gambling

[Guest Bro David™]

Hi David,

You lost me???

[tsth]

[quote name='Bro David

[Christ's Free Servant]

Dear Sue,

You have just promoted gambling as an ok thing for Christians to do.  For anyone who was feeling convicted, which bytheway, the originator of this thread was, you have just stepped in the way of what the Holy Spirit was speaking, and appealed to the fleshly side of her.

It's pretty simple, would you be willing to say that if Christ were here, HE would gamble???  That is ALL it is based upon.  If Christ wouldn't do it, then I won't either.  It's simple.  I think we all know what is right in our hearts.  We all know what is destructive/corruptive to society, and what is not.  Gambling is a no-brainer in terms of whether or not it benefits or breaks down our society/our brothers.

In His Truth,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Suzanne,

It is not my desire to promote any sin as ok. If that is how it came across, then I apologize. I would never purposefully or willfully lead anyone into sin. God knows how much I labor to help people overcome sinful habits in their lives and how much I daily weep over those who are in bondage to sin. I would never wilfully or with purpose or intent lead another brother to sin.

My main concern here is that we, as Christians, have a tendency to single out two social issues (drinking and gambling) and call them sin when the Bible does not call them sin. I know I have just opened up another subject I was trying to avoid, but let me explain.

If the Bible does not specifically refer to something as sin, then we can not call it sin, either. The abuse of those two things I mentioned above we can call sin, because the Bible does call those abuses sin. If you want my personal recommendation, I would recommend that people stay away from both of them, because they do not lead to godly living and they are more apt to lead to destruction, but that is just my opinion. But, there are many scriptures to support my opinion, some of which you quoted in your post to me.

But, let's take the Internet for example here. My heart breaks at the number of believers who are struggling with Internet pornography. So, should all believers stop using the Internet? Do we not risk leading our brother into sin? I know of many people who are TV junkies who watch hours and hours of garbage on TV, so should all Christians throw out their TV sets? Do you see my point at all here? I am not promoting sin. What I am saying is that people are just as addicted to TV, movies, video games, sports, recreation, food (and gluttony is a sin), music, cell phones, cars, house decorations, clothing, shoes, and the list goes on. We can not prevent people from sinning, but if we know that a brother or sister has a weakness, we should not, with full knowledge, do something in front of them that would encourage that weakness. Like I would not take a spendaholic shopping with me. I would not take a movieaholic to the movies with me. But, should I cease shopping? Should I stop eating because someone does not know how to stop? NO! But, I would not order a chocolate Sunday in front of someone whose weakness was icecream. This is the point of the passage of scripture about not causing our brother to stumble.

Now I agree that the use of alcohol and gambling are social issues. But, I think the Internet and too much TV watching should be social issues, too, because I have seen them destroy many individual lives as well as families. Anything done in excess and with priorities all messed up is bound to end up with some kind of a problem. There are just so many ways we can destroy ourselves and others. And, gambling is just one of them. And, I believe the stock market is another form of gambling and I have serious problems with believers who look down on those who gamble but who religiously play the stock market. And, it is a gamble and you can lose your whole life's savings with a snap of the finger. I just hate hypocrisy - you know the whole Pharisee kind of thing where we think we are better because we don't gamble or we don't drink, but then we cheat on God and others in other more acceptable ways.

So, if you are going to condemn gambling, then I think you need to make a list of all social ills that should be included in the list and condemn them, too, and then if you do that, there won't be much left that we can do. But, maybe that would not be such a bad thing afterall. Maybe we should all step back 100 years and cut out everything out of our lives that could lead us into sin. I'm serious! I'm not joking.

Your point about what Christ would do is a valid argument. But, do you think Christ would spend countless hours on here? Would he even have a computer? Would he allow himself to be exposed to all the things on here that pop up in our e-mails (unsolicited)? Would he watch several hours of TV a night? It's a good question, but let's apply it across the board. Let's all examine everything we do in our lives and ask ourselves the question "would Jesus do this?" Would he eat that second piece of pie? Would he watch the movies we watch or the news or TV shows we watch? Would he do what we do at work? Would he say the things we say or think the thoughts we think? I'm serious here. I really think we should all take a hard look at every aspect of our lives and ask ourselves "would Jesus do this?" It's just so easy for us to condemn gambling all the while we are doing stuff just as bad, you know? So, maybe the point shouldn't be is gambling wrong, but would Christ do it? And, if that, then would he do anything we do? And, if not, then maybe there are a whole lot of things that need to be cut out of our lives, you think?

My recommendation to the original post person: stay away from gambling institutions. There are many other good places to eat. But, then should we stay away from all restaurants that serve alcohol? Someone might think we are drinking. Sorry, I just have this thing in me that says "don't create a double standard" - if I say to her, stay away because someone might think you are gambling, then would not that have to apply across the board to everything we do? I'm just thinking out loud here. I really think we need to seriously look at our own lives and make sure we are not being hypocritical - that's my point!

