What Does the Bible Say About Gambling?

Surprisingly, the Bible contains no specific command to avoid gambling. However, the Bible does contain timeless principles for living a life pleasing to God and is filled with wisdom to deal with every situation, including gambling.

Answer:
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we read about people casting lots when a decision had to be made. In most instances, this was simply a way of determining something impartially:

Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. (Joshua 18:10, NIV)

Casting lots was common among many ancient cultures. Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus' garments at his crucifixion:

"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. (John 19:24, NIV)


Argue away

No thanks. Your title is deceptive, and your argument is weak.

Quit being difficult and rude.

Heheh. OP doesn't understand that poker is to "casting lots" what rocket science is to cleaning a toilet.

Lol no. Please. Flame away. These are "those theists" that I told you about.

Toogood32,

Please show me a bible verse where Jesus Christ himself said playing Texas Hold em on the Internet or in a casino is wrong and a sin.

And yes as RoundGuy said your argument is incredibly weak and flawed.

Why are you venerating arguments?

Men's weak thinking is behind arguments. An argument may be no better than the man behind it.

Boy the way people venerate arguments on here you'd think certain people think they think perfectly all the time when obviously that's an impossibility for anyone but God.

I think that it's sad that religious people follow an immoral rulebook with outrageously silly rules based on the weak understanding of ancient civilizations. I find it sad that religious people don't use their own experience to make their own decisions.

Argue away

Please elucidate which groups are following which rules and why because the Jews, Muslims and Christians aren't all the same on that.

Then explain why experience is so good to follow in making decisions. Do you think a New Guinea cannibal is justified in cannibaliizing people because his tribe socialized him to do that?

If Christians honestly believe that Jesus Christ would be happy with them playing poker with the intent to win money from other people, then I don't know what to tell you. I'm not saying that its considered bad or a sin, but I'm fairly certain he would want you spending your time doing something better. Yes this applies to tons of other things in life, but the current shallow state of the Christian "faith" allows the masses to get away with being lazy, self-righteous, over-privileged, mouth breathers that can feel like they are "safe" from condemnation because they go to church once a week and feel bad about things once in a while.

If you're going to copy-paste, at least cite your source.

http://christianity.about.com/od/wha...mblingasin.htm

I don't know, god seems to be quite supportive of poker:

Genesis 1:26

God predicts the downfall of poker:

Exodus 7:18

Jesus used to stake people for cash games before staking was cool

Matthew 4:19

Jonah went to Macau apparently

Matthew 12:40

In conclusion, bible approves of poker. I'm sure there are strategy insights in there somewhere.

Jeedz:

lol!

Creative eisegesis.

If they can do it to biblically promote free-market capitalism and condemn homosexuality (while ignoring the bits on mixing threads, keeping the sabbath, eating shellfish/pork, sex b4 marriage etc), why can't I?

"casting lots" fulfills the prophesy in Psalm 22:18

" And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots."
Matthew 27: 35

So it can't be bad.

It was obvious sarcasm at what I felt was a very weak argument. I thought that was quite clear. I guess not. I obviously know the Bible wouldn't say Internet and Texas Hold em.

Christians don't really care about their faith until it happens to justify their own biases or beliefs. Then it's used to push others around. They've got no problem gambling, killing (in war), and being incredibly wealthy while the poor suffer. The only thing certain about Christians is that they are in no way like Christ. They'll use a million-and-one justifications for everything they do.

I see you don't like Christians. Fair enough. I don't have much use for them either. But can't you pretty much replace "Christians" with "humans" and be just as correct?

What have Christians done to you, personally? Or are they just an easy target...

At least even in your clearly biased and angry rant, you can at least distinguish the difference between us sinful mortal Christians and Christ himself.

Yes, there is not one righteous, not even one! Many "Christians" at least confess they are sinful:

1 John 1: 5-10 ( "Jewish New Testament" )
============================

⁵ And this is the message which we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him — none!

⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him while we are walking in the darkness, we are lying and not living out the truth. ⁷ But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin.

⁸ If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.

¹⁰ If we claim we have not been sinning, we are making him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us.

Uh oh, here we go...

Na it was way way way clear