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Jeremy Riggs


2011 Super Bowl Champions!

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Here's an interesting topic to discuss
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A place in New York called the Lighthouse Mission, feeds and clothes about 3000 needy people a week.

Recently someone won 3 million in the NY Lottery and tried to donate $100,000 to the mission.

The pastor who runs the mission refused to accept it on the grounds that they teach at the mission that gambling is wrong and it's played a part in why some of these people find themselves in the situation they are in.

He says he didn't feel that one day he could talk about how the lottery is hurting society and then the next accept a big windfall from the same lottery.

As you can imagine, people think he's nuts, in fact several benefactors have pulled their donations in the thinking that if he won't take such a huge offer of help from one person, he doesn't need their money either.

All this while the mission is set to lose it's lease in only a few months!


Personally, I understand his feelings, but I would think the greater good would be to accept the money and continue being able to help the people who need it. 

I understand how it can reinforce their feelings though.  Like, SEE, YOU CAN WIN.  So the next time they have five bucks in their hand they'll be more likely to take a chance on the lottery instead of getting food or something equally important.

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Woo Hoo


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apparently this person should have donated anonymously hmm

Seriously that is a tough call though.

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Jeremy Riggs


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I was thinking the same thing. An anonymous donation would have avoided any issues.

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Woo Hoo


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ya know the more I think of it it kinda ticks me off though too. But I do understand the dilemma about beliefs. But you need help, here's help but you turn it away. I can see how it could put some off.
I have a coworker that this reminds me off. She was having some troubles and my sister told her that she would pray for her. She gasped and told her not too! You wanna know why?

Because she is a sinner. furious



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Jeremy Riggs


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Wow! That's pretty classless!

Yeah, I have a hard time with this guys decision the more I think about it. I think he's putting his views before the needs of everybody.

He could have taken the money and said it would only be used to pay for the building, or something of that sort. That the money for food and clothing, etc. would only come from other donors (and there'd be more of that to go around since rent and such is covered).

SOMETHING.

I hope the donors gave it to another shelter, so at least it can still go to good use.

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Jeremy Riggs


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PLUS! He wasn't taking this money from the State Lottery. He was taking it from an individual. how many steps away from the lottery does it have to be before the money is deemed clean enough for him?

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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what an interesting dilema.....hmm

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MzHartz


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I understand the pastor's reasoning, but I don't see how he can put people out on the street based on that. Couldn't he have made an arrangement with the guy? Say, "hey, thank you! But some of our patrons have a gambling problem, and I'm afraid this will effect them. Would it be okay if we kept this an anonymous donation?"

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Jeremy Riggs


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Good point as well MZ.

I get the feeling this guy just sensed an opportunity to make a statement about his opposition to the state lottery.

I'm sure he truly has a moral dilemma with it as well, but as we've pointed out, there are WAYS around it if he really wanted to get around it.

Why not let the "evil" money do some good?

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Mad Mema


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I'm going to have to agree with the "take the money" crowd. Yes, some of these people probably have gambling issues, but these are not the people who would probably be inclined to donate their winnings to charity. I say do some good with it where you can.

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WebGuy


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Oh wow.

Either way, this guy is between a rock and another rock.

If he refuses the money, he's seen by some as a fool for not taking it.

If he accepts the money, he's seen by others as a hypocrite for preaching that gambling is wrong, but yet he accepted money that he knew came from a gambling windfall.

I don't think there is an easy or "right" answer to this one.

I think he just has to do what he believes God wants him to do. IF he is certain God wants him to reject this money, AND God wants the mission is to remain open, God will provide what they need in other ways. Thats the faith part. Its easy to have faith when its not being tested.

How far does the money have to get away from the lottery before its no longer "gambling money?" . . . thats a good question.



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confuzzed


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No one needs to know where the money came from. Frankly, it is none of anyone's business where their funding comes from.



