Featured Dancing, Gambling, and Drinking

Investing in a stock is NOT same as gambling though, as the bible commends us to invest and save for the future, but not to get "rich qick!"

Its the mindset involved, as the person buying stocks are investing money they earned from their work to try to save for future times, while a gambler just doing that to get it all 'right now!"

 

In my mind, the biggest difference between gambling and the stock market is that in stocks you make money off of other people's gain, not their loss. Unless you short sell, but that's a different discussion.

With that being said, I think most people should avoid gambling due to its addictive nature and potential problems that can arise. I don't see it as a sin in and of itself, but I can see how it could easily lead to sin.

Personally, I love playing Texas Hold 'em. I have an app on my phone where I play for points, no money involved. Because of this enjoyment, I accepted an invitation to play a $10 buy in to play at a battle buddy's house, winner take all. I won, and then gave the guys their money back. Obviously, there was no desire to get rich there. Was that sin? I don't think so. Even if I'd have lost, I didn't need that $10 and I got several hours of enjoyment out of it. More enjoyment than I personally would have gotten out of paying more for a sporting event.

 

SN, this is only true at a very esoteric level. The concept of the market and investing SHOULD that wise intelligent investments pay off, and certainly paying attention to basic investment principles do tend to pay dividends over time. The "real money" made today is almost exclusively the domain of the those which possess access to information and can act on that information in almost instantaneous fashion (computer model trading). Such tech approaches are a subtle (or not so) attempt to outwit and outperform others in the market. Such emphasis might not be "good" for believers. Investing in market, with eyes to long term gain for prep seems to me to be a better (ethical) approach.

I see nothing wrong with "rich folk", or even the pursuit of such wealth. Scripture tells of us of many such people. We are warned that wealth and its pursuit can easily pollute our lives and walk.

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Good man SN

 

true, as its NOT wealth/money hat is the problem, but the LOVE of it, to gain it at all costs which is a snare to manying, as they fon't trust in the Lord to be their provision, but ole money!

 

Concerning gluttony, I have to take issue with you. Heart disease and diabetes are two of the leading killers in America (heart disease is #1), and they are nearly always brought on by gluttony. The number of gambling addicts pales compared to the number of heart patients and diabetics. You gave us some of your history and it's very touching, and I am glad that God brought you out of the bondage you were in. Now, here is mine. All my life I have avoided eating healthy foods, preferring to load up on fats, sugars and salty foods. I was never obese but my body was being punished. Now I have had a coronary (cost $110,000), continuing hypertension and borderline diabetes. I have a greatly reduced life expectancy. And my doctor's office is full of patients just like me or worse.

So don't tell me that gambling is as bad as gluttony. Problem gamblers are relatively rare. However, there are millions of people just like me all over this country, with major medical issues that they have due to their gluttony.

Lest you misunderstand, I'm not downplaying problem gambling. When it occurs the damage is enormous. However, it doesn't occur often enough to come anywhere close to the damage done by gluttony, which is almost universal.

 

Are you against being antagnostic? Never mind.

 

Not true. Most heart disease is hereditary. Diet doesn't help someone who is genetically predisposed, but cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol are almost exclusively hereditary.

Science Daily: Heredity Plays Big Role In Heart Disease Risk Factors​

Also not true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the number of non-institutionalized adults with diagnosed heart disease: 26.5 million, or 11.5% of the population. According to the National Institutes for Health, the number of diabetics in the U.S. is 25.8 million, or about 10.5% of the population of the U.S. Three in four of diabetics come from a strong family history of diabetes, according the American Diabetes Assocation. And the number of diabetics who suffer from heart disease is about 16.75 million, according to The American Heart Association. The National Gambling Impact Study Commission, found that between 15 and 20 million, or about five to seven percent of the U.S. population, exhibits evidence of problem, or disordered, gambling. That's hardly a number that "pales in comparison" to the number diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes. Keep in mind, these are numbers of diagnosed cases, in all arenas. The numbers for all these afflictions are therefore likely higher.

I'm sorry you're having to bear the weight of these burdens. I will pray for you, and I'm serious when I say that. Obviously you know that diet and exercise are extremely important to your well-being. But as you said, you were never obese, yet you have developed these diseases nonetheless. Now let me ask you, did your parents suffer from either of these afflictions?

OK. I'll let the statistics tell you that. Not equally as bad, from a population standpoint, but it isn't a small problem either.

Five to seven percent of Americans isn't a number for a "rare" affliction, and among our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of men and women suffering from disordered gambling is closer to ten percent, almost all of them also exhibiting qualifying symptoms for a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. If the flu had hit that high a number of infections, the CDC would be closing down air travel and declaring a national state of emergency.

Sorry, but it is more of an heredity issue, as the numbers bear out.

I must apologize in advance here, but like most Americans, you do not know how serious the disordered gambling problem in this country has become, and it is getting worse.

 

Why is that considered gambling or is it calculated investing?

 

Gamblers' Anonymous advises members of its fellowship to abstain from stock market investment, because it does satisfy the urge to gamble, and often is the "acceptable" form gamblers engage in order to meet the needs of their addiction. However, since no mention is made in S/N's church's minutes of a previously existing gambling problem -- and the 1920s were ten to 25 to 30 years before the first GA meeting -- it sounds more like a legalistic, narrow-minded reaction than sound church discipline.

 

Also sounds like its wise for an alcoholic to abstain from all frinking, but can not make it wrong for all to do such!

So wise to have gamblers not do that, but cannot make it same for all others!

 

No they did not. Neither did my grandparents. And I am suspicious of your assertions about the pervasiveness of gambling addiction. I will pm you and tell you why.

 

Actually all three could be sin. I think that the early church had more wisdom than today's church which wants to play next to the edge. I think that the early church understood the command to flee from even the appearance of evil. 1Thess 5:22

 

Feel free, but those are the facts, and there are no denying them. I'm a licensed addictions counselor, a licensed disordered gambling counselor, and a licensed marriage and family therapist. It's my job to know those facts.

 

Would say dancing and drinking NOT sins in and of themselves, but gambling would be!

 

Judith, how do you know? You did not live in the first century, I suspect (but don't KNOW) that people today aren't whole lot different then people of the first century.

 

man never really changes, as regardless 1st or 21 st century, we are all the same in our natures and what we do and think!

 

Another tread designed to excel. :thumbsup: :laugh::thumbsup::laugh:

The pastor of a Church I attended for many years and which he pastored until retirement would say the following: Baptists think the four cardinal sins are drinkin, dancin, smokin, and cussin! Of course he was against all these but his point was well made.

1. I do think cussin, taking the Lord's name in vain, is a gross sin and must not be practiced by a believer.

2. Much of what young people call dancing is downright vulgar and not becoming of anyone much less a Christian.

3. I never had a problem with smoking since all my family except my mother and me smoked. It certainly is not healthy.

4. I have no real problem with drinking in moderation but there is a fine line between what is healthy and what is not. I have tried to develop a taste for red wine which is supposed to be good for the heart but can't.

Drinking and smoking are both addictive. One problem I see with drinking is that one might have a real weakness; unknown until it is too late.

There are certainly sins worse than those alleged above. Certainly misuse of the tongue, or the fingers as used on this Forum, can be very sinful. Very frequently we do not address each other as Christian brothers and sisters! I plead guilty!

I believe the worst sin I see in the "Christian" community other than Apostasy and Heresy is the widespread support of abortion and the practice of abortion by some professing "believers".