I’ve explained, opined, asserted, declared, and suggested, but at last I’ve reached the stage in my career where I can quip. From the Daily Review: After defeat at polls in 1974, a gaming referendum in New Jersey succeeded two years later thanks to an alliance between gaming interests and the Roman Catholic Church, explained David […]
Faith-based gaming Read More »
gambling & culture, news about gamblingMost of us–unless we’re Phillip Pullman–would like to think that God, or Divine Providence, is on our side. It’s comforting to think that, in the words of Pharaoh Sanders, “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” and that you are part of it. But we usually keep our mouths shut about it. Apparently, this year’s WSOP
Jesus and the WSOP Read More »
gambling & cultureAccording to one Malaysian parliamentarian, gambling leads to superstition. From The Star: -In the kampung, when people want to win numbers games, they go to see the bomoh and even make offerings to trees so that their numbers will come up winners. -All this shows that gambling can make people carry out deviationist practices,†said
Gambling can lead to deviationism? Read More »
gambling & cultureAnother day, another clash between religion and gambling, it seems. First of all, a Mississippi state representative from Pass Christian has called would-be moralists out over their insistence that Katrina was doing God’s bidding: Rep. Jim Simpson of Pass Christian couldn’t believe the e-mails he received from some self-proclaimed Christians this week attempting to lobby
Gambling at the Last Supper? Read More »
gambling & cultureI’ve been waiting to hear this: the hurricanes that have recently struck the Gulf Coast are, apparently, God’s way of punishing us. Unfortunately, no one can agree just what we’ve done that’s so bad. There’s the usual suspects–gambling, drinking, etc–but nearly every religious zealot with a beef is stepping up to the plate on this
I get people asking me all the time for quantative measures of the “social impact” of gambling. I try to convince them that such a thing is hard to measure. But, if you’re unhampered by standards of academic rigor, it’s easy to make wildly inaccurate claims based on second-hand evidence. Take, for example, this letter
Solid socio-economic research Read More »
gambling & culture…if you bet the house on Germany’s Joseph Ratzinger becoming the next pope. Paddy Power had Ratzinger at 5 to 1 yesterday. I’m sure there are some lucky winners out there who would like to buy the new Benedict XVI a drink, so to speak.
Your ship just came in… Read More »
gambling & cultureGamblers can take any event, no matter how solemn or tragic, and turn it to betting purposes. So it’s really no surprise to learn that some bookies are taking action on who the next pope will be, or that Italians are betting lottery numbers associated with John Paul II.
Betting on the Pope Read More »
gambling & cultureGambling has been around for thousands of years, and many religions have at least tolerated it in moderation. Still, many churches offer religious objections to gambling.A recent letter to the editor in the Jamaica Gleaner lays out a Christian pro-gambling argument: CHRISTIAN GREETINGS. It is with great trepidation that I write this letter, asking the question
Bible study (updated) Read More »
gambling & culture