Poker…Yes, No or Maybe So

July 25, 2007 in "the Church"

Poker

I’ve played poker all my life. When I was in my late teens early 20’s I lost a little bit of money, but I saw guys that lost money they really couldn’t afford to lose and I soured to the game a little. Back then, I decided to only play with guys I knew for amounts that wouldn’t hurt.

In the past few years Texas Hold-em has come on strong. You can find it all over cable T.V. and games have popped up all around us. It has come out of the smoky back rooms into the mainstream of our contemporary culture.

I read a few interesting articles on it today:

So, what do you think? Yes, no or maybe so. Leave a comment and tell me your opinion.

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7 comments

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July 25, 2007 at 7:15 pm

islandpastor

I think gambling is “fine” as long as you have the “discretionary” income to justify it. IMHO it is just another form of entertainment. IMHO Gambling becomes wrong when it becomes an addiction and you are spending money that you don’t have.

There’s my two cents . . .

July 25, 2007 at 7:25 pm

Mark Bjorlo

Thanks for your 2 cents Kevin.

July 25, 2007 at 9:22 pm

Mike V

I have a hard time reconciling many of the things I do with 1 Cor. 10:31. I understand that the context may not apply in this situation and one could actually use 1 Cor. 6:12 and 10:23 as possible justification, but I don’t see how a number of the things that I choose to do bring Glory to God.

The entertainment argument is great except I don’t think I’m alone in saying that it is easy to spend more time pursuing entertainment than we do pursuing Christ.

How many of us can spend four or five hours in a card game or at a sporting event yet haven’t spent four or five hours in God’s word or doing something that may have some type of kingdom purpose? I’m sure someone can pull out the evangelistic opportunity argument and, if in fact they actually are utilizing the extra curricular activity as an opportunity than I have to say good for them.

I would guess that this is a lot like the alcohol conversation, there is no biblical mandate to abstain nor is the issue of gambling addressed well and the evangelistic opportunities are much greater hanging out with non-Christians than they are hanging out with those who may be or think they are Christ followers.

So, my final answer is, if you choose to partake do it with the mindset that your objective is ultimately to bring glory to God.

July 25, 2007 at 9:27 pm

Mark Bjorlo

Good word Mike.

July 25, 2007 at 9:44 pm

islandpastor

I agree wholeheartedly with you Mike. My comments were very “simplistic”. You approached it a lot better.