Ensign, ‘“Don’t Bet on It!”: A Latter-day Saint Look at Gambling,’ March 1986
Marvin K. Gardner, former editor of LDS Church magazines, wrote an article about gambling you can read at the link above. In it he quoted at least a half dozen LDS leaders and their warnings about the dangers of gambling.
Amongst the many warnings are direct instructions on how and why members aren’t to play cards, or participate in gambling of any kind. You can find some of those in his quotes below.
Members have been told that even playing cards without money involved can lead to a person becoming addicted to gambling.
‘..gambling weakens the ethics of work, industry, thrift, and service—the foundation of national prosperity—by holding out the seductive lure of something for nothing. By the same token, gambling encourages idleness, with all of its resulting bad effects for society.” (Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov. 1972, p. 45.)’
Mr. Oaks included all games of chance like lotteries, bingo games, raffles, and playing with dice as well. So much for the family Yahtzee games! Even Brigham himself told women to stop holding quilt raffles when trying to raise money for local charities.
He went on to quote scripture by stating God told man it’s by the sweat of their brow they’d work, and getting something for nothing is contrary to what God wants.
‘The idea of getting gain without earning it is contrary to scriptural admonitions, both ancient and modern. Reward is clearly tied to labor. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,” Adam was told. (Gen 3:19.) “The labourer is worthy of his hire,” said the Savior. (Luke 10:7.) Blessings are for those who work with their talents—not for the idle. (See Matt. 25:24–28.)’
His interpretation of someone even participating in a simple card game could ‘distort the view of reality’. He also quoted James Talmage who stated ‘those who gamble suffer degeneration of character and become spiritually flabby’.
In the end we found it interesting they’d repeatedly pound the pulpit with what members can and can’t do, and then by 2019 it’s a totally different story. That’s what we’ll be looking at tomorrow in the LDS children’s magazine encouraging kids to use dice.
On a final note, here’s a glimpse at what my family did…
Several times a month my grandmother and I would visit one of her sisters in the neighboring town, and play ‘Liverpool Rummy’. The catch is that her sister, and brother-in-law insisted they close all the curtains before we started our ritual. Our Saturday evenings played out the same without variation for years. Notably absent was any talk with neighbors, or other church members of our weekly ritual. Everyone just knew not to say anything.
My grandmother’s brother-in-law was the bishop of his ward numerous times, and my aunt was the Relief Society President of the Stake. One thing that still sticks out in my memory are the many times we’d talk about the other side of my grandmother’s family – that being no less than Butch Cassidy. On our card nights they’d always mention their activities were much different than Roy’s (Butch Cassidy’s real name) because they weren’t using dice. Oh dear…
With Love in Christ;
Michelle
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