No where close. Im Southern Baptist. My wifes side is all Catholic but she converted last year to Baptist.
Posted on 12/27/2002 12:16:35 AM PST by kattracks
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr. thanks God that he picked the six numbers that won him the $314.9 million Christmas Day Powerball jackpot, and he's putting up the money to prove it.
"The very first thing I'm going to do is go home and make out three checks to three pastors," Mr. Whittaker said. Those checks, a tithe to the Church of God, will total $17 million.
"Seventeen million in the state of West Virginia will really do good for the poor," he said, adding that the three pastors will control the money and perhaps establish a Christian school.
The 55-year-old contractor, who won the largest single-winner lottery jackpot in history, opted to take a lump sum of $170 million before taxes, instead of 30 annual installments. The lump sum is worth more than $111 million after taxes, lottery spokeswoman Nancy Bulla said.
"I just want to thank God for letting me pick the right numbers, or letting the machine pick the right numbers," said Mr. Whittaker, who claimed his winnings dressed in black and wearing a big, black cowboy hat.
Mr. Whittaker lives in the small town of Scott Depot, about 20 miles west of Charleston, and is president of three construction companies that build sewage-treatment plants and other water projects.
"I've had to work for everything in my life. This is the first thing that's ever been given to me," he said.
Mr. Whittaker said he originally thought he had lost the jackpot because the numbers came up wrong on the televised drawing Christmas night. It wasn't until yesterday morning that he realized he won.
His wife of 36 years said she plans to go to Israel.
"I'd just go to go there. It's where Jesus walked," Jewell Whittaker said.
The couple planned to travel to New York City last night.
Mr. Whittaker said he would share the rest of his winnings with his family, and may expand his business. He has a daughter named Ginger and a 15-year-old granddaughter.
Ginger McMahan said she had cancer twice and had not worked for about a year. "I was getting ready to go back to work, but I think I'm retired now," she said.
Mr. Whittaker also said he wants to help "people who want to better themselves to have a better life."
"I'm getting really excited because of the good works I can do with this money," he said.
He said little about buying luxuries for himself — aside from a helicopter he said he had had his eye on for a while.
"I have 25 people laid off right now at Christmas, and I want more work so I can put them back to work," he said. He now employs 117 persons.
He told Miss Bulla he was not a regular lottery player but he bought $100 in tickets because the jackpot was so high. He plays when it reaches $100 million.
The ticket was purchased at the C&L Super Serve in Hurricane, 25 miles west of Charleston.
Mr. Whittaker went back to the store yesterday morning to fill up on gas and buy some biscuits, as he does each day. The clerk was the one who sold him the ticket. He told her he won, but "she said, 'No, you didn't, you're not excited enough to win the lottery.' And she just pushed me out the door," he said.
"It's so just that the poorest state in America wins the biggest Powerball in history," said Bob O'Dell, a 51-year-old resident of the town that's pronounced herr' ah cun. (West Virginia's per-capita income actually was second-lowest to Mississippi's in 2000.)
The Super Serve's owner, Larry Trogdon, will get $100,000 for selling the winning ticket.
"I have a daughter getting married this summer," he told NBC.
"I guess we're honeymooning in Hawaii," said his daughter, Amy, who manages the Super Serve and is getting married next summer to a clerk at the store.
"Heck, if you're going to Hawaii, I'm coming with you," Mr. Trogdon answered, laughing.
The jackpot was the largest ever for a single winning ticket, Miss Bulla said. It also was the third-largest jackpot in U.S. history.
An unexpected Christmas Day run on Powerball tickets pushed the already whopping $280 million jackpot to $314.9 million just before numbers were drawn, making it the Powerball's largest prize ever.
The winning numbers were 5-14-16-29-53 and the Powerball was 7.
Mr. Whittaker had the option of taking a cash payout of $170 million before taxes or collecting the entire jackpot in 30 payments over 29 years. He took the lump sum and Gov. Bob Wise presented him with an initial check of $10 million.
Powerball, the nation's largest lottery game, is sold in 23 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Before the Christmas 2002 prize, the largest Powerball jackpot was $295.7 million in July 1998.
The biggest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was a Big Game prize of $363 million, won in May 2000 by ticketholders in Michigan and Illinois. The second was a $331 million Big Game jackpot split between three tickets in April.
Spain's annual Christmas lottery known as El Gordo — "the Fat One" — is billed as the world's richest. This year's $1.7 billion jackpot spreads wealth among millions of people. About 10,000 numbers win some kind of prize, from $20 to $200,000.
It seems to me, although I make no claims to being an expert on Scripture, that legalisms lead one down a path of increasing contradiction. I also see the beginnings of "my sin isn't as bad as yours" which is counter to Christianity as I understand it ("All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.")
