Author Topic: Gambling (Read 1288 times)

Conspiracy_Factist · « **on:** August 10, 2014, 04:08:39 PM »

According to these 2 quotes I believe gambling is amortal sin..anyone disagree? would this include joining a group lottery at work?? how a =out a friendly 20$ texas holdem game with friends I guess it's out of the question?

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 A.D.), who is regarded as one of the most important Doctors of the Church, writes the following concerning the above two canons: “We read in the Canons of the apostles (Can. xli, xlii): ‘A bishop, priest or deacon who is given to drunkenness or gambling, or incites others thereto, must either cease or be deposed; a subdeacon, reader or precentor who does these things must either give them up or be excommunicated; the same applies to the laity.’ Now such punishments are not inflicted save for mortal sins. Therefore drunkenness [and gambling] is a mortal sin.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part, Q. 150, A. II. Whether drunkenness is a mortal sin?)

St. Clement of Alexandria, echoing the Church’s constant tradition from the beginning against gambling, and the pursuit of gain caused by the evil desire for riches “apart from the truth”, wrote in the second century A.D.: “The game of dice is to be prohibited, and the pursuit of gain, especially by dicing [and other such games of gambling], which many keenly follow. Such things the prodigality of luxury invents for the idle. For the cause is idleness, and a love for frivolities apart from the truth. For it is not possible otherwise to obtain enjoyment without injury; and each man’s preference of a mode of life is a counterpart of his disposition.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol 2, p. 485)

MarylandTrad · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2014, 06:36:47 PM »

I agree. Avoid all gambling. I used to play poker regularly when I was a Christmas/Easter only Protestant. I've seen how gambling can be disastrous and frequently leads to other sins worse than the gambling itself. Poker today is not even played in the same way it used to be. I remember when I was younger playing with my friend's parents and them explaining to us how they would never check raise, slow play, or bluff. They considered those types of plays indecent and dishonorable. Nowadays deceit and misrepresenting one's hand strength is common place and considered a great skill.

I just couldn't gamble Saturday night and feel good attending Mass Sunday morning. God lets our conscience know that these thing are not ok, listen to God!

Conspiracy_Factist · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2014, 05:53:57 AM »

Quote from: MarylandTrad

I agree. Avoid all gambling. I used to play poker regularly when I was a Christmas/Easter only Protestant. I've seen how gambling can be disastrous and frequently leads to other sins worse than the gambling itself. Poker today is not even played in the same way it used to be. I remember when I was younger playing with my friend's parents and them explaining to us how they would never check raise, slow play, or bluff. They considered those types of plays indecent and dishonorable. Nowadays deceit and misrepresenting one's hand strength is common place and considered a great skill.

I just couldn't gamble Saturday night and feel good attending Mass Sunday morning. God lets our conscience know that these thing are not ok, listen to God!

I hear you, been there and done that, with some friends I hardly see themuntil there's a poker game at someone's house..I'm diggin here but how about a charity game, where 1/2 the proceeds go to osme charity, the rest to the winner....I guess it's all no

ggreg · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2014, 08:40:29 AM »

Since you can drink alcohol, which is a drug, in moderation and it not be a sin let alone a moral sin, then I would have thought you could gamble in moderation too as a hobby or pastime.

A Trad lady I know has just got engaged to a young man who works selling bloodlines for racehorses. They dropped in for dinner last week and he told me that he makes around $10-20k per year gambling when he knows enough about the horse to skew the odds in his favour.

His account at every on-line bookmaker is closed, because if you continue winning they close your account.

He offered to get me free tickets to the horse races for the whole family as he is connected to some high profile owners and tracks. These tickets are worth at least $200 for the eight of us. So I'm planning to go along with the whole family and have a day at the races as an interesting experience and family day out. I'll probably gamble around $100 at the track mostly letting the kids bet on their favourite horses in some of the races. We will bring a picnic so all told it will be a reasonably good value day out for the whole family.

Once a year we all bet on a famous steeplechase race called The Grand National and then plug in the antenna to the TV and watch it live and scream for our horses. Betting on it makes it much more fun and I did this as a kid so I am kind of following a family tradition. We usually lose around $60 per year, but every five years or so we've won say $200-$300 and spent the money on an outing or some other treat.

