Analysis: Does defending the continued existence of illegal gambling please God?
On Tuesday (1st), the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) released a statement calling the approval of the urgency request a “nefarious act” that “it is up to us, for ethical and evangelical reasons, to warn that gambling brings with it irreparable moral, social and, particularly, family damage”.
The CNBB's statement is just another piece of propaganda from the lobby of those who wish to keep gambling illegal. The organization ignores the fact that Brazilians are not prohibited from gambling and that the Brazilian state, without adequate legislation, is prevented from collecting revenue from gambling and protecting its citizens from the social costs.
The statement also threatens parliamentarians who vote in favor of legalizing gambling: "The CNBB (National Conference of Brazilian Bishops) commits to closely monitoring this process and widely publicizing the names of parliamentarians who choose to leave their fingerprints on this criminal affront to the Brazilian people."
It is wrong for the Catholic Church to use morality against gambling while some members of its institution are embroiled in proven cases of heinous crimes that go far beyond mere immorality.
The CNBB (National Conference of Brazilian Bishops) also states that "a vote in favor of gambling will, in practice, be a vote of contempt for life, for the family, and for its fundamental values." However, it is worth noting that gambling is legalized and regulated in the ten largest economies in the world, some of which are predominantly Catholic, such as Italy, Canada, and France, and other Christian countries like the USA, the United Kingdom, and Germany, as well as countries with other religious backgrounds such as China, Japan, and India, which have realized that from a social, economic, and public safety standpoint, it is better to keep this sector under state control, despite this economic activity being immoral for the Catholic Church in Brazil.
Gambling predates religion and culture; therefore, playing and betting are part of therapy, and moreover, it is not a sinful activity. The passion for games is so ancient that it may date back to the prehistory of humanity. In the thousands of pages of the Bible, there is not a single line that condemns the practice of gambling; even among the seven deadly sins, gambling is not included. The Bible records, in passages from its oldest books, the use of lots to indicate fortune and misfortune.
Interestingly, the history of gambling has strong links to the Catholic Church, such as the opening of the first casino in France, which was carried out by the Catholic Church to replenish the French state treasury; the fact that bingo originated in the Church; that roulette was invented by a priest; that the Vatican Bank once owned 8% of Casinos Austria and is currently a shareholder in the cruise ships Alínea C, which have casinos on their ships.
The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) has opposed the legalization of gambling in Brazil, understanding that there are risks such as the destruction of families and property, but this is not quite how Catholic parishes in the United States think and behave.
In January 2018, BNL published the report ' US Catholic parishes have become dependent on bingo and raffle revenue ', which, through research on gambling in the Catholic church coordinated by Ph.D. in Moral Theology, Beth Haile, and published by the US Catholic portal of the Claretian Missionaries, proved that many Catholic parishes in the United States have become dependent on revenue from bingo betting and raffle tickets.
Over the past eight decades, several issues have generated controversy in Brazil, including the legalization of gambling. Whether due to religious, moral, political, or ideological reasons, the debate has become contaminated and distorted. The true challenge regarding gambling lies in the creation and establishment of laws and regulations through the National Congress that allow citizens to exercise their desire to gamble under the watchful eye of rules clearly defined by the State.
As a Catholic, baptized, evangelized for First Communion and confirmed, I hope that the CNBB (National Conference of Brazilian Bishops) receives my reflections with the same wisdom that I received those from the entity, but I understand that it is immoral and criminal to work to keep gambling underground. And certainly, this option is not the one that most pleases God. (Magnho José – Editor of BNLData )
Catholic parishes in the US have become dependent on revenue from bingo and raffles.
Garotinho takes a stand in favor of legalizing casinos in Brazil.
