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The problem isn't the lottery. Most people who spend money on the lottery would spend the money on something else anyway. They would just blow it. It's not like they are going to put it in their savings account for a rainey day. Or like they are going to give it to the poor and homeless. They're going to rent a DVD instead. Or buy cigarettes, or an extra bag of dorritos or whatever.

Economically it comes down to money being taken out of business and put in the government. It becomes a tax.

Spiritually it's not a lot different than wasting money on any of the countless things we waste it on. It is not good stewardship of our money as taught in the bible, but neither is renting 4 dvd's over the weekend. Or spending $45 bucks a ticket to go see the OU Sooners (when they are on TV for free.... one of my personal vices).

Granted the guy going to the football game is making a concious decision to pay for entertainment...and maybe the guy buying the lottery tickets is doing it out of greed. Greed..... that's one of those Catholic things isn't it?

I'm opposed to the lottery and would not buy a ticket. But I don't have the strong feelings expressed in this article. I know that the poor are going to be poor with or without the lottery.

Taxation is an issue that is dear to my heart. Seeing that the bottom 50% of wage-earners don't pay anything at all in real taxes to support the nation nor most of the states, then it is hard to get sympathy from me for taking lottery money to fund some government project that otherwise would be paid by the over-taxed.

It's so surprising that Piper wants to appeal to this issue in building a case against lotteries.

If someone is getting some money out of these Americans to help shoulder a part of their share of the burden, then I'd be inclined to argue IN FAVOR of it. The bottom half of wage-earners in our nation are robbed of an equal voice by virtue of their being carried on the backs of everyone else.

In short, if they don't help pay, then they shouldn't get to vote....ESPECIALLY on tax issues and candidates.

If someone is arguing that the lottery helps get some of their money into the system, then I'd view that as an ARGUMENT ON BEHALF OF the lottery.

Amazingly shallow article.