that His place should be a place of worship, and then goes on to call the people a brood of vipers. Now the question is, was Christ angry that they were gambling, or because they were gambling in His house? Or both? I don't have a ready answer for those questions.

I think all these casino boats, places like Reno and Vegas, are a den of thieves. I think anything is wrong when done in an excessive--obsessive--nature. I think of gambling like I think of anger. It's not a sin to be angry, but if your anger leads to other things such as violence, then it is a sin. Maybe having a few friends over on a Saturday night to play cards for money is not so wrong. Possibly gambling isn't wrong, but if you take it to a measure where it leads to other things, then perhaps it is.

I just try to go back to
1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Does God get any glory when people gamble? If not, then should we be doing it?

 

[aReformedPatriot]

I typically do not like gambling as it is very addicting, from my own experience. I went into a casino once with a small amount of money, i turned it into close to a hundred bucks. I should have left, infact I wanted to. I ended up telling myself "just one more quarter" at the slots next to the cage. Greed overcame me and I ended up losing it all.

My dad, an alcoholic, also spent $70,000 in less than three months playing the lottery in the bar.

As such, while I do not view gambling as inherently evil, it can go that way. So like drinking and smoking one has to be careful. I like what someone posted above, whatever you do, do for the glory of God. If you wish to entertain yourself by gambling a reasonable amount rather than doing something else, by all means, just be self-controlled.

 

[Jerrysch]

I typically do not like gambling as it is very addicting, from my own experience. I went into a casino once with a small amount of money, i turned it into close to a hundred bucks. I should have left, infact I wanted to. I ended up telling myself "just one more quarter" at the slots next to the cage. Greed overcame me and I ended up losing it all.

My dad, an alcoholic, also spent $70,000 in less than three months playing the lottery in the bar.

As such, while I do not view gambling as inherently evil, it can go that way. So like drinking and smoking one has to be careful. I like what someone posted above, whatever you do, do for the glory of God. If you wish to entertain yourself by gambling a reasonable amount rather than doing something else, by all means, just be self-controlled.

You present a good arguement, the problem with these sort of activities is not with themselves, but with us! Having said this, it is clear that gambling is designed to get you hooked, it is very hard to view it as recreation when you have visions of that jackpot which is comming your way! In some ways it is not too different than playing pin ball, you know you are going to loose in the long run, you just wonder how long you will be entertained. I guess if you go into it as being entertained, you might be able to "get your mony's worth", but one should never think that he will win because you will not. The guy who wins will put five quarters in a slot and take his "winnings" and never gamble again...but not many who are bitten can resist that one big jack pot....that is just comming on the next try!

 

[rural_preacher]

the problem with these sort of activities is not with themselves, but with us!

Biblically, you hit the nail right on the head...

Romans 14:14
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

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[mesue]

We are called to be good stewards of our money, time and talents.

If I after tithing, paying my bills and providing for my family have an extra couple of bucks to spend, it's up to me how I spend it.

To me, it's no less useless than spending my money going to an amusement park.

It is when the gambling takes the priority that God rightfully has in my life that it becomes a problem.

 

[TwinCrier]

Gambling is different that going to an amusement park because riding a roller coaster doesn't take money from someone else. Gambling is covetedness. You are attempting to take some else's money by means other than earning it. I think it is simular to drinking in that the person knows there is a possibility for addiction.... we just never know when that theshhold may be reached. Everytime you play, your gambling that you will be able to quit.

 

[mesue]

Gambling is different that going to an amusement park because riding a roller coaster doesn't take money from someone else. Gambling is covetedness. You are attempting to take some else's money by means other than earning it. I think it is simular to drinking in that the person knows there is a possibility for addiction.... we just never know when that theshhold may be reached. Everytime you play, your gambling that you will be able to quit.

I'm not taking anything if I don't win. Which is usually the case, even with lottery tickets. That's why the casino owners are making the money and not me. So, if I am not winning, I am throwing my money away. I have spent it on something useless. The same could be said of amusement parks. What do I take away from that? A fun time? Some people have fun riding rollar casters, some scratching off lotto tickets.
FWIW I would rather be on a rollar coaster, the buzz I get from that is very addicting. But, alas, I cannot because of physical restrictions.

 

[arunma]

I don't personally think there's anything intrinsically wrong with gambling. It's all of the bells and whistles that make it sinful. For example, I wouldn't think twice about making a $10 bet with a friend over the outcome of the football game (except that I don't watch football). Playing the lottery, however, is a bit more questionable, because the lottery gives poor people false hopes of riches, and many lottery ads mock hard work and good education.