Four times a year we play poker or blackjack with family and friends. We usually stake about $10 to $25 each.

I don't consider the amount of gambling I do as sinful inasmuch as it is clearly under control and purely a leisure social activity. In some cases I am simply losing the money to or winning the money from other family members so net-net there is no loss.

Dolores · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2014, 12:07:59 PM »

This topic has been covered several times on CI. Gambling, in it of itself, is not a sin. It can become sinful, however, if one gambles so much that he can no no longer support his family.

As ggreg correctly pointed out, gambling is not unlike alcohol; in moderation there is nothing wrong with it, but it it can became sinful in excess.

Matthew · « **Reply #5 on:** August 11, 2014, 12:18:39 PM »

I should also point out that $200 for ggreg is more like $50 or $25 for the rest of us.

He makes good money, and has plenty of disposable income.

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 11, 2014, 12:23:41 PM »

Quote from: Dolores

This topic has been covered several times on CI. Gambling, in it of itself, is not a sin. It can become sinful, however, if one gambles so much that he can no no longer support his family.

As ggreg correctly pointed out, gambling is not unlike alcohol; in moderation there is nothing wrong with it, but it it can became sinful in excess.

You may been technically correct Dolores. However, every friend
acquaintance, and family member went into gambling and in every
case corrupted himself and those around him. Such as getting rich
without working, finding a golden pot of treasure. Getting rich fast
through the lottery, and ending up losing every penny and red cent.
Families starving and being run out of their houses because the
gambling of one member has taken most of all the income.
When we say the act of contrition in confession, remember this part
"AVOID ALL OCCASIONS OF SIN" This is why, Dolores, gambling
is always a sin because it leads people into accepting sinful life styles.
Dolores, when you go to confession and after the Priest gives you
absolution, be conscience in reciting every phrase of the act of
contrition especially "avoiding all occasion of sin".
Dolores, please learn your Traditional Catholic Faith from a to z
and you will never say that Gambling is not ever a sin.
Good Day, Dolores. I hope you learn more of your Catholic Faith on
CI.

MarylandTrad · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2014, 04:41:24 PM »

Quote from: RomanCatholic1953

Quote from: Dolores
This topic has been covered several times on CI. Gambling, in it of itself, is not a sin. It can become sinful, however, if one gambles so much that he can no no longer support his family.

As ggreg correctly pointed out, gambling is not unlike alcohol; in moderation there is nothing wrong with it, but it it can became sinful in excess.

You may been technically correct Dolores. However, every friend
acquaintance, and family member went into gambling and in every
case corrupted himself and those around him. Such as getting rich
without working, finding a golden pot of treasure. Getting rich fast
through the lottery, and ending up losing every penny and red cent.
Families starving and being run out of their houses because the
gambling of one member has taken most of all the income.
When we say the act of contrition in confession, remember this part
"AVOID ALL OCCASIONS OF SIN" This is why, Dolores, gambling
is always a sin because it leads people into accepting sinful life styles.
Dolores, when you go to confession and after the Priest gives you
absolution, be conscience in reciting every phrase of the act of
contrition especially "avoiding all occasion of sin".
Dolores, please learn your Traditional Catholic Faith from a to z
and you will never say that Gambling is not ever a sin.
Good Day, Dolores. I hope you learn more of your Catholic Faith on
CI.

Amen. You speak the truth, but these days many are not interested in hearing it. The liberals I'm sure will soon call you a puritan, etc.

Anyone who has spent years in the gambling scene (like I have to my embarrassment) or who knows many people who have, will know that Roman Catholic1953 speaks the truth 100%.

