Gambling

1Cor.10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Rom.14:5b Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom.14:23b for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
---Do everything to the glory of God. If you have any doubts whatsoever, don't. Could you picture Jesus at a casino?
DHK

 

It's called "Adultry". Everything on television even the commercials is sex based, adultry is the easiest of sins to slip into mans life... The high heels, the hoop earrings, the make-up, the scantly clad women of every tv show and commercial, even men are made as objects of desire nowdays. My former friends at the WB, call women lips a "target", lipstick is chosen, and camara shots are centered around womens lips.

 

No, I don't think that they had casinos in that region at that time. But I do know that they had parties where alcohol flowed freely...He seemed to have no difficulty showing up there.

BTW, we should all live according to 1 Cor. 10:31. There is great freedom in that verse.

 

Entertainment. Thought I mentioned that (about a dozen times already).

I agree that all of our passions must be nailed to the cross. BTW, how are you doing with fried, high fat foods? I'm struggling with that one myself.

Amen brother. Not sure that this has anymore to do with gambling than it does with chosing a career where incomes are higher than most but I do agree that we must be of a single passion.

Well I'm not gambling. Just questioning those who say that gambling is always sin. If I understand the context that you are trying to show here, let me ask you: do you own a vehicle? How about a television? Do you use a library card rather than purchase books? How about food. Do you ever eat at a restaurant? How about attending a sporting event that requires a paid admission?

You set a very high bar. I hope that you are able to live up to it.

BTW, the passage you mention is not a call to monastocism.

 

Guy,

Thank you. You've proven what I was trying to say. The word "pornography" may not be expressly or explicitly used, but the principle is clear.

The soldiers gambling for our dying savior's clothing...is much different than casting lots to see who is going to be the next disciple. The context is pretty clear that the soldiers were out-and-out gambling, while the disciples were voting....

Concern for our souls, and for our brethren, requires that we do those things that keep ourselves and our brethren from stumbling.

Knowing that some people gamble because it is an addiction...knowing that some people gamble in a vain hope to obtain funds they neither earned nor deserve, nor care about who suffers from the loss of it...knowing this, how can we, as Christians, give gambling a "stamp of approval"?

 

I am more with you than not on this. I join you in not giving gambling a "stamp of approval" and wouldn't gamble even if we could give it the "stamp of approval".

However, the issue of gambling points out a duplicity in Baptist ranks. Your church may be an exception but the membership of every Baptist church I have joined or visited has been dominated, numerically, by folks who are at or near obesity. And more than half of all pastors I know seem to be leading by example in this regard.

With some notable exceptions, we eat unhealthy foods, we live sedentary lifestyles, etc... but I have never heard these practices attacked with the same fervor as that of gambling.

I would love to see a Baptist people who were at least as concerned (as shown by our actions) about how a majority of us treat our "temples" as we are about how a minority of us spend our entertainment dollar.

As interesting story may illustrate my point. One of my close friends (a church member) runs marathons, is very healthy, lives a very Godly life, and has an occasional glass of wine at dinner (partly because of the health benefit/partly because of the enjoyment). Another friend of mine (member of the same church) is your stereotypical southern preacher boy (no slam intended) whose hobbies include amazing amounts of reading, study, and eating fried foods (we call this "fellowshiping" down 'hea'). He is about 65lbs overweight and should probably be saving ahead for that open heart surgery that is sure to come within the next 20 years.

Friend 2 found out about friend 1's occasional glass of wine and went ballistic. Fellowship between then is still a bit strained. BTW, friend 1, realizing that this glass of wine thing had caused something resembling a "stumble" by friend 2, decided to stop partaking (even in the privacy of his own home) as long as he was in the same church as friend 2.

At the writing of this post, friend 2 rejects any and all comparisons of drinking a glass of wine and eating an unhealthy diet.

[ May 15, 2002, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan ]

 

All that he says is that to drink wine is clearly sin. When I ask him how he is not being hypocritical by eating a fat laden diet (leading him to be at least 70lbs overweight and heading for heart disease) while decrying folks who may dring an occasional glass of wine, he usually responds by accusing me of "striving".

Basically, he doesn't claim any grounds for his argument.

[ May 31, 2002, 07:55 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan ]