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Gambling: Is It Gambling: Is It Right or Wrong?Right or Wrong?

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Gambling Defined:Gambling Defined: The American Heritage DictionaryThe American Heritage Dictionary: :

“1. a. To bet money on the outcome of a “1. a. To bet money on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event. b. To game, contest, or other event. b. To play a game of chance for money or other play a game of chance for money or other stakes. 2. To take a risk in the hope of stakes. 2. To take a risk in the hope of gaining an advantage; speculate. -- tr. 1. gaining an advantage; speculate. -- tr. 1. To put up in gambling; to wager. 2. To To put up in gambling; to wager. 2. To expose to hazard; to risk. -- n. 1. A bet, expose to hazard; to risk. -- n. 1. A bet, wager, or other gambling venture. 2. An wager, or other gambling venture. 2. An act or undertaking of uncertain outcome; act or undertaking of uncertain outcome; a risk....a risk....

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Gambling Defined:Gambling Defined:

Webster’s New International Webster’s New International DictionaryDictionary: “to play a game for : “to play a game for money or other stake...hence: money or other stake...hence: to to stake money or any other thing stake money or any other thing of value upon an uncertain of value upon an uncertain event; to hazard; wager. event; to hazard; wager.

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Gambling Defined:Gambling Defined:

R. Creighton BuckR. Creighton Buck: “In its more : “In its more limited sense it means an effort limited sense it means an effort to to gain something of value by risking gain something of value by risking the loss of something on a matter the loss of something on a matter of chanceof chance. Gambling appeals to two . Gambling appeals to two basic traits of human nature, the basic traits of human nature, the desire for gain and the exhilarating desire for gain and the exhilarating thrill of uncertainty.” (“Gaming and thrill of uncertainty.” (“Gaming and Gambling,” Vol. 10, Colliers Gambling,” Vol. 10, Colliers Encyclopedia CD-ROM)Encyclopedia CD-ROM)

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Three Essential Features to Three Essential Features to Gambling:Gambling:

There is a There is a ““PAY OFFPAY OFF” ” a prize of a prize of money or merchandise.money or merchandise.

There is a There is a ““CHANCECHANCE” ” the the awarding of the pay-off must be awarding of the pay-off must be based on a chance. based on a chance.

There is a There is a ““WAGERWAGER” ” The eligibility The eligibility for the prize is dependent on the for the prize is dependent on the payment or the agreement to pay payment or the agreement to pay the players involved. the players involved.

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Gambling is more Gambling is more than than taking a risktaking a risk, ,

it is placing a it is placing a

wager on a riskwager on a risk. .

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Gambling is placing a Gambling is placing a wager on a risk.wager on a risk.

Contrive or manufacture a risk Contrive or manufacture a risk

The winner is determined by The winner is determined by chance or luck and not skill chance or luck and not skill

Little control over the Little control over the circumstancescircumstances

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Gambling is placing a Gambling is placing a wager on a risk.wager on a risk.

It is a risk that most times It is a risk that most times involves little physical effort. involves little physical effort.

It is a risk that involves a It is a risk that involves a disproportionate return. disproportionate return.

It is a risk that we seek to win It is a risk that we seek to win at the expense of others.at the expense of others.

Nothing of value is being Nothing of value is being producedproduced..

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Many activities involve a risk Many activities involve a risk but are not gambling:but are not gambling:

Farming is not the same thing as Farming is not the same thing as gamblinggambling..

Investing in the stock market is Investing in the stock market is not gamblingnot gambling..

Buying insurance is not gambling.Buying insurance is not gambling.

Winning a sweepstakes is not the Winning a sweepstakes is not the same as gambling. same as gambling.

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Gambling Consist of Things Gambling Consist of Things Like: Like:

RafflesRaffles LotteriesLotteries Betting poolsBetting pools Playing card games for moneyPlaying card games for money Playing dice for moneyPlaying dice for money Slot machinesSlot machines Betting on horse races, dog races, ball Betting on horse races, dog races, ball

games, elections, etc. games, elections, etc. Playing bingo for moneyPlaying bingo for money Playing Bunko for moneyPlaying Bunko for money Casino games Casino games Etc. Etc.

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““Gambler’s Anonymous Booklet”Gambler’s Anonymous Booklet”: : “Any betting or wagering, “Any betting or wagering, whether for money or not, whether for money or not,

no matter how slight or no matter how slight or insignificant, where the insignificant, where the outcome is uncertain or outcome is uncertain or depends upon chance or depends upon chance or

‘skill,’ constitutes ‘skill,’ constitutes gamblinggambling.” (Quoted in Bob .” (Quoted in Bob

Buchanon, Buchanon, Those Those Impossible YearsImpossible Years, p. 38), p. 38)

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Stafford NorthStafford North: : “Gambling is the “Gambling is the act act

of risking what is of risking what is yours yours in order to in order to get get

what belongs to what belongs to another with nothing another with nothing

given in returngiven in return.” .” (Quoted in Stan (Quoted in Stan

Caldwell, “Gambling,” Caldwell, “Gambling,” The ReminderThe Reminder, Nov. , Nov.

