That was a very interesting post. These days the mass media seems to separate the U.S. into a red state/blue state pattern without bothering to consider the variety of viewpoints around the country.

As someone who believes that God is very good but does not participate in any organized religion, I do not know much about the Mormon faith.

With all due respect, could you explain the rationale behind the Mormon Church's position against gambling? Specifically, does the Mormon position preclude investing in the stock market, a practice that some consider nothing more than an elaborate wager on future company performance?

At this year's St. Patrick's Day bash in South Boston, Mitt Romney appeared with the mostly democratic pols to try to humor us. He said that he belived "marriage was between a man and a woman ... and a woman ... and a woman ... and a woman ...." He has been a real joke as Governor. Mitt Romney, President"? I say, "Mitt-out Romney." Put his replica on top of wedding cakes where it may belong.

I am sure that there is some religious justification for the Mormon Church's opposition to gambling. But realistically, I suspect that it stems from being somewhat tied to Las Vegas. There has been a lot of Mormon money there for quite awhile, as well as a lot of Mormons working in the Casinos. Ditto of course for more northern NV, such as Elko. In any case, as I understand it, the big thing is for Mormons not to gamble. It appears to be somewhat ok to work in a casino, or even own a piece of one, just not to gamble in one.

Many Americans, and not only Mormons, oppose gambling on religious grounds. I am not familiar with Mormon social thought, but one common theological argument is that gambling on chance events is a form of mocking at God's Providence. Another is that it detracts from a proper attitude toward the value of work.

The Catholic position is more qualified:

"Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter [i.e., they can be mortal sin], unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant."

- Catechism of the Catholic Church, sec. 2413.

As for speculation on the securities markets, again, I do not know the Mormon position, but I have read Protestant theologians who distinguish the securities market from mere gambling because investment in securities serves useful social purposes; it makes it possible to raise the large sums of capital necessary for socially beneficial enterprises. This is not true of the typical bookie's shop.

(From my knowledge of her scholarly work, Professor Hurt might have some interesting things to say about this supposed distinction.)

Since the profits from state-run lotteries in America today largely go to support meritorious public causes, such as schools, you might similarly argue that participating in public lotteries should not be held immoral. But some would respond that there are clearly more efficient and equitable means of gathering funds for public spending; that public lotteries are a form of regressive taxation, and so are contrary to social justice and still deserve to be condemned.

On the other hand, there's a libertarian argument that lotteries are morally superior to taxation because at least participation is voluntary; the state does not extract lottery revenues by threat of imprisonment.

Thanks Plainsman.

Scott, I apologize for not checking back in earlier. My connectivity is really limited here.

Anyway, Plainsman did a nice job providing the basic arguments. Mormons are not discouraged from investing in the stock market, but distinguishing stock trading from gambling is not all that easy, as Christine will tell you.

I find it a bit disturbing that the church's official policies are hidden in documents that are not made available to the public, or even the majority of its own members.

Ryan,

You can find just about all topics and policies on the church website www.lds.org. If you don't find it under the "Basic Belief Section", you can simply do a "search" for the topic you are interested in in the "Gospel Library Archive" section. You will find multiple talks given by various church leaders on the subject.

You just need to look for it.

For those interested, here is a discourse given very recently by the President of the LDS Church solely on the subject of gambling.

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,49-1-520-21,00.html