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What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 1:45 am
I have heard it is specified as being against God's laws in the Quran, and because of this casinos aern't allowed in most Muslim countries, and are also not allowed in Israel.
But does it say anything about gambling in the OT or NT?
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 2:41 am
(This post was last modified: February 25, 2012 at 2:42 am by Forsaken.)
Quran is a translated, revised and adopted version of the Old Testament, so obviously both would say the same thing about gambling. As always, while most of the verses condemn gambling (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5; Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10), there ought to be a contradictory verse that seems to support it ( Proverbs 16:33). What would the bible be without contradictions!
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 3:00 am
(This post was last modified: February 25, 2012 at 3:33 am by Oldandeasilyconfused.)
Well Jesus DID tell Lazarus to come fourth.
Here in Australia,every major city has a legal casino. Poker machines are legal in most pubs and clubs,
I can accept casinos, I guess,especially when they have good cheap meals because I don't gamble,ever.However,in my opinion, poker machines are the most insidious form of gambling ever invented,because they work on the powerful psychological principle of intermittent reinforcement. I consider them (on our scale) to be a social evil.
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 3:02 am
The bible/koran can pretty much justify anything the preacher wants it to.
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 3:21 am
(This post was last modified: February 25, 2012 at 3:22 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Words that would translate into gambling or "to gamble" do not make a direct appearance in the bible. There are a few stories about gamblers, or gambling, and that's it. So, that either means that god hates gambling so much he never so much as inspired someone to write down the word, or he's totally cool with it, take your pick.
Timothy 6:10 is about greed for material wealth or lust for money, not gambling. Same with Hebrews 13:5. Proverbs 13:11 invokes "dishonest money" but gambling was not seen as dishonest (as far as we can tell). Our social stigma is not theirs. Proverbs 23:5 deals with the flighty and elusive nature of wealth (as seen or argued by the author). Ecclesiastes is more of the same, criticizing the hole that greed and the lust for wealth is said to leave in our lives.
Proverbs 16:33 doesn't really advocate for gambling, it just states that god rigs the game..lol.
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 25, 2012 at 2:16 pm
The bible IS the promotion of gambling: believers bet that they go to heaven after they die, don't they?
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 26, 2012 at 1:04 am
The bible doesn't have any rules for or against gambling, but it is interesting to notice that Matthias, the man who replaced Judas as the 12th apostle, won the job in a raffle (Acts 1:26).
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 26, 2012 at 2:53 am
This is a very good and socially relevant question. I will admit that I had/have a gambling problem with Texas hold 'em poker and blackjack. I used to have to travel 3 hours to go to Atlantic City New Jersey, but now there is a casino only 20 minutes away which I can play cards at obsessively (if I choose to). I can also play online of course too. I am pretty good at poker but I don't know when to stop. I almost always leave empty handed. The Bible SHOULD say something about the dangers of gambling but it doesn't. The bible is very bad literature anyway, so who gives a shit right? I know that a deck af cards has alot of "satanic" symbolism and alot of history concerning witchcraft and puritanical hedonism, but whatever, it is probably just a game of chance and probabilty, not fate.
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 26, 2012 at 3:11 am
(This post was last modified: February 26, 2012 at 3:13 am by Justtristo.)
I am not sure about what the bible says about gambling per such, however it does explictly condemn the institution of slavery once ever. 1 Timothy 1:10 might come close with a condemn those who kidnap other people with the intent of selling them as slaves.
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RE: What does the Bible say about gambling?
February 26, 2012 at 5:34 am
I bet a buffalo nickle that I can get anyone here to gamble. Gambling is the closest you'll ever get to god, and I mean that in many senses.
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