19, 1989, 3:10:2)19, 1989, 3:10:2)

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IS GAMBLING WRONG? IS GAMBLING WRONG?

Gambling is wrong if it is Gambling is wrong if it is motivated by covetousness. motivated by covetousness.

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EpithumeoEpithumeo ThayerThayer: “prop. : “prop. to keep the to keep the thumosthumos

turned upon a thingturned upon a thing, , hence [hence [cf. our cf. our to to set one’s heart uponset one’s heart upon] ] to to have a have a desire for, long fordesire for, long for; absol. ; absol. to desireto desire [A.V. [A.V. lustlust], Jas. iv. 2; ], Jas. iv. 2; to lust after, to lust after, covetcovet, of those who , of those who seek things seek things forbiddenforbidden....” ....”

VineVine: “: “to fix the desire upon (epi, to fix the desire upon (epi, upon, used intensively, thumos, upon, used intensively, thumos, passionpassion), whether things good or bad; ), whether things good or bad; hence, to long for, lust after, covet....” hence, to long for, lust after, covet....”

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EpithumiaEpithumia BAGDBAGD: “: “desire, longing, cravingdesire, longing, craving. 1. as a . 1. as a

neutral term, as predom. in secular Gk.... neutral term, as predom. in secular Gk.... 2. in a good sense....2. in a good sense....have a longing for have a longing for somethsometh........eagerly desireeagerly desire.... 3. in a bad .... 3. in a bad sense as a desire for someth. forbidden…sense as a desire for someth. forbidden…

ThayerThayer: “: “desire, craving, longingdesire, craving, longing....spec. ....spec. desire for what is forbidden, lust…desire for what is forbidden, lust…

VineVine: “a desire, craving, longing, mostly : “a desire, craving, longing, mostly of evil desires, frequently translated of evil desires, frequently translated ‘lust,’…‘lust,’…

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PleonexiaPleonexia

BAGDBAGD: “: “greediness, insatiableness, greediness, insatiableness, avarice, covetousnessavarice, covetousness, lit. ‘a desire to , lit. ‘a desire to have more’....”have more’....”

ThayerThayer: “: “greedy desire to have more, greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avaricecovetousness, avarice....plur. various ....plur. various modes in which covetousness shows modes in which covetousness shows itself, itself, covetingscovetings....” ....”

VineVine: “covetousness, lit., : “covetousness, lit., a desire to a desire to have morehave more ( (pleonpleon, more, , more, echoecho, to have), , to have), always in a bad sensealways in a bad sense....” ....”

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IS GAMBLING IS GAMBLING WRONG?WRONG?

Gambling is wrong if it is motivated Gambling is wrong if it is motivated by covetousness. by covetousness.

Gambling is wrong if it results in Gambling is wrong if it results in slothfulness and laziness.slothfulness and laziness.

Gambling is wrong if it violates the Gambling is wrong if it violates the law of love. law of love.

Gambling is wrong if it makes you Gambling is wrong if it makes you an unfaithful steward of God’s an unfaithful steward of God’s blessings. blessings.

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IS GAMBLING WRONG? IS GAMBLING WRONG?

Gambling is wrong if it enslaves Gambling is wrong if it enslaves you to it.you to it.

Gambling is wrong if it harms Gambling is wrong if it harms your influence and example as a your influence and example as a Christian. Christian.

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IS GAMBLING WRONG? IS GAMBLING WRONG? Gambling is wrong if it enslaves Gambling is wrong if it enslaves

you to it. you to it. Gambling is wrong if it harms Gambling is wrong if it harms

your influence and example as a your influence and example as a Christian. Christian.

Gambling is wrong if it bears bad Gambling is wrong if it bears bad fruit.fruit.

Gambling is wrong if it is Gambling is wrong if it is

questionable in your own mind. questionable in your own mind.

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IS GAMBLING WRONG?IS GAMBLING WRONG? Gambling is wrong if it takes Gambling is wrong if it takes

you down the road to sin.you down the road to sin. Gambling is wrong is it Gambling is wrong is it

violates the laws of the land. violates the laws of the land.

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ARGUMENTS FOR ARGUMENTS FOR GAMBLINGGAMBLING

The Bible does not say, “Thou The Bible does not say, “Thou shall not gamble”shall not gamble”

““Why not gamble, all of life is a Why not gamble, all of life is a gamble.”gamble.”

Certain kinds of gambling are Certain kinds of gambling are legal.legal.

““The money is used for a good The money is used for a good cause.”cause.”

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ARGUMENTS FOR ARGUMENTS FOR GAMBLINGGAMBLING

““Gambling adds excitement to the Gambling adds excitement to the game.”game.”

““Those who gamble are willing Those who gamble are willing participants.”participants.”

““God’s people cast lots in the Bible.” God’s people cast lots in the Bible.” ““Gambling is all right as long as the Gambling is all right as long as the

stakes are small and no one gets stakes are small and no one gets hurt.” hurt.”

““I only gamble in moderation.” I only gamble in moderation.”

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