[tsth]

Dear Sue,

I still stand by what I posted.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[toddlermom]

[quote name='Bro David

[toddlermom]

Prov. 28:20 The trustworthy will get a rich reward. But the person who wants to get rich quick will only get into trouble.

30:8

First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

30:9

For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.

Prov. 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

28:3 A poor man who oppresses the poor Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

It is the poor oppressing the poor, trying to become rich, by taking the winnings of all the poor trying to become rich.  It is not good for men to do this to one another, it is not in love.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

these are wonderful scriptures...though it doesn't speak specifically about gambling...we can all use some common sence and see that God does not like gambling. We are stay away from the apperance of evil... and society as a whole, i feel, thinks that gambling does not glorify God, therefore possibly gives off the appearance of evil....not to mention the skantily dressed women who serve you FREE alcohol all night so that you will gamble even more.

[toddlermom]

I know people who gamble as a recreation.  They set aside a certain amount of money and they go spend it at vegas or some local indian casino.  When the money is gone they go home.  Sometimes they actually take more home than they come with.

The difference is that they are not going to gain something, but to have fun.  My sister does this and spends less than most people spend on cable for watching movies or going on vacation like my wife and I do.

Like everything else (well most everything) you can loose controll over it and let it become an obsession, or addiction if it effects your brain chemistry (and this is the case for some).

No better or worse than taking a two week vacation to Lake Tahoe to skie or to florida to fish or to lake tenkeller to spend a couple of weeks on my boat.  Each can be a relaxing vacation or obsession.....  especially the fishing on my boat......

SE

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i just feel that you have to be careful with the environment that you are choosing to spend your time in. The people you speak of that go for "recreational purposes" and they don't go "gain anything", are going to gain something...other peoples money...and it could be someone who DOES have and addiction...and that person will go home with nothing and bring NOTHING home to their babies. Granted, the other persons addiction is no fault but their own, but why contribute to it. I'm sure your friends don't say to themselves, "I sure hope I dont win any money tonight...im just going to have fun." give all this money that you set aside to the poor.

[toddlermom]

I don't find anywhere the bible speaks about gambling except when the soldiers gambled for Jesus robe.  I have no problem with going to a casino to eat.  I don't gamble because it seems like a waste of time and besides I work to hard for my money.  If you want to know the truth some of the best restaurants are in large casinos.  However even if you wanted to play a slot machine I just don't see that it a sin.  Anything that takes over you life and replaces it in front of God is a sin. So if you want to go to a casino to enjoy a gook meal, go I see nothing wrong with that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didnt say that i wanted to go eat, i said that i was being persecuted for NOT wanting to eat at a casino. I feel that I would not want someone that i have been witnessing to, to see me walk in the front entrance of a casino(where the gamblers go too) they have no idea that i am going JUST to eat.

[Christ's Free Servant]

Dear Sue,

I still stand by what I posted.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Suzanne,

Thank you so much for this discussion. Honestly, it has helped me a lot to evaluate my own life and the things I do. I think your idea of asking "would Jesus do this?" is a great idea that should be applied to every aspect of our lives. And, of course we should ask if we are loving God and our brother by our actions, too. And, that applies to everything, not just the issue of gambling.

Galatians 6:1 states: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

Matthew 7:1-5 says:

[tsth]

Dear Sue,

I still stand by what I posted.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Suzanne,

I agree that gambling is not a good thing, but I can not, in good conscience, state that all gambling is a sin. I don't think gambling serves a good purpose, it is very easy to get addicted to it, it is not a good environment for believers to be in and I just really see no value to it. Also, more often than not, it leads to addiction and/or to people neglecting the needs of their families. But, then I feel that way about a lot of things - things that I mentioned in my previous post.

No hard feelings???? Agree to disagree in Christian love???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is where we differ Sue, as I can say gambling is a sin, with no hesitation. We KNOW that it is a practice that at this very moment, is destroying our neighbors life, a families life, a marriage, causing hunger of a child, etc. I DO NOT have to think about it. It is very destructive, and we have the statistics to show what it is doing in this nation to people and families. If you were to ask a little child who knows absolutely nothing about the dynamics of gambling in this nation, if it were wrong, they would have NO hesitation in saying that it IS WRONG. It's not a hard one to discern, even little children know the Truth.

I have no hard feelings Sue, we just have to be bold enough to tell the Truth again. As Christians we are supposed to be encouraging holy behavior. I do not do so with judgment in my heart, only a desire for "righteousness again" amongst God's people. We must begin to LIVE what we BELIEVE!!!! As Christians, others are watching to see if we are hypocrites, such as the pharisees, or do we truly practice what we preach??? We must follow the example of Christ Jesus, in love.

The love of Christ involves the Truth of Christ. It is not always easy, in fact it is very hard sometimes, because you run the risk of people hating you, because you have told the Truth, and have come into the light. I am in the light of Christ, and I long to bring as many with me as possible!!!! My motives are pure and of love for my brothers and sisters. I wish no harm, only goodness, which is why I would compel anyone who is gambling, to do so no longer.

In His Love,

Suzanne