By Paul Dion, STL
Catholics have often been accused of being very loose with their morals with regards certain human activities. After all, we drink, we dance, we play cards and we even gamble.
Gambling is considered to be rather nasty because it seems to take away from God the determination of what is going to happen next. It puts the welfare of the gambler at the mercy of the "odds" and not into the hands of God where it belongs.
Gambling is an insult to God's Providence. The gambler is trying to achieve a treasure that has not been foreseen by God, thereby manifesting a lack of trust in the all - loving Creator and Savior.
Now, in any man's language, isn't that a sin? So tell me, Gambler, are you holdin' or foldin' as God looks you in the eyes and dares you to up the ante?
You're right, the Burning Question of the week is, "Is it a sin to gamble?"
Are you reading this from the "hot spot" at your favorite casino? What about the recreational trips to the casino? Church Bingo? Are they all sins? Where do we draw the line?
Catholics have often been accused of being very loose with their morals with regards certain human activities. After all, we drink, we dance, we play cards and we even gamble.
Gambling is considered to be rather nasty because it seems to take away from God the determination of what is going to happen next. It puts the welfare of the gambler at the mercy of the "odds" and not into the hands of God where it belongs.
Gambling is an insult to God's Providence. The gambler is trying to achieve a treasure that has not been foreseen by God, thereby manifesting a lack of trust in the all - loving Creator and Savior.
Now, in any man's language, isn't that a sin? So tell me, Gambler, are you holdin' or foldin' as God looks you in the eyes and dares you to up the ante?
You're right, the Burning Question of the week is, "Is it a sin to gamble?"
Are you reading this from the "hot spot" at your favorite casino? What about the recreational trips to the casino? Church Bingo? Are they all sins? Where do we draw the line?
Share your thoughts with us. Post a comment today.
That which consumes you, enslaves you...
ReplyDeletewhen gambling takes away from paying your bills and taking of business then it becomes a sin
ReplyDeletehow about being a casino dealer is that a sin?
ReplyDeletePresuming that the casino dealer is honest, this is not a sinful occupation, not any better nor any worse than being a bartender. Both occupations burden the practitioner with legal and ethical requirements. The bartender should not water the workers' beer and the dealer should not mark the gamblers' cards. The bartender probably gets more sleep than the dealer. 3:47 AM?
ReplyDeleteGambling, the use of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs or food are all potential addictions that can tempt the mind to turn from our Catholic principles, values, morals and ethics, to turn away from the Lord. When we exercise our free will and choose to act other then Christ-like, we sin. When we engage in an activity, such as glass of wine with friends, attend a posh breakfast brunch and overeat or attend a casino night at church, bingo or a weekend in Las Vegas, I believe we must each look at our intent or purpose...is it to engage in fellowship and friendship? Is it a brief period of entertainment and fun? Is it a willful act to escape our responsibilities to church, family or friends, or challenge the will of God by believing one can beat the odds? I believe the answer lies in the player's conscious choice to turn away from God. Diana J. O'Malley, Victorville, CA
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to note that Casino and Church begins with the same letter. And one of them is called San Manuel in which it somehow imply as a church, although it is completed as San Manuel Bingo and Casino.
ReplyDeleteTo share and borrow comment from Ralf Waldo Emerson, he states, "Weak minds believes in luck, strong minds believes in cause and effect."
This statement is the epitome of understanding gambling. And I would like to add one word, "Weak minds believes in chance and luck while strong minds believes in cause and effect."
The believe in a Creator is not substituted with a chance happening, nor a big bang luck, it has a cause, a belief, a religion to guide us and this will give us the necessary results or what is known as effect. To investigate independently the truth is a matter of working with all our heart in finding that cause. Let me pause here. k?