Gambling and Coveting

“I know that Aussies love to have a ‘punt on the ponies’ but it’s becoming a massive community problem that can’t be ignored. For example, in the state where I currently live, the Anglican Church of Tasmania has published an excellent report which makes for sobering reading.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what their research found …”

– Mark Powell writes at AP, the national journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

Related:

Other posts on our website on gambling (there are quite a few).

Healing Australia’s gambling disease

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Australia has the world’s worst rate of gambling losses per capita, being home to less than half a percent of the world’s population but with 20 percent of its pokies.

And Sydney and NSW are worst of all, with about double (or worse) the rate of poker machine losses compared to every other Australian state and territory.

About 40% of all pokies losses come from problem gamblers.

Anglican Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant and Wesley Mission’s Stuart Cameron are asking both sides of politics to come together to address the crisis.”

– Watch or listen here.

Photo:

Stu Cameron and Sandy Grant – with thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net where you can read this article on the topic.

SydneyAnglicans.net also has a copy of the letter sent to Dominic Perrottet, MP, Premier of NSW and The Hon. Chris Minns, MP, Leader of the Opposition. (PDF)

Gambling is not a numbers game

“I applaud Mr. Wilkie for his efforts in championing poker machine reform amidst broken promises from the Federal Government.

However, the fact that this issue is only on the agenda because Mr. Wilkie holds a controlling vote demonstrates a sad state of affairs. The Government should repent of its opportunism…”

– The Bishop of Tasmania calls for a radical change in politics.

Bishops speak out on Gambling Reform

“This past week the Australian Anglican Bishops met in Melbourne for the annual National Bishops’ Meeting. One important item on our agenda was Gambling Reform…”

– Bishop of Tasmania John Harrower draws attention to this media release from last week.

When the Accounts are called: A Christian understanding of gambling

“The Bible is clear on this issue. The entire enterprise of gambling is opposed to the moral worldview revealed in God’s Word. The basic impulse behind gambling is greed—a basic sin that is the father of many other evils. Greed, covetousness, and avarice are repeatedly addressed by Scripture—always presented as a sin against God, and often accompanied by a graphic warning of the destruction which is greed’s result. The burning desire for earthly riches leads to frustration and spiritual death…

Why are Christians so silent on this issue?“

– Albert Mohler demonstrates that gambling is an issue not unique to New South Wales. (Idea: try preaching against gambling and see what response you get.)

NSW Council of Churches calls for gambling inquiry

Here’s a media release from the NSW Council of Churches –

“Churches call for NSW gambling inquiry – 20 February 2012

The President of the NSW Council of Churches, the Revd Dr Ross Clifford, has called on the O’Farrell Government to hold a wide-ranging inquiry into the gambling industry.  Read more

Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn on Gambling Reform

Stuart Robinson, Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, has circulated this letter to his clergy –

“Australians need a Government that has the courage to pursue hard decisions…”

“Much of the media coverage this week has focused on the politics of the Government’s decision to sever their deal with Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie.

Trust is certainly an important factor in leadership, but we must not forget that the Government’s job is to regulate the gambling industry to limit its impact on families and communities devastated by gambling addiction.  Read more

Gambling at General Synod

“…I’m pleased to say we finally reached a motion I gave notice of on the first day of Synod on the last day! After a bit of debate, it was passed unanimously. …

‘… Synod calls on all state and territory governments to reduce their reliance on taxation on gambling and asks all political parties to refuse donations from organisations which profit from gambling. …’

The last day of Synod also saw Sydney get hammered on the finances.”

Sandy Grant, Rector of St. Michael’s Wollongong, continues his General Synod blogs at The Sola Panel. (Other posts here.)

Responsible gambling?

Opinion from Peter Brain, Bishop of Armidale –

“From time to time I enjoyed watching Friday night football on the telly (quite an admission from one brought up on the other rugby!)

What surprised me was the statement by the commentators (at half-time, I think it was) that advised us that we could ‘get $1.18 for St George and $4 for Parramatta by ‘phoning … – but please remember to gamble responsibly.’  Read more

Gambling on Good Friday a ‘terrible desecration’

Archbishop Philip FreierFrom Anglican Media Melbourne:

Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, today described Tabcorp’s proposed move to allow gambling on Good Friday as a “terrible desecration.”

“Good Friday is a day of profound significance for many Australians because it’s the day we remember Christ’s suffering and death on the cross.  Read more

Will there be a ban on sports betting ads?

“Long-time campaigner for poker machine reform, the Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, has welcomed the Federal parliamentary report that recommends a ban on online gambling advertising within three years. …”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Ban Sports Bet Ads ASAP — Dean of Sydney

“Long-time campaigner for poker machine reform, the Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, has welcomed a unanimous report from federal Parliament, “You Win Some, You Lose More”.

From St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, Dean Grant said …”

– Read last week’s full Media Release at the Cathedral website.

Sin, addictions and faith based therapy

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“How do we as pastors help people with addictions? Addictions to alcohol, gambling, narcotics, gaming and sex addictions.

How much is sin? How much is addiction?

Penny Wilkinson and her husband Andrew direct the Overcomers Outreach ministry and the Overcomers Place in Sydney.”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart. Very helpful.

Dean of Sydney: ALP ‘can do better’ on Pokies

A media release from earlier this week:

“The Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, a long-time campaigner for poker machine reform in NSW, has responded to the NSW ALP’s launch of its gambling reform policy today.

He said:

Although I am pleased to see some helpful steps in the ALP’s proposals that will be helpful, the ALP can do better by committing to the principal of introducing a cashless gaming card, with mandatory pre-commitment, for poker machine use right across NSW.

With NSW losses on poker machines approaching $8 billion per annum – that’s over $20 million/day! – we urgently need ‘Airbags on Pokies’.…”

– Read it all here.

The Puzzle of Secularism

“…the funny thing is that I, and all my generation, could have sworn that puritanism was a church disease. With the decline of church influence, then the old stiff and bossy rectitude would collapse. And, indeed, it has, if we are talking about Christian concerns about alcohol, gambling, pornography, promiscuity and the like.

But the tolerant society we were promised by secularists has not emerged – far from it. It is just that a new set of commandments, inspired by autonomy and an optimistic individualistic anthropology, has arrived with a vengeance.”

– Church Society has published on its website an excerpt from Archbishop Peter Jensen’s editorial in the latest issue of Churchman. (Peter is now the Editor of Churchman.)

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