Lost another bet to FrGamble

Before I respond perhaps I should lead us in prayer.

FatherAxel at your service:
Let us pray.
Dear heavenly Father, we ask that you give us your guidance and clear everything up in regards to this topic bla bla bla.

Quote: Wizard

Can you quote me just one verse in the bible that specifically says gambling is sinful? I would also take issue with the opinion that having more money than what you need is sinful. There were plenty of rich godly people in the Old Testament, like Job.

No there's not anything specific saying gambling is a sin(not giving 240k to god probably is, what church got it?). There are many things most people would consider a sin the bible doesn't cover(internet porn, strip clubs, not illegal but certainly sinful according to god IMO). If we just follow the commandments and avoid the 7 deadly sins, and that's good enough, then it's all good. No one needs multimillion dollar churches to teach that stuff.

I don't know why God didn't cover this under being sinful, I assumed god was all knowing and knew gambling would become america's pastime(oh wait, BECAUSE HE THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS) .


Mathew
23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Luke 16:15 "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 12:33-34 King James Version

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Much of the bible is open to interpretation(including specific words) even with contradictions.

Many believe that money should be earned through work and labor. Recreational Gambling is not work or labor.

An argument can be made its for entertainment.
I find it hard to believe anyone really thinks(especially a priests or preacher) that God or Jesus would condone gaming and spending time in a casino as entertainment. Casinos are not a wholesome environment (especially the party pits, drinking, smoking, greed, desperation ).

not gambling in a casino: I believe the bible talks about obeying mans law. I thinks its technically illegal to make social bets for money especially sports bets from different states. I would thinks that's a sin.

IMO Poker is even more sinful since your taking people money, often with trickery and description, occasionally leavening them broke by participating you may be helping someone feed an addiction win of lose.

Quote: AxelWolf

FatherAxel at your service

it sounds like you yourself are going to have to give up gambling [g]

Well, when i was hustling , I was not guilty of gambling, just the chump.

Quote: odiousgambit

For me it helped when I read something about Sin being another word for Error..

But it's not another word for error and
Sister Defiance would tell you that. A sin
is a direct slap to the face of god, it's
not a harmless error. Sinning will get
you into hell, errors will get you a slap
on the wrist.

At least Satan got it right when he quoted Psalm 91 to tempt Jesus. The ignorance on this site is amusing but quite understandable.

Quote: DeMango

The ignorance on this site is amusing but quite understandable.

I feel insulted.

Quote: odiousgambit

it sounds like you yourself are going to have to give up gambling [g]

In case anyone who missed it, I don't believe in religion. It's far to contradicting, hypocritical, scandalous. for Most religions and Churches, it's all about the money, it's the best con ever invented and perfected over the years.

Even if you believe in God and teachings of the bible. I believe people should understand, since religion teaches that God gave man free will (not even Adam and Eve living in eden could resist evil). Man has taken religion and corrupted it for sure. If god won't intervene in the most horrible things that have happen in the world, I can't believe he has done so with religion. So whatever they are teaching in churches can't be the real deal.

I don't understand why we need multimillion dollar churches, all that money could be helping others. Whats wrong with having church in a cheap building, park, homes, tents, basements? Catholic churches alone make billions per year. They spend very little compared to what they bring in on actual good causes.

I just think any religion that condones gambling is hypothetical, even church bingo. I believe many priests, bishops and church leaders strongly criticise the practice. Not sure why all the conflicting views with religious leaders. IMO religious leaders should only condone activities of high moral standards. I have yet to hear anyone claim gambling fits that description. IMO if you're a man of god your fun and entertainment should be with your kids, church, helping others, reading the bible and doing gods work, not gambling.

Even bingo can cause addictions. Bingo appeals to older people on fixed incomes who can't really afford to participate as often as they do. I believe "moral leader" Bill Bennett said his "addiction" started with church bingo, he supposedly lost millions.

Some of the people running church bingo justify it claiming small wagers are fairly harmless. Do they take gambling addiction classes and know how to spot problem gamblers? (probably 10s or hundreds of thousands of addicted bingo players) They claim it helps create a social setting and helps charity. Why not just play monopoly and other games and just ask people to give money? We know the answer, gambling is like a drug and most people get a rush from it and spend more.

I know it hard for people who are religious and love to gamble to swallow that it might be a sin. Justify it all you want but ask yourself if god and jesus would be hanging out gambling in casinos ( they'd probably get back rommed and 86ed) or the devil?

I personally didn't think it's wrong for people to gamble I just hypocritical for religious leaders. I say Just be a decent person and hope for the best.

Quote: AxelWolf

If I was a good christian and lived for God, I'm convinced recreational gambling would be a sin or even talking about it as entertainment.

.

You would be what we call around here a "hardshell Baptist" - Why don't Baptists have sex standing up in the living room? - They are afraid a passerby will see them and think they are dancing.

