Don't Play the Lottery for Me!

And the price of Christ's redeeming blood is none any of us could purchase with all the money of this world, for all the monies of this world would not come close to being enough!

~Teresa~

 

God bless Pastor John for standing tall for Jesus, and you also TimothyW for posting his words.

A friend - Jim

 

They didn't take from the poor, they took what a rich guy gave them.
Does your church take tithes from poor people?
Gina

 

As Tim said, I can only say amen and amen!

 

The lottery is an exploitation of the poor.

 

The lottery is an exploitation of the poor.</font>[/QUOTE]How is it expoloitation of the poor if the lottery is supported by those who buy tickets? Granted, the majority are poor, but it is their chioce....

 

How can it be exploitation...if they are willingly taking part in it...and why would you say it is "the poor"? you think only poor people play the lottery?

[ January 06, 2003, 05:42 PM: Message edited by: Popeye ]

 

The lottery is an exploitation of the poor.
Then, persons should only be allowed to buy a lottery ticket if they make $100,000.00 a year or more? That would keep the poor from buying tickets. Of couse, that would prevent them from winning. Would that not exploit the poor?

To me, that's like saying that tobacco products exploit the poor.

 

You may say that it does not exploit the poor and that it is their choice, but I say why even have the temptation before them. So many will spend money they need for food, clothing, housing, etc. on the lottery in hopes of getting rich quick.

Neal

 

Then women exploit men, and men exploit women, and food exploits everyone that struggles with over-eating....

This is where self-control comes in!

 

Since you mentioned tobacco Johnv, look around and take a stab at guessing the average income of those you see smoking now-a-days. The more affluent ain't smokin' much now and they were just as "hooked" as the poor are. Don't you think tobacco is exploiting all addicted users? And look at the price of a carton of cigarettes now - $25 around here in the Carolinas.

Johnv, this is one of the few things you post with which I disagree - you aren't upset are you , buuuddy?

 

Well, I personally think that the ones we exploit the most tend to be ourselves. I grew up in a family of smokers. I've never touched the stuff. Come to think of it, I've never tried tobacco in any form. Same with drugs. I think I can count the number of drinks I've had in 2002 on one hand. If I had tried any of these things, I probably could have made a statement that I was being exploited by the companies that make these products. But in reality, the only one exploiting me would be myself.

Now if we're talking caffiene, that's a different story.

 

They took what a rich guy gave them, which was taken from the lottery, which took from the poor as well as the more fortunate. So, they did take from the poor.

Question Gina - should a church preach "against" gambling, yet take known winnings from gambling, is that church not hypocritical? That's talking out of both sides of their mouth. That's sorta like saying, "Don't you gamble now - but if you do, don't forget to give us our part.

 

The lottery is a tax on the mathematically challenged. The government wants money and is getting it from those who flat don't realize that it came from other people that bought tickets.

I admire the Salvation Army for turning down a lottery winning, because they don't support gambling. It is sad that a church was unable to do the same thing.

If God wants me to win the lottery, He'll have to give me the winning ticket, because I am sure not buying any!

 

It comes from other people who bought tickets?
I thought they only used the money from cows that bought tickets!
Anyhow, what's wrong with that?
Teresa, if someone can't buy food or pay their rent they aren't going to have money for a lottery ticket, and if they DO choose to spend it that way then that's nobody's fault but their own.
Also, I think a lot of people are confusing lottery ticket spending and gaming, where the majority of people spend much more than they would on a lottery ticket at the convenient store.
It's probably pretty obvious that I find nothing wrong with accepting money from someone who won the lottery anymore than I find anything wrong with accepting a tax return or having my kids read out of books bought with government funding for the school.
That said, I'm not ignorant of the fact that a gambling addiction can be horrid, I've dealt with it in my family and I've had my share of time in the casinos and games in private. I haven't had a part in any of it in years, and haven't bought a lottery ticket in the last almost three years if I remember right.
The thing is it's somebody's choice, some will get addicted and some won't. The same can be said for chocolate or coffee or food or sex or computers or collecting baseball cards.
Gina

 

Gina,
I'm confused! Are you trying to argue something I said? I never said that the lottery exploits the poor.

 

(this is not directed at anyone in particular... it just seems like this is the prevailing attitude of Americans... believers and non-believers alike)

Yeah, money, money, money...

All I want is money...

I don't care where I get it...

I just need money, money, money...

...Oh yeah, maybe I can use it for God too.

I just think that buying a lottery ticket doesn't match what a Christian should look like. Seek God's Kingdom first... then you'll have everything you'll need.

Buying a lottery ticket cuts the legs out from under seeking God's Kingdom. At the very heart of the issue, no matter how deep hidden within, is greed. Yes, maybe the buyer wants to help God's Kingdom with the money, but he/she wants a little "blessing" as well.

[ January 06, 2003, 09:28 PM: Message edited by: sodzei ]

 

Originally posted by JIMNSC:

Did you not care to answer my question Gina?

Edited due to ugliness on my part - Sorry folks.

Jim

[ January 07, 2003, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: JIMNSC ]

 

I believe in self-control as well, probably more than the next person! Guess what?!? Not everyone is as self controlled as you! What I am saying is why put the temptation out there? If you are okay with it, then fine, that is your decision. I for one don't think I could take money from lottery winnings and I will sure never promote the lottery. Check out Romans 14, I think it would apply well here. Besides, the whole idea of the lottery comes down to the love of money, and we know what the Bible says about that!

Neal

[ January 06, 2003, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: neal4christ ]