Your God is too small. I'm sure you have heard this statement many times before. Is this true in the gambling debate?
Such a god is no God at all. That's a puppet pulled by strings of your own making. Christian theology must be God-directed and biblically informed. It must also stand the test of reason. Denominational dogma must never be interpreted as the voice of God. The undivided church must struggle in prayer together having regards for the totality of all components in a debate while being cognizant that God speaks not only to pastors but all people in all circumstances -- this includes politicians called by God into leadership.
The following can be a personal exercise. We can answer true or false to each of the following questions and statement. This might help us see the hand of God in this gambling debate.
o The Bible doesn't speak to the issue of gambling, so should we be silent where the Bible is silent?
o Casino gambling is entrenched in our country, but has our country benefited from it?
o A government is charged to make difficult decisions. The opinion poll is history, more than a year and a half ago. Different times, different circumstances dictate a new path to go.
o Web shops/number houses have been an integral part of our landscape for untold years. All through its development there was deafening silence. No one spoke up. Is this business accepted as an indispensable part of our economy?
o Is it justifiable for the church to be vocal on the web shop gaming bill and yet so silent on casino gambling?
o The bills passed are discriminatory. Would it not please God that Bahamians be equal to foreigners in their own land and thus from the very start be able to access casino gambling?
o Everyone has an inherent right to change one's mind. Situations change, new dictates beckon. The overarching good of the country is the imperative.
o If the governor of the Central Bank sends up a red flag do we listen?
o Are all ministers of religion against the regularization and taxation of the number houses?
o Gambling is not immoral or unethical. It is not one of the seven deadly sins.
o To gamble or not to gamble does not define a Christian.
o Gamblers are all going straight to hell.
o Gambling is addictive; it can clean you out financially and may destroy families even like drugs and alcohol.
o Empower Bahamians to own the gaming industry.
o To campaign against every member of Parliament who supports the gambling bill, is this righteous judgment, or is it the death of democracy?
o Do we shut down an industry and consequently put thousands out of work?
o Admittedly the industry cannot be stopped, policing is impotent. Do we continue our age-old habit of ignoring it and thus allow its proliferation, unregulated and without contributing to the legal economy for our national good and development?
o Do I have the right to do whatever I want with my money?
o To regulate and tax number houses has caused government to reconsider the introduction of VAT from 15 percent to seven-and-a-half percent?
o Providing for the counseling of addicts from the proceeds of the number houses must be congratulated. Many addicts are totally on their own desperate road of destruction without help.
o The regulation of the number houses will shatter an underground economy.
o Gambling in and of itself is not sinful, but it's abuse. Compare this to eating, drinking, sex etc.
o Government will now be able to control this industry in a way it could never before.
o We will stop making criminals out of the creative genius of our people.
o Owners of such business places can more justifiably give to charity. Charitable organizations and the church can now, with a good conscience, receive generous gifts and donations to further God's mission and ministry.
o Unregulated gaming is a complex and convoluted issue that can have serious negative consequences for the country one way or the other. -- Larry Smith.
Where is God in all this? He is right there in plain view, because, indeed God is everywhere. I commend this now to the God of The Bahamas who is able to do all things and do them well.
To him alone be the glory!
o Reverend Canon S. Sebastian Campbell is the rector at St. Gregory's Anglican Church.
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