STRIKE ME LUCKY

One of the most harmful social disease in our society is gambling. An ABC television documentary ‘Strike me Lucky,’ referring to gambling as the ‘religion of Australia.’ According to the programme 2.5 million Australians go to turf meetings each week. In 1991 one billion dollars was spent on gambling in Tasmania’s two casinos. Approximately 72% of Australians gamble on such games as horse racing, football, soccer pools, poker machines and lotteries. Bishop Tertullian of North Africa wrote, “If you say you are a Christian when you are a dice player, you say what you are not.”

There is nothing productive or fascinating about gambling, it is a futile and destructive exercise. It is deeply saddening to see billions of dollars wasted on gambling whilst millions suffer and die from malnutrition, famine, disease, floods and poverty. Contrary to popular beliefs, the money raised from gambling is not placed into a specific account to help run the public hospital system. This was the original intention when the NSW lottery was set up in the 1930s by the then Premier Mr. Jack Lang. The money raised goes straight into consolidated revenue to help pay state bills, fund capital projects and reduce debt.

Greed: Why do people gamble? They are motivated by the desire to gain more and more and thus multiply their money and possessions. Our Lord however warned: “Guard yourself from every greed,” Luke 12:15. We must be grateful and content with what we have and thank the Lord daily from the depths of our hearts. The more grateful you are the more God will shower you with blessings and gifts without any need to resort to gambling.

Selfishness: The Bible does not address the issue of gambling. There are however several Christian principles which highlight the dangers of selfishness which is embodied in gambling. In this first letter to the Church of Corinth, St. Paul states, “let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well being,” 1 COR 10:24. In all forms of gambling each person attempts to destroy the other in order to win this blows the popular myth held by many, “I’m only doing it for fun.”