Is gambling, legal or illegal,
really the problem in our society? The short answer is yes. It
is a problem in our society because potentially many
individuals either become addicted or misuse personal funds on
their addiction, causing emotional stress and troubles. The
long answer is no. It is not really the major
problem in our society. There are a few bottom-line problems
that must be present first to make a vice so invasive and
crippling in a society. They are hypocrisy, dishonesty,
duplicity, an attitude of entitlement, social and functional
illiteracy, and spiritual apathy. These negative
characteristics have led too many of us to be at risk of making
unwise decisions about vices that usually invade every society.
These vices include prostitution, rape, sexual abuse, incest,
spouse abuse, drug abuse, child abuse, racism, prejudice in all
its forms, alcoholism and gambling addiction, adultery
(relationship unfaithfulness), just to name a few.
Ironically, what I call a “vice,”
can rightly be a behavior of an adult who has the constitutional
right and freedom of choice to behave that way. The truth is
that in a free society everyone has the freedom of choice.
These kinds of “vices” might be destructive forces we all have
to live with until the Lord’s return. They may hold no power
over a person’s life and perhaps the society, when that person
has intrinsic values (principles of living) that are
constructive, uplifting, beneficial and productive to him or
herself and the community.
One may argue that one of these
vices might be worse than the others. It is true that some of
these impact innocent ones and others impact the larger
community, while some of these vices mostly impact individuals
and others indirectly. Nevertheless, they are all serious
vices. But note that the most vulnerable among us, our
children, are victims of violence in all forms, and in
particular sexual violence (rape and incest). We can also
include the many victims of spouse abuse or domestic violence.
Where are the loud voices against such criminal activities?
The Bahamas is reportedly the country with one of the highest
incidents of rape, sexual abuse, spouse
|
"If gambling remains or goes,
what personal, intrinsic values
will be there to govern our
thoughts and behaviors? What
national policies will be there
to reduce addictive or
compulsive behaviors?"
|
|
|
abuse, and child abuse in the
world. Are we having a “No” campaign against these evils in
our Bahamas? Or are we, in our silence or passive behavior,
saying “Yes, leave them alone. We do not have these problems.”
MY APPEAL
My passionate appeal is to the
religious, political and social leaders who spent so much time
and money on a recent gambling campaign. I encourage them to
put even greater force and money against child abuse, rape,
incest, spouse abuse, and domestic violence. You see, adults
can choose to gamble or not to gamble. Little children have no
power of their own and adults too often take advantage of
them. I have not heard many cries against the men who leave
innocent ones infested with deadly diseases. I have not heard
the protest against fathers who leave sperms in their little
sons’ rectums. I have not heard cries against spouses who
physically harm their partners and think it is their god-given
right to control and own their spouse. Gambling can be
addictive; but it is an adult choice. Children cannot defend
themselves. What are we doing about that? Which one of these
vices is society’s worse?
During my research I discovered
that there are approximately 20 million pathological gamblers
(addicted individuals) in the United States. In the early 2000,
studies funded by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission
(NGISC) suggested that “pathological gambling is confined to
about 1 percent or less of the U.S. adult population. According
to research commissioned by the NGISC, the rate could be
anywhere from 0.1 percent or 0.6 percent to 0.9 percent.”
Let us argue that in The Bahamas
the percentage is the same (number buyers numbers or persons who
participate in other local forms of gambling). If we increase
that percentage number up to three percent of the people living
in The Bahamas that would give a figure of 3,500 to 10,500
persons who are addicted to gambling. Any one of these figures
is serious. However, we have no way of knowing because we are
not a research society. Nevertheless to further my argument, I
want to suggest that the number of adulterers is ten to twenty
times more. That’s about 30,000 to 60,000 persons, I am
suggesting, who are committing adultery. (Remember this is only
conjecturing. There is no scientific evidence for these
figures, but anecdotal research may agree based on the divorce
rate and the number of illegitimate children born here). Do you
realize that in The Bahamas there might more persons living with
HIV/AIDS than persons who are problem or addicted gamblers? In
2009 there were 6000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the
Bahamas. According to Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting
Monitoring the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS it states
that as of “December 31, 2010, The Bahamas had a cumulative
total of 12,096 reported HIV infections.” What have we done
about that? What are we doing about sexual indiscretion that
leads to such results?
Here is my question: What pain
does adultery cause? Here they are: murder, rape, sexual
abuse, molestation, depression and other mental illnesses,
spouse abuse in all forms, obesity, etc. Why are we not having
a campaign against adultery? Because individuals in society
are free to make stupid choices. Even God gives us that
freedom. What is my point you may ask? We need to set our
priorities straight as a nation. We need to start valuing
personhood more. If gambling remains or goes, what personal,
intrinsic values will be there to govern our thoughts and
behaviors? What national policies will be there to reduce
addictive or compulsive behaviors?
CHURCH GET ON BOARD
I encourage all church leaders to
make sure they understand their role and function. The
challenge is when the church tries to purge the nation through
the government instead of ministry and preaching to its
congregants. While the government must remain secular, the
church should only teach principles of living. If the members
would live godly lives, the nation would be godly also.
Leaders of the church are not to
live duplicitous lives. While a spiritual leader’s voice is
very loud against gambling, he or she might be sleeping with
another person and the entire neighborhood knows. While the
spiritual leader might be jumping and screaming behind the
pulpit on the weekends, this leader might be impregnating
teenage girls or beating his spouse. I encourage members to
hold their leaders accountable. Report their abuse and do not
cover it up. Raise your voice for the innocent ones, our
children.
Barrington H. Brennen is a
marriage and family therapist. Send your questions or comments
to
barringtonbrennen@gmail.com or call 1242-327-1980 or visit
www.soencouragement.org