If someone thinks that buying a Lotto ticket is a sin, then of course they shouldn't do so. However, it is not their place to vilify Mr. Whitaker, who does NOT think it is a sin and is trying to do good with his winnings.
People like you make me sad to call myself a Christian.
You have said that this large amount of money is God's blessing. I ask you to show me that it is a blessing. There are alot of terribly evil people that make an incredibly large amount of money. Are they blessed by God? Would you say that a drug dealer who has made millions in a crack deal was blessed by God?
You said that I have called this man a horrible sinner. I have not called him a sinner. But actually that is beside the point. In Adam, we are all sinners and we are all in need of salvation. But the problem at hand is not this man's tithing, it is the way he acquired his wealth.
You say that my comments are based on jealousy. You do not make reference to anything I said as a basis for that claim. Should I be jealous of an abortion doctor who can afford a yacht and a home in the tropics? I don't think so.
One is not flaunting moral superiority when one suggests that an action is immoral.
How about this: if you had a winning lottery number, would you be big enough to tear up the ticket and let the money go unclaimed? Look deep within yourself and ask yourself whether riches are all that important in light of God's moral law.
We live in an age when no one appears willing to call things sinful. In fact, to people like you think the only sin is to point out sin. If you believe that the gospel of grace gives one license to sin or harbor a sinful thought, then that is an indication that we live in dark days indeed. I guess you think it unloving to call abortion a sin.
Spare me your supposed outrage. If one points out a sin, is that judging one harshly? By the way, I have not suggested that this man is not a Christian. But you seem to suggest that I am not. Now who is being ungacious?
He did not overtly break any commandment in the bible by doing so. In such cases one HAS to look at intent. Just as Jesus talked about sins of lusting which can show no overt sign. The bible itself says that God looks upon the "intents and purposes" of the heart.
A lot of what some Christians claim is the scriptures "clearly speaking" is in fact no such thing. The term "clearly" used carelessly like this is degraded to the "Christian" equivalent of the pagan's expletives. We have no biblical injunction against "gambling." We do have injunctions against evils which often (but need not absolutely) accompany gambling.
However---- What I would really like to see is the end of these huge lottery $$$ where only 1, 2, or a few people hit the jackpot. If the lottery is worth 10 million, why not have 10 winners of a million apiece? I think more people would play the game. As the amount increases, more winners. An added bonus would be that after you paid the taxes, you wouldn't have relatives come out of the woodwork trying to pal up to you.
The man invested a hundred bucks and reaped many millions.......with millions going to the church. Want me to show you in scripture where that would be considered terrific stewardship???
By the way, all sin is terrible and offends God. In fact, the least sin is enough to deserve the wrath of God. That is why we are all in such terrible need of a saviour. And I am the chief of sinners and know the need of His grace.
It was probably an "auto lotto" -- I doubt he picked his own numbers.
He gave us 'free will'. That's a pretty big risk, if not a gamble. He also assumed the life of man, through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, as the Savior, to assure that those who did gamble would have an opportunity to WIN eternal life upon proper receipt of His 'ticket'/gift, guaranteed and available to all, like Andrew Jackson(Jack) Whitaker. "Love God and love one another." It appears to me that is a large part of Mr. Whitaker's faith
"From those who are given much, much is expected." I pray for Mr. Whitaker be given strength and wisdom to walk in truth and not let the 'world' become his guide.
Gambling, on the other hand, is not specifically prohibited. I have seen no quotes that mention gambling, but rather infer the prohibition based on interpretation. As can be seen by reading the replies on this thread, there is a respectable difference of opinion about this. Where scripture is not specific, intention and results must be looked at.
For example, there is not a prohibition in the Bible against television watching. One may conclude that it is allowable as long as the programs are not immoral and/or it does not monopolize one's time, taking away from spiritual or family responsibilities.
You are quite free to believe that gambling is a sin. I am not a gambler myself, but that is based more on practicality than any feeling of sin. Gambling with money which is needed for the support of one's family is sinful. Buying an odd lottery tickey with money that might have gone for candy or a coke is not.
My interpretation only, I admit. However, it would be a lot better if people on the other side would admit that their views are interpretations as well.
There are evils that are always associated with gambling. One does not obtain the wealth through work or gift.One obtains wealth at the expense of others parting with theirs. If it is conclusive that smoking causes cancer, then smoking is sinful because we are commanded to everything to preserve our physical body. If dancing is used to entice someone into adultery or to think adulterous thoughts, dancing is sinful. If drinking leads to drunkeness, it creates a rish to others and to oneself. If you believe that you can do any of these things without falling into those sins, fine. However, I don't think that most people are that strong.
By the way, it is unusual that this guy wants to tithe his winnings since the Church of God, to which he is a member, has consistently taught the evils of gambling.
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