Even if you don't lose a significant amount of money, winning can be even more of a curse. When I had a lot of extra money from playing poker that caused me to sin. When I lost a lot of money from playing poker that also caused me to sin. It is a lose-lose situation.

songbird · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2014, 07:50:24 PM »

Obsessed, it it. You can get obsessed with pin ball, 50 cents on the "claw" and my son did it with baseball cards. He woke up and went to bed thinking about how he was going to hit big. I told him, get rid of them before mom does. He was shocked. I told him it is not good having your mind think in such ways. Then when he got older he went to gambling casinos and he hit it bad!!! Now at the age of 38 he is never hitting them anymore, not even a lottery ticket. He has been doing fine after 10 years maybe more. We had a long talk on the subject. How the devil gives you thoughts and temptations and such. My son was very concerned that he would not rise above gambling, for he read that gambling is much harder to be cured then alcohol. He was going to AAA. He understood that 10 maybe 15% are cured of alcohol. So, son, first of all, AAA says to find your God. That is pretty much it and they tell you to come to meeting after meeting. Well, son, you are a catholic. The power to rise above it comes from the Precious Blood in all the sacraments. You need to be as frequent as you can for that power. And son, I would say that those 10 -15% cured were catholics. And he felt better. Thank God for the Precious Blood!

Conspiracy_Factist · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2014, 08:49:16 PM »

Quote from: ggreg

Since you can drink alcohol, which is a drug, in moderation and it not be a sin let alone a moral sin, then I would have thought you could gamble in moderation too as a hobby or pastime.

A Trad lady I know has just got engaged to a young man who works selling bloodlines for racehorses. They dropped in for dinner last week and he told me that he makes around $10-20k per year gambling when he knows enough about the horse to skew the odds in his favour.

His account at every on-line bookmaker is closed, because if you continue winning they close your account.

He offered to get me free tickets to the horse races for the whole family as he is connected to some high profile owners and tracks. These tickets are worth at least $200 for the eight of us. So I'm planning to go along with the whole family and have a day at the races as an interesting experience and family day out. I'll probably gamble around $100 at the track mostly letting the kids bet on their favourite horses in some of the races. We will bring a picnic so all told it will be a reasonably good value day out for the whole family.

Once a year we all bet on a famous steeplechase race called The Grand National and then plug in the antenna to the TV and watch it live and scream for our horses. Betting on it makes it much more fun and I did this as a kid so I am kind of following a family tradition. We usually lose around $60 per year, but every five years or so we've won say $200-$300 and spent the money on an outing or some other treat.

Four times a year we play poker or blackjack with family and friends. We usually stake about $10 to $25 each.

I don't consider the amount of gambling I do as sinful inasmuch as it is clearly under control and purely a leisure social activity. In some cases I am simply losing the money to or winning the money from other family members so net-net there is no loss.

But St Thomas says drunkeness and gambling are sins..not drinking and gambling...if I play texas holdem with my friends even if it's for 20$ I still want to win and that means everyone else must lose ..so I can only gain at their expense ..isn't that the sin......I used to gamble and mot o the time under control but I sill think I was sinning according to the 2 quotes I provided

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2014, 09:00:41 PM »

I got two thumbs down, and one thumbs up.
Dolores gave me the thumbs up because she is going to much more
careful when she goes and confesses next time. :applause:

ggreg · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2014, 09:50:06 PM »

When you run in a race and win everyone else must lose also. Is athletics a sin?

If people choose to play cards with me or enter a sweepstake and I with them then what is the difference?

They accept the possibility they may lose for the chance to win and the entertainment value.

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 12, 2014, 12:18:47 AM »

Quote from: ggreg

When you run in a race and win everyone else must lose also. Is athletics a sin?

If people choose to play cards with me or enter a sweepstake and I with them then what is the difference?

They accept the possibility they may lose for the chance to win and the entertainment value.

A Catholic who treasure his eternal salvation should never exposed
his body almost unclothe in a sports event. Purity of intentions and
thought is all the reasons to avoid all sports events.

songbird · « **Reply #13 on:** August 12, 2014, 11:42:06 AM »

Drinking can be relaxing, but gambling, IMO puts our hopes in the wrong place. I disregard it myself. I went to the horse races once and that was ok, then the casino is just so sad! and I don't buy lottery tickets, i just see it as paying more taxes. I had to sit in a grocery store for the coolness and watched on a Sunday how people bought lottery tickets and would sit down near to where I was sitting. One lady told a man with her, "I am only giving you $5 more and that is it, you owe me $45 now." He had a tattoo on his neck "Ruthie". When they left he was sad, lost again, and she told me I am Ruthie and this is my husband. And I went home thinking how sad that scenario was.