Lottery

[gibby]

What has sparked this topic in my mind is that I have been hearing this saying from people alot lately (including my wife) "When I win the lottery, I am going to do _________"

My questions are this:

1. Does it go against scripture to play the lottery?
2. Is it truly gambling considering they only cost $1 a ticket?
3. Is it the love of money that drives people to play this game?
4. Could a true Christian who loves God put all that money to good use if they won it or is it tainted money?

I personally don't play the lottery because of these reasons:
1. It would be quicker to flush that dollar down the toilet.
2. The odds of winning are the same as getting struck by lightning on a clear day...twice.
3. I have heard too many stories of lottery winners going bankrupt within a few years of winning it and they end up miserable.
4. I don't want the stress of dealing with all that money.
5. I don't need something in my life that is going to get in the way of my relationship with God.


I don't mean this to sound like one of those terrible situational ethics questions you had to answer in college; these are just some thoughts that go through my mind.

[GloryB]

I live in a big Lottery state and know a lot of people who play it. There are a handful who have won up to $300, but no big winners. Chances are they didn't even break even if they added up their investments.

I used to like the Bingo games when they first came out because they were fun to do and you could win a few bucks here and there, but I've never played any of the other Florida Lottery games.

I know gambling isn't an acceptable Christian past-time....but I don't think worse of someone if they chose to purchase a ticket from time to time.

[Jon-Marc]

Originally Posted by gibby

What has sparked this topic in my mind is that I have been hearing this saying from people alot lately (including my wife) "When I win the lottery, I am going to do _________"

My questions are this:

1. Does it go against scripture to play the lottery?
2. Is it truly gambling considering they only cost $1 a ticket?
3. Is it the love of money that drives people to play this game?
4. Could a true Christian who loves God put all that money to good use if they won it or is it tainted money?

I personally don't play the lottery because of these reasons:
1. It would be quicker to flush that dollar down the toilet.
2. The odds of winning are the same as getting struck by lightning on a clear day...twice.
3. I have heard too many stories of lottery winners going bankrupt within a few years of winning it and they end up miserable.
4. I don't want the stress of dealing with all that money.
5. I don't need something in my life that is going to get in the way of my relationship with God.


I don't mean this to sound like one of those terrible situational ethics questions you had to answer in college; these are just some thoughts that go through my mind.

1. I see nothing in the scriptures that says that playing the lottery is a sin, although I believe there is one that says not to seek riches; I just can't find it. Flushing money down the toilet would be a waste. If you have more than you need and want to throw it away, how about throwing it my way?

2. I suppose it can be called gambling since you're gambling a dollar on the very slim possibility of winning more. People do win, and someone where I worked won $30,000,000. I figure--SOMEONE'S going to eventually win, and why not me? I only play $1 once or twice a week. I've won small amounts of money, which rather than discouraging me encourages me and makes me think that God is not against playing or winning the lottery. He just hasn't seen fit to let me win it big--yet.

3.I can't speak for others, but my hope is to win enough to get out of debt (I have at last count 16 medical bills alone), actually have a real house and not have to live in an RV that leaks and doesn't hold heat in the cold weather, and maybe even buy a new car instead of buying other people's throw-aways.

4. I don't see why the money should be "tainted". My first check would be to my church for at least 10%--maybe more to make up for all the times I didn't have enough left over to tithe after paying bills. Does God expect us to let our bills go to tithe? I'm retired and living on a limited income. I have more outgo than income.

Is the stress of having money any worse than the stress of having too many bills for your income? I'm not talking about credit cards; I'm talking about medical bills, the high cost of food, the outrageous cost of gas for your vehicle(s), utilities, phone bill, Internet, cable or dish for your TV (if you watch it). Then there is the cost of upkeep on your vehicle(s), and unseen emergencies.

My alternator died on my car, and it cost over $300 for a new one. It cost over $500 for new brakes on my car. The Converter in my RV died, and it cost nearly $400 for another one. It's an essential part that keeps power in the RV battery, and many things won't work without that battery. All of these were done last year.

These aren't luxuries that I can live without; they are necessities. I don't smoke, drink, do drugs, buy porn, or waste money on other frivolous things--except the dollar on the lotto.

