Playing Poker, a sin or not?

[SUNSTONE]

For a little while I played poker as a professional.
Now I just do it once and awhile for fun.

What do you think?

[Knight]

I play it myself sometimes. It's a game.

What people do with it is a different story.
If you play for fun (as we do) there is no money involved and you're just out to have a good time with friends.
If you play penny poker odds are that greed is not going to be a motivator. You're trying to make use of that large jug of coins that is collecting dust on your nightstand.
Playing poker as a way to get rich is focused entirely on the money and is a prime example of greed.

As with all things God is concerned with our heart and our intentions.

Of course if I knew someone (Christian or not) who had a gambling problem I would not play poker with or in front of them because that could lead them into sin. Scrabble it would be then.

[Jenna]

Hey, playing poker is not a sin any more than sitting down to a game of monopoly. lol People have to realize that it's not gambling games, cards, or anything else that is inherantly sinful, but what they do with it.

[seebs]

I don't think gambling is inherently sinful, but it's dangerous to many people; if you have the kind of personality that addicts easily, it can wreck your life.

That said, poker, unlike many other gambling games, is visibly a game of skill, in that a skillful player will very reliably beat an amateur player; the game doesn't inherently favor one player or another, and skill makes a huge difference in what happens.

That said, I *would* think long and hard about playing it professionally, because, while you may simply be exercising a skill, the people you're playing with may be gambling money they can't afford to lose.

I used to play poker with my friends in college; when we were at a restaurant, we'd all chip in coins until we had enough for a tip, then play poker until someone had all the coins, then that person left the tip. :)

[SUNSTONE]

I play semi big stakes like 5-10 even as high as 15-30.
That means 15$ min. bet and 30$ max. bet.

Where is gambling a sin in the bible?
How would wanting to win, be considered greedy?

What are your thoughts on the stock market?

[Godslilgurlalways]

I would say long as your playing for fun there is no problem like without money but when money gets envlove it becomes a different story.:)

[eRev]

A question I often put to others is, "What is the hearts intention?"

Peace

[New_Wineskin]

For a little while I played poker as a professional.
Now I just do it once and awhile for fun.

What do you think?

If the Lord is telling you that it is ok with Him , then it is ok with me . :)

[mont974x4]

nope it isn't a sin

[dalej42]

I'm fine with it. I go to horse races every now and then.

There is something wrong when you're betting next month's rent payment. If you're spending discretionary funds, then it is fine.

[JillLars]

I am also an avid poker player. Right now I mostly play free games- league style, and often win buy-ins to cash tournaments. As someone else said- it is largely a game of skill.

Unless you are letting it rule your life I don't think it is sinful.

[ChrisCountryGirl]

It depends. If you're just playing for fun and it doesn't interfere with your personal life then it's fine. As long as God is your top priority, then playing poker every now & then with your buddies is fine. It's a sin when you feel you're gonna make money off it by cheating or get upset/mad because you're not winning especially if you're playing with money in the "pot".

[Snow Angel]

NO:

[GraceLikeRainFallsDown]

For a little while I played poker as a professional.
Now I just do it once and awhile for fun.

What do you think?

I agree with the others that say it is not a sin as long as it is for fun and with discretionary funds. The game is just a game. It is not sinful. I play on occassion as well.

It is all about moderation just like anything else.

If you become obsessed with it (or anything), then it can become sinful.

As far as playing as a professional (like you used to), I am not sure. I have never thought about it before. I think the lifestyle might be one that would put a person at risk of falling into other sins.

And, if gambling with large sums of money on a regular basis I am not sure if that is being a good steward with your money. It could be used better.

That is a tough one. I would like to see more responses as to if gambling professionally is a sin. You could win a lot some times and do good things with the money for God's kingdom, but is it sinful to "waste" the money on the nights that you lose. :scratch: (I am just throwing this question out there to think about, I am not judging.)

[Amisk]

For a little while I played poker as a professional.
Now I just do it once and awhile for fun.

What do you think?

In today's society many Christians will argue that playing cards is okay. They will say it is a harmless game when played for no money. The true of the matter is that every gambler had to learn to play cards some place in order to be addicted to gambling.

I read some years ago a quotation from a gentleman who had once been a professional gambler and later became a Christian. His comment was that the gambling boys like to thank the little old ladies with their church card games for many a yongest learned the game at church games and when he thought he was good enough he drifted into the gambling dens to combine the game and gambling. The young card player was soon addicted to the thought of easy money. In the end he or she was gambling money that they should have been spent on the families grocery bill, or clothes for the children and so on. Once addicted his more experenced buddies shafted him for all they could get and when they had it they tossed him aside for the next victim.

Gambling is now legal in Canada, that is if the government is raking in its share of the profits. The results of this is that card games, Casinos, and the likes are making the government big money, so they tell us. The only thing they are not saying is how much is being spent in the aftermath to pay for the crime, and welfare etc. that goes with it.

For the Christian cards and gambling is wrong because the Bible tells us: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Th. 5:22, and again we read, "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 1 Cor. 8: 12-13

Those scriptures should settle it for any Christian wrestling with the question of whether cards is okay or not.

[EdmundBlackadderTheThird]

Gambling is not evil so there is no reason to abstain based on the 1 Tim verse. As stated in this thread I would not gamble in front of a fellow Christian that had a problem with gambling and that covers the 1 Cor verse.

Addiction to anything at all is wrong be it food, cards, drink, sleep, work et al. It is the state of the heart that matters and not whether you are playing scrabble or Razz. I am willing to wager (imagine that) that there are gluttons out there condemning those of us who like to play cards every once in a while and don't have an issue with gambling as an addiction.

The 1 Cor verse is used so often to beat Christians into the mold that other Christians think they should fit that it is quite frankly disgusting. Gambling is not mentioned in scripture in any admonition for or against. It is a matter of conscience. Saying otherwise is going outside of scripture or adding to scripture.

[msbojingles]

The 1 Cor verse is used so often to beat Christians into the mold that other Christians think they should fit that it is quite frankly disgusting.


:amen: