WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE LOTTERY PART II---THE LOT IN OUR SOCIETY

In our modern society, there is no room for God at all; everything is done without God. In general there is no belief in the providence of God. Closely related to this is the lot and the lottery. What has the lottery become in our society? We try to enrich ourselves in an easy way by the games of chance or the games of hazard, playing at dice or gambling.

I hope that all the readers are convinced that such a lottery is something totally different than the holy use of the lot, of which we have written before. This lottery is from the same principle as the first sin in Paradise: we want to be as God; it is pride and therefore sinful. We want to bring ourselves into a happy state, independent from God, so that we have no cares at all. I will be Lord and Master. That is the idea of lottery, that is living in our heart; also when we are not aware of it.

A few words about the history of lotteries in our society. Not many years ago gambling was forbidden by law, with only a few exceptions. Now in U.S.A. and in Canada we find lotteries all over. What first was forbidden by the Government, is now organized by the same Government. In Canada, 9 major lotteries are organized and they offer millions of dollars in prizes. Of the 23 million Canadians, 8 million or more regularly buy tickets for lotteries. In the U.S.A., there is also plenty of opportunity to gamble. We have only to mention Las Vegas. New Jersey has its own lottery and I guess there are many more. Well known are the race tracks in England, the football pools in Europe, the gambling houses in Monte Carlo. This is increasing all over the world.

When we return to the lottery, then we must say, that it is striking that in the advertisements, which must promote the lotteries, they always speak about the dazzling prizes which you can win and of the possibility of becoming an overnight millionaire. For only $5 or $10 you have the chance to win so much money, that you never have to worry anymore, which is what they promise in those advertisements. So they work on the lust, the desire of man; emphasizing what you can do with that money, etc.

They don’t give honest information, although you cannot say that they lie. All people must stare at the million dollars. One lottery promised up to 150,000 prizes, but forget to tell that 95% of it were prizes of $250. - or less. When you read those advertisements, then you get the idea that many people will be so “lucky” to get 1 million dollars. (When you realize it, then there are so many words in our language, which are related to lottery: chance, luck, we often use, but is this right?)

What is the reality about winning $1,000,000 ? Conservative MP Otto Jelinek pointed out that in Lotto Canada’s first draw last December the chances of a $10 ticket winning 1 million were one in 800,000. You’d be twice as likely to be struck by lightning, he said. Every Canadian is twice as likely to be murdered during 1977 as he is to win even one of those $10,000.- Lotto Canada consolation prizes. This shows how few will really win these so-called big prizes, of which the papers are so full.

Therefore we dare to say, that lottery is a rake-off which would give a political scandal, if it was not approved by politicians themselves. An enormous profit is made from it for the government; because only 40% of the money taken in, is paid out. From the $900,000,000.- at least $500,000, 000.- flows to the treasury.

I have mentioned these things to give an impression how the people are deceived in this matter, which is above all against God’s Word and which has nothing to do with the lot in the Bible. What our attitude must be toward the lot, we will see in the third part.

(to be continued)

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