jstefan posted on December 22, 2009 10:45
"Gambling-defined as a paid game of chance-increasingly impacts more and more people all over the world. The concept of winning at the expense of others has become a modern curse. Seventh-day Adventists have consistently opposed gambling as it is incompatible with Christian principals. It is not an appropriate form of entertainment or a legitimate means of raising funds. The Seventh-day Adventist Church rejects gambling as defined above and will not solicit nor accept funding that is clearly derived from gambling." http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main_stat49.html
It was brought to my attention recently in an invitation to tour a typical casino in the Northeast, the impact of gambling. 1000's of employees worked for this casino; their operation and payroll was into the 100s of millions of dollars. There is entertainment from all over the world; there is a highly rated hotel; a popular nightclub; on-campus transportation system; many highly rated restaurants on site; sculptures made of fine white marble; opulence was observed everywhere.
There was a filled-vast bingo hall seating 100s; special security rooms with high stakes poker; everywhere you looked there were people from all walks of life gambling in an atmosphere that reminded one of the halls of Pharaoh's Palace. In some places, one would have to walk single file between the rows of chairs filled with people in front of electronic gambling machines.
I heard that some people were not too happy with their losses and even tried to inflict revenge on the casino. One wondered, while moving through the crowd if the people were really happy? Can gambling become addiction? Does gambling bring true happiness?
Yet there is much that can be learned from such a place. How is it that people can be so committed to such opulence, exorbitance, such extravagance ; such organization, such commitment, yet have so little eternal return? But here we are as Christians and quite frankly our churches seem to gravitate towards the "conservative" in our pursuit of the vision that Christ has set before us. Our sacrifice, commitment, extravagance, the condition of our facilities must match or even equal that of the casino crowd. Ellen White observes this: "You have shown that you are conservative, and that your ideas are narrow. You have not done one half what you might have done had you had the true spirit of the work." 5th Testimony p. 370.1
It makes the heart glad that our church has a clear position-statement regarding gambling. Let it be said of Seventh-day Adventists that we meet the needs of our members and the fulfilling of the Gospel Commission with as much zeal and focus as those who provide gambling. Everything we do as as a church must be of the highest order and dedication. Rather than cutting back during times of financial distress, it is time to expand and do exploits for God! Let it never be said of us as Jesus observed: "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." Luke 16:8