.

WHAT ARE WE
TO THINK OF
LOTTERIES
AND
GAMBLING?
What are we to think of lotteries
and gambling? Should we think
more highly of them because .
their tax proceeds might support
sc.hools, prisons or balance State
and Federal budgets? Similar
logic currently promotes
research on the remains of
aborted babies. If we can cure
or relieve those with Alzheimers
disease, so the logic goes then
the brains of mutilated infants
should be fair game for medical
and drug research. This is
scientific cannibalism. Are we
now to tum our dead relatives
into food to serve the hungry and
starving (Soilent Green)? I
expect N:ew Age "progressive"
sci(:mtists to recommend this for
starving nations before long.
When we as a culture decide that,
"the ends justify the means,"
barbaric cannibalism, rather than
being repulsive, becomes a
solution.
Libertarians, as pure
individualists, naturally have little
trouble with gambling. In .
Libertarianism, the individual is
exalted as ultimate and sovereign.
Gambling, like pornography, is
regarded as a "victimless crime."
Prohibition is not only
inappropriate but immoral. It's an
assault upon the free activity of
sovereign men. That the poor and
ignorant might be manipulated
into irresponsible habits by huge
jack-pots is nothing but the
justice of the economic jungle.
Some libertarians, as consistent
evolutionists, regard intentional
fraud as just another cultural
danger in the "survival-of-the-
fittest" jungle of life. In fact, .
ignoranJ men don't deserve to
survive. Chumps deserve to be
fleeced Evolutionary atheism is
becoming more consistent with
its theology. If God is dead and
we are chance evolving cells, then
morals are indeed arbitrary.
Of course this sort of social
anarchy never lasts. Men will
invariably demand order and so
libertarian anarchy quickly leads
to tyranny, as happened after the
French revolution and reign of
terror. Napoleon took total
control. Thankfully, most
libertarians and other atheists are
not consistently hostile to the
Christian faith. In fact, man still
imagines the benefits of a
Christian culture can be enjoyed.
while gutting foundational
Christian theology. They do not
see that the fruit of Christian
liberty o m ~ s only from a
cultural ethic which is essentially
Christian.
If we lose one -- we will surely
lose the other.
Socialists, rather than preserving
the voluntary actions of free men,
view gambling in grave need of
regulation to protect men from
"fraud.'' Their condesending
paternalistic mentality toward the
poor and everyone else is typical.
They seek to protect the poor
while manipulating them for
politiC41 ends (votes). But
Socialists cannot ignore the
revenue possibilities of legalized
gambling. Indeed, it is a happy
source of revenue (MONEY!).
Gambling then, if properly
regulated apd taxed, becomes a
Page 22 June 1990 The Counsel of Cha.lcedon .
lucrative form of taxing the
ignorant.
But 1et's consider the particulars
of gambling before moving .on
to specific Christian critique.
Gambling, by definition, . is the
seeking of gain, largely by
chance, without useful labor or
productivity. Notice this
definition. The focus is not
upon risks or mental powers -
- but upon the lack of
productivity and labor. A
Christiancritiqueofgambling
cannot be divorced from a
Christian view of labor. Note
also that we cannot say gambling
involves NO mental powers or
skill. Many professional .
gamblers are quite smart and
skilled Sports gamblers study
the teams and players; dogs and
horses; and often have amazing
know ledge. Neither are risks
unique to gambling. Starting a
small business is a high risk
endeavor -- so is success in
professional sports, acting and
politics. Gambling is not unique
for its risks and long odds. Life
itself is full of risks and long
odds. Remember, it is timid,
fearful men who typically wish to
avoid all.risks in life (Matthew
25:25).
Also worth noting is that in
lotteries, the elements of study
and entertainment are both
removed. Unlike poker, black-
jack and sports gambling, how
does one study to become a
lottery winner? Lotteries are .
wholly random with nothing at
all to study. The "winner" is
totally random. So lotteries are
least demanding, absent of
entertainment value and contain
the worst odds against the player.
Is it not telling that lotteries are
becoming the most popular form
of gambling?
This brings us to our central
Christian critique of gambling -
- its characteristic absence of
useful labor and productivity.
Nothing is built and no
consumer need is met.
Gambling, of necessity,
undennines useful labor,
productivity and the preparation
for both in the future. The
Biblical doctrine of labor is both
directly and indirectly assaulted
by gambling. Notice the language
of the cultural or dominion
mandate of Gen. 1:26,28:
"Then God said, "Let Us
make man in our image,
according to Our likeness; let
them have dominion over the fish
of the sea, over the birds of the
air, and over the cattle, over all
the earth and over every creeping
thing that creeps on the earth.''
(28) Then God blessed them, and
God said to them, "Be fruitful
and multiply; fill the earth and
subdue it; have dominion over
the fish of the sea, over the birds
of the air, and over every living
thing that moves on the earth.''
