Risky Revenue

God provides resources so that we can honor Him, and He gives us the ability to engage in commerce, to buy and sell, and to be economically responsible.  But, when people gamble, they are
engaging in risky and unbiblical behavior. 1st Timothy 6 says:
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The gambling industry, whether it be lotteries, casinos, or even sports wagering on the Internet, entices people to take a risk on some unspecified reward, which more often than not does not come into fruition.  The Bible teaches work and responsibility, gambling reinforces greed.  A winner is only a winner because someone else, or a number of someone elses, lose.  The pursuit of shiny rewards through gambling runs counter to Biblical pursuits.

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I will be mentioning some verses referenced by a website later in today's commentary, and it deals with people being responsible and pursuing a solid work ethic.  These verses are part of this overall
passage from 2nd Thessalonians 3:
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

The NCAA men's basketball tournament is now history, and one of the negative cultural aspects of the tournament is the sheer amount of money that is spent on gambling on the outcomes.  According to an article from several weeks ago at the Baptist Press website, "Americans are expected to wager more than $8 billion on this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament."

There is the expectation, due to a Supreme Court decision, that more states will be allowing gambling on sports, and recently, the article relates that LifeWay Research surveyed pastors recently on the topic of sports gambling.  LifeWay had previously found that 64 percent of Americans in general "disagree that sports gambling is immoral," with 31 percent agreeing, but a study from last year "found most pastors believe it is morally wrong to bet on sports, while few agree it should be legalized nationwide."  The results:

Around 6 in 10 (59 percent) pastors agree it is morally wrong to bet on sports, while 32 percent disagree.

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, said, "The large majority of pastors oppose sports betting," and added, "And pastors are willing to put their ministry where their mouth is by being ready to help those hurt by gambling and to discourage people from participating."

The numbers:

Nearly 9 in 10 pastors (88 percent) say if their state legalizes sports gambling, they will offer counseling for those struggling with debt or addiction.

Majorities say they will use private conversations to discourage participation (65 percent) and offer support groups for gambling addiction (60 percent).

Less than half - 42 percent - of pastors said they would advocate for "stricter laws on sports betting," with still fewer, about a third, saying they would discourage participation in sports betting in their sermons.

Only 12 percent of pastors believe sports betting should be legalized nationwide.

This removal on the prohibition on sports gambling gives states another opportunity to consider what they see to be a revenue stream, unreliable and addictive as it is.  The lure of gambling, whether it be through a lottery, or a casino or a computer desktop or smartphone, continues to plague our land. And lawmakers in Alabama seem to be addicted to the idea of expanding gambling in our state.

Currently, there are bills that would do just that, including the allowance of a statewide lottery.

But, the Scriptural principles that are violated by gambling still remain, and point to gambling as an immoral activity.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website offers this insight:

Gambling clearly breaks several biblical principles which are central to a Christian’s way of life. A Christian lifestyle is one that expresses faith in the loving care and provision of Almighty God, not in chance or luck (Matthew 6:33). A Christian seeks to love his neighbor, not to profit from a loss by someone else. A Christian seeks to avoid every form of greed and covetousness and to be content with what he has (see Hebrews 13:5). In addition, a Christian realizes that everything he possesses has been given in stewardship by God and should only be used in a way that honors Him.

The site quotes Billy Graham, who said:

“Gambling is nowhere approved in the Bible. Instead, the Bible stresses that the Christian should earn his living by honest work and effort, and this would exclude relying on chance (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). The Bible tells us to ‘abstain from all appearance of evil’ (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Gambling has often done untold evil to people by making them lose money that could be used for good purposes or even the necessities of life. Money is given to us by God to be used for good, not evil. Anyone seeking to do God’s will should not be involved in gambling.”

So, Alabama lawmakers should not be authorizing or paving the way for the authorization of immoral activity.  They can stop it in the Legislature, rather than pass the buck and allow a lottery or gambling expansion to go to a statewide vote, where, as it's been pointed out, large-scale gambling interests will overwhelm opponents with huge advertising dollars to deceive the public about perceived benefits.

There are certainly some moral issues that come into play when considering expansion of gambling in our state.  Lawmakers, essentially, become stumbling blocks to others when they allow activity that has the potential to destroy lives and families.  They should investigate honest and reliable revenue sources, rather than bank on unstable funding streams.

We can pray for our legislators to exercise godly wisdom.  It seems as if, year after year, those we elect to represent us have been tempted by the lure of gambling legislation.  It's a big money-maker for some, namely the gambling interests; but in order to win, someone has to lose.

The Bible warns against the love of money, certainly, and is dead set against greed and coveteousness.  I believe that Biblically, we should not pursue "get rich quick" schemes, rather, as the Billy Graham piece alludes to, we are to work hard and responsibly.