Does Jesus care about poker?

[spinning27]

Ask your 2007 Main Event champion, Jerry Yang, who seems to think that he got all those great cards because he asked God for them.

This will spark an interesting debate. Poker is gambling, after all. And last I heard, Jesus wasn't all that into gambling.

Thoughts?

 

[alleyallen]

I truly do not mean to spark a religious debate, but I ask as someone who's not as Bible knowledgeable as others...

Does the Bible actually say "Thou shalt not gamble?" I did a search on a couple of sites but found nothing specifically relating to gambling.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Five to one it doesn't.

 

[jgmacg]

Mr. Jesus wants you all in behind those pocket tens.

 

[MertWindu]

Ask your 2007 Main Event champion, Jerry Yang, who seems to think that he got all those great cards because he asked God for them.

This will spark an interesting debate. Poker is gambling, after all. And last I heard, Jesus wasn't all that into gambling.

Thoughts?

Honestly, how is this all that different from a football player thanking God for allowing him to win a big game? Blah blah blah, "god-given talent," I don't care. It's still suggesting that God/Jesus give a damn about a game.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Mr. Jesus wants you all in behind those pocket tens.

I would easily pay $20 to get that on a tee shirt.

 

[heyabbott]

JESUS ALWAYS DRAWS THAT INSIDE STRAIGHT

 

[Captain_Kirk]

Jesus certainly knew about bad beats

 

[bigpern23]

I'm not that knowledgable on the Bible these days, but I do believe there's something in it about avoiding vices. I believe gambling has come to be associated with a vice, as has alcoholism and smoking. I think it has something to do with following God and not being controlled by something else.

That's pretty basic and perhaps someone more knowledgable than me can clean up my ham-handed explanation, but I think it's something along those lines.

That said, I think it's just another case of Catholics taking all the fun out of life.

Oh, and I laughed at Captain_Kirk's comment. Well played.

 

[SixToe]

God, and Jesus, cares about everything.

 

[Football_Bat]

Jesus kicked my ass at Texas hold 'em at APSE judging last year.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Jesus loves the little children.
And pocket Aces.

 

[spinning27]

Ask your 2007 Main Event champion, Jerry Yang, who seems to think that he got all those great cards because he asked God for them.

This will spark an interesting debate. Poker is gambling, after all. And last I heard, Jesus wasn't all that into gambling.

Thoughts?

Honestly, how is this all that different from a football player thanking God for allowing him to win a big game? Blah blah blah, "god-given talent," I don't care. It's still suggesting that God/Jesus give a damn about a game.

Yeah but a football player didn't have to put up a $10,000 buy-in to play in the Super Bowl.

People can perceive poker as a sport if they choose, but it's gambling. Religion isn't something you normally hear about around a card room.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

I would HOPE Chris Ferguson cares about poker!

And I think the Biblical basis for not allowing gambling tends to be indirect -- prohibition against the love of money and spending money frivilously, as well as the connection to seemier, worldly vices. But I know all sorts of Christians that play poker, and compared to the bingo game at your random Catholic church, that's like pissing in an ocean of ****.

 

[MertWindu]

Ask your 2007 Main Event champion, Jerry Yang, who seems to think that he got all those great cards because he asked God for them.

This will spark an interesting debate. Poker is gambling, after all. And last I heard, Jesus wasn't all that into gambling.

Thoughts?

Honestly, how is this all that different from a football player thanking God for allowing him to win a big game? Blah blah blah, "god-given talent," I don't care. It's still suggesting that God/Jesus give a damn about a game.

Yeah but a football player didn't have to put up a $10,000 buy-in to play in the Super Bowl.

No, he's got to spend likely as much as that over a lifetime just to get good enough to play in the league. Anything could be considered a gamble. But that's not really the point. How is thanking God for good cards different from thanking God for a victory whose catalyst was a game-changing fumble?

 

[Inky_Wretch]

How is thanking God for good cards different from thanking God for a victory whose catalyst was a game-changing fumble?

It's not. Both are stupid to do.

 

[Twoback]

I'm not that knowledgable on the Bible these days, but I do believe there's something in it about avoiding vices. I believe gambling has come to be associated with a vice, as has alcoholism and smoking. I think it has something to do with following God and not being controlled by something else.

That's pretty basic and perhaps someone more knowledgable than me can clean up my ham-handed explanation, but I think it's something along those lines.

That said, I think it's just another case of Catholics taking all the fun out of life.

Oh, and I laughed at Captain_Kirk's comment. Well played.

Hey, don't blame the Catholics.
We do Bingo. We have Hold 'em and chuck-a-luck at the church festival every year.
We may take the meat out of your lenten Fridays, but we do not take the dice out of your hand.
Carry on.

 

[Ashy Larry]

Jesus does NOT care about poker........but he's a big fan of the ponies. These days your more likely to see him carrying around a racing form than the Bible.

 

[GB-Hack]

Jesus loves poker. He's a player himself.....

 

[zeke12]

There is no Christian prohibition against gambling.

Baptists and Mormons frown on it -- I think -- but I don't recall any specific prohibition in the Bible.

And if Jesus has to hear one more bad beat story, he's climbing back up on the cross.