Just a short story I will like to tell before the main discussion, I was opportuned to listen on a telephone conversation between a man and a Clergy, what he ask was that if it is right for someone to gamble and won a jackpot, then bring a percentage of the winning to the Clergy, will he accept such as a sacrifice for the growth and developments of the religion? Knowing that the money was gotten from gambling fortune, the Clergy accepted the money but condem gambling.
Secondly, some of us have been arguing on this before time, but I want us to go wide on this discussion using different approaches over it, which may includes the religious, political, economical and social believes to why Clergy men should gamble or not, lets sight examples where necessary, prove our point and learn from each other's opinion.
Be informed that this is a general discussion, not a threat to take attacks on each other, drop your own perspective and state some reasons to back them up, let's make it more of being fun and informative with our actual facts.
Whether it is right or wrong to accept gambling profit for donation is dependent on the person or the church belief. If one is a Christian and wanted to follow the teachings that is stated on the Bible. then he should abide what is written or what is the message conveyed on the scripture.
I believe there is no question about Islam belief, it is obvious that gambling is haram so there should be no room for Muslims to accept donations coming from gambling profit. When it comes to Christian, some passages discourage activities coming from greed (do not explicitly say gambling) and accepting any profit coming from it. I think the passages:
Exodus 20:17 – "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s."Luke 12:15 – "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."1 Corinthians 8:9 – "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak."1 Timothy 6:10 – "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."and others have context that discourage gaining wealth hastily through an unhonest means, or activities govern by greed. Accepting such donation by a Christian church leader means supporting such action and condoning greed because of the financial benefits.
From an ethical standpoint, it seems to me that accepting money from gambling, even for the purpose of furthering a religion, raises questions about moral responsibility. The problem is not the money, but the source of the money. If we accept funds from a practice that can destroy people's lives, we may be complicit in that destruction, albeit at the level of good intentions.
I highly agree, this is more on the moral responsibility. But whether gambling is 100% rooted in greed is still highly debated since no one but himself can tell the reason why a person is engaged in gambling.