Shame on the NFL and MLB! It is all about the MONEY! Pro Sports is becoming very ungodly, just like the country!
SOURCE: BAPTIST PRESS
NASHVILLE (BP)—The only thing matched by the pomp and festivities of the NFL Draft, held April 25 in Detroit, may be the level at which gambling has become entwined with the league.
NFL partners include the Caesar’s Sportsbook Stage, BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel, not to mention Genius Sports, the league’s exclusive sports betting data provider.
The concern spreads to all sports. When the interpreter and best friend of baseball’s biggest star becomes embroiled in a $41 million betting scandal, some begin to wonder about gambling’s ultimate payout.
“We want to show that the detriments are more than the benefits,” said Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. “Gambling supporters point to the tax revenue and how it can help fund education.”
He specifically targets predatory gambling such as sports betting, pari-mutuel horse racing and video poker machines. There is a definite grooming aspect to draw people, even minors, into participating, he noted.
“We’ve seen the data on how addictive gambling can be and that up to one-third of [compulsive] gamblers will attempt suicide,” he said. “It’s going to end up costing you.” The Rest of The Story Here
How gambling preys on the longings of the heart
When the news broke about the decline in American Pastors having a Biblical Worldview, Pastor Tony Tice posted this at FGGAM: We Need Pastors Who Will Be Humble Servants Instead Of Trying To Be The Next Great Church Leader!
Lets dive deep into a Biblical Worldview, which to me is this biggest crisis in the world at this time. Below is how Focus on the Family presents George Barna’s research that shows just 4% of Americans and only 37% of Pastors have a Biblical Worldview.
A Biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do. That means, for instance, you take seriously the mandate in Romans 13 to honor the governing authorities by researching the candidates and issues, making voting a priority.
Do you have a biblical worldview? Answer the following questions, based on claims found in the Bible and which George Barna used in his survey:
- Do absolute moral truths exist?
- Is absolute truth defined by the Bible?
- Did Jesus Christ live a sinless life?
- Is God the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and does He still rule it today?
- Is salvation a gift from God that cannot be earned?
- Is Satan real?
- Does a Christian have a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people?
- Is the Bible accurate in all of its teachings?
This is from Barna
The research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview – even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born again Christians have such a perspective on life. The numbers were even lower among other religious classifications: Protestants (7%), adults who attend mainline Protestant churches (2%) and Catholics (less than one-half of 1%). The denominations that produced the highest proportions of adults with a biblical worldview were non-denominational Protestant churches (13%), Pentecostal churches (10%) and Baptist churches (8%).
“If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think – our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We’re often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance.” George Barna.
