Is it valid for a non-Christian to seek Christian persuasion to effect a certain behavior? While the temptation and or inducement may favor such facts, the logic of such persuasion may not be valid and this question may end up being a fool's errand not unless there are such universal principles which may be appealed to.

Nevertheless a Christian pondering this matter may find light in the following verses(King James Version):Mathew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 10:23-29, and Phillippians 4:8...(Not that the verses given to @dunkang may not be used).

The argument being that the primary duty for the Christian is to realize the Kingdom of God and enjoy the fulfillment of the promise of finding all other things as per Mathew 6:33 and in so doing being judicious of choice such that his/her efforts are not diverted and the primary duty abandoned as in 1 Cor 10:23-29 which is complemented by Philippians 4:8 which exhorts that the mind be occupied by ideas and objectives which may be very difficult to sustain in a gambling/betting situation.

The Christian worldview has no space for gambling in the sense that the universe is controlled by God who has a relationship with everyone that certainty is possible in day to day affairs. The suffering experienced in poverty for example is a pointer to the poor Christian that he/she may not have optimized his/her relationship with God and that only a fervent seeking can liberate him/her permanently and certainly. Gambling on the other hand offers no such assurances.

Therefore a Christian engaging in gambling may be reneging on his faith and truth of the word.

Let me start with the matter of 'work'. Work has gone through many definitions, but look for example at the Marxist critique, work and labor are seen not just as means of getting wages but as also spiritual expressions. In the same measure, work in the Christian context is also a spiritual endeavor which may not be differentiated from other activities. So the question of stopping to work and seeking the Kingdom doesn't arise.

Therefore the relationship between seeking the Kingdom and gambling is that one necessarily precludes the other in terms of core assumptions and aspirations yet more often than not they are geared to solving the same issues. Hence the Bible references, not 'quotes' may not be misplaced.

Even a cat or a dog has a 'heart'; and the goal of religion isn't 'goodness'. Everything is good. The aim of religion is to discipline the mind for enlightenment and relating with the universe with peace and certainty, and this I agree, is complex. Necessarily so.

@dunkang, first you have to make up your mind whether you believe in the Bible or not. Otherwise, do not ask question over sth you are not ready to follow...

Maybe a different perspective might help...

One may look at gambling as play that counters the seriousness of money and its ethic. Such that there are cases in which even a Christian or any person aspiring at spiritual perfection can be justified to gamble.

For me, the idea of prohibiting something in all conceivable cases is not appropriate.

Consider the other question: is pornography bad in all situations and circumstances? For me the answer is 'no'. Pornography may be harmful only in some cases and not all.

@AlphDoti, this can end up being an enlightening discussion for us, but only if we adhere to such logical principles that allow critical reflection. If we divert, then we'll start wasting time and even run away from compassion...

The issue you're pointing out to me is that many people here in Wazua subscribe to the Abrahamic tradition and the texts or books derived from it; and you suppose that I don't subscribe to any of these.

Secondly, you state that these books are exclusive of the human mind and that the mind is not trustworthy of being used for moral decision making.

Finally, I presume, you argue that there are such things that are absolutely bad or prohibited.

My response to the first proposition is that it's not always possible or even practical to rely on only one chain of tradition. Christianity isn't strictly Abrahamic; neither can Islam be strictly Abrahamic. Traditions can only be valid if they are adaptive to prevailing situations and knowledge. In this case, I don't only rely on the Bible or Quran but the most I can get of human tradition and reason.

Secondly, the human mind exists as a trustworthy tool and space of interacting with the divine and or cosmic forces and as such when used well is a reasonable guide to behavior.

Lastly, things are essentially symbols, and symbols can't have a restricted meaning or relation to their users. Symbols will change as minds change and interact and thus rules and laws can only be contextual and pragmatic.

Kindly read my post on gambling as playing and defiance and contrast with your imputations about my position on gambling from your last post. You think I'm talking about getting more money- or rather, you seem to forget that gambling more often than not, involves more losses than gains. This isn't my position and you're probably fabricating a position to help you boost your own.

Check out on links about mathematics students who've used statistical methods to win in games considered as gambling. In such instances, gambling is obscured and new forms of reality emerge. And this is just an example of how things are rarely absolute, and how important it is to consider states of mind and relations when prescribing rules and laws.

Poor dunkang.

You ask for Christians and you get Islamists?

@Anti_Burglar, I'm speaking on behalf of Christians if Christian means following the teachings of Jesus. And when you adhere to Christ teachings, then you are actually following the Islam teachings... But unfortunately, no one really wants to follow the Bible. They want to call themselves Christian but they are following man-made laws... So unfortunate!

For something to be fool proof, then it must be tasted for all conditions, but all conditions aren't always accessible to humans. Humans are restricted for example, to the present. If I ask you what exactly comprised of conditions during the Babylonian captivity, the most you can do is try some reconstruction. Books of the old testament apparently were influenced by this captivity and led to changes in some basic ideas even about God.

Again, at least for Christians, and probably for Muslims in some cases, the Biblical record of the ten commandments of Moses changes drastically from the original tablets to the second set that Moses writes after venting his anger.

Something can be fool proof with regard to certain contexts and relations but it doesn't follow that the belief in something being fool proof will either continue to be fool proof indefinitely given the conditions, or will remain fool proof under all conceivable circumstances. Science may give us a clue to this. Though gravitational forces are universal they don't cause the same effects everywhere.

Islam is different from Judaism, yet both are Abrahamic. While one may impute rebellion or ignorance to the party he doesn't subscribe to a simpler explanation exists: each person is responsible for the metaphors he produces for his situation.