To Research The Views Of The Catholic Faith On Gambling
Things to keep in mind:
Wikipedia is NOT a valid source. However, you can sometimes use the reference section at the end of a Wikipedia
article to find sources of information on that topic.
Summarize the Catholic Church’s stance on the issue. Explain why it holds this position. The church’s stance on
these issues will often involve some explanation. In what circumstances would the church say it is sinful and why?
Are there circumstances in which it might be morally acceptable or not sinful? Does the Church’s stand on this
issue conflict with that of our society or culture? If so, in what way?
Explain any moral issues that are raised by/connected with the practice.
Search for polls that might show how society looks at the issue and cite any that you may find.
Explain the other faiths’ positions on these issues. Why do they find them morally wrong or acceptable? (While
faiths may agree about the morality of something, they may have different reasons for that stance). Find sources
that cite the specific reasons for a faith’s stand on the issue. In many cases, a faith’s stand on an issue will not be
a simple one or will depend upon circumstances or other issues and so will involve some explanation. You may
find that there is some disagreement among the members or branches of a faith, if so you can note that.
Use multiple sources, since there may be some disagreement regarding these issues. If a faith takes no clear
stand or there is disagreement among the authorities or sects of that faith on the issue, don’t be afraid to say that
and to say why.
Your sources should be authoritative. One person expressing his or her opinion, especially if her/she is not an
expert or does not represent the religion in some way, is not an authoritative source. Likewise, always look at the
source of the information. If it is not from a representative or leader of the faith, is it from a group or individual
who opposes it?
Seek statistics to support what you say. (e.g. if you say our society looks at an issue differently, you should find
and use poll results to support that.) Always cite the primary source of any statistics you find.
Here are some other faiths you may want to research. (These are not the only ones you can use and you do not
have to cover all of these)
A few other Christian faiths
Episcopalian (Anglican)
Methodist
Presbyterian
Baptist
Lutheran
Morman (Latter Day Saints)
Quaker (Society of Friends)
Some other non-Christian faiths:
Judaism
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism
Sikh
Baha’i
I am more interested in quality than quantity. It is better that you fully explore and explain the position of a few
faiths than only briefly touching upon those of many.
Your paper will need to be organized and checked for grammatical errors. Collect and organize your information
BEFORE you start writing.
Your paper must be submitted to turnitin.com by the end of the day on February 4th. Late submissions will lose
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THAT YOU COULD NOT LOG ON OR SUBMIT YOUR PAPER WILL NOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR LATE SUBMISSIONS.
Your paper must be: A MINIMUM of four pages (double-spaced, 12-point New Roman font). References cited,
pictures or charts, and title pages do not count as all or part of the page count. Turn in less than the minimum
and you will likely not receive a passing grade.
You must have a works cited page and cite from at least three different sources within your paper. Other sources
used but not cited within your paper should also be included there.
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The views of the Catholic faith on gambling
Introduction
Betting and general gambling has been one of the most prevalent pastimes of most people around the world for quite some time now. It always feels like a lucky break for people who place their bets and then after a while, end up winning certain prizes, be it in form of money or certain privileges. While at it however, there is still some debate as to whether gambling is a good or bad act. The jury is still out there, and Christian perspectives of the same are even more divided based on the denomination. Attitudes toward gambling have changed considerably over the decades but fundamentalist religions still tend to think of it as immoral and sinful. However, even the major religions do not agree on the sinful nature of gambling. Catholics view gambling as an indifferent matter; it is neither good nor bad as its true state depends on the circumstances that surround the act of gambling. On the other hand, the United Methodist Church unequivocally view gambling whether legal or illegal; as wrong since it hinders the complete fulfillment of mankind. Consequently, this research seeks to examine the views of the Catholic Church on gambling with regards to other sources of religion.
According to the Catholic Church, gambling in and of itself is not a sin as it is no more than drinking alcohol. As per its general teachings, what an individual does, is not really of much weight. The matter comes in when looking at the individual’s acts afterwards. However, drinking alcohol while under age or getting drunk to the point where you cause any harm to yourself or other people is different, thus sinful. Therefore, gambling can become addictive and each person must choose for themselves. For instance, if a person spends money meant for food or rent on gambling or lottery, then that would or could harm themselves or others and would be sinful. Therefore, the Catholic Church considers gambling as a temptation to sin but not a sin in itself. Therefore, one should avoid gambling as it is a temptation to sin. However, it is only an individual who determines what will be too much temptation for him/her.
In contrast to the Catholic Church’s view on gambling is the United Methodist Church that offers a notable opinion on the matter. The Church’s opinion is based on Mathew 6:24 that asserts that “People cannot serve two masters” thus should worship God above all else and put money at a distant second. As a result, the United Methodist Church’s belief argues that gambling as a way of gaining material wealth by probability at another person’s expense is a destruction of individual and social morals as it only promotes greed and stimulates the fatalistic faith of chance (Adam, 2016).
The United Methodist position on gambling is supported by Islam which opposes all forms of gambling. In Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:90-91, the Quran discusses gambling by indicating that “intoxicants, gambling, dedication of stones, and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handwork; he uses such abomination acts so that he may prosper.” Therefore, gambling is Satan’s work meant to generate enmity and hatred between people and hinder them from remembering God. Furthermore, Islam recognizes gambling a...