Question about state lotteries

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

North Carolina Legislature passed a bill to introduce a state lottery yesterday, where the proceeds would supposedly go toward education. It passed with a vote of 61-59. It's expected to fly thru the Senate today, and be approved by the guv'nah.I havent really give this issue much thought. I dont play, and I know a lot of money is flooding out of NC and into lottery states like SC, GA, etc. I know that on the Cherokee Indian reservation (about 40 minutes from here) there is a Harrah's Casino, which was supposed to really boost the economy for folks there... but the poverty level on the reservation has risen to an all time high since they built the place. Can a lottery have the same effect?There are two fundamental independent Baptist radio stations in this area... and for the last 24 hours they have (in my opinion) turned into alarmists about this, asking the question "What is next? Legalized prostitution in North Carolina?" Thats a bit of a stretch, I think... or is it?So I'm asking those who have given this issue more thought than I have, and those who have studied this out in scripture... what do you all think? I have no opinions to offer on this... I just want to learn from others.Krispy

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MrBillPro Apr 7, 2005

KrispyKrittr wrote:I have no opinions to offer on this...KrispyNo Way!! Just kidding Brother Krisp you know me.We have the lotto in TX. and I play it about an average of one $1 quick pick every two months or so "Gods ways are not our ways" maybe he wants to Bless me, O I am going to be in for it now with all those not being a good Stewart of Gods money folks, well go ahead I can take it because God has already forgiven me because I ask him to forgive me. Well back to your original question to be honest with you sometimes it is just better to keep some of our opinions to ourselves "hard to do for some I know" I used to be there but I will keep my real opinion to myself on this, but I wonder if the folks that voted yea on this if they have been saved wouldn't that fall under Romans 8:28? O I have really opened up this discussion sorry Krispy I ruined you post. :-?

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geddingsm Apr 7, 2005

I work in a store that sales lottery and I think it one of the worst mistakes South Carolina has ever made.I can't find that the Bible speaks directly against gambling but it is an addictive behavior and society certainly doesn't need another. According to scripture I feel it is being a bad stewart of God's money. You may think it is only a dollar or so but one dollar will buy 100 tracts for a native missionary.http://www.gfa.org/gfa/The other problem I see firsthand is that the people that play it the most are the ones who can afford it the least. The lottery gears advertising to the poor community and you will find many more lottery machines per capita in poor areas than any other. It is no coincidence that lottery sale are way up at the first part of the month when the government checks come out.On a not so funny sidenote I have actually heard people say as they are buying lottery tickets "I prayed and the Lord sure knows I need to win"In Christ,geddingsm

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

No Way!! Just kidding Brother Krisp you know me.Yea, proof that miracles still happen today!O I have really opened up this discussion sorry Krispy I ruined you post.Naw, dude... a lively post is good. Krispy

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

I work in a store that sales lottery and I think it one of the worst mistakes South Carolina has ever made.Hey, two of our local networks (NBC & CBS) are out of Greenville/Spartanburg, SC ... havent I seen on the news that there is some controversy about the lottery money isnt all going to education like the South Carolina government said it would? (in other words... the people were lied to about the money's intended purpose?)Krispy

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IRONMAN Apr 7, 2005

Down here in Tx people are debating whether or not to legalize gambling. I think they should, it would save many gambling texans from driving all the way to louisiana... :-P

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

Geddingsm wroteI work in a store that sales lottery and I think it one of the worst mistakes South Carolina has ever made.I agree. I remember some years ago when the Video Lottery Terminals otherwise known as VLT's came out, hosted by the government of Canada, that I started putting a loonie in the slot (loonie is our one Canadian dollar coin). And I won 75 big ones. Well that wasn't enough for me, I practicaly took all my pay and threw it into that thing and I kept losing. I wasn't playing them long, when I just started to cry right then and there and cried to the LORD to save me. And the very next day I had no desire whatsoever to go back to that, I won't even tempt God by putting in a loonie or a toonie, (a canadian two dollar coin). I want you to notice something, when the government of Canada changed the paper one dollar bill to a coin, the very next year these VLT's began to appear in our convinence stores. Then when people started losing money like I was doing, the government instituted gambling addiction aynonomous, and other government funded foolishness. They are making a killing off people and they know it and they try to help remedy the situation, it's hypocisy and it's an oxymoron.Karl

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

I want you to notice something, when the government of Canada changed the paper one dollar bill to a coin, the very next year these VLT's began to appear in our convinence stores. Then when people started losing money like I was doing, the government instituted gambling addiction aynonomous, and other government funded foolishness. They are making a killing off people and they know it and they try to help remedy the situation, it's hypocisy and it's an oxymoron.Thats interesting... it's kind of like a voluntary taxing, except 1 in every 100,000 gets a tax return.Thanx for that observation. Thats something to keep an eye on here...A "loonie", eh? Makes me glad I'm an American. :-)Krispy

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MrBillPro Apr 7, 2005

I have heard in Canada the Terry dollar,after one legged runner Terry Fox, the one dollar coin will feature the image of Terry on the coin, I believe it is only a commemoration coin. The loon won't be replaced, but shoved aside for about 11-14 million coins featuring Terry Fox. Very good idea, to keep his spirit and cause going.

