Miami Baptists announce opposition to slots referendum

MIAMI (FBW)—The Miami Baptist Association's Administrative Committee voted unanimously Jan. 15 to urge Southern Baptists to vote against the expansion of gambling in Miami-Dade County Jan. 29 when a referendum will be on the ballot to permit slot machines at the county's pari-mutuel facilities.

The opposition to gambling expansion came in the form of a resolution, drafted by Gary Johnson, the association's director of missions. The resolution has been mailed to all the association's more than 300 churches with a total membership of more than 50,000. Miami Baptists are the largest evangelical group in the county.

"Our pastors and churches are Bible-believing and feel [slot machines are] not appropriate for our communities," Johnson told Florida Baptist Witness. "We are trying to get people to think and to vote a biblical conscience" when considering the slots referendum, Johnson added.

The referendum, ballot issue No. 47, seeks the addition of Las Vegas-style slot machines at three pari-mutuel facilities in the county, following suit of Broward County which approved a similar measure in March 2005. Miami-Dade voters narrowly rejected slots at that time.

The resolution entitled, "Vote NO to the expansion of Gambling in Miami-Dade County," asserts that gambling is not good for the community, creates harmful addictions, harms families and businesses and argues that increased gambling brings other morally harmful activities.

The resolution notes that although a few people "strike it rich," "there are many people who spend their entire paychecks, grocery money, rent money, and they lose their ability to function in our society."

Gambling is contrary to a "biblical lifestyle," the resolution contends, because it encourages people to not work, be lazy and "side-step God's will for their life."

The addictive nature of gambling harms families and "does not promote righteousness or right living. It is not good as a role model to our children," according to the statement.

"Historically, where gambling is promoted, there are other degrading and immoral lifestyles that also follow," the resolution asserts, citing prostitution, drugs and other criminal activities.

Anti-slots forces were buoyed recently with letters from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, and former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, a Democrat, announcing their opposition to the slots referendum.

"Expanded gambling will only serve to erode our traditional industries, the industries we aspire to have and our very social fabric," wrote Bush, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Graham said in his letter he was "saddened at the continued attempts to define our beautiful community's future as tied to a slot machine," the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Pro-slots forces have reported raised $5.2 to promote the referendum and are expected to spend $2 million in the final weeks before the Jan. 29 vote.