KCALG recognizes the critical role of our community religious leaders who stand opposed to the expansion of legalized gambling in Kenosha County.  We encourage our religious leaders to join the coalition against gambling.

Lead your church in passing a formal statement indicating opposition to the expansion of legalized gambling in Kenosha County.  Communicate your church's opposition to county supervisors, city alderman, and the mayor.  Sample statements your board can pass to go on record against gambling are below.

KCALG would be pleased to post on our web page your church, synagogue, mosque, or religious organization's name and statement as a member of the Kenosha Coalition Against Legalized Gambling.  Simply email the information to webmaster@kcalg.org or mail to: KCALG ~ PO Box 601 ~ Kenosha, WI  53141
 

The following local churches are on record against gambling:

Baptist Tabernacle - Kenosha - Baptist General Conference

We are sadly conscious of the fact that we live in a day which may be characterized by the Scriptural statement, "as it was in the days of Noah."  We view with great alarm the corrupting forces of evil so strongly entrenched in the life of our society.

Of these evils we note: the increasing participation of our population in the nefarious forms of gambling and lottery.  We look upon these evils without compromise, as a serious danger to the physical health and well-being of participants, to the lives of others and of unborn generations.  We therefore protest against these degrading practices and against those whom we hold responsible for this curse, those who so shamefully and without respect for decency and the common good of all society, and of our youth in particular, propagandize and exploit only for thier own personal gain.

We therefore earnestly urge the members of our churches to take a definite stand against these evils; that members cooperate in such non-radical movements and organizations which have as their objective to combat and suppress these aforementioned evils and to enlighten  the public of their dangers as a threat to the very life of our nation; that we deal with these problems, not by a negative approach alone, but by a positive educational program ann by setting an example of godly living in counteract all these evils.

From the Baptist General Conference Resolutions
The Board of Deacons of the Baptist Tabernacle "regards gambling as a meance to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic and spiritual life, and destruction of good government.  Gambling , as a means of acquiring material gain by chance and at our neighbor's expense is a detriment to personal character and social morality.

"Therefore, we oppose legalized gambling in its every expression and call for its abolition."

(From the Resolution in Opposition to Gambling, Board of Deacons, Baptist Tabernacle, Kenosha, Wisconsin.)
 

Kenosha Family Church, A Church of the Nazarene - Kenosha

The Manual of the Church of the Nazarene states that “the following practices should be avoided: Lotteries and other forms of gambling, whether legal or illegal.  The church holds that the final result of these practices is detrimental both to the individual and society.”  (34.2)

Thus, Kenosha Family Church, a Church of the Nazarene, recognizes the detrimental effects of gambling on individuals and society.  While the Bible does not explicitly describe or prohibit gambling as we understand it in the twenty-first century, the Scripture is full of principles that address gambling and similar addictive behaviors.

Gambling encourages confidence in luck and quick-wealth as the provider for human existence. Scripture calls for humankind to place trust in God for daily provision (Proverbs 28:20, Matthew 6:28-34).  Gambling particularly exploits the poor who can least afford to forfeit financial resources on the promise of instant wealth.  The tragic result is deepened poverty.

Gambling promotes addictive behavior in both teenagers and adults which is a form of idolatry.  God calls for complete allegiance only to Him (Exodus 20:3).  Compulsive gambling weakens character and contributes to hopelessness.

