MIAMI (FBW)—If the Sunshine State had a mission statement it should be “Florida is a family-friendly, wholesome, prosperous place” and “gambling doesn’t have a part in that,” former Gov. Jeb Bush told Florida Baptist Witness in an exclusive interview.

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)—A gambling boom has come to the Sunshine State—starting in 2004 and escalating in the last year—with proponents promising economic development and new government revenues in a time of shrinking tax collections resulting from an uncertain economy.

WEST PALM BEACH (FBW)—Looking into her eight-year old daughter’s brown eyes, Elisa stumbled for the words to answer why her little girl’s daddy doesn’t live with them anymore.

The only direct reference to gambling activity in the Bible occurs in the Gospel accounts of the Roman soldiers casting lots for possession of the garments of Jesus (Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24). Although the Bible lacks a direct commandment against gambling, Scripture does express a negative view of activities associated with gambling. Moral and ethical principles derived from the biblical text reveal that gambling contradicts God’s standards.

La única referencia directa sobre el juego de azar que aparece en la Biblia se encuentra en el relato de los evangelios, cuando los soldados romanos echaron suertes para quedarse con las vestimentas de Jesús (Mateo 27:35; Marcos 15:24; Lucas 23:34; Juan 19:24). Aunque en la Biblia no aparece un mandamiento directo contra el juego, las Escrituras expresan un punto de vista negativo hacia las actividades asociadas con el mismo. Principios éticos y morales sacados del texto bíblico revelan que el juego contradice el designio de Dios.