Title: What’s wrong with gambling
Theme:
Text: Exodus 20:17,
Gambling- 1) a valuable consideration, mutually risked in the hope of 2) winning a significant prize, which is awarded 3) not primarily for skill or ability but largely by the caprice of chance.
In just a little over a month from now we as citizens of South Carolina have before us one of the most important votes for morality that we have had in recent history. While we have kept our major focus on other issues such as abortion, prayer in schools, and pornography in crept this legalized gambling with hardly any opposition. Before we knew it, it was legalized and not many restrictions have been laid.
I remember when I was 16 years of age I had a close friend of mine who ran a convenient store in town. In this store he would have these machines to play. He had the pinball and video poker. This was before it was legal to payout, yet he still paid out and was never questioned nor fined. Today this is not an issue for it is legal.
Let me begin by saying this is not a political issue. It is not a matter of what candidate to vote for or whether or not Bro. Hardee should stand behind the pulpit and promote political issues. The issue of gambling and video gambling is about morality.
Second it is not about legislation or morality and trying to decide should our government take away the rights of people. It is not about rights but it is about morality. The problem we have is that our own government has stood for and added this issue to its agenda and is now making profit for our legislatures to spend.
The question has been asked does the Bible explicitly address the gambling problem. First let me make something clear. I looked up the word gambling in the concordance and found out that it is listed 0 times. But then I did the same thing with the trinity and the rapture and again found the same results. So we are to conclude that the Bible says nothing about gambling, NO! Just as we would not conclude the same for the fore mention.
But in principle with reading all the verses that could pertain to this issue it would not be hard to figure out that the Bible has a firm stance against gambling.
Gambling is driven by Covetousness and greed
Even from the first giving of the law. Our original ten commandments that was handed down to Moses to give to Israel we read in Ex. 20
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’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. (Exodus 20:17 AV)
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10 AV)
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (Luke 12:15 AV)
Gambling is hurtful to people
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 AV)
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (Romans 12:10 AV)
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:10 AV)
Gambling is poor stewardship
The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalms 24:1 AV)
For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. (1 Corinthians 10:26 AV)
Gambling ruins families and neighbors
Gain something for nothing
Even if we were to ignore what the Bible says about gambling how could we ignore the statistics?
Read Facts sheet
Then Read Economic Analysis
Difference between investing and gambling
Gambling transfers wealth from a winner to a loser because it produces nothing. Investing increases overall wealth because the capital invested in stocks provides the initial funding for firms which exist for the purpose to producing goods and services.
Difference between insurance and gambling
Insurance serves as a service. You are buying protection. Gambling is trying to get something for nothing.
Beyond the Limits of Recreation: Social Costs of Gambling in Southern Nevada is a report that examines the condition of a gambling-dependent state after 70-plus years of being the nation’s gambling Mecca. Professors Thompson and Schwer offer a comprehensive report.
In early February of 2003, an insightful report on gambling, titled Beyond the Limits of Recreation: Social Costs of Gambling in Southern Nevada, was released at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Far West and American Popular Culture Association. This is a significant study on the social costs of gambling in a "mature" gambling community such as Nevada. The researchers and authors of this report are credible gambling analysts from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV).
This study examines the social and economic infrastructure and stability of Nevada, a state built mainly on gambling revenue since 1931.
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As you read this study, pay special attention to several key findings:
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o Gambling has become more popular among women. Lotteries, free standing slot and/or video machines, bingo games, and neighborhood casinos can be very enticing to female participants. (p. 6)
o Gambling addiction’s impact on marriages and families is substantial. Nearly a third of the people interviewed were either divorced or separated, many crediting gambling as the main source of contention. (p. 7) Note: Former surveys of Gamblers Anonymous members have indicated that problem gamblers themselves tend to underestimate the significance of their gambling addiction, while spouses often indicate that gambling has a much larger impact on their marriage.
o One-third of the problem gamblers surveyed, work - or have worked - in the casino industry. Once again, this research supports availability and exposure as key elements in facilitating gambling pathology. (pp. 8-9)
o Video poker machines were a favorite among the respondents. Over two-thirds found the machines constitute "serious" problems for them. Slot machines were also considered to be quite addictive. (p. 9)
o Of the gamblers who went to other people for money, over half went to their spouse or passed bad checks, and almost one-third went to their children for help. The average debt was $57,160. (p. 10)
o Almost half of the respondents were led to bankruptcy through gambling, and over half indicated that they had stolen money or materials to gamble or to pay gambling-related debts. (p. 11)
o Workplace productivity losses accounted for over a day’s work each month. (p. 12)
o The survey found that two-thirds of the respondents had planned suicides as a result of gambling. One-third had actually attempted suicide. (p. 13)
o The report mentions that most statistics are conservative. Errors most likely occurred in underestimating actual numbers. (p. 14)
