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N.C. Ministers resigned to lottery, but wary
North Carolina Lottery: N.C. Ministers resigned to lottery, but wary
Forget righteous indignation. With the fight against a lottery in North Carolina a lost cause, the mood for many in the faith community is best expressed by one of the lottery's leading opponents. "A sense of resignation," the Rev. George Reed of the N.C. Council of Churches in Raleigh said. Lottery tickets go on sale Thursday, but the sermons and prayers in some N.C. sanctuaries on Sunday generally focused more on Lent than on the advent of state-backed gambling. The Rev. Dan Burrell of Northside Baptist Church in Charlotte said in an e-mail that he feels "sort of a resigned ambivalence" to the start of the lottery. Though he shares the widely held belief that poor people play more than wealthy people, thus deepening their poverty, he said he knows there's no stopping it now. The Rev. Sam Roberson, head of the Presbytery of Charlotte, said he grieves over the start of the lottery -- in part because gambling now will join such topics as the weather, Panthers, Bobcats and college basketball as a regular part of water-cooler conversation. "I don't expect many diatribes against the sins of gambling coming from our pulpits," Roberson said in an e-mail to the Observer. "However, serious attention from the pulpit on this issue would do all of us some good. ... All in all, we'll not be a better state because of the lottery." Many denominations and religious groups have long fought gambling in all its forms. A Lutheran Church Missouri Synod commission, for example, adopted a committee report that said gambling encourages the sins of greed and covetousness. The United Methodist Church calls gambling "a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government " But with scratch-off game tickets available beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Reed of the N.C. Council of Churches is calling for the crusade to move from protest to watchdog. Faith leaders should monitor how the lottery develops, he said. They should watch to make sure the state doesn't target the poor with advertising. Congregations should develop programs to educate people about the dangers of gambling and addictive behavior. Leaders of congregations should keep a close eye out for fellow members who might be buying too many tickets. "If people aren't already in that mode," Reed said, "now is the time." The Rev. Norman Kerry Jr. of Chappell Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte opposes the lottery in the belief it blinds people to one of life's essential truths. Rather than a get-rick-quick venture like a lottery, he said, it takes hard work, an education and a vocation to succeed.
And faith, too. "As a person of faith," he said, "I believe that God will provide for me." But Kerry's enough of a realist to accept the fact that not every member of his church who might buy a lottery ticket will come to him seeking prayer, guidance or forgiveness. And so, with the N.C. lottery about to begin, he said there's more to do now than just rail against it. "We need to do some teaching," Kerry said, "and encouraging of our members."
Charlotte Observer
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10 comments. Last comment 4 years ago by .
Memphis,Tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11291 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 12:24 pm - IP Logged |
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these preachers need to worry about things more dangerous than the lottery.thats really silly right when it comes down to it.......
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New Member  NC United States Member #13578 April 3, 2005 13 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 2:50 pm - IP Logged |
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The United Methodist Church calls gambling "a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government " So, does this mean we all need to quit paying insurance? What good government?
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United States Member #26829 November 18, 2005 160 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 2:54 pm - IP Logged |
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The United Methodist Church calls gambling "a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government " So, does this mean we all need to quit paying insurance? What good government? What good government?LMAO,I was gonna ask the same thing.I guess we will have good government when we don't have any.
