Gambling & Playing the Lottery: A ‘New’ Christian Paradigm for Survival?
You remember when gambling and ‘playing the lottery’ were considered a sin? The Bible tells you so? Well things do evolve. Man – in all his cleverness – has always been able to fit the scriptures to their liking (to an extend) – racism, slavery, massacring Indians. Today most American activity, like wars and interventions, are supposed supposed to be preordained by God – yes, even the killing and maiming of innocent men, women and children.
Yet it must be said that Christians in the world today share some of the same historical feistiness with other religions – rewriting the meaning of scriptures (Holy Koran included) to fit their narratives and needs, even when it means the murdering and maiming of millions of innocent men, women and children and adapting to other questionable moral standards.
For instance, As Buddhists attacks and persecute the Rohingya people, one can simply throw out the pictures where Buddhists always meditating in the temple; and indigenous Muslims bowing in prayer.
To exegete sacred guidance by intentionally manipulating the true meaning for followers of from all different faiths is arguably blasphemy.
What about gambling and the lottery?
There are many statistical polls for every activity in life – shopping, banking, employment, commerce, immigration, politics, religion, travel, drugs, government – the list is infinite - its main purpose being to gage and/or analyze statuses of activity in our society and to apply the findings to solving problems; to inform; to educate; or to bring better balance in areas that are lacking in our predominant Judeo-Christian value-based society.
As the saying goes, not all things are created equal, even when it comes to practicing Judeo-Christian Values. Yet as humans (and once again) our tendencies are to selectively choose what we want to follow from any set of rules.
The Skirting of acceptable standards are easily found in our daily human actions like: racism; lying; cheating; and doing whatever it takes to get ahead or succeed – this contrariness happens even when humans are busy embellishing symbols and orthodoxies that contrary to their actions.
In the Judeo-Christian narrative refers to “Sins of Omission”. Or what was a sin yesterday is not a sin today.
The adaptation to an ever evolving world is arguably natural, as society changes one can either get with the show or be destroyed.
Who would ever thought that cannabis would become a [legal] multi-billion dollar business as there are still those left in a justice system that has sentenced many to life (or long sentences) for even smoking the now legalized weed.
Even recently, the National Basketball League has legalized gambling, even years of denying its value. The simple argument is that people can make more money, and even become richer (Nothing else is required). The real shift is that something that has been forbidden has now become legal (and acceptable).
The only thing that is different from the Judeo-Christian customer is that they may not advertise; and still may talk against it as they more and more are playing the numbers – praise God from which all blessings flow.
The bottomline is, yes, gambling has become more immersed in acceptable human standards.
Let’s suggest a few reasons for the proliferation of lottery participants:
- “If I can hit the number, I can pay my rent”
- “The greatest desires for every American is to become rich. The lottery is our best chance.
- “Poor people feel that they will remain poor eternally unless they find luck in the lottery. The job doesn’t even pay
for the bills.”
So, very one deserves to have a little fun, sometimes. A quick jaunt to Vegas is so much fun - Hallelujah!”
Whatever the argument , there are several things that are clear. Gambling is here to stay.
I would argue that the main reason is that people have a need to fill a void in their lives. That void may represent emotional gratification; sexual gratification; spiritual gratification (yes spiritual); economic gratification; of human gratification..
There are many gradations when it comes to economics. One should be mindful that the two major categories are: necessary and desire. Both of these categories are interspersed and broken-down into additional gradations.
For record, my future submissions related to 'how needs of the people challenge their orthodoxes and beliefs' is the epicenter of fast changing norms - and that it is happening at a pace that may be keeping even the most rigid players in confusion
John needs a car to get to work and to school in order to keep a roof on his and family heads, provides food, and to pay utility. Jimmy already has a car, but wants to buy a more expensive and exotic car so he can feel important and impress his friends.
The two examples given above should be easy to differentiate – don’t you think?
So, what would one do to accommodate their idea of a need and desire? Sally religiously play the lottery, and has been pretty lucky. People wonder how she can afford the expensive car that's parked in her driveway when she has only has minimum wage job and little hope for finding anything else because of a number of reasons?
She testifies that God is blessing her at church, but never says that the 'winning lottery' may be the means.
In summary, this article may fail to answer all the questions about the sudden proliferation in gambling, but hopefully it has help people to recognize that gambling is not prohibited the way it used to be for the average citizen. The Judeo-Christian reference is given to suggest that what was once sacred s not, necessarily, sacred anymore. Lastly, it provokes additional conversations related to 'truth' - are standards undergoing a major paradigm shifts? Your comments are welcomed.
Sources
https://www.quora.com/How-many-people-in-the-US-buy-lottery-tickets-every-year
Recording Association of America, Box Office Mojo, NPD, Publishers Weekly, CNN/Money