Gambling

From The Saluter, Dresden Church of Christ

There are many pitfalls in our society. Some are easy to overcome, while others are not. Some are illegal while some are legal. One of the great pitfalls of our day is gambling. It has been made legal in some states, thus trying to put a face of respectability on it.

Gambling can be traced back to ancient Babylon and Rome. Calligilus was best known for very high priced gambling. In the Coliseum at Rome, the Roman citizens gambled on the lives of the Christians. Gambling is not new nor has it changed with time. It is still a ruthless "sport" for some people. Several years ago a statistic stated that over six hundred millions dollars are waged in the USA. This number was an estimate that included only the "legalized" gambling. And the money spent combating the crime which attaches itself to gambling could not be estimated. Gambling is a blight to every society! Today Americans gamble to the tune of $550 billion a year ...

Author W. J. Peterson contends: "This staggering sum is controlled by organized crime, which nets about 20 percent." Rufus King, a former congressional investigator, affirms that Nevada is "almost completely enslaved to gambler -- gangster forces."

In 1963 New Hampshire set up a state lottery ... (Editor's note: Today in the United States lotteries are run by 48 jurisdictions: 48 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.DCB) ...Lies are being told to make us feel this is the way to solve our financial crunch. The lottery is promoted as the way to fund our education. A report done in 1998, (Lotteries in the United States: A Brief Overview, by Ronald A. Reno), shows that eighteen states earmarked their lottery funds for education, but according to Money Magazine the states without lottery were more prone to see that education was properly funded. Reports also showed that states which started out funding education eventually decreased funds given to education. Thomas Dewey, former New York governor, declared:

"It is fundamentally immoral to encourage the belief by the people as a whole in gambling as a source of revenue ... The entire history of legalized gambling in this country and abroad shows that it has brought nothing but poverty, crime and corruption, demoralization of moral and ethical standards, and ultimately a lower living standard and misery for all people."

A powerful observation made by a political figure. I must wonder how many of our politicians today would stand for moral right and oppose moral decay...

Gambling in any form is ungodly, immoral, worldly, evil, and unchristian. Gambling is covetousness and this is condemned in God's word.

Luke 12:15 -- "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."

Colossians 3:5-6 -- "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience."

Matthew 16:26 -- "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Gambling is a violation of God's way for men to receive gain. Proverbs 13:11 -- "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase."

Proverbs 28:19-22 -- "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him."

Ephesians 4:28 -- "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

Gambling violates the golden rule.

Matthew 7:12 -- "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

Harry S. Truman one explained: "If you want to be like Nevada, that's your business." He went on to say that Nevada was a black spot on the United States and that legalized gambling was the worst thing in the world.

I just wonder, does the state of Tennessee [and Virginia DCB] wants to be classed as a state which accepts and promotes that which is evil to society? I am convinced that our state is of a higher moral fiber than to allow sin to dominate our lives, especially when we have the last word.

[This article has been revised and updated on statistics. It originally dealt with the lottery in Tennessee. DCB]