Dear Erin,
I wrote 16/3 17:28 +0100:
'I'd bet on religion (rather than science) as a good starting point [for
propagating openness to read radical new ideas]. (If only I were allowed to
bet... Being a Quaker I'm not (-;)'
You wrote 16/3 16:08 -0500:
'I was just curious as to why Quakers can't gamble?'
Quakers can't bet and gamble, simply because they experience it to be
no good, period. Simple direct (religious, DQ) experience is the only
authority I/we can claim for such values.
Off course Quakers also have tried to explain such values to each other and
to others in rational (intellectual) ways:
- Their context can be understood from an advice (from 'Quaker Faith and
Practice, the book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain: 'Consider which of the
ways to happiness offered by society are truly fulfilling and which are
potentially corrupting and destructive. Be discriminating when choosing
means of entertainment and information. Resist the desire to acquire
possessions or income through unethical investment, speculation or games of
chance.'
- In the chapter (from QF&P of Britain YM) 'Living faithfully today' under
the heading 'Honesty and integrity':
'Gambling disregards our belief that possessions are a trust. the persistent
appeal to covetousness evident, for example, in football pool propaganda is
fundamentally opposed to the unselfishness which was taught by Jesus Christ
and by the New Testament as a whole. The attempt, which is inseparable from
gambling, to make a profit out of the inevitable loss and possible suffering
of others is the antithesis of that love of one's neighbour on which Jesus
insisted.'
- From Baltimore Yearly Meeting's 'Faith and practice':
We are faced at every hand with enticements to risk money in anticipation of
disproportionate gain through gambling. Some governments employ gambling as
a means of raising revenue, even presenting it as a civic virtue. The
Religious Society of Friends continues to bear testimony against betting,
gambling, lotteries, speculation, or any other endeavour to receive material
gain without equivalent exchange, believing that we owe an honest return for
what we receive.'
- From a book (based on a public lecture at Britain Yearly Meeting) by
Shipley N. Brayshaw from 1933:
'So much has the public conscience been warped from the living Truth, that a
man who has acquired wealth by operations on the Stock Exchange is spoken of
as having "made" his money regardless of whether any useful purpose has been
served. One who identifies the status quo with the divine law regards such
an accession of wealth as something to be accepted with thankful heart like
manna from heaven. True enlightenment would show that, if nothing has been
given in return, the wealth so gained has been misappropriated and the whole
transaction, though sanctioned by law and custom, is in its essence, a
violation of the eighth commandment.
In our "Advices" [of 1933] we are warned against commercial speculation of
gambling character, and we are told to "remember how widespread and diverse
are the temptations to grow rich at the expense of others". The faithful
observance of this advice points the way to an issue greater than personal
rectitude with regard to gambling. It should lead to an examination of the
system which permits or encourages these abuses, and to a demand for drastic
changes.'
I usually explain it to my children with: 'It is a waste of money if you
lose and you don't deserve/earn it if you win.'
With friendly greetings,
Wim
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