Gambling and the Work Ethic
by Dr. Phil Stringer (Florida)
"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that
gathereth by labour shall increase" (Proverbs 13:11).
"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he
that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful
man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich
shall not be innocent" (Probers 28:19-20).
* * *
Best-selling author Robert Ringer comments on how governments exploit
human weakness by legalizing gambling in his book Million Dollar Habits:
THE SOMETHING-FOR-NOTHING URGE
The something-for-nothing urge is part of the human psyche and based
on sheer self-delusion. To one degree or another, we all possess the
something-for-nothing urge. It is the urge that has made gambling a
national pastime in most countries throughout history. State governments
understand this all too well. They have increasingly appealed to the
gambling urge to appropriate more dollars from citizens by enticing them
into state-sponsored lotteries. Of course, this is in addition to the
take that most states skim off the top from wagering at horse and dog
tracks, jaialai frontons, and gambling casinos. With such an explicit
stamp of approval, it’s little wonder that a recent survey estimated
that as many as 4.2 million Americans may be addicted to gambling.
In reality, compulsive gambling is a serious mental illness that
endangers both the compulsive gambler and those around him. It
involves the ultimate self-delusion -- the belief that something for
nothing is possible, which, of course, is a totally false perception
of reality and brings about negative results.
The "Protestant Work Ethic" is summed up in II
Thessalonians 3:10, "For even when we were with you, this we
commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."
For a long time in America every government program was expected to
support this principle. This became known as the Protestant Work Ethic.
As long as this was government policy, reinforced by most of our
culture, the American economy was always booming.
However, under our new approach to culture, the Protestant work ethic
has come under attack from the government in two basic ways:
• The welfare system and
• Government-sponsored gambling.
Government agencies (usually state governments) spend hundreds of
millions of dollars every year to convince citizens that gambling is the
way to prosperity.
The only defense ever given for legalized, government-owned or
licensed gambling establishments is that they are a supposed financial
boon for local communities and county and state governments. But, there
are other considerations. The late Senator Estes Kefauver said,
Gambling produces nothing and adds nothing to the economy or
society of our nation. Americans will be in a bad way if we ever have
to resort to taxing crime and immorality for the purpose of rasing
revenue to operate our institutions.
Gambling does not create any wealth; it only redistributes it. And,
it usually redistributes it in a way that harms society in general. One
study reported that gambling institutions brought in an average income
of $4.35 per adult in the community. But a Maryland study indicated that
increased crime, increased welfare costs, and dealing with gambling
addicts was costing the average adult between $13 and $23 in taxes every
year!
The government entity that erodes the Protestant Work Ethic erodes
its own income base. People can debate whether or not Christianity is a
good idea, but it is those who practice the Christian work ethic that
earn taxable income.
One Maryland study showed that one-third of the families with annual
incomes of less than $10,000 spend one-fifth of their income on
lotteries. And, it was their government who spent millions of dollars
convincing them that the lottery was their ticket to the
"Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."
Government should reward self-reliance, hard work, and initiative.
Government should not put itself in the place of putting its stamp of
approval on the plans of millionaire developers to take advantage of
human weakness. And, it should not directly exploit the weakness of its
citizens.
Columnist William Safire said:
Gambling promotion has become a key to state budget-balancing.
Card-carrying right-wingers are not supposed to mind taxing the poor,
but really soaking the poor -- as this excessively regressive taxation
does -- sticks in my craw.
Why? Because it is wrong for the state to exploit the weakness of
its citizens. It is the most unfair and painful form of
"painless" taxation. The money isn’t coming from a few big
bookies and croupiers, but from the pockets of millions.
And gambling taxation feeds on itself. We cannot give up the state
income from betting, say legislators who feel guilty about pretending
that gambling is good, because the states have become dependent on the
money, or because other states will use casinos to lure their tourism.
They have become as hooked on gamblings as a source of revenue as any
compulsive gambler betting the milk money.
Dr. Phil Stringer is Executive Vice President of
Landmark Baptist College, Haines City, Florida.
