Government Hypocrisy

[STING]

Further legal issues will be discussed this upcoming weekend on Bettorsworld Real Audio.

This week's STING'S BUZZ BIN focuses on how government promotes gambling while attempting to put honorable offshore sportsbooks out of business.

Even the Feds have admitted, there's very little they could do under these circumstances. Especially when you have a Senator Jon Kyl sponsoring a bill to outlaw online gambling when his state celebrates its own state lottery, not to mention DOG RACING. I guess he feels it's acceptable practice to bet on Snoopy in his state, but God forbid we bet on real sporting events in Antigua.

www.bettorsworld.com/stingcc/

[buckeye]

Sting, I couldn't agree more. Gambling is gambling, whether it is lottery, bingo, or offshore.

The only reasonable argument I ever heard was by a State Senator who is a friend of my dad's. He opposes all gambling because he says it saps the most money from those who can't afford it, the poor. The rest of society then has to bail them out when they need assistance with food stamps, welfare, medical etc. He cites studies and stats to back his arguments. He is also consistent in that he opposes the lotteries that most states have, including his, as these may be the worst offenders to being mostly "poor" money.

While I only gamble with "fun money" or disposable income, I can see his argument some. I just don't like the government protecting people from themselves, but if the taxpayer is "unknowingly" making up for people's gambling habits, then this does kind of suck. I don't know how much validity there is to the long term effects of "poor" gambling, but it is an interesting question.

[STING]

Buckeye, it's amazing how the public is getting duped by these government officials. Kyl of course is the biggest hypocrite of them all.

[reno]

Chingastuputa, I love it. According to your B.S. liberal philosophy, the sportsbooks are preying upon and exploiting weak, defenseless bettors. What's your program to rescue us? I feel totally weak and helpless. Maybe we need to raise taxes and create a government agency to protect us from the clutches of the evil sportsbooks. Here's a suggestion: After you save the poor souls exploited by offshore sportsbooks, devote yourself to ending prostitution, alcohol, tobacco, and drug peddling. Then, take on organized religion, which really exploits poor people. Ever seen all the impoverished people filing into million-dollar cathedrals?
Karl Marx was right when he said, "Religion is the opiate of the masses." After you clean up religion by at least making churches pay taxes like every other business, take on the biggest exploiter of all: Government.

Get serious. Your belief that people like Jay Cohen are preying upon the weak is so laughable that the only thing more laughable is that someone like you would be idiotic enough to even post it in Bettorsworld. As Eldridge Cleaver once said, "You're either part of the solution, or you're part of the problem." Right now, you're part of the problem. My suggestion is that you begin the Bettorsworld 10-step recovery program. Step 1 will to purchase a Bettorsworld t-shirt and cap and proudly wear them every day. After you comply with Step 1, we will instruct you as to Step 2.

[AussieVamp2]

well said Reno

you could also add in the automobile industry - look at how many people they kill, unbelievable, and all the health ruining they do by pollution, then there is nuclear power, mcdonald's and the psychic friends type hotlines not to mention televangelists - stupaputza going to be busy, eh?

[STING]

for eveyone's info....ching is Nunzio.

[reno]

AussieVamp2, I don't agree with you about the Psychic Friend's Hotline. I recently called them and they said that a complete idiot would be coming into my life. They must be legit to have known about Chingastuputa.

Also, I love TV Evangelists. Very entertaining and they really help people. A couple that I know went to one of these guys. The wife told the Evangelist about her skin problem, He touched her and it instantly cleared up. The husband was very excited. He told the Evangelist that he had suffered from impotence for years, and that even Viagra didn't work. The Evangelist looked at him very sternly and said "Mister, I can heal the sick, but I can't raise the dead."

Also, did you hear about the meeting between Jim Baker and Jimmy Swagger when those guys were in their heyday? The conversation was as follows:

Jim Baker: Jimmy, when the donations come in every day, the money is brought to me in $100 bills in a big box. I draw a line on the floor. I then throw all the money in the air, and whatever lands on one side is God's and whatever lands on the other side is mine.

Jimmy Swaggert: You know, Jim, I almost do the same thing. Every day the money comes in in $100 bills in big boxes. I take the money out and throw it in the air and shout, "God, whatever stays in the air is yours; whatever
lands on the ground is mine.

[MAXIMUM VALUE]

Reno

I always find your posts very informative but I have to dissagree with your anti- orginized religion statement.

If you are refering to cathedrals then you are probably referring to catholics.

Unlike some churhes we dont make or require anyone into giving a penny, you give what you can, rich or poor.

Sure, there is alot of money in religion and sure there are very expensive cathedrals but to compare it to prostitution, tobacco,acohol and drug peddling is downright false.

[Hartley]

Reno, I think most organized religions would consider the televangelists to be frauds also. I'm personally not religious but I don't begrudge those who are.

