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Holy Rollers: Card Counting Christians Playing Blackjack

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by InTheLight, Apr 3, 2012.

  1. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Was reading the lottery threads and remembered about these guys I heard about on Michael Medved about a month ago.
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    They're Christians, and they call themselves "The Church Team," and they're also taking Vegas casinos -- and others -- for gobs of money, all because they've learned the science of counting cards.

    Their story is told in the awesomely titled Holy Rollers, which claims to feature "the most well-funded blackjack team in America -- made up entirely of churchgoing Christians."

    Sound shady? Perhaps unethical? You be the judge. They would argue that casinos are robbing people blind, especially folks who are addicted to gambling and/or can't afford it in the first place. They'd say that they're taking from the rich to put the money to better use -- feeding their families, tithing, and keeping the moolah out of the wrong hands.

    "It doesn't seem like one of the most noble things a person can do in the world," one member of the team says in the film. "But at least we can liberate the money from the clutches of those who would use it for ill purposes, you know?"

    The team includes not just laypeople, but pastors and worship leaders. The filmmakers were subtle and secretive, managing to get unprecedented footage inside casinos, showing the team at work -- and the casino operators who were always on the lookout for card counters, and then "inviting" them (sometimes politely, sometimes not) to leave.

    Here's a trailer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3s4o6gAQRk
     
  2. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    Now I've seen everything. :laugh:
     
  3. MNJacob

    MNJacob Member

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    Interesting.

    What they are doing is not gambling.
     
  4. Bobby Hamilton

    Bobby Hamilton New Member

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    Even card counters lose. They may be able to make a consistent profit, but if at any point they lose (be it one hand, one day, one week, one month) then it most certainly is gambling.

    I don't know how I feel personally about the issue. I don't care if a person gambles as long as they aren't taking away needs from their family. If they have 100 bucks set aside for "entertainment" and they'd rather go to the casino then out to dinner and a movie, have at it.

    Where I get uncomfortable is using God/Jesus/The Church as an advocate here. While ultimately there may be nothing wrong with gambling, the social stigma isn't positive, and to me that would hurt a Christian's testimony.
     
  5. thegospelgeek

    thegospelgeek New Member

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    Card counting is forbidden in most casinos so they would not only be "christians" who gamble but also ones that cheat when doing so.
     
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