Well, on one hand they preach and tell you that it is a big sin and destructive to the soul and on the other hand, they seem to fully support it. It is just like a lot of things in the Church. Let me explain now.
It is true that there is no question in the Temple Recommend interview regarding gambling, none whatsoever!!(that could change someday) Abstaining from gambling is not a requirement to go to the Temple. Now with that being said...the Church is very much against gambling, preaches against it on a regular basis in Conferences and makes it seem as if it was a terrible sin. Here is a talk from Gordon B Hinckley himself in just the last General Conference Priesthood session talking about the evils and perils of gambling:
Hinckley's Gambling Talk
So my question has always been, if it is so serious not to gamble, then why isn't it a requirement and question in order to be able to enter "God's holy temple." The answer in my opinion is that too many members gamble....too many members work in casinos in Vegas and one other big thing; There is actually a Stake President in a town in Nevada that owns a casino!! A few years back, there was a Mormon, Senator Harry Reid (who has served as elders quorum president, high councilor and Sunday school superintendent), who was named the head of the Nevada Gaming commission. Here in Utah, everyone heads out to Wendover, Nevada which is about an hour and a half from Salt Lake. There are all kinds of funny stories about members running into Bishops, Bishops running into Stake Presidents, etc. I'm sure that there is a lot of validity to at least some of these stories. I would say that about 98% of their business comes from Utah!!
The other day, somebody on Mormon recovery, mentioned that their Bishop owned several casinos, so we know that the Stake President isn't the only one that is directly involved with a casino. I'm sure they pay plenty of tithing from their "dirty gambling money." So how do I personally know about this Stake President you ask? Well, I have a friend with a super-duper die-hard "TBM" brother that did his accounting apprenticeship there and he wouldn't lie, you can trust me on that one. He's a "TBM" through and through and very anti-gambling. He has chastised his Brother and myself for many years over the issue. I had to laugh when he headed off to a casino to do his apprenticeship, no hypocrisy or irony there. LOL!! He never gambled once while there working!! He would never say anything negative about the Church unless it was true.
On top of that, I'm sure what the Church is really worried about is that you will lose your money gambling and not pay your tithing. The LDS Church is the main reason that Utah is one of only two(Hawaii) states that doesn't have a lottery. But remember, they never get involved in political matters.(Lottery, gay-marriage, ERA)I guess it's like they teach, I think it was Oaks or Packer that said, referring to a testimony "just keep saying it until you believe it!!" Of course we could talk about the Church and many members being heavily invested in the speculative stock market which is always a gamble but that's another conversation for another day.
But I guess in their eyes, it is better to gamble paying your tithing to the Church and hope that blessings come. Hinckley even admitted that your blessings from tithing may be of a "spiritual nature." That way, they can build more temples and World Trade Centers, buy malls, etc. Also, it means that you never have to receive a tangible blessing and when the monetary blessings don't happen, then everyone can say to themselves, "oh yeah, Hinckley said it might be in a spiritual nature."
Once again, it is the Mormon Church saying do as we say, not as we do. The Hypocrisy lives on!! I hope this was helpful for people to understand the Churches stance on gambling. So it sounds like we could probably educate those (poor, desperate, young, we'd do anything for numbers to please our leaders), missionaries a whole lot!!
7 comments:
I frankly am amazed at the holes in your argument. For example, the church does not accept tithing from money that was gambled. I'm sure that someone could pay tithing on some gambled money without the knowledge of the church (it's not like the church is going to audit its members), but if they are aware that the money came from gambling they will dismiss it every time. Believe me, I have personally seen it happen.
Secondly, I'm amazed at how you emphasized the fact that the church makes a HUGE deal about gambling. Growing up in the church I would say that President Hinckley's talk was the first talk on gambling I have ever heard in General Conference. And, from what I have been able to gather, gambling is wrong more in the sense that it is a very unwise, silly, stupid thing to do, not that it is an eternally evil thing to do. Because of that it is only natural that it is not asked when going for a temple recommend. If they were to ask about gambling they may as well as if you recently took out an unwise loan on a house that you are likely to forfeit. It just isn't what's important.
