As I was doing more research about what to avoid I noticed that gambling was one of them. This didn't surprise me, as I know Methodists took a pretty strong stance on gambling. But, if you check paragraph 163, section G of the Book of Discipline, it says the following:
Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, destructive of good government and good stewardship. As an act of faith and concern, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to minister to those victimized by the practice...The Church's prophetic call is to promote standards of justice and advocacy that would make it unnecessary and undesirable to resort to commercial gambling--including public lotteries, casinos, raffles, Internet gambling, gambling with an emerging wireless technology and other games of chance--as a recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenue or fund for support of charities or government.
Wow...there's really no room for argument there. I can admit that, in my five years as a United Methodist before I was a minister, I definitely gambled. I've played bingo, fantasy football and partook in a few slot machines on our honeymoon when we were in Las Vegas. I would say that I was in control in all of this and never left compelled to spend beyond my means. In fact, it was fun.
I can see from that the above perspective looks at what happens when one does something in excess. I certainly do not want anyone getting addicted to gambling. I suppose the only way to guarantee that is to refrain from everything. Sometimes be disciplined isn't always fun. It also means that you need to give up things that can be fun, even in moderation. But there is a purpose behind what we do.
As a clergy member, I know that I must abstain from all gambling. As a United Methodist, how do you feel about it?
I can see from that the above perspective looks at what happens when one does something in excess. I certainly do not want anyone getting addicted to gambling. I suppose the only way to guarantee that is to refrain from everything. Sometimes be disciplined isn't always fun. It also means that you need to give up things that can be fun, even in moderation. But there is a purpose behind what we do.
As a clergy member, I know that I must abstain from all gambling. As a United Methodist, how do you feel about it?
I've worked at a casino and seen how some folks are responsible and have low limits of time and money they'll spend, but I've also seen many folks who go in every day. Some of these folks have real clunkers that they valet as special card holders, others have young families who they bring to the buffet once in a while which broke my heart. Others made sure to try to hide their gambling from others making sure they took no signs of the casino with them. From my experience I'd say the good of providing jobs and tax revenue do not outweigh the bad of addiction, crime and broken families. In addition all the money that is funneled out of communities through gambling could fund much better alternatives, but instead it goes to buildings, advertising and multinational corporate profit. So... I'm against.
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