Gambling...Is it wrong?

I am leaving this open, i'm not going to post my opinion just yet, i'd like to first see what our community thinks. So what is your opinion, wether it be a religious view or just a general view on gambling. Should it be allowed? is it ok for christians to gamble?

Please make sure you back up your statements

I wouldn't say gambling is "wrong".
However gambling definately isn't right, either. The act of gamling in it self, isn't wrong, it's first when you become obsessed with gambling, that it turns into an evil. I'm not saying that I gamble, because I don't! I'm just saying that I don't see anything wrong with the act of gambling, as long as there are no negative financial and/or human consequences. This of course leads to another question, "When is gambling without consequence?". You could imagine that you're camping out in the forest, and you've brought a bag of raisins (I love raisins). To pass time you decide to gamble with the raisins! In said situation there wouldn't really be any negative consequences, (assuming having fun, isn't a negative consequence) however if you on the other hand, decide to gamble for what money you might have brought along, and/or your tent along with any accessories you might have brought along, there would suddenly be a series of negative consequences.

Debt on the other hand, is also closely related to gambling. We often hear about people getting into heavy debt, from gambling (well at least more often, than any other hobby out there). I don't know about you, but personally I owe Jesus my life, and because of this, I'm not really interrested in being in debt to other people as well.

Now if we take a look at Matthew 18 vers 21-35 (look it up).

Quote :

As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[g] was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [Matthew 18:24-25]

Now we see here that debt has consequences, in this case horrible consequences. Which of course is one reason, not to get into debt in the first place.

Quote :

"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. [Matthew 18:26-27]

Being a merciful master (just as our lord), he takes pity on the servent and cancelles his debts.

Quote :

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[h] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. [Matthew 18:28-31]

Although having had his debts cancelled, the servent is not willing to cancel a fellow servents debts, altough these debts are significantly smaller than his debt to his master.

Quote :

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. [Matthew 18:32-34]

We owe our lord, Jesus, more than we could ever repay him. Despite this he wiped our debt clean, and even sacrifices his own son for our sake. The point is, we should forgive our debtors, as the lord has forgiven our debts, but since there are people out there who, like the wicked servant, aren't willing to forgive their debtors, we should not put ourselves in a position where we risk getting into debt.

Quote :

'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil.' [Matthew 6:9-13]

My opinion is like everything else each person needs to know themself. Just like alcohol, and food, and many other things it would require moderation and there are many people who cannot moderate what they spend when gambling. For instance, someone who buys a lottery ticket once every month just for good sport, is that considered sinning? On the other hand someone who spends their life savings on is, is that sinning? When it comes down to it, it is a matter of the heart. God, in all reality, doesn't care what we do as long as it keeps our hearts safe from temptation. So to say that any of these grey areas are always wrong or always right is wrong, in the end it has to be the decision of the person made through God.