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Of churches and casinos
REV MERVIN STODDART
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Churches have been accused of hypocrisy, sometimes fairly, because of the observed differences between their practices and preaching, and inconsistencies in their doctrines versus their deeds. Nowhere is the hypocrisy of churches more astounding and outstanding as in their stance on gambling. Jamaican churches have perennially opposed large-scale casino gambling as a tourist attraction on the island.
They do so on the grounds that gambling is sinful. Some churches try in roundabout ways to prove that gambling is sinful while others simply say so without any attempts at justification. Truth is, the Bible does not mention gambling. Period.
Christianity is divided mainly into Catholics and Protestants. The former group comprises Roman Catholics (RC), Eastern Catholics, and others, the RC being the largest sect. The latter group is manifestly splintered, such that some 38,000 different Christian denominations now exist, including "nondenominational" movements. Roman Catholicism does not condemn gambling as a sin, but says in its Catechism 2413: "Games of chance (card games, etc) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant."
Protestant groups have varied teachings on gambling, but most oppose it as being sinful. Yet, many Protestants or non-Catholics engage in games of chance, take numerous high risks with financial and non-monetary investments, and seek to increase wealth in ways that the Christ himself would have condemned, such as ripping off poor people. My biggest peeve is with churches that collect and bank tithes, offerings, and money from harvest gifts from extremely impoverished people and leave them to go to bed without dinner as well as unable to meet many of their other basic needs. The book of Acts teaches that church money collected should be used to help keep every church member healthy, properly fed, clothed, sheltered, and safe. After that, some help should be given to the non-members.
Some churches say gambling is sinful because it is a form of covetousness, which the Decalogue prohibits. That argument is more insincere than saying women should not wear pants because the Bible says a female should not don the apparel of a male. It is more ridiculous than claiming that the Bible says "render your heart and not your garment", when in fact what the Bible says is, "rend (rip or tear) your heart and not your garment".
One church group claims: "Gambling is simply a process that takes money and does not offer a fair return in goods or services." That definition is like saying gambling is what our churches do best.
It is hypocrisy for Jamaica's churches to try to veto casino gambling. Gambling is already flooding Jamaica by means of Caymanas Park, national lottery, drop pan, cash pot, "throwing" partners, card games, dominoes, ludo, bingo games, hotel casinos, bar casinos and numerous other methods. In response to these, the churches either are silent, give consent, or participate. Yet, those same churches get riled up against casinos as a tourist attraction. Does any church refuse a member's tithes and offerings simply because that member earns money from the gambling establishments mentioned above?
History suggests that politicians and clergymen often attempt to be "spoilsports" when so-called commoners invent ways to increase their money and pleasures, especially if exacting taxes and tithes from such inventions becomes difficult. Casinos at Paradise Island in The Bahamas and Las Vegas in the USA, among others, suggest that income from gambling could help vastly to alleviate Jamaica's financial burdens by attracting tourists and providing employment. Casinos might also help some lucky Jamaican to hit the jackpot, thus finding God's will for their life and the way out of poverty.
The role of government and the private sector is to conduct feasibility studies to see how best Jamaica could capitalise on casino gambling to reap its benefits while reducing its risks, such as potential crimes and addictions. The role of the church is to tell people the truth that the Bible nowhere condemns gambling, and so individual believers should look to their God and their consciences for guidance on that matter. Churches should also minister to victims of gambling as they would to any other victims of life.
Life itself is a gamble and a game of trial and error in which all humans are forced to participate. In matters of life, all humans win some and lose some. Living is mostly sowing and reaping, and often just investing while losing or gaining. Playing the slot machine by investing 25 cents with a chance to win $25,000 is much better odds than buying ordinary shares or otherwise investing $25,000 in a stock market with the chance of losing everything.
Albert Einstein helped to invent quantum mechanics but tried to escape its implications, especially Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, by stating that "God does not play dice". But Stephen Hawking and modern quantum physicists have now proved that God's multiverse is built on probability and choice. Quantum information systems now suggest that at the very basis of microscopic entities are physical bits (smaller than bytes) of information.
This sets the stage for quantum computing, which if mastered, will solidify the age of nanotechnology. God's words, it seems, did indeed make our universe. Chances are they also created other universes. On the macroscopic scale, perhaps, determinism rules; but in the vital microscopic activities of our universe, uncertainty reigns. Bob Marley said it well: "Way earthly things are going/Anything can happen." Concerning casino gambling in Jamaica, I beg to differ with the churches that say let there be no game. I say to Minister Ed Bartlett, let the games begin.
Rev Dr Mervin Stoddart is a freelance writer out of Florida.
INMerv@hotmail.com.
