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Bro. David's Notes: Update
02/15/07
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Gambling:
Prov. 28:8 …20….Isaiah 10:1,2 …I Tim.
6:9,10
Exodus 20:17..Thou shalt not covet..
Gambling is not acting on faith, nor is gambling simply
taking a risk…gambling is taking an artificial risk for
hope of excessive gain far beyond what investment of
time, money or skill would justify.
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The Ten Commandments: The battle over the
Ten Commandments is not finished in Kentucky...
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Gambling:
Prov.
28:8 …20….Isaiah 10:1,2 …I Tim. 6:9,10
Exodus 20:17..Thou shalt not covet.
Gambling is not acting on faith,
nor is gambling simply taking a risk…gambling is taking an
artificial risk for hope of excessive gain far beyond what
investment of time, money or skill would justify. A gamble
is a transaction whereby your gain is someone else’s loss…or
vice versa
In gambling, the willingness to
take a risk is twisted by the desire to get something for
nothing. Gambling is parasitic, producing no personal
growth achieving no social good. The gain of the winner is
always at someone else’s expense. It is selfish and
on-productive.
Gambling is the opposite of
faith…The Christian is to “Live by faith in God.”
Question: Isn’t buying insurance
a gamble…NO
When you gamble, you try to
exploit chance; you hope that you will be the only lucky
one. When you buy insurance, you are trying to eliminate
the problems caused by what is unpredictable; you share the
burden of those who are unfortunate.
When you gamble, you personally
are choosing to take an unnecessary risk. When you buy
insurance, you do so realizing that life is full of
necessary risks and that by purchasing a policy you can
spread the burden of the risk over a large company of
people.
Gambling has
four parts:
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An artificial risk. Many
risks in life are necessary to take; when you gamble you
are creating risks of your own choosing.
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A selfish goal. The basic
objective of the gambler is not to improve society even
when he buys a lottery ticket from the state. His basic
goal is to win a million dollars.
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No productive by product or
social betterment. An investment is used to benefit
others; a wager achieves no social good
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A gain at someone else's
expense. In an investment, everyone may gain; in
betting, the odds are carefully stacked so that there
will be more losers than winners.
UNDERSTANDING GAMBLING:
Gambling is simply putting something at
stake on the outcome of an even before it happens.
People usually gamble because they hope to gain something of
larger value. Gambling includes everything from buying a
lottery or a scratch ticket to playing Bingo to betting on
the outcome of a sports event.
WHAT IS PROBLEM GAMBLING?
Problem gambling is gambling to the
extent that it causes emotional, family, legal financial or
other problems for the gambler and the people around the
gambler. Problem gambling can get worse over time and
gambling problems can range from mild to severe.
WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS OF PROBLEM
GAMBLING?
When people have a problem with
gambling, many times they feel like they need to be more
money more frequently, feel irritated when they try to stop,
and think that they can chase their losses to recover
money. This can lead to more gambling, despite financial
loss and the trust of friends and loved ones. In general,
people with gambling problems usually spend a large portion
of their income on gambling.
Over 80% of US adults have reportedly
gambled at least once in the past year and done so
responsibly. Approx. 2 million people (1%) in US are
pathological gamblers. One third of problem gamblers who
received treatment for compulsive gambling also received
treatment for either chemical dependency or mental health
problems. 53.5% of pathological gamblers reported having
been divorced while they dwindle to 18% for non-gamblers.
Gamblers who participate with electronic machines are
becoming addicted much more quickly. The electronic
gambling devices are often labeled as the “Crack Cocaine” of
the industry. In mature gambling markets, more that 5% of
the population will develop some problem with
gambling…Problem and pathological gamblers comprise a sharp
contribution of 30 to 50% of all gambling losses. Gambling
is an addictive behavior that changes the neurochemistry of
the brain. The National Gambling Impact Commission of
1990’s said compulsive gambling population had grown by at
least 50%. Poverty, lower education level and other social
and economic factors can effect gambling addiction and can
be accelerated by the proximity of gambling outlets…a casino
within 10 miles of home is associated with a 90% increase in
the odds of being a pathological or problem gambler.
Example: In Michigan, Las Vegas
Sun …11-22-00 and Las Vegas Review-Journal -11-23-00 … A
small business owner had just returned from a trip to the
Las Vegas Strip’s MGM Grand Tuesday when he allegedly killed
his pregnant wife and three children (all under 2 years)
before turning the gun on himself. In his Michigan home,
police found a suicide note blaming gambling addiction and
$225,000 in shredded casino markers. His business was
$500,000 in debt because he withdrew the money to cover his
gambling.
Example: Atlantic
City…Washington Post …Aug. 6, 1998, reported an 11 year old
girl died after initially surviving the slayings of her
mother and brother and the suicide of her father, who
authorities say had defrauded area banks of nearly $2
million and had $10 million in gambling and other debts.
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