Lottery tickets/raffles/draws


Sunday21
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Cause someone's gotta win  ;)

 

I had a coworker once say.  Buy one ticket because it dramatically increases your odds of winning.. but don't buy two.  The math seems sound with that statement... but I still don't

Edited by estradling75
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For us and having 4 kids in school we got to a point with all the fundraisers going on .....we asked if we could just donate a sum of money.

When you have kids in Marching band sometimes the fundraisers are endless.

 

I finally called the school and told them that if they really need the money to raise my taxes. The fundraisers were all overpriced junk that could be purchased elsewhere for less. KIds don't need to be taught to be hucksters at age 7.

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I finally called the school and told them that if they really need the money to raise my taxes.

"This is The Big One, Elizabeth!"

Never suggest to a politician that he should raise your taxes!!!! He'll do it.

They don't need the money. That's just a ruse.

GRTF-Welfare schools already have too much money.

Lehi

Edited by LeSellers
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With the last mega millions $1,600,000,000 jackpot I did not buy a ticket. Why bother if you have a 1 in 290,000,000 chance of winning? Most lotteries are a voluntary tax for people who do not understand odds and numbers.

You should have made the bet, as there was a positive outcome projected. In fact the odds dictate buying 5 chances. This is offset by the chance of sharing the prize with others, however. In the event, the prize was split three ways, so one ticket would have been optimal.

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I just won $2.30 on mah-jong against my mother and brother last night.  Boooyah!  We've been playing since we were children.  One time, my dad cut off the electricity to our house so we will all stop playing when my mom and 3 of her kids were still at it at 2am.

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Guest MormonGator

Raffles teach you to be charitable for selfish reasons, hoping to get something in return.  It is not true charity.

 Your motives don't matter, your actions do. It would be nice if you acted strictly out of compassion but life doesn't work that way. 

I know I've said it before-I volunteer at charities and donate money because it makes me feel better about myself. Should I stop and sit at home instead?  

Edited by MormonGator
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A friend told me about what he liked to do in Vegas.  It was some sort of mechanical horse race thing.  For an entire evening of entertainment, he would usually lose about $30 to $50.  He reasoned that this was about what he'd spend on a concert ticket for entertainment.

 

I think that it is more about the addiction than anything else.  Yes, I hear the arguments about getting something for nothing.  But there are rebuttals to that too.  If I wanted to I would.  But I don't, so I don't.  It's that simple.  I don't see why it has to be a moral question.  Maybe I'm just ignorant about it.

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A friend told me about what he liked to do in Vegas.  It was some sort of mechanical horse race thing.  For an entire evening of entertainment, he would usually lose about $30 to $50.  He reasoned that this was about what he'd spend on a concert ticket for entertainment.

 

To this extent, the point is not about the amount of money lost. The point is that he is entertaining himself by stimulating a desire that should not be stimulated. In this sense, it is not dissimilar from watching a dirty movie or looking at a porn magazine and then saying that, hey, it only cost five bucks.

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What exactly was he stimulating?  He didn't really describe the details (we didn't discuss it for that long).  But his vague description was similar to watching a sporting event. Should we "not stimulate" our desire to watch a sporting event?

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Example of how easy it is to twist honest statements and scripture. The principle, sow and then reap (modern translation, you don't receive something for doing nothing).  The Scripture, "by the sweat of your brow."  I need to tell my wifey that our baby needs to sweat before she nurses him.  He no longer will receive something for nothing -- especially simply crying. ;)

 

I admit, I am very very tempted to purchase one ticket for a chance to win over 1B; heck, I was tempted when it was 600M. I would be able to do so much good with the money (Oh, and then the nay sayers say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions Anddenex.").  Meh.

 

A friend in my ward, his best friend growing up, lost his job (California).  That night his wife and him decided to go on a date, not much money something simple to cope with loss.  The place they decided to go required a fee for parking if they parked in the vicinity.  They decided to park a mile a way and just walk.  On a whim, they both said, hey the lottery is at 252 M let's purchase one ticket with the money we saved in parking (if I am remembering correctly, first ticket they ever bought).  They won. I have to admit, I wouldn't complain much if I were that couple.

 

The chances are I will probably never buy one, but I can't say I have never wanted to have that much money.  I could help my parents, my in-laws, my siblings, my cousins, and some close friends who are in financial distress (pay off student loans for them), donate to the water supply in Africa, donate to the Church Educational fund.  Oh, and the nay sayers will say, "But you can do that now." I will respond with some of those I do, but I don't have a lot of money to go around, and I pay where I can.

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I unashamedly bought a ticket when it crossed the 1 billion mark. God will judge me I am sure.

 

I'll find some way to live with myself......

 

The upside if you win you save 10% right away (the church won't accept tithes form lottery winnings)

 

Husband and I were reading about one of the couples who won a share. They seemed like very nice, down-to-earth people who said they'd be paying their tithing (to a different church.) My thought was "lucky church." I understand perfectly well our church policy, but a nice little solitary church somewhere probably would appreciate that kind of tithe.

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Guest MormonGator

This is not in line with what the scriptures teach us:

 Maybe not.  But the homeless man at the soup kitchen I volunteer at doesn't care about that. He also doesn't care about my motives either. He just wants a warm meal. 

Edited by MormonGator
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