(An Example of a Bulletin Insert --
revise for your situation):
VOTE OCTOBER 12. Remember your patriotic and civic duty to vote on Tuesday, October 12.
This is a special constitutional election to determine if Section 65 of the Alabama
Constitution, that forbids gambling, should be replaced with an amendment that creates a
lottery. Also on the ballot is an amendment to provide a retirement program for elected
officials. In the Democratic and Republican primaries of spring, 1998, less than 30% of
the population voted in Alabama. In most churches, only 25% of their members voted. Only a
very few churches had a high turnout of 40% to 50%. That means that a typical church like
yours, had 65% to 75% who did not vote. The number of participants can be greatly
increased by reminding people to vote and especially by pushing the importance of voting
from the pulpit.
Web sites with lottery info are www.nolottery.net, www.alsbom.org/lottery,
www.alabamafamily.org.
LOTTERY POSITION: Gambling and a form of it, the lottery, violates the commandment ,
"Thou shalt not covet," and the principal of earning wealth by the "Sweat
of your brow." (Gen 3:19). The fruits of gambling include devastated family budgets,
marriage conflicts, divorce, poverty, hungry children, as well as the corruption of
society and politicians. Anything that is evil cannot benefit our society even though some
proceeds may go to promote public education.
LOTTERY POSITION: If we fail to be salt and light to our community, many will suffer
destruction and we ourselves will suffer because of corruption of our elected officials
and downward fall of our society. We are warned in I Timothy 6:9,10: "But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all
evil: which while some covet after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows."
Gambling Violates Biblical Principles
Gambling is a covetous form of stealing (Exodus 20:15,17)
Gambling promotes violence (Proverbs 1:10-19; 15:27, 21:25-26)
Gambling is contrary to biblical stewardship (1 Corinthians 16:1-3: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9;
John 13:29; Ephesians 4:28; Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:7)
Gambling appeals to "fate" or "chance" (Isaiah 65:11)
Gambling violates the biblical work ethic (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
Gambling violates the law of love (Matthew 22:34-40) Gambling exploits the poor (Amos
5:6-7, 10-15)
Gambling creates a stumbling block (Romans 14:21)
LOTTERY
The Lottery encourages our society to violate many biblical principles. Violators suffer
because of it. See Matthew 25: 28-30. Gen. 3: 19, "In the sweat of thy brow shalt
thou eat bread." Each person is to "bear his own burden," Gal 6:5, to
"eat his own bread," 2 Thes3:12, and "to work with his own hands." 1
Thess. 4:11.
We are warned to "take heed and beware
covetousness." Luke 12:15. Lottery violates these Biblical principles, resulting in
the personal destruction of many as well as the corruption of our society. Gambling and a
form of it, the lottery, violates the commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," The
fruits of gambling include devastated family budgets, marriage conflicts, divorce,
poverty, hungry children, as well as the corruption of society and politicians.
The promotion, legalization and taxation of anything
that is evil such as drugs, prostitution, gambling or the lottery will only result in more
evil Anything that is evil cannot benefit our society even though some proceeds may go to
promote public education.
Our forefathers, who wrote the Alabama Constitution,
banned evil vices that corrupt our society like gambling, lottery, drugs, and prostitution
Lets respect the wisdom of our forefathers, lets keep gambling and the lottery out of our
society.
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