Why Do You Gamble????
The Christian and Gambling
by: Todd Clippard
America is becoming a nation of habitual gamblers. Conservative estimates place the legal gambling total at $40 billion annually. Probably every state in the union has legalized gambling in some form, whether it be casino gambling, horse and dog tracks, the lottery, bingo, raffles, or such like. Gambling is a sin. As such, no Christian should participate in it or encourage its legalization in any way.
1. Gambling is sinful, even though it may be legal.
a. Legality does not determine rightness or wrongness.
b. Consider the following legal activities: abortion; assisted suicide; sale of tobacco; alcohol; and in California, marijuana (for medicinal
purposes); prostitution (in Nevada).
c. Betting with odds makers ("bookies"), etc. is doubly sinful in that it not
violates the law of God, but also the laws of the state of Alabama.
2. Gambling is sinful, even if it is for a "good cause."
a. If schools are a good cause, then increase property or sales taxes.
b. The Catholic Church has sprouted bingo halls all over the world to
support their heresy, and Catholics have responded in kind by
withholding their financial contributions to the church.
c. Romans 3:8 Paul said that some affirmed the slanderous reported that
he taught, "Let us do evil, that good may come." It is never right to do
wrong!
d. If a single mother needed money for food, clothing, and shelter for
herself and her children, could she prostitute herself? Why not? The
money is a good cause!
3. Gambling is sinful because of its adverse effect on society:
a. It is additive:
1. There are 4 million compulsive gamblers in the US (1997)
2. Teens are twice as likely to become addicted as adults
3. In 1998, thousands of Californians drove to AZ to buy powerball
tickets and waited in line up to 10 hours to buy tickets. When the
store tried to close at its normal time, police had to be called to stop a potential riot among those who had waited all day and had not yet
purchased tickets.
b. It contributes to crime. Hancock Co., MS: the following statistics are
for crime in the six months after gambling was legalized compared to the six months before legalization:
1. Stolen vehicles - up 188%
2. Assaults - up 185%
3. Burglaries - up 100%
4. Theft - up 218%
5. Child molestation - up 353%
6. Vandalism - up 190%
7. Suicide - up 900%
c. It contributes to bankruptcy - 18% higher in counties w/gambling
d. It contributes to suicide:
1. See stats for Hancock Co, MS
2. In Nevada, suicide rates of visitors is 155% above average, and the
suicide rate of residents is 60% above average.
e. It takes money from those who can least afford it:
In Georgia, in areas where the average household income is less than
$20,000, lottery ticket purchases average $250 per person annually,
while households with incomes of $40,000+ spent only $97 per
person annually.
In Kentucky, 79% of lottery ticket purchases were in areas with an
average household income of less than $21,000.
The lottery is nothing but a voluntary tax on the poor.
4. Gambling is sinful because:
It violates Matthew 7:12 the golden rule
It violates Colossians 3:5 - God's law against covetousness
It violates Galatians 5:19-21 the works of the flesh
It violates Romans 12:17 - Provide things honest in the sight of all men
It violates Galatians 6:10 - let us do good unto all men
It violates Luke 12:42; I Peter 4:10 - good stewardship
It violates I Peter 2:21 the perfect example of Jesus Christ
It violates every God approved means of obtaining money:
1. Laboring for one's living - Matthew 10:1-10; I Cor. 9:14; I Tim. 5:18;
Eph. 4:28
Selling of goods - II Kings 4:7; Acts 5:4
Inheritance - Luke 15 prodigal son
Free will giving without thought of gain in return - Acts 2:45
I honestly think the bad far out weighs the good in this case. I certainly have my own issues to deal with. I am a Christian, but not way over to the right. We all have to walk this road alone. I am a decent pool player and I don't have to gamble to prove it to anyone.
Purdman ( Standing In The Need Of Prayer )
