Isn't Bingo a form of gambling?

In 2003 a man on Marco Island in FL won $14.3M and the Salvation Army returned his $100,000 check.  He was a retired stockbroker and said that investing in the market is just as much as a gamble, so he was puzzled by the reaction to his donation.

It always surprises me when I read stories of churches turning away lottery winners donations. The money could do so much good for a lot of people. It's not like these people are handing over money they earned from dealing drugs.

If that particular church is not willing to accept the donation, then that is their CHOISE!, There are plenty of charities that would be willing to accept that money. I am sure that he could donate that amount of money to a homeless shelter, and probally write off most off it on his taxes!  To me that is a win win situation. 

"I'm against the lottery, but if one of my members won the lottery, I wish and I hope he would give 10% to the church, we could do a lot of things with that money," says Hall.

I wonder if that's 10% of the annuity value before taxes or 10% of what the winner actually gets after taxes even if he accepts the cash value.  Some pastors believe God shouldn't have to stand in line and wait for Uncle Sam to get his share first.

I have an interesting story to share about this as well.  I was troubled with myself to know whether I was doing the right thing by playing the lottery.  And had asked the elders of the church about playing the lottery.  My pastor stated he believed it to be a sin.  So, I prayed about it for a long time.  Many days I fasted and prayed.  My church had a guest speaker coming to lecture during a conference.  My husband and I planned to attend for the soul purpose of seeing this speaker because I  had seen him once before and I saw miracles happen before my eyes for the first time in a church., many, many years before at a different church.  When we heard he was coming, I said to myself, "If it is meant for me to win the lottery, surely this annointed one will say something about it to me or to the church."  Well, as it would turn out, I couldn't attend ANY of the services during the conference.  The following Sunday, when we returned to church., at the end of the service, my preacher stated that the guest speaker had prophesied that "this church will be blessed through a winning lottery ticket." 

"But," my pastor said, "I believe it to be a sin to buy lottery tickets.  I can't stress that enough." 

So my husband I agreed that if we ever won a jackpot, we could honestly say "an investment finally paid off."  It's really none of his business which investment, is it? 

 And yes, I believe playing the lottery is exactly like working the stock market.  It is all a volitile gamble.

Don't you find it odd that this story is posted at the same time this is going on in my life?  Someone trying to tell me something?

I don't understand any Pastor saying that they don't want lottery money.  Do they know were the money they collect ever Sunday come from.  They preach that those who wlak walks of this world should change and in changing some drug dealers come in that are still selling drugs and put money in the offering , those who are still prositituding put money ing the offering thos who go to the casino and win put money in the offering and on and on.  So why and how could he say that they did not want lottery money and don't know were the money he collect every Sunday come from.

Doc

A church, like anyone else, has the right to choose where they knowingly get money from. This church has chosen not to put the sparkle of the dollar ahead of their principles.

An alternative for the lottery winner is to spread the donations around to several other churches with smaller anonymous donations. Spread it around. Smaller inner city churches often need money for the basics such as building repairs and for outreach programs which help the local community.

If this Pastor thinks it's soooo bad, I don't believe he has read in his Bible where it says the "the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just..."

The church has every right to refuse any money from any source they deam unworthy of gods grace. However in the end it will all be his.