Sometimes I get tired. I get tired of fighting the gambling machine day after day and year after year. Gambling proponents are counting on good people giving up the fight. But Jesus taught us to engage our culture as “salt” and “light” (Matthew 5:13-16) and?to participate in government as involved citizens (Matthew 22:21), so we must continue to do all we can to influence and impact our society. I need your help!
Joe MackWe will be bombarded with gambling issues until people learn that gambling is much more than harmless fun. Educating our people, our churches, and our communities about the false hope of gambling is essential. It is vital that we lovingly show how gambling is opposed to Christian and biblical principles.
Two issues garnered most of my time recently. One was stopping the Catawba Tribe from opening a high-stakes bingo operation in Columbia. The other is an ongoing effort in the legislature to allow charitable gambling across the state. What is so charitable about gambling? Gambling is gambling. It is the very epitome of today’s flawed get-rich-quick, give-it-to-me-now personal philosophy.
Although Catawba leadership has changed, there is still a lack of creativity in marketing cultural heritage and art. Gambling continues to be the golden idol for which they reach. After several county governments turned down bids for the bingo hall, they found a sympathetic councilman in Richland County.
The councilman held a public hearing on locating the bingo hall near Fort Jackson, across from a middle school, in a declining business area. Many faith leaders spoke to the issue at that hearing – Baptist, Presbyterian, and Jew. Hundreds of people came to voice their opinion against a high-stakes gambling operation in their neighborhood. Sen. Joel Lourie and Rep. Joan Brady attended the hearing and agreed with their constituents that expanded gambling is not good for Columbia.
The next night at the regular scheduled County Council meeting, the councilman rescinded his recommendation and council voted no to more gambling in the county. The tribe will not give up. You must be diligent to know what your county government is considering so you can support or oppose the issues. The quest for high-stakes bingo is far from over.
The other issue we face is the possibility of charitable gambling. According to the Secretary of State’s office, there are 42,353 active nonprofits and charities in South Carolina. If proposed enabling legislation passes, there could be 254,118 raffles and casino night events every year! And yes, raffles constitute illegal gambling. The elementary school in the Lowcountry that has children selling tickets for a cash raffle is breaking the law and creating underage criminals.
We are supposed to be exemplary models for our children. What example are we then setting if we sponsor and encourage gambling in our churches, schools, veterans’ organizations, country clubs, fire houses, police stations, etc.? We must not be responsible for leading children, young adults and problem gamblers down this slippery path.
In a state where unemployment is tremendous, people are losing their homes because they can’t pay the mortgage, and criminal domestic violence is most often caused by financial stressors, it is irresponsible to throw gas on this fire.
There are ways to earn money for charitable causes. There is personal satisfaction in working for a just cause. Let’s set the best example for our young people and choose not to support or encourage gambling as an easy ticket to wealth. Let’s teach them that a good reputation is earned through honest work.