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View Poll Results: For a Christian is playing the lottery a sin?
Yes 6 14.63%
No 27 65.85%
Yes, you'll burn in hell for it. 2 4.88%
Yes, but God will forgive you. 3 7.32%
No, but other forms of gambling are. 0 0%
Other. 3 7.32%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 07-08-2007, 06:17 PM
 
Location: Mississippi
6,712 posts, read 13,439,515 times
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Two good stories about casinos. One I witnessed the other one I heard about from my Dad.

A guy my Dad works with has a sister who went to Atlantic City. She was playing the slots (I think just the dollar slots) and won the progressive jackpot for 10 million dollars. After they got done with all the paperwork and were sitting in the VIP suite her and her husband looked at each other and said "Well, what do we do now?" She said, "Well let's go down and gamble some more, we don't have to worry about the money." This time she sat down at the $5 slots and on the second spin hit for $50,000. Unbelievable.

The other story: I was in Tunica, MS playing craps at the Horseshoe. The table limit at the time was $5000. Some guy walked up and laid down 10 grand and said "I'M GONNA STACK 'EM TO THE ROOF!" The dealer said "Sorry sir the limit is $5k". He said "TALK TO THE PIT BOSS I'M GOING TO THE ROOF!" So, now I'm real interested in what's gonna happen. The pit boss let's him play his 10 grand and the guy puts it all down on the "Pass Line". It's one of the best bets in the casino. If the next roll is a 7 or 11 he wins 10k. If it's any number other than 2,3, or 12 that number has to come up before a 7. And if it is a 2,3, or 12 he loses. Well, an 11 rolls out and he wins 10k. He said "I'M GOING TO THE ROOF BABY!" He now has 20k on the pass line and the pit boss says "OK". A 7 rolls out! Now, the guy has 40k. He looks at the pit boss and the pit boss kind of shakes his head but lets him go anyway. The next roll is a 6. So, now a 6 has to roll before a 7 does or the guy loses. The very next roll is a 7 and the guy lost all his money. EVERYONE at the table's jaw just dropped. I couldn't believe it myself. He just laughed and walked away from the table like it was no big deal. If that were me they'd find me leaping off the roof! No pun intended
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Old 07-08-2007, 08:33 PM
 
4,139 posts, read 11,463,767 times
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I grew up being taught that gambling was a sin. Slot machines will lead strait to hell, etc....

Now, I will start by saying......I don't like the Vegas scene.....drinking, smoking, etc.....BUT, I don't think a little game of Texas Hold 'em with friends and some quarters is not a sin.

I also think gambling can be as dangerous as drinking in terms of addiction and sometimes it is better not to cause your brother to stumble.

BUT, I was taught gambling was wrong because you are not being good stewards of God's money, etc.....

This is not a good enough reason to me. How many of us live in houses we can't afford, shop for "retail therapy" when we need absolutely nothing, go out to eat instead of saving, etc.....We mis-spend SO often and the same people telling me not to gamble are the same ones who are buying yet a 20th pair of shoes when they have 19 perfectly good new pair at home. WHO is not being a good steward of God's money?

I guess I view gambling as entertainment and if it is in your entertainment budget and you want to do it, go ahead. If it becomes a problem for you, stop.

I do not gamble and we are trying very hard to live below our means to live the way God wants us to, but I don't think it is a "sin" necessarily.

Dawn
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Old 07-08-2007, 08:42 PM
 
Location: Between Here and There
3,684 posts, read 11,802,095 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kawgpz550 View Post
Did you know that NO ONE ever dies in a casino? It's true, especially here where I live. They treat the "dead" body as being alive and pronounce it dead at the hospital or??? This is because they would have to wait for the county coroner to make his way to the casino and such...not good business to have a dead body lying around too long. Especially here! Here they would have to wait for a minimum of 2 hours (usually more like 4-6) for a coroner to make his way from Las Vegas (90 miles away) to Laughlin. So whether someone jumps out of their hotel room window or if they fall over at the slot machine...they do not "die" until later .
I'm pretty sure this is the policy at Disney World as well.
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Old 07-09-2007, 06:15 AM
 
Location: Newtown Connecticut
328 posts, read 1,032,738 times
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Default Amen !!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ibcwife View Post
Here is a website on the subject that I found to send to my parents and my inlaws...

Something to think about...

How much of your hard earned, God given money are you gladly giving to further the work of satan?



