Is Gambling a Sin? is Christianity a Gamble?
Monday August 18, 2008
Is gambling a sin for Christians? There's a lot of debate about this question in Christian circles, and not all Christians agree on whether there is something wrong with gambling in itself or if it is only a problem when done to excess. Why should atheists care? Because the answers to this question carry interesting implications for Christianity as a whole.
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Traditional Christianity teaches that if you have this faith (that is, if you bet correctly), then you will be saved and spend eternity in heaven with God, while those who don’t have this faith (bet incorrectly) will spend eternity suffering in hell.
Christians must gamble to be saved.
ALL WILL BE SAVED
SAYS JESUS: Matthew 11:28, John 12:32
SAYS JOHN: John 1:29
SAYS PAUL: Romans 5:6, 5:18, 1Corinthians 15:22, Hebrews 2:9, 1John 2:2, 3:5, 4:14
SAYS PETER: 1Peter 2:24
NOT ALL WILL BE SAVED
SAYS JESUS: Matthew 7:14, Matthew 20:16 & 22:14, Luke 13:23-24
JEWS ONLY: Matthew 15:24, John 4:22, Romans 11:26-27
OR MAYBE NOT: Acts 13:47-48, Romans 9:27
BELIEVERS ONLY: John 3:16, 3:36, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 14:23
BAPTIZED BELIEVERS ONLY: Mark 16:16
PENITENTS: Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19; OR MAYBE NOT: Rom. 11:29
BAPTIZED PENITENTS: Acts 2:38-39
BELIEVERS WHO CONFESS: Romans 10:9
BORN AGAIN: John 3:5
THOSE WHO ENDURE HATRED TO THE END: Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13
YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT: Matthew 7:7, 11:28, John 5:40, 7:37, Revelation 3:20
THOSE WHO COME VIA THE FATHER: John 6:37,40, 6:65, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13
DO THE RIGHT THING: Matthew 7:21, John 8:51, 1Corinthians 6:9-10
VIRGINS ONLY: Revelation 14:1,3-4
OR MAYBE IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO: Romans 9:11, 15-16, 18, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 8:29, 1Peter 1:2
I have a friend raised JW who is not a JW, but you can see the church influence in him just the same. Anytime anything about gambling happens that is negative, he’ll say, “SEE?! That’s why _I_ don’t gamble.” Of course, when someone wins a butt-load on a longshot, I never hear him say, “Dang, maybe I should gamble?”
To be fair there are secular reasons why gambling is unwise. Casinos and lotteries are hardly set up as charities! But he’s emotional reaction to it is evident. It’s not just a “The odds are so against you–it’s a stupid thing to do.” He won’t even bet me for small things–like a dispute. If he’s insistent sometimes I’ll say, “Wanna bet?” I’ll even offer the wagers. His reply, “I don’t bet.”
Seriously–what is the harm of $5 on the Superbowl? Or not even money–how about loser buys dinner? Then we both get a dinner out of it no matter who loses…? No way–”I don’t bet.”
It’s sort of cruel because I get a sort of humor out of seeing his irrational neurosis. But what’s not funny is that his parents did this to him. Here’s a guy neurotically and irrationally opposed to betting. And he doesn’t even know why. But he gets emotionally defensive if he’s enticed to bet. I hate to see people emotionally uncomfortable and recognize they don’t even know why. I hate it–and yet it’s still funny.
When certain Christians take up the serpent, aren’t they betting that they won’t be bitten? I very much doubt that they would, if they knew it was a sure thing.