CEJ Spring 2008
Consider the following statistics as reported from a recent U.S. News and World Report article:
-
1. A record 73 million Americans, up 20 million from just five years ago, will patronize one of the nation’s more than 1,200 casinos, card rooms, or bingo parlors this year.
2. The average gambler visits a casino nearly six times a year --- almost twice as often as he did a decade ago.
3. At least 6 million Americans will click a bet on one of an estimated 2300 on-line gaming sites.
4. All together, gamblers will lose more than 80 billion dollars on everything from the Triple Crown to the flip of a card this year (2005). This staggering figure does not include the number of lottery tickets purchased (47).
5. A web site called allcountries.org cited figures from the 2000 US. Census Bureau’s Report which said just under 36 billion dollars were spent on lottery tickets in 1999 in the United States.
6. Besides all this “legal gambling,” Norman Geisler in his book “Gambling --- A Bad Bet”, estimates that over 2 trillion dollars are changing hands in illegal gambling each year (12). This book was written in 1990. The number today surely exceeds his estimate of seventeen years ago.
The Effects of Gambling
Gambling is highly addictive. The numbers are quite an eye-opener. The
U.S. News and World Report article reported the following statistics:
- 1. Some 11 million Americans are pathological gamblers.
2. 1.6 percent of adults are pathological gamblers.
3. An additional 3.9 percent suffer from problem gambling (54).
Gambling is also detrimental to society and especially to the family. First, gambling can lead to alcohol and drug use or even abuse. Most casinos serve free alcoholic beverages to their patrons to “loosen them up” so they will bet more and therefore lose more. Those with a gambling problem will often turn to drugs or alcohol in an attempt to forget about their losses.
Secondly, many gamblers get into serious debt. No doubt we have read or heard of someone who is buried in debt by gambling. I know a man who had a very successful business until he became heavily involved in gambling. He would regularly play the “high roller” at his favorite casino in Reno; Nevada. In just a short, time his losses began to take their toll. He could no longer pay his employees, the bills at his business or at home, or the debt he had gotten into with the casino. He lost his business, his home, his cars, and just about everything else he had, not to mention leaving several creditors holding the bag.
Thirdly, gamblers will often turn to stealing in order to support their habit. According to Abstain from Every Form of Evil by Mike Willis, the Reno, Nevada, police department estimates that 75 percent of their embezzlement cases are related to gambling (76).
Lastly, gambling can, and often does, ruin the family. Norman Geisler reported that the compulsive gambler affects four to ten other people; those most intimately connected to the gambler are affected most (37). Everything from debt to divorce, drinking to drugs, and spousal abuse to suicide attempts takes its toll on the gambler’s loved ones. Geisler very aptly said, “The gambler plays the dice, but his family pays the price” (40).
Gambling Defined
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines gambling as “to play games of chance for money, etc.; to take a risk for some advantage; to risk in gambling, bet; an undertaking involving risk” (244).
Wayne Jackson quotes Thomas Eves in Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly:
A simple definition of gambling would be, desiring the possession or possessions of another (prize) the gambler creates a risk (that of losing his own possession) in an attempt through Chance to gain the possession or possessions of another with nothing given in exchange (118).
Geisler defines gambling as an “artificially contrived risk” (65). Some would say “life is a gamble,” but gambling is an unnecessary risk as opposed to life which has many necessary risks. The normal necessary risks in life are not to be compared with the artificially contrived unnecessary risks in gambling. Life is not a gamble. Life’s risks are actually investments rather than gambles. In life’s risks you invest a reasonable amount of time, talent, or treasure in a reasonable way to obtain a reasonable return. Gambling, on the other hand, involves an unreasonable risk and hopes for an unreasonable return, and with the regular or compulsive gambler there is an unreasonable amount of money risked with very poor odds of any return.
Gambler’s Anonymous gives this definition on their web site: “Any betting or wagering, for self or for others, whether for money or not, no matter how slight or insignificant, where the outcome is uncertain or depends upon chance or ‘skill’ constitutes gambling.”
What Does the Bible Say?
If you are looking for the verse that says, “Thou shalt not gamble” you can stop looking. There is no explicit prohibition against gambling in the scriptures. But the scriptures condemn gambling implicitly, and the implicit teaching of the Bible is just as authoritative and binding as the explicit teaching.
Jesus used implicit teaching. In Matthew 22, the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus and tried to trick Him. They cited a supposed example of the Levitical Law in an attempt to prove that the resurrection would set up an impossible situation of polygamy in Heaven. Jesus responded by saying,
- “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’ ” (vv. 29-32).
Paul also used implicit teaching. In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul wrote,
- “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”
The Scriptures Implicitly Condemn Gambling
Gambling is sin, because by implication, gambling violates the commandments prohibiting covetousness. Consider the following passages:
- “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Ephesians 5:3-5).
Covetousness is a strong desire to acquire something. It is synonymous with greed. In gambling this desire leads men to risk their money or goods in an attempt to win the big prize. The main attraction in gambling is to get rich quick and at the expense of someone else. If covetousness were taken out of the picture, the gambling industry could not survive.
- “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:9-11).
Paul warns that the man who sets his affections on riches will be overcome by its lure and be trapped by sin that will destroy his life. Not only will such a person suffer great pain and loss in this life by his greedy quest for gain, but his sin will also cause him to be eternally lost. Possessing wealth is not wrong in and of itself but being possessed by it is. If there was ever a perfect example of covetousness, it is gambling. And covetousness will keep a man from inheriting eternal life.
Gambling is sinful because it violates the biblical principle of labor and reward. God has established for mankind an economic order of labor and reward. God said in Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” Paul said this in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” When one gambles and wins, what honest labor has he performed in order to gain the reward? Gambling is sinful because it does not fit God’s economic order of labor and reward.
