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Should it disqualify them for membership in the Church of God?How about being a minister/pastor in the church?Just for point of reference, owners of movie theaters were once disqualified from being members, but not those who raised tobacco. So we do have a type of hypocrisy as a history.So what are your opinions? Can you give Scriptual evidence that would forbid it?Just my hard question for the week.

I can't find anything in the Bible that outright forbids gambling. There are ethical issues-- avarice, trying to get money from something that is not work or a gift that isn't productive and helpful to other people (but there are jobs like that, too), how gambling consumes some people who are addicted to it, etc

If he cheats when I am at the table, he is disqualified!That is a joke, really. And yes we do have a history of hypocrisy. But like many things it was how it was viewed.I have lived under a rock for so long I had NEVER heard of 'Relative Theology' until I read it here on Acts. We have used the Avoid the appearance of Evil to cover many mis-beliefs. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

I had a friend who used to work at a convenience store. He eventually quit because he “got tired of mainly selling booze, cigarettes and lottery tickets.” Nothing in the Bible specifically forbids selling such things, but I respected his conviction.I would think that a conscientious Christian who listened to the Spirit and the Word would eventually see clearly the lecherous parasite on society (and especially on low-IQ people) that the entire gambling ‘industry’ is, and would want nothing to do with it.

This was not only the sole LIVELIHOOD of some of farmers who had gotten saved, but it was not like they could just head off to the city and get a job. If I recall correctly, they were encouraged to find other directions.Working a blackjack table might or might not be the only real way forward for someone in terms of livelihood. If someone is working a casino and gets saved while doing that job, I don't think we would necessarily demand that they quit instantly, since, as someone pointed out, it is not clearly against the scriptures.

I understand the farm issue, believe me. The hypocrisy entered in when the owner of the movie theater was forbidden membership

As I recall, the CoG stance against movies was because they were “worldly amusement,” and were therefore carnal at best. I imagine the reasoning extended to theatre owners as well.

A now-deceased member of my church was put out of the Church of God many years ago for going to a ROY ROGERS film.He apparently got back right with the Lord at some point, and prayed through. So he got to be a member again.(SMILE)

Very good point, probably spot on in MANY cases Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

There is a large Jewish population here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. I notice here what I have observed in other places I have lived. Jews don't seem to let their faith stand in the way of making money. A good example is popular tourist restaurant, Hyman's Seafood. They serve shell fish, pork products, they are open on the Sabbath, they have gentile employees. Now this is true, so don't laugh too much, I attended a meeting with other pastors at Hyman's to meet and hear a real Israeli General talk about the situation in Israel. No joke, but shell fish appetizers were served. Who knew he may have been Mossad as well, so I have a source in Israel (I asked him if the Saudis had a nuke, he did not answer of say no they don't.)Being raised COGOP (like many in COG) I thought there were jobs I just could do - bartender, jeweler, convenience store owner, etc. I was so surprised some years ago to learn some of our church members worked at the HQs of Phil Morris, R. J. Reynolds and other tobacco/cigarette manufacturers. I had a deacon who worked for the drug company that sold Norplant and other birth control products and there was a minister in MI who was a delivery driver for Miller Beer. In the 1980s I was at a church where one of the members was a character actor and did small parts, but not always the most family friendly movies and TV shows. Lets not forget working for publishers who sell various forms of media that includes sexual, or for medical practices that preform abortions along with other medical proceeds. Man, the list goes on. Its much easier to be a non-believer (or Jewish or Catholic) when it comes to these matters.