As for paying tithing, I think it's time for you to read the bible again. (I suppose I'm assuming you're still a Christian. Perhaps you aren't.) In the bible, however, it is clear that sometimes church leaders (yes, even in the bible) command the church members to contribute money, even if it may hurt them financially. Look, for example, at the experience of the Jerusalem saints in the book of Acts. They had "all things common" for a number of years, until they system crashed and the Christian in Jerusalem ended up poor. (Paul spends the rest of the NT asking other saints to send money to the "poor saints in Jerusalem." Why are they poor? Because they followed Peter's advice and donated everything they had to the church.) When we obey what we believe to be a commandment from God we don't do it because we expect any blessings: we do it because we believe it is right. Or, perhaps, your "recovery" from Mormonism has led you to a viewpoint that doesn't allow for Christian obedience. To only obey because you expect a reward is very unchristian in practice.
There are other serious flaws in your argument, but it basically boils down to this core fact: you apparently had a very limited and immature understanding of the church before you left it, which leads you to now draw such silly, ridiculous conclusions about the church. I'm surprised at your immaturity and lack of deeper understanding, and I hope that in whatever religious path you choose in the future (if you choose any) you will learn more intellectual and spiritual depth regarding your beliefs. It is sad for a human life to be lived in so much hatred and misunderstanding. You have my deepest sympathies.
The LDS church is just a big tax loophole for utah and nevada millionaires. Their hypocracy knows no bounds. They own casinos but denounce gambling. They own legal cat houses in nevada but denounce sex without marriage. Mesquite nevada wouldn't exist without the mormon gamblers and alcoholics.
take it or leave it. disbelief by you doesn't change the truthfullness. You will receive your just due. For any you lead astray the devil thanks you. You are his. You can return. Repentance is good except blasphamy against the HOly Ghost which is the line you straddle near. Best Wishes
Not only shallow but completely misinformed, or are some of you simply liars? the list would be so long, Lets talk about the gaming commission whose function is to do it's best to keep organized crime out of gambling, not only did Reid sit on the board but countless other Mormons have as well. And thankfully so, it is the boards duty to try and keep organized crime out of legal gambling, it has nothing to do with the LDS church whatsoever.
Cat houses, easy to throw that one out there with absolutely no evidence that a Active member of the LDS church owns one.
Tax loophole for millionaires? Again for what, you don't need to be LDS to make use of tax loopholes. What a pointless and unfounded argument.
Mesquite and mormons, again a lie or are you really that uninformed, lets look at a few facts 545 of the state of Utah is not even LDS, Half off LDS members are not active or practicing members. SO right there are plenty of people to make use of Mesquite casinos. According to the Chamber of Commerce less that half of visitors are from either UT or NV and 70% of all visitors do not gamble. Like me perhaps it's just a great place to stop use the bathrooms and get a cheap meal as do many of my LDS friends. And just like the many casino's in LV Sure I go to them to try the food and see some of the sites but have spent less that 2 dollars in my whole life gambling (my grandmother, a Jewish woman not LDS gave me a roll of Nickels when I was about 12 to gamble with, and yes I know it was illegal as an underaged minor but we were in the old Freemont area back when no one really cared about such rules).
Only 15% of travels surveyed who stopped in Mesquite for any reason actually gambled. Have I seen my Bishop in a casino before? When I lived in LV yes I had, at the same buffet line I was at with my kids. No one ever said we should not make use of inexpensive food or entertainment, we are suppose to be wise and use discretion as to when we feel it crosses the line. that's what real LDS members do, think for themselves, something this blogger seems like he never did a s member, and wants his readers to do the same.
I won't go on and on, only to point out that if you want to be taken seriously you have to get your facts straight. Your readership may be okay, but that does not mean anyone believes your honest.
well said carbonware. You said everything that I was thinking.
I don't see gambling as a sin. It's the circumstances that surround the actual gambling that could make it a sin.. but not the act in and of itself. Investing is very similiar to gambling.. Is it a sin?
On Gambling ... how would the church consider the stock market. I feel along with many others that it is gambling and judging from the last decade things have not improved much after 9/11. I think stocks have recovered about 34% since ... according to one financial planner. It is such an integral part of our lives, especially as we save for retirement. The church has stock holdings as well, and that's how money needs to grow. Any takers on that?
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