Community
Gambling
–A False Hope
It
is very easy to dream and imagine just what we would do
if we were to suddenly win a huge amount on the National
Lottery. We can imagine giving up work and spending our
life on world cruises.
But
gambling is actually much more harmful to society than it
is beneficial and over the centuries six previous
lotteries in
From
a Christian perspective it also focuses in completely the
wrong direction. Did you know that if there were only one
hundred people alive in the world today Mr. and Mrs.
Average Great Britain [on an income of £23,000] would be
tenth richest?
Rather
than feeling depressed about all the things we cannot
afford and could only 'enjoy' through a lottery win, we
should be thanking God for all the many blessings He
bestows upon us and doing something about those
struggling to make ends meet!
In
short, gambling is likely to make us greedy. It makes is
concentrate on ourselves and what's in it for us rather
than focusing on the real needs of so many others who
struggle even to get adequate food, water and shelter.
Dianne Thompson, the Managing Director of Camelot openly
admits that no-one buys a lottery ticket because some
money [seven per cent] goes to good causes. No this is
just a sop to our consciences.
The
only reason we buy tickets is because we want to win the
jackpot. As Christians we should not be looking to the
false hope of gambling but rather the certain hope to be
found in Jesus.
Gambling
not only brings false hope but it destroys lives. It can
lead to debt and arguments and be a major cause of family
problems. It implies that life is all about luck and that
we are entitled to much more than we have put into it.
The poorer and more vulnerable you are the more desperate
you become to win but the more you cannot afford it.
The
greatest thing that we can ever have we do not need to
win. The birth of Jesus allows us to have eternal life.
This is a priceless gift that no lottery or other
gambling win could ever buy. But it is also a free gift
to all who accept him as the Son of God. Now there's our
real hope!
This
article was written by Keith Tondeur of Credit Action
Helping
vulnerable people to realise their potential
A
proposal to route the
As
is often the case with charities, the name gives no clue
to the nature of this movement's valuable work. The
movement exists to create communities in which vulnerable
children and adults can live, learn and work with others
in healthy social relationships based on mutual care and
respect. Founded in 1939, it takes its name from Camphill
House, in
Today
there are over 90 Camphill communities (sometimes called
villages) in 21 countries. 47 of these are in the
Inspired
by the ideas of Rudolf Steiner, the work goes beyond
“care". One guiding principle is that those
with special needs should be allowed to reach their
potential. Support is provided at home but also at work
– in the market garden, the farm; in metal, joinery
and craft workshops; in the bakery, café and shop.
The
role of the “co-workers" (traditional
descriptions such as “staff “ are avoided) is
to enable the adults to do much for themselves. Residents
accomplish what in other environments might have been
difficult or impossible for them. The co-workers are not
paid directly for the work they do; their needs are met
from the community's resources.
Residents
are encouraged to take part in the cultural, spiritual
and social life of the community and of the wider
community around. Camphill cares about the land and the
environment, too, using organic and biodynamic farming
techniques, with a strong focus on ecology and self-sufficiency.
An important element in this is the conservation of soils
and avoidance of pollution.
Readers
wanting more information can contact Dr Stefan Geider at
the Newton Dee Community, North Deeside Road, Bieldside,
Aberdeen AB15 9DX. Email: info@savecamphill.org.uk
Bringing
our soul to work
Recent
years have seen a growing interest in the concept of
“spirituality at work." Although the word
spirit is not always interpreted in overtly religious
terms, this is surely a welcome trend reflecting a
realisation that lives are improved when spiritual needs
are recognised in the workplace. And there is increasing
evidence that “soul-friendly" companies prosper
as a result.
Scandals
such as the Enron collapse, and the mood of a post
September 11th world, raise questions about the deeper
meaning and purpose in our lives. People want to bridge
the gap between their paid work and who they aspire to be.
The
writer Scott Peck agrees that while we attempt to be in
harmony with the unseen order of things, the unseen order
is actually and actively seeking to be in harmony with us.
This implies the concept of a living spiritual being whom
we call God. The famous psychiatrist Carl Jung
placed over the entrance to his home a Latin sign which,
translated, reads “Invoked or not invoked, God is
present."
