I am not somebody who is religious (I would probably be defined as atheist, but I really dont think too much about it).
But this is on my mind because I will be living in Qatar for a year soon and that is a Muslim country. Gambling is strictly outlawed in Islam from what I discover (as is alcohol) and as such obviously gambling and casinos are illegal.
I am somewhat shocked to learn this because I have always lived near casinos so it never occurred to me that their are places without them.
I am curious if any religious people on here would be inclined to share their doctrines position on gambling and how seriously they take it? I routinely see Jewish people dressed in religious garb playing baccarat so I assume it must be Kosher in their religion. Likewise I know tons of Christians who gamble so I don't know what the bible's view on it are (though I have been told by some more fundamental Christians that it is a sin)?
So I guess I am basically asking how your religious beliefs influence your gambling habits? I am probably safe to assume everyone on this site is an avid gambler. And how much does religion influence laws and policy on this issue ( I know in America for much of history gambling used to be illegal almost everywhere except Vegas and AC, but now its everywhere, I assume Christianity must have played a role in this)?
A guy I used to sit with is Muslim ....would see him going to the Friday services at the local Mosques once in a while when I drove by( he had his own company and his van was easy to spot) he was one of the biggest gamblers at the local racetrack and would also head into the slots afterwards if he had a good night ...start playing the $5 slots
Here is a write up I remember reading when it happened about another Muslim guy winning the lottery
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-07/news/ct-met-lottery-winner-slaying-20130107_1_homicide-victim-chicago-police-big-lottery
I remember as a kid our Catholic church having fun days on the church property with a BIG SIX wheel where I believe the max bet was like $5 ...people were stacked up to get their bets down
I am a southern baptist.But I don't see religion like others do.It is more a a relationship with Jesus than a religion full of rituals and dumb traditions.The Bible wants you to help the weary,care for others.
Love the Lord with all your heart.Love your neighbor as yourself.=If you are gambling then you don't love your neighbor because for you to win then someone(your neighbor) has to lose.
I see gamblong as entertainment,that is what I feel comfortable with.I do want to gain every advantage though that I can.I know it is not a fair game because the house couldn't operate with a fair game.That is the price you have to pay to gamble.
Every smart gambler knows they have to work extra hard to win consistently.To win 55% of the time you have to be very good.
The whole muslim thing is that they can not gamble or even operate any bank account hat they can make interest on.In their opinions, interest is evil and gambling is too.That doesn't stop anyone (not even some of the muslims)from doing what they want to in America. I have worked with several muslims and had conversations about their customs and faith.I know you are not susposed to talk about religion right?
Whatever,why don't we try to respect each other and be generally interested in others culture and faith.I bet we could all just get along if we really tried.
KB1
Check out Job 1:9-12 God and Satan are gambling buds. Gambling is totally okay:Quote: rudeboyoimy guess with the bible is there isnt some passage that says "thou shall not play games of chance" but i can see someone attempting to link gambling to some passage about usury.
a.k.a. "I'll take that bet".Quote: The Lord's Good BookDoes Job fear God for nothing? Satan replied. Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.
The Lord said to Satan, Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
What I don't like about religion is that it seems like most religions "scare" you into believing in their religion. If I had to pick a religion id prob go with buddhism. That appears the least "scary" to me. Its all BS anyways so might as well go with something that doesn't make you lead a life out of fear and miss out on otherwise fun activities.
That said, I would not be shocked to learn that there are underground card rooms in Qatar. Just don't go looking for them. You're an outsider in a strange land. Keep your nose clean or you could lose it - or worse.
Religious beliefs on gambling probably have little to do with anything besides who has the power. I wouldn't mess around in an Islamic country at all unless you want to gamble your head will fly off. They are so backwards and supersticious, you better be careful.
Hopefully this fights against that incorrect stereotype that religion is about fear or is not fun. Ultimately, one of the most important questions or topics we should be thinking about as a human being is; how do I find true happiness and peace? Always remember that God wants you to be happy even more than you do. The paradox of the human's pursuit of happiness is that the way to find it in this life is not found in gambling or any other form of entertainment but rather in loving and selfless service of others.
