[baggins]

Xianity and Gambling

very quickly, my thoughts on the subject:

we as christians are taught in the bible to be good and faithful stewards of the wealth and posessions that we have been blessed with. whether through gifts or hard work, we have been trusted with these things, to use them toward good ends.

now, consider what most people consider 'gambling' and you have someone taking that money/wealth/gift/whatever and betting in a -EV situation (most 'gambling' situations would be considerd -EV, no?) you are getting the worst of it, and you could lose everything on the roll of the dice or the turn of a card or the spin of a wheel. this is not considered good and faithful stewardship. it is (rightly so) considered foolish squandering. it is sheer stupidity, and a stupidity that you knowingly buy into from the start, should you choose to 'gamble' with your money.

now, as poker players, we know that this game is beatable, and profitable. we know that, in the long run, if we are good enough and astute enough and play well, we will win. most people from the church who are against 'gambling' don't know this about poker. some that do would consider it stealing, then, to willingly take money from someone who doesn't know what they are doing. this is one moral ambiguity I haven't really agreed with, but don't quite disagree with, either. so I don't have a definitive thought with regards to poker as stealing. but, i think that should explain the origin of gambling as being a 'sin'.