<> Ask the Pastor Rev. Walter Snyder Good morning! The pastor comes with your fresh questions and has (through much hard work and sweat) tracked down some answers. Well - maybe the work wasn't *that* hard, but I did have to type and spell this. Okay, I had to type *some* of it; other parts were cut and pasted from elsewhere. And all of this leads to our first question, and helps to answer the second. Q: Thank you for your column. I appreciate that while you never deny your own beliefs or the teachings of your church, you fairly present other positions as well. Where do you get all your information? A: Lutherans are blessed with a tradition of literature. In fact, the printing press was a vital part of the Reformation, and the education of both clergy and laity was a major effort of Luther and others. In keeping with that tradition, I have a large library of religious books - Lutheran and others. Dictionaries and encyclopedias also prove helpful. One special reference I regularly consult is the *Lutheran Cyclopedia*. Despite its name, the *Cyclopedia* is a rich resource of brief articles on the history and teachings of much of Christianity plus other major beliefs. Now that so much information is available for my twenty dollar monthly fee for online time, I turn more and more to the Internet's vast archives. While some of these sources are copyrighted, there are also countless documents in the public domain. Even much of the copyrighted material is quotable if credit is given. In fact, an Internet mail list provides some answers to our next question. Q: Is gambling sinful? A: I got this question right before receiving information from The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod's new report on gambling was announced. As the article said, "A new report from the Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) has nothing good to say about gambling, but it stops short of calling every instance of gambling a sin." I'll be getting the final report later this year, and if anyone asks, we can look at gambling in more depth later. This initial report is from LCMSNEWS, to which I subscribe via the Internet. For now, we can consider six major points, based on Scripture, that the report makes. It "encourages the sins of greed and covetousness." Practical experience bears this out, whether we look at our own hearts or the actions of others. Gambling "promotes the mismanagement of possessions entrusted to us by God." If we pour our money into the slots or buy stacks of lottery tickets, we have less to support our families, less to give to our church, and less saved for later in life or for current emergencies. Furthermore, gambling "undermines absolute reliance on God for His provision." Some think that they can provide better for themselves with one big win than God will provide by blessing honest labor and prudent investment. It "works at cross purposes with a commitment to productive work." The only thing God promises freely is forgiveness and new life in Him. Nowhere does He excuse us from working for a living - although He may bless our labors well beyond our feeble efforts. Gambling can be an excuse to avoid work. Also, gambling "is a potentially addictive behavior." If you don't believe this, look at how many people who can't afford to still buy tickets or head over to the casinos. And gambling is no respecter of social position, family income, age, or anything else. Many who start gambling as persons of reasonable wealth plunge themselves into ruin by overextending credit cards and not having the money to pay them off because it's all in a video poker machine. Finally, it "threatens the welfare of our neighbor and militates against the common good." Whenever anyone brings trouble upon himself, all of society pays the consequences. Still, since gambling is never specifically and by name condemned in Scripture, the report goes no further. It mentions that some Christians have opposed "certain behaviors (such as ... dancing, smoking, alcoholic consumption, the cinema, card games ... and the like)" because "*they can (and often do)* lead to sinful behavior." Yet even with the potential for harm, the report says that "individuals will need to exercise careful discernment in light of the Scriptural concerns such as those raised in this document." In other words, if you want to do it, then look in the Bible and see if both the deed *and* your reasons for doing it are in line with the divine will. That's it for this week. I pray that as you read this, you've either already attended worship services or are preparing to go. Until next week, when we enjoy more of your questions, remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; e-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1996 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.