As for the casino, I do not judge other Christians, but I don't think I'd ever find myself there. The casino environment encourages greed, excessive drinking, and (in some cases) premarital sex. I'm sure there is a good reason that Las Vegas is called "Sin City."

And as with all other activities, if it becomes addicting, it's sinful. Different people have different levels of tolerance. Certainly a gambling addict should not participate in gambling at all.

 

[rural_preacher]

I have advised people who were trying to lose weight to buy a lottery ticket every time they are tempted to buy a candy bar and a coke. They were going to throw the money away on junk food anyway, so they may as well spend it on something that will help them lose weight (lottery tickets have no calories) and they stand a chance at winning a million bucks.



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[mesue]

... (lottery tickets have no calories) ...

and have lots of fiber

 

[aReformedPatriot]

lol, RP.

RP, do you think baptist's have developed a sort of oral tradition, much like the hebrews of old, who developed rules to keep them from breaking the rules?

 

[eldermike]

The problem to me is justification. Everytime I have need to build a defense for what I am doing it turns out that it's actually conviction to stop doing it.

The stain of sin is so deep that we can't see how we really look, although this is a blessing.

I tend to go with the idea that if you think it's sin, it's sin. And if your not sure, it's still sin.

Paul said: "I am convinced" - He said this over and over.

So the basic question is:
Are you convinced?

 

[rural_preacher]

lol, RP.

RP, do you think baptist's have developed a sort of oral tradition, much like the hebrews of old, who developed rules to keep them from breaking the rules?

Yes, I think there are many things that Baptists (and other Christian groups) don't do because tradition has taught them to doubt. eldermike has pointed out the matter of acting with a clear conscience (Romans 14:14,23). Unfortunately, I think many are unable to do certain things with a clear conscience because they have been taught their whole lives that those things are wrong.

Some people won't go to movie theaters because they were brought up believing it's wrong. And yet, these same people have no problem with VCR's and cable/satellite TV.

We have developed these traditional prohibitions that are based on our "forefathers" convictions, but we lack a personal basis for the same conviction. Yet, we are unable to participate in a particular activity because our conscience bothers us because of that tradition.

There are things I am able to do with a clear conscience that my wife is unable to do because she was brought up in a home where those things were regarded as "wrong" for Christians. (BTW, we were both brought up in Baptist pastors homes...just different attitudes toward taboos.)

Some Christians won't go near a deck of cards or dice while others have no problem playing non-gambling games with such things. Others may have no problem wagering a few dollars on a ball game but would never buy a lottery ticket or go to a casino...and sometimes our traditions are inconsistent.

Guilt is good and proper when it is the HS convicting us in a matter. But a "guilt trip" put on us by others because of "tradition" is not.


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[aReformedPatriot]

Well put, RP.

 

[eldermike]

Yes, I think there are many things that Baptists (and other Christian groups) don't do because tradition has taught them to doubt. eldermike has pointed out the matter of acting with a clear conscience (Romans 14:14,23). Unfortunately, I think many are unable to do certain things with a clear conscience because they have been taught their whole lives that those things are wrong.

Some people won't go to movie theaters because they were brought up believing it's wrong. And yet, these same people have no problem with VCR's and cable/satellite TV.

We have developed these traditional prohibitions that are based on our "forefathers" convictions, but we lack a personal basis for the same conviction. Yet, we are unable to participate in a particular activity because our conscience bothers us because of that tradition.

There are things I am able to do with a clear conscience that my wife is unable to do because she was brought up in a home where those things were regarded as "wrong" for Christians. (BTW, we were both brought up in Baptist pastors homes...just different attitudes toward taboos.)

Some Christians won't go near a deck of cards or dice while others have no problem playing non-gambling games with such things. Others may have no problem wagering a few dollars on a ball game but would never buy a lottery ticket or go to a casino...and sometimes our traditions are inconsistent.

Guilt is good and proper when it is the HS convicting us in a matter. But a "guilt trip" put on us by others because of "tradition" is not.


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Very good!
Paul had rejected the traditions of men and even the baggage from his past life. I hate bondages personally but I am sure I don't know all of them even in my life, so who am I to point out the ones in others lives.

So, it comes down to a relationship with Christ, just as it did with Paul.

But with that said, i like your post.

 

[Ginny]

I have an idea...let's start a thread on "Is throwing your money out of a moving car a sin?"

Oh wait, this is that thread.

 

[M21]

Here's why I personally will never gamble.

As our Christ bled to death on the cross, Roman soldiers cast lots for His clothing (John 19:23-24). As they are doing this Jesus was praying "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."