Quote: DJTeddyBear
That said, I would not be shocked to learn that there are underground card rooms in Qatar..
If there are foreign workers and there is a compound, there is likely some "entertainment". Might be only bingo though. Might be some alcohol. But there will likely be something.
Quote: rudeboyoiAnyone that commands me to do or not to do something does not care about my happiness. They are only caring about their own happiness. In the case of god he wants me to follow his rules so I'll be on his side during the apocalypse in the final battle between good and evil. Just typing this blows my mind that people actually believe this stuff.
Just curious, did your parents not command you to eat your vegetables or do your homework. Were they caring only about their own happiness as they sacrificed to provide you with food, clothing, and shelter and demanded you follow their rules only for their own amusement or to get you to be on their side? Of course not. They gave you rules because they loved you and wanted you to be happy and healthy, just like God. Boy it blows my mind that people can have such misguided and screwed up images of God and actually believe that stuff.
Quote: FrGambleJust curious, did your parents not command you to eat your vegetables or do your homework. Were they caring only about their own happiness as they sacrificed to provide you with food, clothing, and shelter and demanded you follow their rules only for their own amusement or to get you to be on their side? Of course not. They gave you rules because they loved you and wanted you to be happy and healthy, just like God. Boy it blows my mind that people can have such misguided and screwed up images of God and actually believe that stuff.
they gave me food and shelter for their happiness so they wouldnt have to worry about me getting sick or dying or whatever. i wasnt eating broccoli because it made me happy. it made them happy.
Quote: corvetteracingIt is my opinion that gambling goes across all boards, all walks of life as with anything else. We are all human, we all bleed the same, defecate the same out of the same orifice. Just my opinion.
I beg to differ....some people defecate out their mouths :)
Quote: FrGambleYou might be surprised to know that Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing Catholic dioceses in the United States.
You mean that they actually have dioceses that are in a growing mode? That amazes me
Quote: AxelWolfThe Church leaders are against you gambling because It's less you will have to give them. Unless they are running the games of course.
I know thats right.
Do any of you guys know how all the muslim folks get to Vegas and various places that you would not think you would ever see a muslim person?
I had a young lady that worked for me at the grocery store in Nashville that told me she won a lottery to come to America.I didn't believe it so I asked her friend and she confirmed.
On a side note,this girl is drop dead georgeous and she is from Ethopia.When we had her interview she came and shook my hand which is a huge no-no.I was in shock that she did but I later found out she really liked me.(Again Shocked)She is a very liberal muslim and there are quite several of them but they have to be careful about their actions.If a fellow muslim ratts them out as having touched a non family member or wearing certain clothing or so on they get ridiculed by their community up to and including death.
Quote: rudeboyoiPeople are happy for whatever reason makes them happy. God doesn't make people happy. People make themselves happy and different things make different people happy. Smoking cigarettes makes me happy but the presence of that same smoke can make others unhappy.
If you think smoking makes you happy I think we are talking about two different things. Smoking might please you or comfort you but I'm talking about what gives you that deep down sensation of peace in your soul. The happiness that comes from being the person you feel called to be cannot come from smoking anything. This is also a universal happiness it is what we all ultimately want.
I am not aware of any Bible verse that expressly forbids gambling. There are plenty that forbid the love of money or prioritizing money above God or other people, but nothing that says "don't gamble." I heard of something about casting lots, but I don't think that was a blanket prohibition against all gambling.
Just as the Bible condemns drunkenness and does not prohibit drinking, one who follows the Bible would be wise to gamble with discretion. If you choose not to partake in either, far be it from me to tell you otherwise, but do not use the Bible to condemn me for occasional gambling or drinking.
Oh, yeah, here it is:
King James Bible
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
Matthew 27:35
Mentioned also by Mark, Luke, and John.
lots and lots of CREAM, I'm sure of it.Quote: BuzzardPurple and cream if I remember correctly.