Even
a single sentence to prepare oneself for the day can be
of benefit. The chief executive of the company Biogenex
uses the prayer: “Lord, I am at your service. What
is it you want me to do? Lead my day." In their book
'The Spirit at Work Phenomenon" (Azure imprint, SPCK
2004), Sue Howard and David Welbourn mention the value of
spiritual direction “to help integrate our spiritual
journey with our work."
A
lead can be given by chief executives, like the one who
based his company values on the 'fruits of the spirit'
set out in Paul's epistle to the Galatians. But success
is unlikely if they seek to force their particular brand
of religion on their employees.
Georgeanne
Lamont, managing director of SpiritWorks Ltd, stresses
that senior executives should be “servant leaders",
sharing leadership with others, and that “the least
is the most important" – those in the lowliest
jobs should be valued and seen as pivotal to the success
of the business.
Does
God like Sport?
On
a summer's evening in Gothenburg in 1995 Jonathan Edwards
prepared to jump in the World Championship Triple Jump
final. As a world-class triple-jumper, Jonathan had
a decent chance of a medal. What happened was
unbelievable. He won the gold medal but that was
not all. He jumped 18.16 metres to set a new world record.
Then with his next jump, he shattered his own world
record with a jump of 18.29.
As
a Christian, Jonathan gives thanks to God for the moment
but how does God see it? Is God pleased with
Jonathan? Does God like sport? Why does the
church see music as a gift from God but not sport?
If
you want to know the biblical view of adultery, it is not
difficult to find it. God has said it is wrong. In
the Ten Commandments you read, 'You shall not commit
adultery' (Exodus
In
order to work out God's view of sport we have to take
clear biblical principles and apply them to sport, in the
same way as we would need to do with a host of human
activities.
Genesis
is the first book of the Bible and contains in the first
two chapters the magnificent account of the creation of
the world. 'In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth ... and God saw all that He had made and it was
very good...' (Genesis 1:1, 31)
God
is the creator of every single thing in his world, which
the story pronounces over and over again “was good"!
This writing is meant to evoke praise and awe! If we
understand this our attitude to God will be transformed.
We will realise that we must worship in all things and at
all times.
So
did God create sport? The answer is yes and no! Of
course God did not create sport - people did. It
wasn't God who picked up the football at
Two
wrong views of sport have often surfaced in the Christian
church. From the time of the Puritans in the
sixteen and seventeenth centuries onwards some Christians
have strongly discouraged any involvement in sport.
This has been either because the activity was felt to be
of itself sinful or because of sin associated with sport.
That the environment of sport was predominantly non-Christian,
often associated with drinking and gambling as well as
provoking an aggressive and competitive spirit, was
enough to convince many Christians to steer well clear of
it.
The
other inadequate view of sport is to see sport purely as
a tool for evangelism. It is OK for the Christian
to play sport but only in order to evangelize. The
activity has no value of itself.
It
is true that the world of sport can be a very godless
place: but can't all aspects of life be like this? As an
activity in which we can use the gifts and abilities God
has give us, sport is as valuable and significant as any
other human activity. Further, it is absolutely
true that within the world of sport that there are many
opportunities for evangelism – which we should grasp
with both hands – but that is not our sole
justification for playing sport. Playing sport is
as legitimate as any other human activity.
What
then is the answer to the question with which we started:
Is God pleased with Jonathan when uses his body to leap
further than anyone has ever done before? Our
answer is a qualified yes. God created Jonathan and gave
him the ability to run and jump – not to mention
hopping and stepping.
God
does not love Jonathan any more on a day he wins than on
a day he loses. As Jonathan has put it, “the fact
that the human body can jump 18m 29 is testimony to what
a great creator God we serve. But I think it is more in
the way I come across as I win or as I lose, and in my
attitude to my fellow competitors, that God is glorified
than in the actual distances that I jump".
If,
as Jonathan - or anyone else - uses their talents,
their attitude is above all to please the God who made
him, then God can rejoice in this particular aspect of
his creation.
God
gave you the gifts to play sport! Thank God for the
sporting ability he has given you. Go out and use
it for his glory.
National
Nest-box Week 14 – 21 February
This
month it's time to think about nest-boxes. Up to a
million baby birds fledge from nest-boxes every year.
Would you like to host a family or two in your garden?
The British Trust for Ornithology on 01842 750050 can
help you with information on box building and suppliers.