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SuzieB


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Is the pastor also going into his other donor's backgrounds to see if their money could have been made in a way that is against what he preaches as well? If this is what is going to make him turn down 100,00.00, what if a lawyer who defends people who are the opposite of what he preaches decides to donate the same amount? Isn't that the same thing?

I, personally, think that the pastor should practice being thankful for what the charity recieves. And I do agree that if the donation were to remain anonymous this would have been no big deal at all, but yet again, any anonymous donations could be from a variety of people who do things he might not agree with.

Sorry for the long windedness...I just think that it's dumb that he turned it down.

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Jeremy Riggs


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EXCELLENT points. I agree with them all!!!!

Ordinarily I don't agree with anything, much less everything!

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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I have to agree with Riggs here. let the "evil" money do some good.

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SuzieB


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biggrin.gif

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JD The Jazz Doctor


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I think its a sin to gamble away your money, but not if you win.smile

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WebGuy


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I get the impression that he didn't really dig or investigate to find out where the money was coming from but he was told right up front.



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SuzieB


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Oh I have no doubt about that, but even still, any money is good money if it is going to help someone not sleep on the streets for a night, or get some food in a child's belly. Just my opinion.

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Pambo


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Does that also go for drug money?

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Dylan


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Money is a reflection of how it was earned.  It is a tool...but it represents the energy it took to earn it over a certain amount of time.

If a lawyer works one hour to earn a hundred bucks and a cop works 4 hours, whose time is more valuable?

If someone volunteers their time, how much is their time worth?

Money is just a way of putting societal value on time and goods.  We are all stewards of our time and talents.  We all can choose how to distribute them.

Can bad come out of good?
Can a wrong be righted?
Or does it carry with it a negative energy?

Personally, I am not sure if the money coming from a bad endeavor is meant to be redirected but I will say this...

They say God can bring good out of any bad situation...and that may be His way of doing so.

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Mad Mema


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Seems to me that the pastor will have a very hard time finding "clean" money. Would he turn away a volunteer who happens earn their paycheck at a bar? Lots of people have alcohol abuse problems and end up homeless for it. What about a pharmacutical company? Prescription drug abuse has led to homelessness. Drug and alcohol abuse is certainly a larger contributing factor to homelessness than gambling.

In my opinion, if someone is going to go all judgemental about where the money comes from then they need to treat all forms of "evil" equally. 10-1 this pastor just has an axe to grind with a casino or something. biggrin.gif Sorry... hadda be said.

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Pambo


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You're right, man. hmm.gif

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WebGuy


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I don't see it as an issue of the money itself being "dirty" but more of a matter of hypocrisy.

Pastors (and professing Christians in general) are constantly watched for signs of hypocrisy. Many people watch Christians VERY closely looking for a reason to feel better about, and make validations for their own rejection of things of faith.

Some look for, AND LOVE to get an opportunity to point a finger at at the Christian and say:
See? Look what he did. He's supposedly a "Christian" and he did __[insert bad thing here]___. I may not go to church, but at least I don't do THAT!
I have no doubts that I have been looked at as hypocritical here myself at times. Its not something I'm proud of, but I know it has happened (probably more than I would want to know).

If the pastor takes the money, you gotta know that for some people it would be

Oh yeah, Mr. perfect pastor preachin' against gambling, but when the gambling money comes to the alter, he's sure not against accepting it, now is he!?!?.

I don't think its as much about the money itself being "dirty money". I think the pastor's concern is the likely perceived hypocrisy of him accepting that money and the bad witness it would project to those watching to see if he's "real".

Thats how I see the issue he's dealing with.



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Mad Mema


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No matter which way you look at this issue, the preacher is stuck in a bad situation. No matter what he does, he looks bad to someone. If he takes the money then he is technically going against his preachings. If he doesn't take the money then he looks bad to some for turning away a lot of money that could be put to good use whereas he might be accepting money from souces that are equally not in accordance with Christian tennants.

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That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
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