N.C. Religious Leaders Stage Anti-Lottery RallyPrevious TopicNext Topic

Oh Well, you win some you lose some besides GOD doesn't FAVOR

RELIGIOUS people over REGULAR people Good or Bad.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  You are free to believe that.  I do find it interesting that you think religious people are not "regular" people.  However, statistics disagree with you:  religious people are the "regular" people, and non-religious people are the minority.

Well, first let's consider why North Carolina politicians support a lottery for their state. Aside from the "keep up with the Joneses" mentality which seems to permeate state legislatures recently, we must also consider the additional revenue stream provided to any state by its lottery. We must consider it because, prior to 1964, when New Hampshire began the state lottery parade, all states were apparently flat broke. Thank God for the lottery, which temporarily fills the gaps and gives lawmakers some relief from not having a tax base sufficient to cover their spending habits. 

When a wad of tax money is held before a legislator, the Pavlovian Response is irrepressible, and he will begin to drool as images of lobbyists, special-interest groups and nepotism dance through his little head. Once he gets his grubby mitts on it, though, it seems to disappear at an alarming rate and, before you know it, your legislator is standing before you with a new tax bill in his hand, asking for a raise in his allowance. If you try to teach him some responsibility by refusing to indulge him, he will sulk with his friends until midnight, when the bill is pushed through in secret. The next morning, as he empties your wallet of any cash you've managed to secrete from him, he tells you, "This is really an important bill, so we had to pass it for your own good. After all, you elected me to represent your interests, and I intend to do just that, even if it means you have to get a second job." 

A state lottery is essentially a cash monopoly which, by law, will not abide any competition. The amounts of money raised by such a popular and uncontested enterprise should be enough to benefit all resident citizens, not just a select few here and there, and should not exclude certain groups in favor of others. It should also be sufficient to relieve the tax burden of every resident but, somehow, it's never enough. While I am pro-lottery, I think the religious leaders have a point. The North Carolina legislators can only see the money, but the religious leaders can see the greed, corruption and personal ruin which will inevitably visit some weak-minded constituents. 

This country is quickly losing its collective conscience, as we move more and more to an attitude of individualism at the expense of the common good. We see news reports every day of embezzlement, mismanagement and outright theft. Our policemen, lawmakers, priests, judges and many other icons of honesty and integrity have succumbed to self-indulgence in such numbers that we are beginning to condone this phenomenon as ordinary and acceptable, indeed expected, behavior. Knowing what I know now, I would vehemently oppose any legislation to create a lottery in Indiana, if one did not already exist.

To close, I'll address the issue of gambling as a sin. Pick-4_Master is correct; there is nothing in the Bible, anywhere, in either testament, which specifically prohibits gambling of any type, on any scale. However, greed is covered quite extensively, and I don't think anyone here can deny that this is what motivates any gambler.

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm late for my poker game. 

Well "jim695" I'm glad someone in here is listening to me about Sin and Gambling but I must comment on your statement about GREED it doesn't motivate ALL gamblers maybe a good number of them but not all.Me and a group of my friends enjoy playing Lottery games.Not because of GREED but because of the CHALLENGE and EXCITEMENT of winning, the MONEY is a given so there's no need to be GREEDY about it.Besides being greedy to me means not wanting to share when you have plenty to go around and just want it all too yourself.As we all know when you WIN a jackpot in any Lottery game everyone gets some of the PIE if there's more than 1 winner so whether you split the money from the POT or each recieve the same amount like in the (Pick-3/4) everyone that hit get's paid.Now if you try too TAKE money from the other winners as well like say in a Lottery Pool then that's being GREEDY.But GOD won't send you too HELL for that so don't worry you'll just lose a lot of friends and probably get a BEAT down or wind up in court.

I wasn't saying that Religious people were a minority or anything I was just stating that GOD does not Favor Religious people over Regular people.

And what I mean by Regular people are those that do things based on desire not religious beliefs or convictions.There are many people that Love and Believe in GOD that aren't religious they consider themselves spiritual,

Religious people follow Religions Rules and Biblical Laws while Spiritual people follow Free Will and believe in Spiritual Freedom as long as they don't harm others PHYSICALLY or intefere with another persons FREE WILL, I'm a Spiritual person but I use to be Religious 10 yrs ago so I can honestly say that there is a difference and being Spiritual is much more rewarding (for me)

Quote: Originally posted by Pick-4_Master on April 18, 2005

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I wasn't saying that Religious people were a minority or anything I was just stating that GOD does not Favor Religious people over Regular people.

