Impact1 Men's Conference

One of my favorite preachers, James Merritt, will be up the road at Wayside Baptist Church next Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1. The registration fee is a ridiculously low $30, which includes dinner Friday, breakfast and lunch Saturday and conference materials. Check it out. If you want to go with FBCH, just send me an email.

The Fight We Mustn't Stop Waging

The Florida legislature is examining a compact between Governor Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe that would vastly expand predatory gambling in the state of Florida. I wrote Governor Crist as well as Senator Bullard and Representative Saunders urging them to oppose this expansion.

There are numerous reasons for opposing gambling in all of its forms. Gambling exploits the poor. It takes a disproportionate amount of money from those who can least spare it and reallocates it to those who often least need it. One study shows (page 270) that as a percentage of income, the poor spend eight times as much on the lottery as do those who make over $70,000 per year.

Gambling decreases the quality of life in those places where it flourishes. For example, one study from the University if Illinois stated, "The raw data suggests... that 12.4 percent of the crime observed in casino counties would not be there if casinos were absent." Who wouldn't like to see crime decrease y 12.4 %? Owners of Casino's wouldn't, that's who.

Gambling involves the taking of something for nothing. It violates the spirit of "Thou shalt not steal." It invites internal corruption which is why we hear so much about kickbacks for politicians willing to support it. Gambling is addictive in nature. It destroys families. Innocent people are caught up in the crossfire.

For the Christian, there is another issue. Gambling flies in the face of everything the Bible teaches about stewardship. As stewards, we own nothing and God owns everything. He wants us to manage what He has entrusted to us, not leave it up to chance. Gambling, on the other hand, requires a distinct lack of faith on the part of the participant. For example, if you play a multi-state lottery, one of the big ones, you have a one in 120,000,000 chance of winning. The moment you buy that ticket, you are saying that the the odds of God providing for you are less than that. You are more likely to win the lottery than for God to provide for His own.

I've often wondered why those who promote a "social justice" gospel are not on the front lines of the gambling issue. All believers should actively encourage our representatives to oppose gambling in all its forms.

Florida residents can get involved regarding today's legislation HERE.