We are corrunanded to exercise
responsible dominion over
creation. Contrary to
environmentalists, this does not
legitimize the rape and abuse of
God's creation -- the
environment. God gives men
specific details throughout
Scripture which prevent
abusing creation. Yet Biblically
legitimate labor is good -- it is
mandated. By productive labor
we provide for our families,
serve our fellowman and fulfil
God's command. By
beautifying and developing the
earth, (dressing it and keeping it),
man brings Glory to God. The
whole earth is to become the
garden of the Lord.
This is gambling's Achilles' heeL
Gambling activity produces
nothing-- it is sterile. The jack-
pots are many times off-set by the
millions of losers and taxes.
With lotteries, there is no trace of
entertainment which refreshes
men to return to productive
labor with renewed vitality.
There is a total absence of
dressing and keeping God's
creation. Gambling is a great
hindrance to cultural dominion.
Like other sins, there is also
more than initially meets the eye.
Pornography hasbeen proven
to stimulate and encourage
premarital sex, adultery, and
rape. But even when
pornography does NOT end with
promiscuity or sex crimes, it
undermines strong family fidelity
and commitment. The family
foundation necessary for a stable
society is weakened. Gambling
is similar. Not only are men
encouraged to desire in their
hearts something-for-nothing,
races, and athletic contests.
These weekly losers can afford it
the least. With only 10 million
lottery players weekly spending
$10 each totals over $400
million every month and over $5
billion annually. National
estimates of over $300 billion
annually are probably low. How
many college educations could
be paid for with $300 billion?
How many groceries and phone
bills? What about new
businesses and jobs? Money
squandered on gambling could
have made a significant
contribution to our cultural
prosperity. Gambling lotteries
are especially adept at raping the
limited wealth of the poor and
ignorant. Gambling costs us
almost as much as our national
defense budget!
The media also promotes
gambling. Who do they profile
on the nightly news and front
pages of newspapers and
magazines -- the winners! The
one, two or 15 in several
million. We never see media
profiles on the millions of lottery
losers, or the destroyed families
of the ignorant habitual gambler.
Only winners make the news.
To be sure, the creation of
instant millionaires is sensational.
But you'd think that a
but the time, money and newspaper or television station
resources devoted to gambling is somewhere would address the
a cultural seductress which other side of the story. You
misdirects the thoughts and would think that a compassionate
desires of men. It lures men heart would consider the
away from what is good and manipulated poor? Where is the
right. Gambling is a drain upon Christian Broadcasting Network
present tangible resources and (CBN) in all this?
future productivity. Let's Gambling costs us in lost future
consider these costs separately. productivity. The lottery losers
Have you noticed the absence of are not in night school preparing
white-collar professionals for the future. Who wants to
(Bankers, Chemists, Financial study, save, invest and create
Planners, CPAs) among lottery something if he can win $100
winners? They know the odds million with a $5 lottery ticket?
against them better than the poor Lottery losers are not dollar-cost-
and ignorant. Consider for a averaging into a mutual fund
moment investment program or pursuing
the millions oflosers who entrepreneurial activities for their
participate every week in the families. Are they aware that
various lotteries, dog and horse investing $50 monthly at 15%
The Counsel of Chalcedon June 1990 Page 23
would give them $75,000 in 20
years. In 30 years they would
have over $346,000. Karl Marx
could not have dreamed of a
better "opiate of the people"
(proletariat-worker) than the
current gambling/lottery craze.
Legalized gambling is a scourge
upon society for many reasons.
It exploits the ignorant who do
not understand the odds against
them. Gambling robs a man of
creative thought and dulls
initiative both now and in the
future. His gambling
undermines family budgeting. It
is a seductress toward something-
for-nothing. It is also a handy
tool for politicians to fund the
socialistic policy scams of big
government. It assaults and
undermines Godly labor and the
cultural mandate given by God
at creation (Genesis 1:26-30).
The politicians' lottery/education
schemes will rape what little
wealth is left from poor
families. Educators, of all
people should oppose such folly!
What does lottery proponents
"gambling/lotteries" teach your
junior and senior high school
students about chance games and
productive work? What will our
Nation reap via this policy?
Will we see millions more of idle
vagrants ("hornless") spending
their pittance on lottery tickets?
Pro-gambling/lottery politicians
are not long-term friends to your
State and our Country. They are
short-term political opportunists
who should know better. They
pretend to care for our children.
But their plans undermine work
and teach instead to sucker the
poor and ignorant to pay for
your schemes. Hopefully,
Christian leaders who care will
not continue to let them get away
such hypocrisy.
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light of the Scripture presented.
We can be assured that Satan and
our own weak flesh will battle
proper worship. Knox reminds
us that God's word is sufficient
ammunition to battle false
worship. True worship honors .
God and advances the Gospel.
Plan to read and circulate this
booklet. Do more. Pray that this
booklet will be used to further a
desire for and a practice of proper.
worship.
Page 24 June 1990 The Counsel of Chalcedon