If you are coming to this late, and seeing a lot of things that I call Facebook Poems, there is a reason/excuse. About mid-June, I hadn't posted anything anywhere, nor texted anyone, and I don't like to talk on the phone ... so I decided that, when I can, which is almost every day unless the internet is down or I am out of town and do not have access, that one of the first times I'll do each day is write something - usually a poem - on Facebook. I label it simply "Facebook poems", though they cover a lot of subjects. I am labeling THIS note with all the labels I have used. That way, if you click on some label/subject that you think you might find interesting, everything I've labeled as such will show up on this blog. Thanks for reading what I write. I hope that you get a smile, or a laugh, or some encouragement, or that they make you think, etc. Feel free to comment on things I write, too. Thanks. (I am having to post this twice so as to show all the labels that I've made!)
About Me
- Netagene
- I am a member of the church of Christ. I have been writing things since I was little. Some have been printed, some posted. I write to teach or encourage; to blow off steam; and for fun! I had my own motorcycle in my 40s; I was a bluegrass music DJ for about 13 years; I've performed some. I am a member of the NRA. In 2003 (age 59), I became high partial legally blind; in 2005, I had to get hearing aids! Franklin Field said: "Poor eyes limit your sight; poor vision limits your deeds". And no kidding, the picture was made April, 2012!
Showing posts with label Gambling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gambling. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sunday, July 25, 2010
BAD in today's paper
Maybe I should title this "STUPID" ... some people are suing a casino for the money they lost when they played electronic bingo (nothing but slot machines of course). What happened to personal responsibility? I wonder who forced them to go to the casino and who forced them to drop their hard-earned (or government subsidy) money into the slots ...
Do some back-tracking and read what I've written about gambling.
Do some back-tracking and read what I've written about gambling.
Friday, March 26, 2010
LOTTERY LOSERS
A couple of weeks ago, I posted some points about gambling. My sister sent a link to me which is worth looking up. On March 16, 2006, Andy Rooney, on CBS-TV's "60 Minutes", did a bit about lottery losers. He makes some good points. You can find it by searching "lottery losers". I also found a link to lottery loser stories. You might think twice about going to a casino, or a "charity bingo" place. Just because something is legal does not mean it is right.
One Saturday maybe 8 years ago, out of curiosity, I decided to pay $20 and ride a tour bus to Philadephia, Mississippi, to the casino. Because I do not gamble, I took along a book to read. That was my first and only time inside a casino.
The bus ride was OK, but it seemed that most of the riders were older women who didn't look like they had much of this world's goods. Inside the casino, the noise was almost deafening. The place was dark, except for a lot of lights, including strobes, which were enough to make you think you were hallucinating. You were directed to a counter to get $10 in coins and a voucher for a meal. I headed for the restaurant, stayed a good while, and ate too much. There were a few little shops, and I bought 2 bracelets for almost nothing. There was no place to sit other than in front of the slot machines. The day was nice, so I went outside and sat on the ground until time for the bus to leave.
It seemed that there were no "winners" on the way home because, while the trip there was like a noisy party, the trip back was mostly quiet. I wonder how much rent and food money was throw away. I won't say "lost" because I know where the money went. The only "winners" are the casino owners.
One Saturday maybe 8 years ago, out of curiosity, I decided to pay $20 and ride a tour bus to Philadephia, Mississippi, to the casino. Because I do not gamble, I took along a book to read. That was my first and only time inside a casino.
The bus ride was OK, but it seemed that most of the riders were older women who didn't look like they had much of this world's goods. Inside the casino, the noise was almost deafening. The place was dark, except for a lot of lights, including strobes, which were enough to make you think you were hallucinating. You were directed to a counter to get $10 in coins and a voucher for a meal. I headed for the restaurant, stayed a good while, and ate too much. There were a few little shops, and I bought 2 bracelets for almost nothing. There was no place to sit other than in front of the slot machines. The day was nice, so I went outside and sat on the ground until time for the bus to leave.
It seemed that there were no "winners" on the way home because, while the trip there was like a noisy party, the trip back was mostly quiet. I wonder how much rent and food money was throw away. I won't say "lost" because I know where the money went. The only "winners" are the casino owners.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
GAMBLING
Legalized gambling is constantly in the news here in Alabama. Of course if "charity" bingo was actually "charity", don't you think the Red Cross, Easter Seals, United Way, etc., would have been doing that years ago to raise money? I've also read that the "bingo" machines in the weeds that keep popping up overnight are nothing more than the usual "one-arm bandits", simply slot machines.
This is a bit long, but here are notes I took of a sermon that Steve Murrell preached on March 8, 2009 at the Huffman church of Christ here in Birmingham.
GAMBLING ... Consensual Theft
Gambling propogates an immoral, predatory, and exploitive industry. The amount of money does not alter the Biblical principles that it violates. Where do you draw the line?
1. Gambling breeds greed and covetousness - 1 Tim. 6:9-10. Take away the winnings. Would you play just for fun? Would casinos prosper? The love of money runs the industry.