In Vietnam, Gambling is illegal but for three days a year, its a national obsession.
Quote: rudeboyoiI imagine most of the churches are Mormon out here.
Yes, there are definitely more Mormons
Certainly misinterpreted, however, I will play along.Quote: MonkeyWithpainIn the biblical story of job, God won a bet on the Devil, so don't feel bad if you bet a few dollars or btc on casino or sportsbook.
Since he is God and he already knew the outcome... it was not a game of chance, therefore there was was no gambling or betting involved.
Assuming you believe in a mainstream religion and God, you should also believe gambling is a sin.
Quote: AxelWolfCertainly misinterpreted, however, I will play along.
Since he is God and he already knew the outcome... it was not a game of chance, therefore there was was no gambling or betting involved.
Assuming you believe in a mainstream religion and God, you should also believe gambling is a sin.
Why? It isn't mentioned in the Ten Commandments, and I don't recall either Jesus or St Paul saying not to gamble. In Catholic School, we were taught gambling is not a sin unless it becomes an addiction or if you take advantage of someone who is addicted. In other words, it's okay to gamble against the house, but not okay to be the house unless you are sure no one is addicted.
Some people believe. These kinds of church things don't go on at every church. When I think about it, seems to be mostly Catholics making the money gambling, but not every Catholic church.Quote: GialmereWhat about church bingo? Casino nights? Spinning the dreidel?
There are a lot of atheists which don't believe in gambling, I'd say under the idea of not wanting to hurt themselves in an activity which is mostly harmful financially.
I like Mormon Light, you can gamble, drink, use profanity, and have more than one wife. If it doesn't work out with one of the wives, you can trade them with a muslim for a mystery wife. You don't know what you're getting until you unwrap her from the burka. He'll know, but sometimes they forget which one is which and you get lucky.Quote: GialmereWhat about Mormons? They are forbidden to gamble but not forbidden to facilitate the gambling of others. Combined with their honesty and teetotalism they ended up playing an important role in the history of Vegas (and therefore the promotion of gambling) because they were considered perfect casino employees.
Not everything that is sinful is mentioned in the Ten Commandments. One can do crack recreationally without getting addicted. Do you think that's a sin?Quote: billryanWhy? It isn't mentioned in the Ten Commandments, and I don't recall either Jesus or St Paul saying not to gamble. In Catholic School, we were taught gambling is not a sin unless it becomes an addiction or if you take advantage of someone who is addicted. In other words, it's okay to gamble against the house, but not okay to be the house unless you are sure no one is addicted.
There's many reasons I think it's a sin, as a matter of fact, there's an entire thread on here about this stuff, It's actually an interesting thread. It seems that we had a gambling priest realize the error of his ways after much arguing back and forth. If I recall correctly, I pointed out that all the arguing and division that was causing was a sin, but I regress.
As far as I'm concerned, just about anything you do that is not about and for God...IS A SIN. I can't help that religion makes up rules that suite them as they go along.
As far as I'm concerned.... religion is one of the oldest most successful cons ever(God bless the Catholic Church).
A basic premise up their con is.....If you don't give your money to and obey the church, you won't go two heaven.
Whatever the case, even though I think religion is a con, I still think it has its benefits to too many people, the basic core teachings are a good thing.
Quote: GandlerI will be living in Qatar for a year soon and that is a Muslim country. Gambling is strictly outlawed in Islam from what I discover (as is alcohol) and as such obviously gambling and casinos are illegal.
I didn't know this, I'm as shockas you are. But I guess, being the Islam such a strict religion, they don't want people to be persuade by it into addiction
Perhaps they are there to dispel the notion that Jewish and Indian people are "cheap" with their money or they just enjoy the thrill of gambling. All the while, being respectful to their religious beliefs such as wearing Yarmulkes or Turbans.
Quote: AxelWolfAssuming you believe in a mainstream religion and God, you should also believe gambling is a sin.
Please expand on that. Can you give me a single bible verse that forbids gambling? I think FrGamble would be on my side on this, assuming the gambling is in moderation.