Gambling preys on greed and breeds belief that material possessions provide satisfaction.  The Bible teaches us to lay up treasures in heaven, and place our hope in eternal rewards.  (Ecclesiastes 5:10, Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:6-9)

Gambling economically creates no added-value, and drains the economic base of persons by reducing their purchasing power.  Money gambled and lost cannot be spent to obtain goods and services that constructively contribute to society and economic vitality.  God calls us to work for our possessions.  (Matthew 10:10)

Gambling corrupts civic life including good government through regressive taxation, embezzlement, and increased opportunity for corruption and organized crime.  God has instituted government to resist evil for the common good. (Romans 13:1-7)

Gambling ruins personal character and social morality.  Negative effects include the break-up of families, abnormal compulsive behaviors, crime, loss of jobs, and suicide.  (Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:8)

Thus, Kenosha Family Church regards gambling as a menace to society, and deadly to the best interest of spiritual, moral, economic, and civic life.  We admonish our members to abstain from all forms of gambling including casino-style gambling, the lottery, and all other forms which promote schemes detrimental to a growing relationship with God as Creator and Sustainer of our daily life.  We call upon those in positions of influence and decision-making to seek alternative means of raising revenue.

(Approved by the Kenosha Family Church Board, May 11, 2004)
 
 

ADDITIONAL SAMPLE STATEMENTS YOUR BOARD CAN PASS TO GO ON RECORD AGAINST GAMBLING

Sample Statement #1 (United Methodist)

Although the Bible never passes judgment on gambling, United Methodist opposition to it can be broken down into three general categories:  God, greed, and government (from Cokesbury's Faithlink Leader's Guide).  Gambling encourages a form of idolatry, a worship of luck and wealth, and it expresses a lack of trust in God's provision.

Gambling is also a function of greed, breeding the belief that material things can bring fulfillment.  Greed both fosters and reflects the selfish and egocentric nature of our society.

This burden of "serving two masters" corrupts the purpose of government and makes it more difficult to resist evil for the common good.  When government sponsors what corrupts it, how do citizens discern the common good?

(From Casino Gambling: Theological, Economic and Social Issues: A Study Guide for United Methodist Churches.)
 

Sample Statement #2 (Lutheran)

Even though financial investment differs from gambling in several important ways, the sins of greed and covetousness remain substantial dangers for those who invest - just as they are for those who gamble.

Some may object that this brief history focuses on what states have permitted (or sponsored), and not what "consumers" have wanted.  It is true that some people have always wanted to gamble, whether gambling was legal or illegal.  Governments and other providers of gambling would not offer gambling unless they thought people would play games.  But when governments legalized gambling, they not only created outlets for those who wanted to gamble, they also helped to make gambling more acceptaalbe.  This increased the number of people wanting to gamle, and thus has led to an even greater demand for gambling.

(From: Gambling: A Study for Congregations, Division for Church in Society Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.)
 

Sample Statement #3

There is a growing trend to legalize gambling in one form or another.  This is accompaned by a disregard for the negative social effects of gambling such as regressive taxation, teenage gambling, compulsive gambling and increased opportunities for corruption and organized crime.

We believe gambling encourages detrimental attitudes as greed (Ecclesiastes 5:10), materialism and discontent (I Timothy 6:6-9), “get rich quick” thinking (Proverbs 28:20), and unjust distribution of resources (Matthew 25:14-30).  Gambling discourages honest labor (Proverbs 28:19) and confidence in God's sovereign provision for all of our needs (Matthew 6:28-34).

We believe that gambling in any form is potentially addictive.  It is a social evil that feeds upon greed and sells a set of fantasy values that exploits people.  It harms especially the poor who can least afford to forfeit their financial resources on the promise of instant wealth.  The tragic end result is often deepened poverty and increased welfare rolls, together with emotional damage and disillusionment experienced by the vast numbers of planned losers.

Gambling undermines the economic base of a nation in that it reduces the purchasing power of the people.  Money gambled by the wage earners cannot be spent to purchase goods and services of constructive and productive businesses.

Compulsive gambling causes the individual’s character to be weakened and to disintegrate.  It leads to indolence and self-delusion, breaks up families and can lead to crime, loss of jobs and even suicide.

We encourage the constituency of [church name] to abstain from gambling in all its various forms.  And since we deplore the exploitation of the weakness of humanity, the [church name] calls upon those in positions of influence and decision-making to seek alternative means of raising revenue.

(Adopted from the Evangelical Free Church of Hershey, PA)

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