2. Gambling violates the principles of stewardship - Mt. 25:14-30; Luke 12:42-43; 1 Cor. 4:1-2.
3. Gambling violates the "Golden Rule" - Phil. 2:4; Prov. 14:31; 22:16; Zech. 7:10. It is predicated on losses and the suffering of others and preys on the desperation of the poor. The poorest people (in the $10K range) spend an average of 10% of their income on gambling; those earning over $40K spend only 1%.
4. Gambling violates the principles of honest gain - Prov. 13:11; Acts 5:3-4; Eph. 4:28. The Bible gives 4 means of honest gain: honest work, fair exchange, investment (Mt. 25:14-30, esp. v. 26-27), gifts (Acts 20:35).
5. Gambling results in intemperance and addiction; otherwise, why have Gamblers' Anonymous? 1 Cor. 6:12. The results are often child abuse, domestic violence, divorce, suicide. (The National Gambling Impact Study Commission Act of 1996 [Publ.L. 104-169, 110 Stat. 1482, enacted Aug. 3, 1996] is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. This legislation established the National Gambling Impact Study Commission in 1997 to conduct a comprehensive legal and factual study of the social and economic impacts of gambling in the United States. Results can be found at http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/reports/fullrep.html)
6. Gambling sets a bad example/reputation - Prov. 22:1; causes others to sin (Mt. 18:6); shows lack of love (1 Cor. 8:13); and destroys influence (Mt. 5:13-14).
7. Gambling breeds other sins - things associated with gambling - Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 3:5. Is gambling a work of the flesh? or a fruit of the Spirit? Between 1992 (before gambling was legalized in Tunica, MS) and 1996, misdemeanors and felonies went from 689 to over 11,000.
8. Gambling destroys the home. In Biloxi, in 1992, before there was legalized gambling, the Gulf Coast Women's Crisis Center received 167 calls. In 1997, they had 715 calls, an increase in 4 years of 328%.
9. Gambling is associated with evil companions - 1 Cor. 15:33-34; Eph. 5:1-11; 1 Thes. 5:21-22.
Using Titus 2:12, is gambling:
Ungodliness?
Worldly lust?
Sober living?
Righteous living?
Godly living?
This is a bit long, but here are notes I took of a sermon that Steve Murrell preached on March 8, 2009 at the Huffman church of Christ here in Birmingham.
GAMBLING ... Consensual Theft
Gambling propogates an immoral, predatory, and exploitive industry. The amount of money does not alter the Biblical principles that it violates. Where do you draw the line?
1. Gambling breeds greed and covetousness - 1 Tim. 6:9-10. Take away the winnings. Would you play just for fun? Would casinos prosper? The love of money runs the industry.
2. Gambling violates the principles of stewardship - Mt. 25:14-30; Luke 12:42-43; 1 Cor. 4:1-2.
3. Gambling violates the "Golden Rule" - Phil. 2:4; Prov. 14:31; 22:16; Zech. 7:10. It is predicated on losses and the suffering of others and preys on the desperation of the poor. The poorest people (in the $10K range) spend an average of 10% of their income on gambling; those earning over $40K spend only 1%.
4. Gambling violates the principles of honest gain - Prov. 13:11; Acts 5:3-4; Eph. 4:28. The Bible gives 4 means of honest gain: honest work, fair exchange, investment (Mt. 25:14-30, esp. v. 26-27), gifts (Acts 20:35).
5. Gambling results in intemperance and addiction; otherwise, why have Gamblers' Anonymous? 1 Cor. 6:12. The results are often child abuse, domestic violence, divorce, suicide. (The National Gambling Impact Study Commission Act of 1996 [Publ.L. 104-169, 110 Stat. 1482, enacted Aug. 3, 1996] is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. This legislation established the National Gambling Impact Study Commission in 1997 to conduct a comprehensive legal and factual study of the social and economic impacts of gambling in the United States. Results can be found at http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/reports/fullrep.html)
6. Gambling sets a bad example/reputation - Prov. 22:1; causes others to sin (Mt. 18:6); shows lack of love (1 Cor. 8:13); and destroys influence (Mt. 5:13-14).
7. Gambling breeds other sins - things associated with gambling - Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 3:5. Is gambling a work of the flesh? or a fruit of the Spirit? Between 1992 (before gambling was legalized in Tunica, MS) and 1996, misdemeanors and felonies went from 689 to over 11,000.
8. Gambling destroys the home. In Biloxi, in 1992, before there was legalized gambling, the Gulf Coast Women's Crisis Center received 167 calls. In 1997, they had 715 calls, an increase in 4 years of 328%.
9. Gambling is associated with evil companions - 1 Cor. 15:33-34; Eph. 5:1-11; 1 Thes. 5:21-22.
Using Titus 2:12, is gambling:
Ungodliness?
Worldly lust?
Sober living?
Righteous living?
Godly living?
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