Quote: AxelWolf

I don't understand why we need multimillion dollar churches, all that money could be helping others. Whats wrong with having church in a cheap building, park, homes, tents, basements? Catholic churches alone make billions per year. They spend very little compared to what they bring in on actual good causes.

Had some Mormons stop by my house recently to recruit.
I suggested I would be interested in they spent their money helping the poor instead of building huge multi million dollar temples.
They were like "No Way, we build temples for the glory of God"
I sadly shook my head and said not interested.

Quote: terapined

They were like "No Way, we build temples for the glory of God"
.

Pagans love temples..

Quote: AxelWolf

Quote: odiousgambit

it sounds like you yourself are going to have to give up gambling [g]

In case anyone who missed it, I don't believe in religion. It's far to contradicting, hypocritical, scandalous. for Most religions and Churches, it's all about the money, it's the best con ever invented and perfected over the years.

Even if you believe in God and teachings of the bible. I believe people should understand, since religion teaches that God gave man free will (not even Adam and Eve living in eden could resist evil). Man has taken religion and corrupted it for sure. If god won't intervene in the most horrible things that have happen in the world, I can't believe he has done so with religion. So whatever they are teaching in churches can't be the real deal.

I don't understand why we need multimillion dollar churches, all that money could be helping others. Whats wrong with having church in a cheap building, park, homes, tents, basements? Catholic churches alone make billions per year. They spend very little compared to what they bring in on actual good causes.

I just think any religion that condones gambling is hypothetical, even church bingo. I believe many priests, bishops and church leaders strongly criticise the practice. Not sure why all the conflicting views with religious leaders. IMO religious leaders should only condone activities of high moral standards. I have yet to hear anyone claim gambling fits that description. IMO if you're a man of god your fun and entertainment should be with your kids, church, helping others, reading the bible and doing gods work, not gambling.

Even bingo can cause addictions. Bingo appeals to older people on fixed incomes who can't really afford to participate as often as they do. I believe "moral leader" Bill Bennett said his "addiction" started with church bingo, he supposedly lost millions.

Some of the people running church bingo justify it claiming small wagers are fairly harmless. Do they take gambling addiction classes and know how to spot problem gamblers? (probably 10s or hundreds of thousands of addicted bingo players) They claim it helps create a social setting and helps charity. Why not just play monopoly and other games and just ask people to give money? We know the answer, gambling is like a drug and most people get a rush from it and spend more.

I know it hard for people who are religious and love to gamble to swallow that it might be a sin. Justify it all you want but ask yourself if god and jesus would be hanging out gambling in casinos ( they'd probably get back rommed and 86ed) or the devil?

I personally didn't think it's wrong for people to gamble I just hypocritical for religious leaders. I say Just be a decent person and hope for the best.

I think your logic is fallacious. All of life is a gamble. When you make future plans, you're gambling you'll wake up in the morning. When you exchange your work for a paycheck, you're gambling the owner will be solvent at the end of the week and willing to pay you, because generally you have to do the work first. When a woman gets pregnant, she's gambling her life that her body will survive the process and, moreover, deliver a happy live baby.

So for the church to ban gambling is a false constraint on the vagrancies of life. Most don't, and the bible doesn't specifically. Those that do, IMO, are creating a category of sin for further opportunities for contrition and remorse, both of which emotions serve the church, and the individual who believes both that they have sinned and that they must then be forgiven. Self-serving on both parties' parts, but mostly the church's.

It's entirely possible for a person to be both good and a gambler. Gamblers can be kind, generous, thoughtful, thrifty, spiritual, hardworking people, and often are. My mother is an excellent example; I suspect Fr. Gamble is another. I daresay I am, the Wizard is, quite a few other people on here I've met, without regard to their religious affiliation, if any.

Seems like you're writing more about yourself in this than Fr. Gamble or church leaders.

Quote: beachbumbabs

...All of life is a gamble...So for the church to ban gambling is a false constraint on the vagrancies of life...

We all gamble one way or the other. The Church cannot ban gambling. As long as you gamble positively with an edge, you're OK.

The Church gambles big time, i.e., the Vatican (with the Pope's permission) gambles in the biggest casino in the world (aka Wall Street).
Here is an example per www.dailyfinance.com: "The Vatican has decided to invest $1 million in NeoStem, a biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary cellular therapies. "

As I mentioned before, even Father Fahey gambled successfully as a card counter, (not as a slots gambler/loser). He donated his winnings to church... NO SINs, right?
Father Fahey's story

By the way, most "gamblers with the edge" made money from the biggest casino in the world (aka Wall Street). Here is a peek at a $203,000-winner's Schedule- D down below. So... smart gambling is good. The Almighty should be pleased, right?

So I visited this church. But it was closed.
The sign outside says there's service daily at 4pm, 5pm etc. But I waited from 4pm to 4:45pm, didn't see a single soul.
I walked around the building, didn't see any car in the parking lot.
I was not sure it was just temporarily closed or for long term.