What About All Of This Gambling?

In all my years of ministry, I have never endorsed a political candidate, and I'm not going to start now. But I would like to say a few words about the political situation of the state of South Carolina. I feel that it is a sin to complain about the political mess around us and not vote. With that in mind, let me ask everyone who is too lazy to get out and vote to abstain from any comment on this article. Your opinion shouldn't mean much anyway and I'd rather not hear from you.

Under the leadership of the Governor of South Carolina, our state has become number one in job growth, has seen record low unemployment, and a 75% drop in welfare cases. Crime has dropped as well. He isn't involved in any sexual scandals, and in South Carolina, the most Republican State in the South, one might think that the Governor would be a shoo-in for re-election, and it seemed that way, at least until recent weeks. But the polls now show his support dropping like a rock, and in recent days, his opponent has taken a lead in the polls.

Why is the Governor in trouble? In a word - GAMBLING. South Carolina now has 31,000 video poker machines, more than one per square mile. Over two billion dollars was spent in SC last year on poker. That is more than was spent on groceries. The Governor has cracked down on video poker, knocked it right out of the state budget. He's the first Governor in America in a long time to try and drive gambling out of his state. He's opposed to the state lottery. God bless him for it! The Bible says: "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). The lottery is nothing but a rip off of poor ignorant suckers and a wicked sin.

The Governor's audacity has earned him the undying enmity of one of the most powerful special interests in the country, the gambling industry. By some reports, this industry is pumping a million dollars a week into South Carolina with the goal of beating an anti-gambling governor. It is a blatant attempt to buy an election. Convicted felons, including one who spent four years in a federal prison for vote buying, have been spending huge amounts of money to help the Govemor's challenger, who's making his support of a state lottery the centerpiece of his campaign.

Well, what can we do about it? I'm asking those of you who read this paper to talk to your pastor. I'm not asking you to endorse a candidate, but to DENOUNCE DIRTY GAMBLING MONEY. This is one case where the church ought to recognize that one of its own has the guts to take on the special interests. Preacher, speak up. Quit crying about cowardice if you are too cowardly to stand. Gambling is a sin and church folk need to hear about it!

REMEMBER:
(1)	Gambling violates God's laws of stewardship. Gambling consumes, it produces nothing useful except an empty pastime. The supporters of gambling promise money for the schools. Where is that money coming from? From all the millions wasted by people who didn't have it to spend in the first place.
(2)	Every motivation for gambling is sinful. It is motivated by a "get rich quick" philosophy that scripture condemns in Proverbs 28:20, 22. It is motivated by a "something for nothing" philosophy which scripture condemns in 11 Thessalonians 3: 1 0. What are we teaching our children if the state says "seek wealth through luck and gambling rather than through work, labor, and diligence?"
(3)	Gambling violates the 10th commandment. It promotes greed and covetousness, that God's law forbids.
(4)	Gambling is addictive, which itself is sinful. L Corinthians 6:12 teaches that even when things are lawful, we are not to be brought under their control. The Quinn-Pike survey revealed the control that gambling has over the lives of people; Over 20% of poker players are "problem" gamblers; 33% have spent the last dollar in their pocket to gamble; 14% report problems with family or friends because of their gambling habit. We remember how a Jasper County woman played video poker for 7 hours last summer while her 10 month child died in her car parked outside, A Whitmire woman playing video poker lost a $41,000 life insurance policy that was left for her daughter's college education.
(5)	Gambling is anti-family. It deprives children of even the basics of life in many cases. I Timothy 5:8 declares that "he provideth not for his own ... is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith." I wonder how many kids have had their food money spent on video poker and lottery tickets?
(6)	Gambling exploits the weaknesses of those who can least afford to gamble. The surveys all conclude that the lower socioeconomic groups suffer the most.
(7)	Gambling corrupts the God-ordained purpose of the state. The purpose of government is to establish justice. Not to make people get rich quick.
(8)	Gambling brings "wicked bedfellows." There is already evidence of organized crime moving into the state of South Carolina.