Why Gambling is Wrong

(1) Gambling discourages honest labor. The Bible supports the concept of the so-called "Protestant work ethic." Proverbs 14:23 (Amplified) tells us, "In all labor there is profit, but idle talk leads only to poverty." Profit should come through productive labor, not by chance.

"Wealth not earned but won in haste, or unjustly, or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use, such riches will dwindle away; but he who gathers little by little will increase them" Proverbs 13:11 (Amplified). See also Proverbs 28:19.

(2) Gambling encourages greed, materialism and discontent. See Luke 12:15, Hebrews 13:5, I Timothy 6:6-10, Psalm 62:10. Lottery promotions induce people to covet the money of others. Gambling such as lotteries are engaged in by people hoping to win a lot of money without earning it, which is a dishonest attitude. Money won in gambling comes from other players, including some who can ill afford to gamble. Gambling in its essence is a form of robbery, which is stealing. Each gambler wants to get the prize money for himself. It encourages greedy obsession with material wealth, which is having another god in place of the true Creator. Gambling directly breaks the first, eighth and tenth commandments, and all the others in principle.

Gambling is basically LUST. Anyone with the Spirit of the Eternal should be able to discern this fact. Here at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, where "pleasure" and self-indulgence reign supreme, lust is everywhere.

I John 2:15-17, "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

Proverbs 21:25-26, "The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not."

(3) Gambling encourages "get rich quick" thinking. See Proverbs 28:20, 22; 21:5.

Proverbs 23:4-5, "Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."

(4) Gambling encourages reckless investment of God-given resources. See Matthew 25:14-30. If gambling is "fun" and "pleasure" to you, you already have your reward. If you are denying yourself, serving the Eternal 100% with your time and resources, you will not make the pitifully weak (and false) excuse: "But I have a right to throw away my money at gambling!" You know that your life, your wealth are not yours. If you follow the Bible, you are a slave to the Messiah. You, your money, everything you have are His. Would Jesus gamble? Definitely not!

Sabbath keepers who spend second tithe on gambling are no different than infidels who spend their allotted vacation money on gambling. Gambling, prostitution, drunkenness and ribald night clubs are no atmosphere for the Bible believer. One year we kept the Feast of Tabernacles at Squaw Valley, California, across the border from Reno, Nevada’s other gambling Mecca. One evening of the Feast we went over to Nevada to a dinner show where we heard male vocalist Ed Ames. Mr. Ames' music is generally very wholesome and uplifting. However I have often felt since that time that a gambling casino was no atmosphere for us to be in. Jesus was invited to dinners given by Pharisees as well as tax collectors. He preached the truth wherever He went, but He did not support corrupt practices.



Conclusion

Satan is a gambler. He should know that the "house" (the Father) has the odds in its favor. The devil lost before and soon Satan will stake it all on a last desperate gamble to overthrow his Maker. What foolishness!

Salvation is no gamble. It is sure.

The only question is whether we are going to patiently remain faithful, steadfast to the end. Or are we going to foolishly risk it all on the fleeting lusts and pleasures of this world?

Which would you prefer: Caesar’s Palace with its glitter and lustful pleasures and the friends of this world? Or a cool forested hideaway with clean air and water, with a few of the Eternal’s people? Lot took the popular plain of Sodom, while Abraham took the sparsely populated hills. God’s country is "where the pleasure is."

Psalms 16:11, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Gambling is a sin.

Compulsive gamblers can overcome their obsession with gambling by and through the power of the Almighty. Gambling is a curse, closely associated with gangsterism, prostitution, theft, narcotics, and drunkenness. Is it right for people to prey on the lusts and greedy appetites of others? Is it right to throw money down a rat hole, for no constructive purpose other than "entertainment"? To attempt to get something for nothing, without working for it? NO!

Gambling is the opposite of love. Its prime motive is to get, which is Satan’s way. God’s way is one of giving and sharing. Casinos exist to take your money, trying to make it appear as painless as possible. True love is to give and share. An honest day’s work for honest wages. Constructive, honest and productive labor builds character. Gambling builds lust, greed, cheating, and selfishness. There are no positive attributes of gambling. Any "charity" that resorts to gambling for fund raising is wrong.