I agree that I too don't want anything that will get between my God and me, but why should having money do that unless you put that money first as non-Christians do. There are wealthy Christians who tithe faithfully and serve the Lord. Money is not evil, but "the LOVE of money is the root all evil."

[GloryB]

$30,000,000

Oh my gosh....can you imagine winning that kind of money? I would only want to keep half a million....the rest would just be a burden! I would get everyone on the forum's address and share!

[canny]

I keep saying "when I win the lottery " but I don't do the lottery, the odds are too great to waste the overdraft on lol lol

[streetsinger]

I occasionally buy a scratch card, to give the Lord a chance to bless me, he hasn't yet. I don't feel it is wrong to have a flutter occasionally. I know that gambling can become addictive but so can food, Jesus calls us to drink wine to remember him, Paul advices a little wine for our stomachs sake. The disciples gambled to chose a disciple to take the place of Judas. Anything that starts to become a problem should be left alone.

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by thestreetsinger

I occasionally buy a scratch card, to give the Lord a chance to bless me, he hasn't yet.

The way you worded this post was really funny!

[Frederick]

Originally Posted by gibby

What has sparked this topic in my mind is that I have been hearing this saying from people alot lately (including my wife) "When I win the lottery, I am going to do _________"

My questions are this:

1. Does it go against scripture to play the lottery?
2. Is it truly gambling considering they only cost $1 a ticket?
3. Is it the love of money that drives people to play this game?
4. Could a true Christian who loves God put all that money to good use if they won it or is it tainted money?

I personally don't play the lottery because of these reasons:
1. It would be quicker to flush that dollar down the toilet.
2. The odds of winning are the same as getting struck by lightning on a clear day...twice.
3. I have heard too many stories of lottery winners going bankrupt within a few years of winning it and they end up miserable.
4. I don't want the stress of dealing with all that money.
5. I don't need something in my life that is going to get in the way of my relationship with God.


I don't mean this to sound like one of those terrible situational ethics questions you had to answer in college; these are just some thoughts that go through my mind.

The late commedian Bob Monkhouse used to present the lottery tickets live over here in the UK. He had a dry sense of humour. He always used to remind people to say the lottery prayer: "Lord, I know I'm a sinner, but please make me a winner, Amen." It always made me smile. I see nothing wrong in having the odd bet prroviding it doesn't become an obsession. Oscar Wilde got it right when he said people always think that money will make them happy, but it doesn't. Although tragic, one of the things that still amuses me is the story of how childhood sweethearts won £4,000,000.00 on the New York lottery on the eve of their first wedding anniversary - they divorced before the second!

[Onesiphorus]

Anyone out there who wins the lottery and rightly feels guilty , please contact me so I can relieve them of the burden they carry because God will love a joyous giver and I will love being a joyous receiver

[Lambsy]

If its money you need, just write a diet book with an accompanying CD. Research sustainable dieting that is more of lifestyle change. Include your food preparation and exercise methods and make it simple and easy.

Use the latest research to help with certain problems people may have.

Example. Elderly people have weak bones so you target vitamins like D3 so that they can assimilate calcium. Onions in the daily diet also rebuilds bone mass rapidly, according to the British medical journel. Put this information in and make it interesting.
Depression can be caused by a lack of D vitamins, due usually to a lack of sunlight during the winter months. So you explain what foods have D vitamins in it.
Night blindness is caused by vitamin A deficiancy, this is cured as if by magic by eating chicken livers in a stir fry or pate.

A young lady I worked with had night blindness for years, and could not drive her car at night. I told her she had a raging vitamin A deficiancy and needed a big hit of chicken livers. Over night literally she was cured by vitamin A. She couldn't get over it. People suffer for years just for lack of information.

One of my favorite diet helps for people are mineral soups I boil down bones with soups and extract all the minerals. And boil all the minerals out of green vegies and root vegetables. This becomes a stock to be added to lightly cooked soups to fortify them. Calcium rich soups are excellent in very cold weather, I discovered something marvelous when I found this out.

How about muscle cramps ? All people need to do is get magnesium into their system, fixed real quick.

People like diets with interesting information, but also stuff that works. There are millions of interesting things you can inform people about their diets.

Be your own testimonial, and get others to try it and use their testimonies.

If it doesn't market well, just change the name of your diet book until it does.

You will think you have won the lottery, its not very hard to do.