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lastblast Apr 7, 2005

Not going to address the rightness or wrongness of gambling as each of us needs to decide and act on what we believe on this issue, but I will address the $$ for education. To me, it appears to be a crock. It usually is touted as a vehicle to increase educational monies to better educate our children. Sounds good. Many vote on it for that very reason. However, the problem is: when the money starts rolling into the state, the state yanks out the monies the schools WERE getting before the lottery and then the schools are in the same exact position they were in BEFORE the lottery came to town(needing more funding!). Someone benefits, but it sure isn't the schools. If you want to know the truth of this, talk to some public school teachers in the Lottery states. Ask them how much comes out of their own pockets to provide supplies their students need that the schools are not paying for..... :-o

sermonindex Apr 7, 2005

I will address the $$ for education. To me, it appears to be a crock. It usually is touted as a vehicle to increase educational monies to better educate our children. Sounds good. Many vote on it for that very reason. However, the problem is: when the money starts rolling into the state, the state yanks out the monies the schools WERE getting before the lottery and then the schools are in the same exact position they were in BEFORE the lottery came to town(needing more funding!). Someone benefits, but it sure isn't the schools. If you want to know the truth of this, talk to some public school teachers in the Lottery states. Ask them how much comes out of their own pockets to provide supplies their students need that the schools are not paying for..... Thats exactly what I wanted to hear about too... the effects of a lottery. (I also would like to get some spiritual insight too!) I dont trust the government to handle the money properly... especially our corrupt state government of North Carolina. Our state is so messed up financially (Democrats in power, even tho it's a strong conservative state) that there is no way I believe everything is on the up and up about a lottery.If our governor Mike Easly runs for President someday (which he is considering)... dont vote for him!Krispy

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PTywama3 Apr 7, 2005

The thing to note about educational billing is what exactly is going to education? Governments usually make it sound like the educational department is getting like half the proceeds of a lottery sale, when usually its something more like $.01 or less is ever slated to.Washington state runs a lotto. I was very fortunate to grow up in a city that is vibrantly in support of its schools. The state sure ain't doing much but making things harder for them. I just talked to one of my teachers about alot of the new state and federal regs, and she doesn't really care for much of it at all.

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dohzman Apr 7, 2005

You can contact and organization called the ohio round table. They fight against legalized gamming and have alot of stats for you : www.ohioroundtable.org that should help ya

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IRONMAN Apr 7, 2005

isn't the stock market a lot like gambling? I mean you put money in and hope for a return?

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geddingsm Apr 7, 2005

No, because with the stock market you're investing in a tangible entity that has certain rules such as supply and demand etc. With the lottery you're merely playing chance that has odds that are stacked against you. Also those that play lottery are looking for something for nothing.

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IRONMAN Apr 7, 2005

oh ok I see.

sermonindex Apr 8, 2005

However, the problem is: when the money starts rolling into the state, the state yanks out the monies the schools WERE getting before the lottery and then the schools are in the same exact position they were in BEFORE the lottery came to town(needing more funding!).Guess what Cindy... it came out yesterday that this is exactly what North Carolina is planning to do! Only they are threatening it before the lottery officially passes in order to twist arms and pressure the Senate to pass it. They project $250M will come in for "education" from the lottery, and they want to cut the budget for education by $300M. What a joke. There is a phrase for that... it's called "bait and switch".Something interesting has happened tho... like I said, our Represenatives have already passed the bill, but now it has to pass the Senate. The Senate was, at one time, in favor of it by almost 2/3's ... however, a couple of Senators want to add a huge increase of taxes on tobacco, and that never flies in North Carolina. We're the largest producer of tobacco products in the US, and a tax increase in tobacco products would hurt the tobacco farmers... which means that come next election, a lot of Senators will lose their jobs.As it stands right now, if that tax gets tagged onto the bill, there is a slight majority against passing the lottery.It's funny how adversity makes for strange bedfellows...Krispy

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lastblast Apr 8, 2005

Ah, the truth usually will surface when push comes to shove, as it appears to be happening with your lotto situation. :-(

sermonindex Apr 8, 2005

Well, if I win the lottery I'll donate 1/2 the money to Sermon Index.Just kidding, I wont be playingKrispy

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RobertW Apr 8, 2005

About 20 years ago Missouri approved a state lottery and began selling lottery tickets. Then they did the actual numbers lottery. Then they approved 'river boats' that sit down by the river and pretend to be in the water. Once the Missouri river was saturated with all the gambling it could handle the propigators of gambling wanted to put boats on a river near Branson MO (a 'family friendly' vacation town) but the voters rejected it. Understand that all things of this nature are progressive. I once heard our former mayor of Kansas City say something to the effect that when politicians see how much money can be made with river boats they will dig holes and fill them with water to get them in. A guy attending one of the boats told me he went there and a woman was sitting beside him working a slot machine who looked quite poor. She said, "Just as long as there's a little balogna (balognie) in the 'fridge'." The horror stories abound. It is a door that once it comes in the enemy will come in like a flood and it will be next to impossible to repeal.