REV MERVIN STODDART
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Churches have been accused of hypocrisy, sometimes fairly, because of the observed differences between their practices and preaching, and inconsistencies in their doctrines versus their deeds. Nowhere is the hypocrisy of churches more astounding and outstanding as in their stance on gambling. Jamaican churches have perennially opposed large-scale casino gambling as a tourist attraction on the island.
They do so on the grounds that gambling is sinful. Some churches try in roundabout ways to prove that gambling is sinful while others simply say so without any attempts at justification. Truth is, the Bible does not mention gambling. Period.
Christianity is divided mainly into Catholics and Protestants. The former group comprises Roman Catholics (RC), Eastern Catholics, and others, the RC being the largest sect. The latter group is manifestly splintered, such that some 38,000 different Christian denominations now exist, including "nondenominational" movements. Roman Catholicism does not condemn gambling as a sin, but says in its Catechism 2413: "Games of chance (card games, etc) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant."
Protestant groups have varied teachings on gambling, but most oppose it as being sinful. Yet, many Protestants or non-Catholics engage in games of chance, take numerous high risks with financial and non-monetary investments, and seek to increase wealth in ways that the Christ himself would have condemned, such as ripping off poor people. My biggest peeve is with churches that collect and bank tithes, offerings, and money from harvest gifts from extremely impoverished people and leave them to go to bed without dinner as well as unable to meet many of their other basic needs. The book of Acts teaches that church money collected should be used to help keep every church member healthy, properly fed, clothed, sheltered, and safe. After that, some help should be given to the non-members.
Some churches say gambling is sinful because it is a form of covetousness, which the Decalogue prohibits. That argument is more insincere than saying women should not wear pants because the Bible says a female should not don the apparel of a male. It is more ridiculous than claiming that the Bible says "render your heart and not your garment", when in fact what the Bible says is, "rend (rip or tear) your heart and not your garment".
One church group claims: "Gambling is simply a process that takes money and does not offer a fair return in goods or services." That definition is like saying gambling is what our churches do best.
It is hypocrisy for Jamaica's churches to try to veto casino gambling. Gambling is already flooding Jamaica by means of Caymanas Park, national lottery, drop pan, cash pot, "throwing" partners, card games, dominoes, ludo, bingo games, hotel casinos, bar casinos and numerous other methods. In response to these, the churches either are silent, give consent, or participate. Yet, those same churches get riled up against casinos as a tourist attraction. Does any church refuse a member's tithes and offerings simply because that member earns money from the gambling establishments mentioned above?
History suggests that politicians and clergymen often attempt to be "spoilsports" when so-called commoners invent ways to increase their money and pleasures, especially if exacting taxes and tithes from such inventions becomes difficult. Casinos at Paradise Island in The Bahamas and Las Vegas in the USA, among others, suggest that income from gambling could help vastly to alleviate Jamaica's financial burdens by attracting tourists and providing employment. Casinos might also help some lucky Jamaican to hit the jackpot, thus finding God's will for their life and the way out of poverty.
The role of government and the private sector is to conduct feasibility studies to see how best Jamaica could capitalise on casino gambling to reap its benefits while reducing its risks, such as potential crimes and addictions. The role of the church is to tell people the truth that the Bible nowhere condemns gambling, and so individual believers should look to their God and their consciences for guidance on that matter. Churches should also minister to victims of gambling as they would to any other victims of life.
Life itself is a gamble and a game of trial and error in which all humans are forced to participate. In matters of life, all humans win some and lose some. Living is mostly sowing and reaping, and often just investing while losing or gaining. Playing the slot machine by investing 25 cents with a chance to win $25,000 is much better odds than buying ordinary shares or otherwise investing $25,000 in a stock market with the chance of losing everything.
Albert Einstein helped to invent quantum mechanics but tried to escape its implications, especially Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, by stating that "God does not play dice". But Stephen Hawking and modern quantum physicists have now proved that God's multiverse is built on probability and choice. Quantum information systems now suggest that at the very basis of microscopic entities are physical bits (smaller than bytes) of information.
This sets the stage for quantum computing, which if mastered, will solidify the age of nanotechnology. God's words, it seems, did indeed make our universe. Chances are they also created other universes. On the macroscopic scale, perhaps, determinism rules; but in the vital microscopic activities of our universe, uncertainty reigns. Bob Marley said it well: "Way earthly things are going/Anything can happen." Concerning casino gambling in Jamaica, I beg to differ with the churches that say let there be no game. I say to Minister Ed Bartlett, let the games begin.
Rev Dr Mervin Stoddart is a freelance writer out of Florida.
INMerv@hotmail.com.
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