Responding to the Christian Critic

If you're new to my blog, I wrote an article on the Christian's Perspective on Playing Poker. I recently got this message from someone who disagrees with me. It's really interesting. I'm posting the entire thread here:

Your article is interesting. However, it would seem to me that you have
overlooked some principles laid down in Scripture, some of which are found in:1
Corinthians 6:12

"Everything is permissible for me"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-- but I will not be mastered by anything. (NIV) You may not be mastered but others may who follow your example. How can we face the judgment knowing we could be the cause of another's downfall because we have indulged in questiionable practices?1 Corinthians 10:23 "Everything is permissible"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-- but not everything is constructive.

(NIV)1 Corinthians 8:13
Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

(NIV) We are not to live unto ourselves but to be a living witness to the power of Christ. I can't envision Christ sitting at a gamblers' table, taking another's money,
giving the Sermon on the Mount to those he was gambling with. Can you?

So I sent a nice polite response:

Thanks for the note. Your right, in a way. If you look at poker as gambling, then yes, you’re correct. As I mentioned in my blog about gambling, if you’re relying on fate and chance to win, you are sinning.

But in my perspective poker is a game of skill, unlike blackjack, roulette, keno, etc.

Do I see Jesus sitting at a poker table? That’s a pretty far out question? Do I see
Jesus sitting at a table and playing crazy eights, Uno or bridge? Did Jesus play
any kind of game?

My poker is limited to a $5 tournament. I play to better my game play skills and to come in first. If Jesus were to play any game, would he play to come in 1st. Would he play to less than his ability to let other’s win?

I used to play softball. I paid $30 a season in hopes of winning a cheap trophy and a t-shirt. Is this gambling? Would Jesus do the same? Honestly, I paid the $30 to be with my friends in a competitive environment and we did play to win.

Friend, I don’t want to come across as sarcastic, I know your heart’s in the right place, but what I do what to do is challenge your position a little. Believe me, I have a lot of friends, who agree with you. I also have a few friends who have succumb to the
Gambling Addiction. In fact, I had to pull a friend out of a casino that I frequent, because he should not have been there because of his addiction. I don’t take this lightly.

Hope this helps.
Alan.

Here's the fun response that I got back:

Thanks or your reply. Is how I look at a matter what counts or is it the
influence it extends that counts. The Scripture tells us that we are to
avoid even the very appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.) (KJV) Also, we have Exo. 20:17 to steer around if we want to gamble,or to make excuses for any other sin and vice.

I see from your blog that you claim to be an Evangelical Christian. I
am not interested in discussing that point but I am interested in knowing if you
have been "Born from above" -- truly transformed by the work of the 'Spirit
in your heart. If not, this would answer a lot of the questions as to why
you look to justify this questionable practice. this is the answer Jesus gave to the
searching Nichodemus.

I don't think this person really wanted to have a discussion about poker, so I wrote back:

Simply, Yes, I am "Born from Above" but probably not by the standards you have
set. I will leave that judgment to God.
I've not hear back from him yet.