Christians & The Lottery

[Lewis]

Should Christians play the lottery ? Is there something Biblical that is against it. I don't play it or gamble, even when I take my mom to the casino's like today, I just sit around and when she is finished I take her and my aunt home. But my mother is not Christian she is a Hebrew. But I see many, many Christians play the lottery. Is it a sin to play the lottery ? What I always hear is, that we are not supposed to be blessed that way.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

I love going to the horse track and betting.
And Jai Alai too.
Tampa Bay Downs and the Fronton.
It's entertainment.
Some people go to a restaurant, others go to movies.
I gamble.
Of course, I haven't done either of these things in over 20 years, but if the opportunity arose, I would do it again.
In my heart and mind, I still gamble.

 

[poetofparables]

Should Christians play the lottery ? Is there something Biblical that is against it. I don't play it or gamble, even when I take my mom to the casino's like today, I just sit around and when she is finished I take her and my aunt home. But my mother is not Christian she is a Hebrew. But I see many, many Christians play the lottery. Is it a sin to play the lottery ? What I always hear is, that we are not supposed to be blessed that way.

I wouldn't have a clue Lewis.

 

[Michael74]

Some people get addicted to gambling. The addiction prone should stay away.

One pastor told he didn't like the lottery because it removes resource from the poor, which they desperately need. So maybe the poor should spend the money on food for their children, instead of lottery tickets.

Don't know about the rest.

 

[Willie T]

Some people get addicted to gambling. The addiction prone should stay away.

One pastor told he didn't like the lottery because it removes resource from the poor, which they desperately need. So maybe the poor should spend the money on food for their children, instead of lottery tickets.

Don't know about the rest.

The Lottery does nothing but simply "exist." With that preacher's thinking, the church removes resources from the poor.

Neither one do. People, rich, poor, and in-between, choose what they will do with their resources.......... Well,,, except for taxes.

 

[WIP]

Lottery is gambling. Is it different than any other kind of gambling such as riding in a car for example? I also farm about 60 acres of ground. Every year I spend upwards of $12,000.00 in expenses to grow and harvest my crops. It is somewhat of a gamble that the fuel, time, equipment wear, fertilizer, and seed I invest each spring will grow into a crop that I will successfully harvest four to six months later in the fall against many odds including excessive rain, lack of rain, rain at the wrong time, hail, wind, fire, and even poor commodity prices that may result in net loss. Is that gamble unBiblical too? If not, why not if casino gambling is?

 

[th1b.taylor]

Should Christians play the lottery ? Is there something Biblical that is against it. I don't play it or gamble, even when I take my mom to the casino's like today, I just sit around and when she is finished I take her and my aunt home. But my mother is not Christian she is a Hebrew. But I see many, many Christians play the lottery. Is it a sin to play the lottery ? What I always hear is, that we are not supposed to be blessed that way.

The answer here is easily skewed but must never be answered in the natural realm. This, certainly, is not the unforgivable sin but it is one that, like Mary Jane, leads into greater sin.

I was a greedy little snake before I was saved and seldom gambled with a limit, making it a sport or entertainment. I have seen many that have that control and since everything must be dealt with from the Spiritual Realm, this is a dangerous subject for the Christian from both directions.

In Matthew 7 we find the required principal for both Judge and Judged. We must Judge ourselves before putting the Sanctified Robe on the judge another. This means the gambler must make sure he or she never lusts for the money that is not theirs and basically, that is what gambling is about, the other person's money.

On the other hand we are not God and we cannot read the minds of the gamblers and we do not know why they play the games. IMO, if a person has an alloted amount to spend on entertainment and never exceeds that amount, I must ask, is there any, real, difference between $20 at the table and $20 at the movie? They are both spending time with our friends doing a thing that entertains us.

Isn't that a lot of blow hard to say, I don't know?

 

[Kathi]

I don't gamble play the lottery...none of that.If God wants to Bless me with money He will do that.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

I don't gamble play the lottery...none of that.

Why not?

 

[Kathi]

Why not?

Because I think it is a waste of money and chance.Since my life is totally in God's hands I look to Him for everything in my life and that includes a financial Blessing.

 

[reba]

Some folks can have a glass of wine some not.. Some folks gamble some can 'play' ... I believe it is in ones heart... if it for entertainment your not spending the rent money ..

I would rather spend $20.00 on a lottery ticket then on most Hollywood movies..

 

[ezrider]

I don't gamble play the lottery...none of that.If God wants to Bless me with money He will do that.

If I should walk into a casino and decide to throw $20 in a slot machine to see what happens, and if that machine were to hit and I was payed out a $1,000, why would I not consider that to be a blessing from the Lord?

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

Because I think it is a waste of money and chance.Since my life is totally in God's hands I look to Him for everything in my life and that includes a financial Blessing.

Don't you have any enjoyments in life?

 

[Kathi]

If I should walk into a casino and decide to throw $20 in a slot machine to see what happens, and if that machine were to hit and I was payed out a $1,000, why would I not consider that to be a blessing from the Lord?

I don't know.

 

[Kathi]

Don't you have any enjoyments in life?

Yes I do.

 

[TOG]

I see gambling as a high-risk investment which, other than the risk involved, is no different from any other investment. If I buy a lottery ticket, and that ticket wins, then I make money. If it doesn't win, I lose money. If I play poker and I win, then I make money. If I lose, then I lose money. If I buy a share in a company, and that company does well, then I win. If the company does badly or even goes bankrupt, then I lose money. In both cases, I have no control over the outcome. Why are two of those considered sins, but the third isn't? They seem pretty much the same to me.

The TOG​

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Like alcohol, it makes for a pretty lousy witness.

And, like what Bill was getting at, it's foolishly playing with fire if you ask me. (And you did ask).

 

[petester]

Ii use to bet on basketball games and drink although I didn't participate in sin that is explicitly written like murder, hate, fornication etc. I haven't really read the bible in about 30 yrs but my rationale was that when the bible did mention these activities it was using them as examples of how someone could sin and these things could assist in the sinning.Im thinking about Lot and his daughters. And acquiring wealth without earning it can lead to greed.Aside from the drinking and gambling ive tried to live my life morally just in case the explicitely written sins will deny me admittance to heaven.I think the end is near so just in case gambling is a sin as it could contribute to corruption I quit.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

And acquiring wealth without earning it can lead to greed.

...and laziness.

 

[Willie T]

Ii use to bet on basketball games and drink although I didn't participate in sin that is explicitly written like murder, hate, fornication etc. I haven't really read the bible in about 30 yrs but my rationale was that when the bible did mention these activities it was using them as examples of how someone could sin and these things could assist in the sinning.Im thinking about Lot and his daughters. And acquiring wealth without earning it can lead to greed.Aside from the drinking and gambling ive tried to live my life morally just in case the explicitely written sins will deny me admittance to heaven.I think the end is near so just in case gambling is a sin as it could contribute to corruption I quit.

<giggle>