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Wandering Aimlessly United States Member #25708 November 5, 2005 4379 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 6:02 pm - IP Logged |
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"Faith leaders should monitor how the lottery develops, he said. They should watch to make sure the state doesn't target the poor with advertising. Congregations should develop programs to educate people about the dangers of gambling and addictive behavior. Leaders of congregations should keep a close eye out for fellow members who might be buying too many tickets." I hate to admit this on a lottery board but, although I don't agree with everything in this article, I do agree with the above statement. Since we have Free Will, it is our right to destroy ourselves with whatever thrill we choose to blow our money on. Whether it's a big box of Godiva truffles, a bottle of South Comfort, a pack of Camels, promiscuous sex, race car driving, ski jumping or skydiving, or simply driving in rush hour traffic, most things in life have some risk factor. Those that are not considered to be part of the everyday normal routine are judged by the righteous as being immoral, although they often indulge in secret behind closed doors. Buying lottery tickets is one of the least harmful and, if properly budgeted, one of the least costly bad "habits" in most cases. However, no matter how strongly I feel that every state should have a lottery and everyone of age has a right to play, I also know that many people gamble too much money and won't face the fact that winning a huge jackpot next week is very unlikely. Some people are terrible with money and don't know how to budget, so a little education on moderation and restraint might help. That being said, wild horses couldn't keep me away from the lottery machine on Wed & Sat night. (so it's pasta for dinner again this week) As far as gambliing being "a menace to society" goes, I wonder if this church ever has Bingo night or raffles? "As a person of faith," he said, "I believe that God will provide for me." I heard this a lot during the 2004-2005 hurricanes. God doesn't tell you to stand in front of an oncoming train to prove you have faith. People always misquote the Bible. Money itself isn't evil. What is written is "For the love of money is the root of all evil." I don't want to plagiarize, so I found the link to an article I read on this subject. I especially like the statement...The goal of a just government should not be to punish people for being successful in obtaining money, but to create rules to ensure that competition for money results in good for society." http://www.calicocat.com/2004/05/is-money-root-of-all-evil.html
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Denver, CO United States Member #13716 April 6, 2005 68 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 6:21 pm - IP Logged |
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How long will it be until one of those preachers wins while playing the lottery? They will be the ones who are standng in line w/ dark glasses & a hat on. 
Ladyluck2005
Carpe Diem
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Wandering Aimlessly United States Member #25708 November 5, 2005 4379 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 27, 2006, 6:27 pm - IP Logged |
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How long will it be until one of those preachers wins while playing the lottery? They will be the ones who are standng in line w/ dark glasses & a hat on.
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United States Member #2380 September 17, 2003 2064 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 28, 2006, 3:06 am - IP Logged |
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"destructive of good government"? Let me know if the government somehow makes good. Good must be a relative term here. Good compared to North Korea perhaps but really far from any kind of constitutional ideal. And it only takes hard work and education to succeed? Tell that to Gates, et al that had family fortunes before becoming even richer. It takes money to succeed with a good idea and being in the right place at the right time. But no money means you will be stuck somewhere else.
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Columbus Ohio United States Member #36345 March 25, 2006 234 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 28, 2006, 2:50 pm - IP Logged |
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Since we have Free Will, it is our right to destroy ourselves with whatever thrill we choose to blow our money on. Whether it's a big box of Godiva truffles, a bottle of South Comfort, a pack of Camels, promiscuous sex, race car driving, ski jumping or skydiving, or simply driving in rush hour traffic, most things in life have some risk factor. Those that are not considered to be part of the everyday normal routine are judged by the righteous as being immoral, although they often indulge in secret behind closed doors. I think that it halarious that the one thing that the church teaches is "Thou Shalt Not Judge" And it seems to me that when it comes to the church that is what they are doing! I mean I think that its just sad because deep down there just angry that the money that is being spent into the Lottery's around our nation is not being put into their pockets! There is NOTHING wrong with trying to find a LEGAL way to better yourself and as long as your family and responsibilites do not suffer from it then who are hey to judge??? Besides it wasnot us or our generation that made this world so money hungry the way that it is. I think that they need to just worry about themselves and how to stop all the sinning that goes on behind their closed doors 
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Wandering Aimlessly United States Member #25708 November 5, 2005 4379 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 29, 2006, 1:17 am - IP Logged |
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Hi, Sassy Welcome to Lottery Post.  Cheers!
.... Nancy
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Columbus Ohio United States Member #36345 March 25, 2006 234 Posts Offline |
| Posted: March 29, 2006, 11:55 am - IP Logged |
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Hi, Nancy Thanks!! I really am enjoying myself! And everyone seems to be very nice and helpful and full of information! Thanks to everyone! So the Lucky G's 5 Didnt have any luck on last nights MM drawing  BUT WATCH OUT PB and LP HERE WE COME TONIGHT!!!
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