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First, there you go again with the "regular people" comment.  Religious people ARE the regular people.  The anti-religious people are the minority.  Hopefully we won't have to keep covering this ground.

Second, how the heck do you know that?  As far as I know, you don't have a telephone connection to God to ask Him if he's OK with you bashing His leaders.  I am much more inclined to trust the word of a minister more than you as far as religious matters are concerned.

One thing is clear. Religious self appointed wise asses thinking they got the right to control the life of others and the society got to be stopped and put down.

Once again I was not stating who was a minority or a majority so please don't insist that I was I could care less if they are or not.And too clear things up for you I was just making a point by distinquishing between

Religious and Non-Religious persons I use the term Regular because Regular people don't like there lives being controlled while Religious people don't seem to mind being controlled by there beliefs."MillionsWanted" strikes me as a "Regular" person but my definition of one not yours it's just a matter of opnion and interpretation I never said that you were wrong about anything except the "Gambling is a Sin" statement which "jim695" clearly pointed out that you were mistaken by your assumption.If my "regular" people comment offended you that was not my intention through out this whole conversation I have not attacked, bashed or insulted you and I can tell you are starting to get ANNOYED or FRUSTRATED so I'm done with that part of the conversation regarding the so-called regular people I stand by my comments.I can tell you aren't really familiar with "SPIRITUAL" beliefs just "RELIGIOUS" ones

because if you were you would know that "WE" all have a Direct Line of communication with our Creator.Prayer is just one of the many forms that we have to talk to GOD,I'm quite sure that GOD did not appoint Religious leaders as SAVIOURS of our SOUL that was done a long time ago already

by GOD.You ask how do I know whether GOD favors one type of people over another? just read your BIBLE IT SAYS HE LOVES US ALL equally.I never said GOD told me it was okay to BASH anyone I just said that we don't need his permission to do so besides as far as I know I haven't BASHED anyone.Unless our defintion of the word "DIFFERS", we all do what we want good or bad because of FREE WILL GOD does not dictate what we do in our lives or interfere unless it's absolutely necessary with "Divine Intervention".I think me and you should stop discussing this matter all together any further discussion on my part will be with other members from here on out because your starting too sound like "VisionDude" .

Quote: Originally posted by Pick-4_Master on April 18, 2005

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because your starting too sound like "VisionDude" .

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since when is that so bad?

VDQPLS  ...SDIWBETIRDKG0LP

Pick4: You're right, I think that should be it, because I really don't like your religion-bashing.  It's not frustration on my part, it's disgust at anyone who bash a religious person.  MillionsWanted, your statement is even worse, and doesn't even dignify a response.

I hope both of you see the error of your ways in the future.

different view points - we're all entitled to have them.  free country .

The Future is NOW and I still don't see any errors on my part!!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by Pick-4_Master on April 19, 2005

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The Future is NOW and I still don't see any errors on my part!!!!!

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No, I'm not following any religious leaders - are you not reading what I'm writing??  (I can answer that myself.)  I do not agree with them, in fact I think they're dead wrong!  Somehow, though, I can hold that opinion without the vile comments about these people [the religious leaders] who happen to have a different opinion from me.  You two seem determined to attack the people themselves, stead of the views that they take.  Emily is right, this is a free country, and you are free to do that.  I, of course, am free to tell you that I think that kind of thing is disgusting, and your comments probably stem from a disrespect, perhaps resentment, of religion in general.

Todd why do you insist on saying that I'm attacking or bashing them? have I said anything like "Rot in Hell", "Burn at the stake" or anything describing bodily harm or death? or even that what they believe is wrong?

no I haven't your taking this way too serious I could understand if I was saying things that were OBVIOUSLY hateful and negative I was just making statements in regards to comments made about the Subject discussion.And if I had TRUE disrespect and resentment believe me you would have kicked me out of this forum by now because of the things I would have said.The only person that has a problem with my statements is you even VisionDude hasn't said anything regarding my comments so as far as I'm concerned I have done nothing wrong,disrespectful or otherwise

You don't know me personally too say that I resent Religion I just disagree with a lot of it's beliefs and have a problem with people that use the Bible for there own personal agenda.We have already established that

Gambling is not a Sin so that's why I jumped in the discussion because the Powers that Be seem to think it is when the PROOF that it's not is in the Bible.The only reason I'm responding too you this time is because you are labeling me as something I'm not and I will defend that, if what you are saying about me were true I would definitely admit it.But in this case you are just making assumptions about me based on nothing else except your disgust of what you think I've done.I haven't labeled you as anything even though I could based on what your saying but I choose not too because it's not really that important to me, so can we finally end this STUPID debate and get back to normal? ThANK YOU!!!