Lottery and Idolatry

Tweet

When people ask me about lottery and idolatry, i am sometimes at a loss for words to answer back. But my father in law cut out this article from our local newspaper called the Philippine Star and he gave the clipping to me. I read it and was convinced, author Cito Beltran explained everything very well. I looked up the online edition of the paper and thought of sharing this with you all. Such a powerful article from a man of integrity.. Read on... ******* Lotteries and idolatries CTALK By Cito Beltran Friday, January 11, 2008 This week the two major news items that drew lots of reaction were the price increase on the price of lottery tickets and the deaths and injury that occurred during the feast of the Black Nazarene. Treated separately the issues could be considered as a normal part of daily life but putting them together they draw our attention to what the modern day Filipino remains to be: a people largely living on a false hope and a futile prayer. Ignoring statistical probabilities while largely ignorant of the true teachings of what they profess as their faith. This is about you, about us, not just the rest of them “Filipinos”. Filipinos may have learned the value of education. They may have become hard workers willing to make personal sacrifices as OFWs. They have surely become more adept with modern telecoms and IT technology. Yet WE ignorantly place hard earned money on false hopes and false promises of the government that a very small amount gives them a chance to win millions. Yet for one person that actually wins millions of pesos, millions of Filipinos collectively lose the money they were told they could win. No one has obviously come to realize this act of government where they add insult to injury. Sadly those who would govern us act like Pilate and the high priests who wash their hands by claiming that the profits made from leading Filipinos into sin are being used to help the poor and the sick. In case you’re wondering why gambling is a sin, the simple explanation is that on one hand you dishonor God by placing your needs, your hopes and your provisions on a game of chance rather than on his faithful provision and his power. Add to that the irresponsible act of gambling what he has already given you in terms of money or what the money can buy. Unfortunately most Filipinos are spiritually illiterate or biblically ignorant. For a nation where the highest single expenditure is on education it is amazing that this largely Catholic country has a very low textual and factual knowledge of biblical tactics and strategies. For a people so pious it is tragic to see so many engaged in lotteries and idolatries. God tells us to give a tenth or 10 percent of our earnings to our church, yet truth be known they give coins or loose change for the offerings, but bet hard cash on the Lotto, the bingo or the sabong. The average Filipino Catholic remains largely ignorant of the “no-if or buts” rule that was a fail safe design of God to provide the operating costs of his church so that they don’t have to annex or solicit lands or put up large universities charging ungodly tuitions! Sadly Catholics don’t hear testimonies of how people who have been practicing tithing have been so blessed in terms of unexpected promotions, profit, deals and new business opportunities. So they don’t have motivation to practice biblical financial doctrines for success. In contrast to this we constantly hear the PCSO promote their doctrine of false hopes and gambling, daily and nationwide. So in the absence of God’s doctrine we hear the winning numbers and the total jackpot price! Unfortunately biblical teaching have yet to become a lifestyle of the pious, so in the meantime, is it any surprise that more and more “protestant” churches and Iglesia Ni Cristo kapilyas popping up all around. These are the ones who practice tithing. We all know the Parable of the Ten Talents or God’s lesson on sound investment and multiplying the wealth and opportunities given to us. About how we should utilize resources that have been entrusted to us and not simply hide them. In the end God pointed out that those who don’t make the effort to put assets to work will lose what they have even if they have so little. Unfortunately the fault is not largely just of government. If the government is guilty of leading us into sin by giving us false hopes that take us away from God or dishonors God, the Catholic Church because of its confused or conflicting theology has equally led many people astray by making them believe in idols and sanctioning idolatrous rituals. Growing up, the first commandment we are taught is to have only one God, not to have other gods, not to have false gods! Neither shall you make anything in the form of anything in heaven or on earth or in the sea. You shall not bow before them, because God is a Jealous God who punishes up to the fourth generation. Given the deaths, the injuries, the wasted resources but most importantly the false hopes promoted to desperate people, it is high time that this situation be challenged. Traditions that strengthen family values are one thing but rituals that diminish our divine relationship with God as well as our intellect must be resisted if not stopped. It may be argued that religion will always remain a personal choice but any one who is not too lazy can go and open his or her Bible to learn how many times God has sworn to punish and has punished nations that turn to false gods, or depend on men more than on him. Our collective idolatry whether through the lottery, in fiestas that give center stage and honor to minor saints or statues decked in silver and gold such as Sto Nino parades or feasts of the Black Nazarene also collectively make us the enemy of God. If we suffer it is not about personalities or poverty. It is about idolatry. No more — no less. It is not about what church or what religion we practice. It is about being true to what we claim to be our faith and being true to the one we call our God. ******** take care folks and God bless us all! :-)