Having said that, I pray an awful lot on Sunday.
"Dear God please don't let him run out of the endzone for an intentional safety!!"

[reno]

The Catholic Church is renowned for pressuring people at their deathbed to leave their money to the Church and thus ensure their ascent to Heaven.

Throughout the 3rd world you'll find giant multi-million dollar Catholic churches filled with impoverished people who give most of what they have to this Institution because the Church brainwashes them to believe that if they don't give, their afterlife destiny could be imperiled.

I also believe the Catholic Church has the Guiness World Book of Records for Priests sodomizing young boys.

However, I really couldn't care less if people want to believe the parochial and archaic doctrines of Catholicism. My beef is that institutionalized religion is a business, a racket if you will, and should be taxed like any other business.

From my perspective, the "dens of inequity" that I frequent are just as holy as any Church. At these shrines, men such as myself worship the living female Goddesses who inhabit them. We even generously donate money to the dancing performers who entertain us and lift our spirits, as well as our organ.

In fact, as a devoted practitioner of Kundalini Yoga, I experience the Power and Presence of the Living Spirit more forcefully and fully in brothels than I do any so-called holy site such as a Church. Kundalini is another word for what Christians call the "Baptist Fire" and is simply the awakened tangible Force and Flow of Spirit, or Universal Divine Energy.

[intheknow]

Lordy, Lordy, good golly miss molly, It's good to have you back Reno. This ching or whatever he's called was looking for a reaction. However in order to be taken serious in this forum, I would suggest he ask for a refund from the Jethro Bodine school of grammar. No matter what the bait used, the result of Reno's thoughts on religion were worth it.

[Cons]

Reno, Reno, come'on, let's lay off bashing religion and concentrate on what we're all here for.

Back in the day I used to make fun of all religions out there, but today you won't find me bashing any of the world's main religions. The Catholic Church is a holy institution and doesn't warrant an attack from anyone. In the 3rd world it is actually Catholic institutions that help out the poor, feed them, give them a place to sleep, provide them with medication and vaccinations. It is something the world's governments or even the UN can't do as well. The Catholic Church does not take from the poor, it in fact gives more to them. As for Cathedrals, they are in fact great structures but you must remember they were built at a different time and age. Those were different economics then. It's why today we no longer build such intricate structures which pay so much attention to detail.

The only "religions" I occasionally hit out against are cults. My parents know people whose daughter was convinced (maybe brainwashed seems more accurate here) into joining them and leaving home. She is supposed to sever all ties with anyone she knows (probably so she can't be convinced to return home), and she's not allowed to even get in touch with her family. They have basically lost their child. If I was in their shoes I would hunt down the bastards and put an end to their joint.

As far as religion being taxed, I have mixed feeling. Some say it should be taxed, some say it should be funded by the state. I remain in the middle, believing that they should mainly live off what people donate. I don't suppose that should be taxed though. The government taxes enough as it is. Plus these are voluntary donations, and if the government tries to get their hands on that then they'll go for everything.

In countries like Germany, you have to declare your religion and you automatically have funds taken from your wages and given to your religion's HQ. Now that's pushing thing's a little too far!

Reno, you are an asset to this forum and I'm one of many who respect you all the way. But let's lay off religion and there are both sides to the story, whichever religion it is. Right now I'm more interested in the odds for the coming weekend, and hopefully so are you! Hope you have a succesful week...

Take care,

Cons

[Hartley]

Watch it Reno. Considering half of North American's are Catholic, I'm tempted to guess that you've insulted a hell of a lot of posters here.

FWIW, if your blast was against a race rather than a religion you probably would have been attacked like crazy by now.

IMO, you can feel whatever way you like (it's a free country) but I really don't think the oddswiz posting forum is a place to discuss this.

[Phil]

I'm with intheknow. Reno your reply was priceless. Not many people could work references to the Catholic Church, brothels, and Kundalini Yoga into one thread.
NICE!

[buckeye]

I'm with reno here. It's not any particular religion or spirituality, its the fact that they are a money making entity and yet they are exempt from the rules of other money making entities. A friend of mine is "required" to donate $120 to the collection plate each week, in special envelopes that are audited, in lieu of tuition for his 3 kids. What kind of example does this set - when a church requires sleazy tactics to "cheat the system"? One church tried to cheat my mom out of her last month's teaching salary when she was honest with them and told them it was her last year there. Another kicked my friend's grandmother out because she was going mildly senile and would occasionally stand when she should sit, and vice-versa at weekday morning services. How compassionate, instead of offering help and support ( like assigning someone to help her ), they not so gently tell her children to keep her from coming to services, even with an escort!

I was thinking of starting the church of gambling, no vig of course, but now I may want to give this Cunnilingi Yoga a try. Who is the spiritual leader - Phil Latio?