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Philosophy/religion

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Christians and gambling!

13 replies

oxocube · 25/01/2011 21:08

As in playing the lottery etc. Is it discouraged? I seem to remember my church won't hold raffles as fund-raisers or something weird like that!

Sorry if its a really stupid question Grin

OP posts:
ilovemyhens · 25/01/2011 23:15

I think it's down to individual choice really. Many Christians believe that gambling is wrong because it involves putting your faith in something other than God.

chippy47 · 25/01/2011 23:17

Most catholic churches would not have a roof if it were not for tombola.

oxocube · 26/01/2011 06:55

Hmmm just what I was thinking hens. Although chippy, I agree with you. My current church (evangelist) seems to be v against any gambling inc but churches I've been to in the past, esp Catholic ones, do seem to have raffles, tombolas etc to raise money.

OP posts:
supergreenuk · 26/01/2011 07:25

It's about being good stewards with money. Better things can be done with the money.

PositiveAttitude · 26/01/2011 07:25

Ho Oxo, I believe that gambling is wrong because we are told to be careful with our money and gambling is addictive and can cause all sorts of problems when it escalates.

However, I dont really see a problem with the small charity raffles and such-like, but some people see them as the same thing

supergreenuk · 26/01/2011 07:40

You can see why god wants us so be careful though. Just look at what money causes. Greed, jealousy,poverty, theft and addiction.

supergreenuk · 26/01/2011 07:42

Sorry me again. Just look at Vegas. It's called sin city.

Northernlurker · 26/01/2011 08:12

I think you can draw a distinction between gambling and raffle tickets. With a raffle for a good cause you are effectively donating the money and then if you get something back that's very nice. With everything from the lottery upwards you aren't donating to a specific good cause, you are throwing your money up in the air on the chance it will multiply many times. It's about being feckless and greedy - not good really. That said we don't do raffles in our church either.

amberlight · 26/01/2011 08:21

Money also can cause life, health, freedom from pain, food, a roof over people's heads, clothes on their backs. Like everything on this earth it's a tool for both good and evil, depending on how it's used.
We had a member of family who gambled away every penny the family had, so I'm not keen on gambling. But raising money for a church via a raffle or tombola seems like a fairly harmless thing?

crazymum53 · 27/01/2011 16:24

It's not just raffles: our baptist church wouldn't let the boys brigade hold a bingo night to raise funds because this was seen to be encouraging gambling. Yet the C of E church where I was brought up often held raffles and tombolas to raise funds.
I do support the above when I know where the money's going e.g. school PTA but wouldn't buy a national lottery ticket for same reason as northernlurker.

nickelthenaughtybutnicefairy · 29/01/2011 17:06

it depends on what the gambling is, really.

If the proceeds of the bgamble are going to the churc hfunds, then why not?
It's usually a bit of harmless fun - not card games or that kind of thing, but a raffle or a tombola are okay.

PandaG · 29/01/2011 17:12

personally I don't do the National Lottery, but will happily buy raffle tickets, or take part in a tombola or similar, for a local or national charity.

I play cards, not for money, but will score using pen and paper or chips for example, and would go to a charity 'race night' or 'casino night' where you pay a fiver to go for a fistful of chips - all money goes to the charity but the winner of the most chips at the end of the night would have a prize.

I'm prety sure our church wouldn't hold a raffle themselves however.

nickelthenaughtybutnicefairy · 29/01/2011 17:14

DH does the lottery - but we've planned what we'll do wit hthe money, and it seems that our church will get morethan half....

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