Besides labor, there are other biblically approved ways of gaining money or goods. Some examples follow:
A person could receive a gift. David gave a present to the elders of Judah. “Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, ‘Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD’ ” (1 Samuel 30:26).
One can gain money by interest. Jesus, in the parable of the talents, told the one talent man: “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.” (Matthew 25:27).
One could receive an inheritance. Jesus illustrates this with the two sons in the Prodigal Son Parable in Luke 15. Notice verse 12: “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.” Notice also verse 31: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”
The commodity exchange is also a legitimate way to gain money and goods. In the Parable of the Pounds in Luke 19 Jesus uses servants who were given money by the nobleman to make the point that Christians will be rewarded according to their activity. In verse 13 He said, “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, ‘Occupy till I come.’ ” Occupy in this verse means “to engage in business.” The type of business is defined in verse 15: “And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded his servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” The words “had gained by trading” are translated from the Greek verb diepragiieüsanto which means, “to profit from engaging in commerce” according to Louw and Nida (580).
When we look at gambling it does not fall into any of these biblically approved ways of gaining money or goods. Gambling involves no labor, the gain is not received as a gift, and the gambler does not earn it by interest, inherit it, or gain it by legitimate means of exchange. Gambling is sinful because it violates these legitimate means of transferring money or goods.
Gambling is sinful because by implication it violates the Bible commandments that prohibit stealing. Paul said in Ephesians 4:28, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Webster’s Dictionary defines stealing as “to take (another’s property,
etc.) dishonestly” (577). But someone will say, “It’s not stealing when I win what others have gambled and lost — they consented to gamble.” When people gamble, someone wins and someone loses. Even though it’s consensual, the winner takes something from the loser without honest labor, goods, or services in exchange for what is won. Furthermore, who gambles and wants to lose? Therefore the winner is really taking from the loser against his will. That is stealing.
Let us illustrate this with a incident from U.S. history. In the early 1800’s, there were two politicians, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. They were bitter enemies and finally the slanderous statements that they had hurled at one another became too much, and Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. On the morning of July 11th, 1804, they squared off and each man fired a shot at his opponent. Alexander Hamilton was hit, and died the next day from his gunshot wound. Did they both consent? Yes. Was it still murder? Yes. Murder is still a sin even if they consented. Likewise, gambling is a sin, even if the gamblers consented. Gambling is consensual stealing, and consensual stealing is still stealing, and stealing is a sin.
Gambling is sinful because by implication it violates the teaching of the Bible that we are to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” When one squanders his God-given money and goods (not to mention his time) gambling, is he being a good steward?
Psalm 50:10-12 indicates all belongs to God.
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.”
Do we have the right to risk so foolishly what belongs to God and what He has entrusted to us? Certainly not!
Consider one who spends ten dollars a week on the lottery That is five a hundred and twenty dollars a year. The odds are that this person will never win the lottery or even recover any of what he bets. (Not that winning justifies gambling.) If this person is a Christian, that money could be given to the collection on Sunday, which would help the spread of the gospel here or in foreign lands, or perhaps help out a saint in need. Which use of money sounds like good stewardship to you? When we consider also that gambling contributes to crime and problems in the home, gambling is obviously not good stewardship. Besides violating these Scriptures, gambling also:
- Is addictive
- Ruins our influence
- Puts us in evil company
Gambling is not:
Determined by degree or size. Gambling is sin whether you pitch pennies or bet $1,000 on the Super Bowl game.
Investing in the stock market. The stock market is a business partnership with many people investing in companies so they can grow and produce useful products or services.
A school raffle. As long as the prizes are donated and money paid to buy the ticket goes to the school.
Entering a fishing tournament. Again, as long as the prizes are donated and the entry fee goes to a worthy charity or to cover the expense of the club to put the tournament on.
The Vicious Cycle of Gambling
Did you know that George Washington bought the first lottery ticket in America? In fact, many of our founding fathers gambled, including John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had acquired an $80,000 gambling debt by the time he was 83 years old, an enormous amount of money back then. By the early 1800’s the legal lotteries had left their corrupting imprint on society; so much so that states began to make the lottery illegal. By the end of the 19th century, there were no legal lotteries in the United States. But in 1964, states strapped for money began to make the lottery legal again. First to add the lottery were New Hampshire, then New York, then New Jersey, followed by Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Today, forty states and the District of Columbia have legalized lotteries. In fact, all but three states have some form of legalized gambling. Yet look what it’s doing to our society today! Look at the addictions, the debt, the broken families, suicide, crime, and all sorts of other vices that gambling has brought upon us. Here is how it works:
- 1. Government decides gambling would be an effective way to collect revenue.
2. Gambling is legalized.
3. Society crumbles because of it.
4. Gambling is prohibited.
5. But illegal gambling swells and fills the void left by the prohibition.
6. So the government decides to capitalize on the revenue to be made by the illegal gambling.
7. Gambling is then legalized and the cycle starts all over again.
1564 Xanthe Way, Manteca, California. 95336, tcard00@yahoo.com
Clark, Kim. “Against the Odds,” U.S. News & World Report. May 23, 2005
Geisler, Norman L. Gambling: A Bad Bet. Old Tappan, New Jersey; Fleming Revell
Company, 1990
Jackson, Wayne. Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly. Delight, Arkansas; Gospel
Light Publishing Company, 1986
Louw, J.P. and Nida, Eugene Albert. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
based on Semantic Domains, Volume 1. New York; United Bible Societies, 1989
Willis, Mike. Abstain from Every Form of Evil. Bowling Green, Kentucky; Guardian of
Truth Foundation, 2003
Webster’s New World Dictionary. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1995
No comments:
Post a Comment