On Gambling

[Sparko]

It is effectively a stupidity tax.

hey!

[rogue06]

Lottery is a special tax on people who are really bad at math!

And the REAL reason I don't buy lottery tickets? I'd probably win BIG, and it would be all over the news that I was a gambler!

It is effectively a stupidity tax.

[Cow Poke]

Oh I forgot about the lottery. I sometimes go in on a pool at work among the IT dept when the Lottery gets up really high like over $400M. It's $2 and I don't expect to win, but if we did, I could retire.

Lottery is a special tax on people who are really bad at math!

And the REAL reason I don't buy lottery tickets? I'd probably win BIG, and it would be all over the news that I was a gambler!

[rogue06]

Oh I forgot about the lottery. I sometimes go in on a pool at work among the IT dept when the Lottery gets up really high like over $400M. It's $2 and I don't expect to win, but if we did, I could retire.

There have been several times I've sort of planned on buying a ticket when the jackpot was really high, but just never did.

We had a guy where I last worked at who did really well playing the lottery. He'd spend $100 every week but I can't tell you the number of times he won $500 prizes. It seemed that every week he made more than he spent.

This inspired my esse to spend $300 on tickets one morning. He didn't win anything. He didn't even get a free ticket. He was so angry and wanted to sue the lottery

[Sparko]

Oh I forgot about the lottery. I sometimes go in on a pool at work among the IT dept when the Lottery gets up really high like over $400M. It's $2 and I don't expect to win, but if we did, I could retire.

[Cow Poke]

Part of it too is the more of a "public figure" you are, in terms of Christianity, the more care may be needed. If Jerry Falwell Jr. realized this earlier on, he might still be at Liberty.

Yes.

[rogue06]

So, anyone up for a game of casting lots?

i was betting on it being you who would post something like this.

[rogue06]

As a libertarian, I'm all for legalizing gambling. As a Christian I'd rarely if ever participate.

I've previously noted that I was a big time supporter of Georgia legalizing the lottery (and would like to see casinos, sports betting and horse tracks as well) back in the early 90s but have spent all of $13 over the past nearly 30 years playing it.

[Sparko]

So, anyone up for a game of casting lots?

[KingsGambit]

I kinda see this as a "weaker brother" thing --- that gambling is something that characterizes, or is associated with, sin, and I just need to avoid any appearance of that kind of activity.
I don't condemn those who gamble - I know several otherwise really good people who take their bus tours across the Louisiana line to gamble all day, and we're good friends.

For me, it's kinda like - why do I need or want to do that if it hurts my Christian testimony?

Part of it too is the more of a "public figure" you are, in terms of Christianity, the more care may be needed. If Jerry Falwell Jr. realized this earlier on, he might still be at Liberty.

[Apologiaphoenix]

I went to Vegas once back in the 1990's for CES (consumer electronics show) and spent some time on the gambling floor, playing slot machines. I just did it for fun, and I set myself a limit of $50. I won some and lost some, one time I won like $30 and then lost it again. Once the money was gone, I just left. I just considered it a game. I tried Black Jack once too but I was terrible at it.

I have also been to local Catholic "Picnics" here in town, and they always have gambling booths set up where you can win things like pies and cakes. I usually do good on the guess "high/low" games. You have to bet if the next card or die will be higher or lower than the last. I won a nice cheesecake once

Not gambling per se, but I have always won against those guys supposed to guess your weight within three pounds.

[Sparko]

I went to Vegas once back in the 1990's for CES (consumer electronics show) and spent some time on the gambling floor, playing slot machines. I just did it for fun, and I set myself a limit of $50. I won some and lost some, one time I won like $30 and then lost it again. Once the money was gone, I just left. I just considered it a game. I tried Black Jack once too but I was terrible at it.

I have also been to local Catholic "Picnics" here in town, and they always have gambling booths set up where you can win things like pies and cakes. I usually do good on the guess "high/low" games. You have to bet if the next card or die will be higher or lower than the last. I won a nice cheesecake once

[Cow Poke]

OK, quick CP story if I may.....

Pastor calls the deacons together (I bet I'm not supposed to say this is an African-American congregation) and says, "gentlemen, we got a problem".
They all look grim, and say "what's the problem, pastor?"

He says, "Brother Clarence been betting on the horses, and he won $200,000 and he's tithing on that to the Church".
One deacon shouts "Praise the Lord, we sure do need that money!"
One deacon says, "ah, but we can't accept tainted money".
Another says, "but that's $20,000 that we badly need".
They all stare down at the floor while contemplating what to do.

Old Deacon Harris is the wise one of the group, so Pastor turns to Deacon Harris and says, "So, Deacon Harris, what say you?"

After staring at the floor in deep contemplation, he looks at the Pastor, a big grin sweeps over his face, and he declares "I say the devil had that money long enough, and it's time it spend some time in the house of the Lord!"

AMEN!

[Cow Poke]

I kinda see this as a "weaker brother" thing --- that gambling is something that characterizes, or is associated with, sin, and I just need to avoid any appearance of that kind of activity.
I don't condemn those who gamble - I know several otherwise really good people who take their bus tours across the Louisiana line to gamble all day, and we're good friends.

For me, it's kinda like - why do I need or want to do that if it hurts my Christian testimony?

[KingsGambit]

When I was in college, my friends had a poker ring. I ended up bowing out because I knew that technically, it was illegal, even though the law wasn't enforced. That, and as the game went on, the stakes got higher and higher, and there's a difference between spending $10 that you might have otherwise spent on a movie, and on losing $100 or more in a night. And taking that much money from others didn't sit right with me, either.

I wasn't bad at the game at all, but I was at my peace with my decision not to play. I would still occasionally play free games (like my college campus would host in the student union).