GAMBLING IS A SIN...except when it benefits the Church

[holboz]

Note: I originally posted this on the Arkansas state forum, but the irony of it all is something everyone can appreciate. A Republican from NW Arkansas has introduced a bill into the state legislature to legalize gambling for churches and charity. Here's the ironic part: Arkansas has had numerous reforendums to legalize a state lottery, but it's never passed because of steadfast opposition from religious conservatives. This makes my head hurt.

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Lawmakers endorse bingo referendum, reject annual sessions, property tax cap
Wednesday, Apr 6, 2005

By Wesley Brown
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas may soon get an opportunity to remove its name from the list of only four states that bar charitable bingo and raffles.

The Joint Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Tuesday referred House Joint Resolution 1003 to the House and Senate floors for consideration, but soundly rejected two proposals to hold annual legislation sessions and raise the cap on property taxes.

HJR 1003 by Rep. Shirley Borhauer, R-Bella Vista, may be the only proposed constitutional amendment that the Legislature will consider during this session.

"I think we have a good chance of getting this passed," said Ken Bennett, chairman of the Committee to Legalize Charitable Bingo.

If approved by both chambers and ultimately by voters, Borhauer's resolution would allow nonprofit groups, such as the VFW, Knights of Columbus and American Legion to operate bingo games for charitable purposes beginning in 2007.

Instead of taxing the proceeds from the bingo games, under HJR 1003 the state could charge an annual licensing fee to generate revenue.

Bennett said his group expects only "token opposition" if a proposed amendment to legalize charitable bingo gets on the ballot. He added said that supporters of charitable bingo will be able to mobilize nearly 60,000 people to campaign for the proposed initiative.

In 2000, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized casino gambling, a state lottery and charitable bingo was solidly defeated, with 64 percent of voters rejecting it.

Also, the attorney general's office has shot down several citizen-led ballot proposals to legalize bingo and other gambling options.

This time, Bennett said, his group fought off several efforts by other groups to attach a gambling or lottery initiative to Borhauer's proposal.

"We wanted to keep charitable bingo as the only issue on the bill," Bennett said. "This will give many senior citizens an opportunity to participate in something that they really enjoy."

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[cyberpj]

1. And government - Powerball anyone? eom.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. To be fair, it's the Catholics who want to legalize bingo and

the fundies who want to ban the lottery.

Even here in Minnesota, where church-sponsored bingo is legal, the only church organizations that actually sponsor it are Catholic.