Stay away from all forms of gambling. Labor honestly for productive wealth. Wisely use your resources for the Eternal’s services

Is Gambling a Sin
Amen again !!!!!!!!!!
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Old 07-09-2007, 06:39 AM
 
1,439 posts, read 3,877,292 times
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I don't think its a sin unless it is uncontrollable. Same with eating, same with drinking, same with obsession at my computer (HA HA HA, I AM IN TROUBLE)... Moderation is the key. I know that for me personally I have the potential to loose all control at a slot machine, therefore I don't do it, BUT I think if you can do it in FUN and get up and leave you are fine. I happen to have an addictive personality so I have to watch pretty much EVERYTHING so as not to get obsessed!
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Old 07-09-2007, 10:01 AM
 
740 posts, read 2,011,402 times
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How about for those who give more money to the casinos... than they do to their church... or other charity's? Do you think it is a sin then? When someone is giving their -tithes- to satan and his work?

If as Christians, we are called to honor God, to live irreproachable lives (Eph 4:30, 1Pe 2:12 ), and to not cause our brother to stumble(1Co 8:9 ), then how are we doing that by going to a place that promotes or causes so many things that we as Christians are apposed to? Excessive drinking... (free drinks while you gamble so that you will lose you inhibitions and monetary limits) prostitution, crime, domestic violence, child abuse...... poverty.. Lust, greed, covet ness.. Crime and Gambling

Ephesians 5:10 - NLT - with Study Resources - with Context - Study Desk

I have family who lives in Las Vegas and works in the casino. In fact, my brother works the $500 Black Jack table at the Win.. and my sister in law works at Paris Paris... He and his family have been there for about 18 years now. Even working in a place like that promotes sin. Since the waitresses are scantly clad... so many of the younger girls who come to gamble are as well.. and there is so much emphasis on the darker side of life... hummm... I wonder what the divorce rate for infidelity is for someone who works in the casinos...

Anyway... I have family that gamble all of the time. (not my brother) Every weekend. They come back telling us of their winnings. They do the scratch- offs to the tune of probably $50 (or more) per week. They would always call to tell us of their winnings... I have teenage kids who are very impressionable. All they were telling us was of their winnings... I wanted to hear how much they were losing to this sickness. How much they were furthering satan and his work..... Because if you look at the casinos.... someone is losing! All are losing.. in one way or another.
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Old 07-09-2007, 10:32 AM
 
Location: Metro Detroit, MI
3,490 posts, read 3,187,491 times
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Just throwing in my 2 cents.

I voted just plain "No".

I was raised by very conservative Christian parents. They believe, and raised me to believe, that playing the lotto is akin to gambling, which they believe to be a sin for numerous reasons, the biggest being "throwing money away into the devil's kingdom."

I myself have never agreed with them as a generality, but I believe it can become a stumbling block for some people. For myself, I never gambled at all until I met my wife. The times I have done it I have realized that for me, I don't really enjoy it, and never seem to win a dang thing anyway.

This makes me wonder: the NT says (in so many words) that even if God doesn't really consider something "sin", that if to us it is, then it is. For instance, eating pork is okay, but if that person feels because of cultural reasons or whatever that it is not, then it is not.

So...do I always lose when I gamble because I was raised to believe it is a sin?
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Old 07-09-2007, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Jacksonville,Florida
3,770 posts, read 10,558,059 times
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People have lost thei homes,all their money,their families and thoughts of suicide due to the Lottery.People who are putting their faith in winning money and not in God(who is obviously more important)is cpnsidered a sin.

Last edited by noland123; 07-09-2007 at 12:31 PM..
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Old 07-09-2007, 11:10 AM
 
Location: Metro Detroit, MI
3,490 posts, read 3,187,491 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noland123 View Post
People have lost thei homes,all their money,their families and thoughts of suicide due to the Lottery.People are putting their faith in winning money and not in God,who is obviously more important.When we put our faith and hope in other things than God,then it is a sin.
Well it's important to balance everything, don't you think? I can agree people have lost many things due to gambling in general. I have an aunt who could not stop with her addiction to gambling and as a result has lost her home, and had to file bankruptcy.

But you state if we put our faith and hope in other things than God, then it's a sin. In a general sense I can agree, but then again, I have hope that my car will start in the morning, that the sun will rise, ect. None of that is sin...
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Old 07-09-2007, 11:29 AM
 
740 posts, read 2,011,402 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffncandace View Post

So...do I always lose when I gamble because I was raised to believe it is a sin?
LOL... I was raised to believe that it is a sin to gamble. My grandfather had a gambling problem that he almost lost his family over... and because of this he was strongly against gambling. But, being my own person and not a child of Christ until I was 39... I have gambled. I have won. I had a royal flush at a poker table in Vegas 40-1 odds.. I would take $20 (because I always considered it throwing away money anyway) and play roulette, or the black jack table... or even the slots. I usually came back ahead.
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