Posted on 07/16/2003 6:21:49 PM PDT by sinkspur
DUNDALK, Md. (CNS) -- For much of her life, Bernadette Gietka has dreamed of writing and producing a musical that would celebrate the sanctity of life. But the parishioner of Holy Rosary Church in Baltimore had never been able to scrape together enough money to get the project off the ground. Frustrated by constant roadblocks, Gietka decided to let God know she needed help. She went to the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, where she reverently knelt after Communion and, for the first time, prayed to God while she was angry with him. Gietka, 54, laughed heartily and was a bit incredulous as she recalled the boldness of her plea. "I just said, 'I'm so disgusted.' I told God, 'I know what you want me to do with my life but I don't have the means to do it and I'm never going to have the means to do it. "I said, 'It's up to you. It would benefit you to make me rich,'" continued Gietka, known affectionately to her family and friends as Bernie. "And I said, 'Not just rich but really, really rich!"' Three weeks later, on June 19, Gietka bought what turned out to be the winning $183 million ticket in the Mega Millions interstate lottery game. Choosing to take the cash option, the part-time letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service who works three other jobs walked away with $112.8 million -- the second largest payout to an individual winner in U.S. lottery history. After taxes, Gietka received $76 million.
Of course not. Betting the rent money on the lottery would be, but putting down a few bucks on a ticket is just hedging one's bets.
Somebody wins; it may as well be me (or you).
Well, I disagree with you here.
I go to the Isle of Capri casino in Lake Charles, La., when I go there with my wife for Christmas with her family.
I play Caribbean stud poker. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.
But all the people who work in the casino are from Lake Charles, and I don't see any adverse affect on the community.
why anyone would want to include themselves in the same group as the centurions who drew lots for Christs garments escapes me.
Of course, the bingo crowd will disagree.
IMO, if someone is filled with the spirit, it will manifest itself in righteous, graceful living
which begs, .........where is the grace in gambling?
As for this old coot
'I know what you want me to do with my life but I don't have the means to do it and I'm never going to have the means to do it. "I said, 'It's up to you. It would benefit you to make me rich,'" continued Gietka, known affectionately to her family and friends as Bernie. "And I said, 'Not just rich but really, really rich!"' <
I would contend she had everything she needed to be of service to God and kingdom without the cash, and would even go as far as to say it wasnt God's act - moreso a deception by evil
As for a church that would even lay hands on the money - .....well thats another argument altogether
sand/head
Can I buy you a ticket to Atlantic City?
You honestly disappoint me today sink - (Youre losing sleep right?) - seriously, my conceptions of your response were a bit different
wouldnt "hedging" show a distrust of God, in that you dont think He would provide?
Did John the Baptist "hedge", or did he rely solely upon God to provide.
By that logic, Mormon food cache's are a hedge against Gods will - as are the few bucks you put down on a ticket.
Matt 6
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[2] ?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Look Sink - I really dont care if you gamble - thats your choice - Im just chiming in here with an opinion
........chat amongst yourselves
Where is the "grace" in any recreational activity?
SD
Mulates was always my favorite! Mike Anderson's wasn't far behind...
I didnt say 'recreational activity" I said "living".
However - that aside, plainly youve not spent much time fishing at night for catfish with an old timer from church who witnesses for the kingdom with glee while struggling in his life of poverty
tops the list on graceful recreation
Im not sure if good bbq counts as graceful recreation - Hey popiel - can we get an edict on this ?
The lottery actually gleans a higher % of its funding from the backs of poor folks than, let's say, casino gambling. Therefore, lottery winners are essentially going to open-handed poor folks (along w/wealthier folks as well) & nabbing their "contribution" to their new status.
Worldview-wise, there's several considerations:
* Why significantly invest in an industry that caters to addiction?
* Why invest in an industry that markets "hope" to grassroots folks (including many who are poor)? (and since the winners are negligible percentages among those who gamble, it really is marketing false hope)
* What kind of a lifestyle message does this "parishioner" give young folks? That ya get somethin' for nothin' only if you gamble away money that could invested better elsewhere (and by "invest" I don't mean just self-accumulation; money can be "invested" in people and godly projects)
* Not all "permissable" activities are beneficial and constructive (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23)
Except the gambling addicts and the young people who respect you and your lifestyle choices, who see your actions as a role model for them to follow
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