Tuesday, April 03, 2007

One winner, and nine hundred and ninety nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine losers

A Canadian woman has just won a $1,000,00 dollar lottery. For the second time in a year. And, no, she doesn't work at a retail lottery store.

What do Christians think of lotteries?

Besides the facts that

a) your chances of winning make it rationally illogical to participate,

b) those who can least afford it spend the most on lotteries, and

c) lotteries are a way of trusting in the vagaries of luck rather than the certainty of God's providential care to those who love him,

there's a d):

d) For every million dollar winner, there are 999,999,999 losers. Lotteries are based on voluntary partipation in a scheme where everyone wishes that others will lose so they will win. Winning consists of taking money that others had tried to use to take yours. Nothing, no good or service, is produced or provided to others. Participating in lotteries is the epitome of anti-social, and, therefore, anti-Christian behavior.

Giving to charity is the opposite.

Which of the two best defines Canadians (and Americans)? Does anybody know how much is given to charity vs. spent on lotteries?

We know that conservatives give more -- far more -- to charity than liberals.

I wonder who spends more on lotteries?

And that's the way the Ball bounces.

No comments:

"... nothing intellectually compelling or challenging.. bald assertions coupled to superstition... woefully pathetic"