What do you think–is gambling a sin?
In his massive book on The Doctrine of the Christian Life, John Frame argues that gambling is often wrong, but not always. He says gambling can be linked to the worship of chance; it can be addictive; it can involve covetousness; it can be a waste of time and money; it can be thought of as a substitute for useful work; and it can fall under the control of organized crime. So although Frame doesn’t think gambling is sinful in all circumstances it “is often or generally sinful, given the conditions in which we live” (806-807).
Even if plunking down ten dollars in the office pool may be harmless, the gambling industry certainly isn’t. And Christians ought to do more to speak against it.
Anyone unsure about the negative affects of the gaming industry and the sophisticated tools they use to entice addictive behavior should read Maura Casey’s devastating essay, Gambling with Lives, in First Things.
What can casinos, like the garish new Firekeepers Casino down the road from me, do to your community? Here’s Casey:
What can casinos do to your personal life?
So why haven’t more civic, political, and religious leaders spoken out against the gambling industry in an effort to stop its expansion? Again, Casey:
But, you may ask, aren’t the addicts to blame for their problems? So some people don’t know when to stop. Why does that make the whole industry suspect?
So how do slot machines manipulate men and especially women into addictive behaviors? Casey one last time:
Of course, addicts are still responsible for their choices, but Casey’s point is well-taken. The slot-machine is not a toy, or as it is so often dubbed, a bit of harmless entertainment. It is a learning machine intent on finding your weakness and exploiting it. Casinos exist to take your money. They make no product. They do not create wealth. They do not contribute to the public good. They hurt communities, hurt families, and by design try to hurt people by making them into coin-dropping addicts. Christians interested in seeking the shalom of their cities should do what they can to oppose the proliferation of casinos, lotteries, and the rest of the gaming industry. They could start by not showing up.
It may seem like I’ve quoted the whole essay, but I haven’t. Be sure to read the whole thing.
