banning card games

[AngelofJesus]

Let's say it's not a card game. Let's say we were back in time during prohibition. Could you still qoute the bible and say that you can drink wine because Jesus drank wine as well? If Jesus did not find it morally wrong to drink wine then would it still be a sin to drink wine when there is a law against it?

[CatholicCid]

nvm...

Edited May 16, 2006 by CatholicCid

[Augustine]

I believe it is an important question, as it deals with the day-to-day practical moral decisions with haft to deal with as Christians. Well, not illegal card playing, but any law that we find to be excessive or unnecessary. Copyright laws, for example, are laws which are being popularly questioned today, if not by word, at least by action. Here are some of the thoughts I got while pondering this question.

Would it be a [i]sin[/i]? That I am not sure of. We do know, however, that St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 8:13 that “Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, [i]I will never eat meat[/i], lest I cause my brother to fall” [Emphasis added; RSV version]. Clearly, it is not wrong to eat meat (except on days of abstinence, of course), but Paul stated would go as far as giving it up if it might cause his brother to fall. The same I think, should go for playing cards, or just about anything we do. If we know in our hearts that by our example of playing cards, legal or not, we might lead our brothers into sin, such as immoderate gambling, then we should give up cards. If illegal, then we risk that much more. Would it be to the greater glory of God to be labeled ‘lawbreakers’ if it was not necessary to do so? And might it lead our brother or sister to breaking more laws, perhaps of greater consequence? We know that when we act on this earth, we act as the ambassadors of God (Ephesians 6:20). We stand as the earthly representatives of the Kingdom of God, which an awesome responsibility. What we do and say should always reflect how Jesus would act. Others see that. Sometimes, we are the only way for people to see Jesus: through Him working in us.

St. Paul also said this: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (RSV). So there is a reason to obey the law, even if it indeed was silly in our eyes. But we must remember that God’s wisdom is not man’s wisdom. What we think might be silly could be the wisdom of God at work in His earthly instruments.

Just some thoughts

[aalpha1989]

[quote name='Sarah_JC' post='978905' date='May 11 2006, 08:03 PM']
Yes.

Just like it's a sin to drink under age (even if it's not to excess). MC is right.
[/quote]

Is it a sin to drink under age (necessarily)? I think it is, but not necessarily because the law says that it is illegal. I think it is a sin because your parents wouldnt want you to, and so it is breaking the fourth commandment. I don't think the law can dictate what is right and wrong. Like card games? It is NOT wrong to play card games, and so the law cannot claim that it is. It might try to, but that wouldnt make it any more wrong to play card games. Does that make sense?

[PadreSantiago]

In 4th grade at my elementary school they banned the use of pogs, remember pogs? Anyway do you think we stopped playing pogs NO! We just did it in secret and it became blackmarket, it became like that scene in The Deer Hunter with an asian guy yellin in my face to do it NOW NWO! My point is if you make something illegal, espeically something that was legal yesterday, it will continue. Case in Point ummmmm PROHIBITION! That's right kiddies it didn't work.

[b]Actually here's my real point, LAWS ARE MADE BY MAN!!!!! Hello, man doesn't get to decide what is or isn't a sin! I think that right belongs to a little guy I like to call GOD.[/b]

Edited May 20, 2006 by PadreSantiago