“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” – 1 Timothy 6:10
“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.” – Proverbs 13:11
“And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” – Luke 12:15
Among the many traps and lures that I’ve written about in this Addictions series thus far, those that draw you away from reality into fantasy, as well as those that tap and feed greed and covetousness must not be overlooked and neglected. Video gaming and gambling are two such industries that spend tons of money marketing to targeted audiences and make tons more money sucking the life out of those enslaved to the “high” obtained in great, smooth and competitive “game play”, the sharp animation, high quality graphics and cut scenes, in game rewards, the good story lines and backstories, etc. attract many to gaming. The “chance” for instant wealth and the hope that you have the skills to beat the algorithms draw many to gamble. Much like alcohol, drugs, and porn- both gaming and gambling have addictive hooks and cycles that pull your body and spirit to keep you coming back for more.
Now, I know I’m likely pushing some buttons here in writing about this. Some of you may be thinking, “Come on, Pastor. Now you’re just meddlin’.” Know that I’m Ok meddling in this way. If it helps deter you from the pit of sin and destruction, buckle up. I’m all in! 🙂
Gaming and Fantasy:
A good question to begin with is- “Are gaming and fantasy all bad?” I believe the answer is, No. It’s true that video gaming can be played in moderation, with self control, and not be a problem. The competition and goal achievement, among other things, can be enjoyable. With technological advances in recent years, the multiplayer developments in games, easy access to virtual servers, etc. has allowed friends to connect online and have fun together. It’s also true that all fantasy isn’t all bad either. Reading fiction series from Tolkien’s books or watching movies series like Star Wars are good examples. However, there are many dangers and risks that have to be wisely monitored and managed.
Your longing for entertainment can often grow legs and run amuck in your life, or in the lives of your children. Maybe you end up using smart phones, computers, tablets, and other devices as long-standing babysitters for your children. Maybe you or your children crave more and better games and the gaming industry is happy to step up and put bigger and better in front of your face, tempting you to grab your cash or card for better rewards, no ads, and a better game play experience. The dopamine spurts into yours or your children’s bodies and brains causing a rush that says get more and risk more. Sure, this can come from any kind of screen entertainment but is especially powerful in gaming with kids and adults.
Risks and Dangers:
Yet, beware that serious danger can easily lurk in games and players that you don’t know. Hackers often try to affect game play or create problems. Sexually deviant people, pedophiles have caused and seek to cause more damage by playing with false player profiles to woo the innocent into private chats and build relationships fueled by and primed for wickedness. Like David experienced in Psalm 41 with his enemies visiting him on his sickbed only to play the hypocrite, only to be crafty deceivers who acted like they cared, but truly sought to destroy him by spreading lies about him after they left, similar things can happen in gaming as wicked men and women pretend to be innocent and then siphon off the lambs, steal, and hurt those you love.
Know that one of the other draws and dangers that gaming provides is entrance into a virtual fantasy world. This virtual world is much different than the real world. It’s fun and engaging in different ways. It’s visually stimulating in environment, characters, players, sounds, music, etc. It’s a world that is structured, but also has a lot of user control. Therefore, gaming provides a fantasy experience where pain, discouragement, stress, anxiety, depression, anger, abuse, etc. can all be escaped for a time. Now, because this is true, some have argued that virtual gaming is therapeutic. Though that may be true in some very limited senses, it often the case that gaming, and addiction to gaming are engaged in more for escape from reality and pain in reality, while nothing is being done to treat, work through or reconcile the problems in reality. Therefore, players are more tempted to stay in the game, or online longer. Minutes lead to hours. New habits form. Tolerance begins to build. Disconnection and withdrawal from games and return to the real world becomes more and more challenging and difficult to do without frustration or anger. Have you heard responses like- “Ok. I’ll get off in a minute. I just need to finish this level.” or “I can’t stop now. Can I play longer?”
Consequences:
Common consequences of gaming addiction are spiritual, emotional, and physical.
- As gaming is made an idol in the heart, time and thoughts can become consumed more on games and gaming strategy than about filling your mind with Christ and being concerned about your relationship with Him. As much free time as possible is spent on gaming, rather than balancing time in acts of service, undistracted time with family, and time with brethren, decreased prayer and Bible reading are also all too common.
- The brain being overstimulated, especially with complex games, which can cause inattention and hyperactivity in children, as well as increased irritability and depression is very prevalent. If you think about it- some of the things they were trying to escape are those things that remain and may get worse, yet for different reasons.
Biblical and Practical Remedies:
- By God’s grace and work of the Spirit, the addicted to come to recognize and admit they’re addicted. They have trouble stopping on their own. They have difficulty engaging only in moderation. You can seek to help the addicted through ongoing prayer for and with them. Engage them in discussion and studying Scripture, especially passages that confront the sin of idolatry, those that speak to the need for wisdom and self control (Galatians 5:16-26), those that speak to issues they may be struggling with, along with those that speak to the voluntary bondage in the old man they are in (Colossians 3:1-11), the need to confess, repent, and put on the new man (Colossians 3:12-17) which has Christ, and things which are above in rightful focus in their heart, mind, and worship- these are also essential.
- Practically, healthy boundaries need to be put in place and be monitored. A gaming time schedule for each week is good to use. Parents need to supervise and approve games and guard against explicit or inappropriate content. Tough love is needed, especially when time is up and they need to get off the game. Praise for obedience and appropriate discipline for backtalking or other forms of disobedience are good and necessary. Reminders and encouragement for focused and engaged interaction with people in real world activities are helpful. A rule that all family members need to be off electronic devices by a certain time before bed can also help the brain calm down and prepare for sleep much better than putting phones down and trying to go right to sleep then.
These are a few things to start off with. Healing and redirected habit making takes time. Therefore, be both diligent and patient in evaluating progress.
Gambling:
In the addiction cycle, similar to what happens with video games, know that winning money through gambling can also trigger a dopamine rush in the brain that can be especially powerful when it enters the reward center of the brain. It’s that rush that fuels the gambling “fever”. It’s that rush, among other things, that reinforces the temptation to believe that you’re justified to “play the odds” or lean on your “talent” to find joy rather than prayerfully discern where godly wisdom lies in being a good steward of the financial resources God has given you.
The addicted may rationalize the thought that they can make quick money and that would help themselves or others. They may convince themselves that they need the money, or extra money for family. Maybe the drive is for stress relief. Yet, the Westminster Larger Catechism teaches that the Eighth Commandment forbids “wasteful gaming.” To get at the full range of issues raised by gambling we should consider the full scope of things forbidden by the Eighth Commandment, as set forth in Question 142 of the Westminster Larger Catechism: Q. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment? A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing land marks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depopulations; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God has given us.
Notice where the Divines put “wasteful gaming” or gambling in this list of sins. They list it with idleness, prodigality…”and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God has given us.” What does this mean? As Scripture teaches you that wealth is rightly gained through labor (Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:11) or by receiving a gift, laziness and prodigality, or acting like the prodigal son who demanded his inheritance from his father and then squandered that good gift he received needs to be dealt with. (Luke 15:11-32) Gambling is included in the list that defrauds you of what God has given you. In many ways it’s as wasteful as wasteful can be. Such gaming is wasteful because it’s unproductive.
Think about it this way- If a farmer plows, by contrast, his labor is productive. Gamblers, however, produce nothing. In fact, the winners win by taking from the losers. Therefore, it produces nothing and is wasteful gaming. Further, not only does it not produce, but it takes away. If Bob spends $70 of his income on groceries, he helps his family with nourishment. Yet, if Bob gambles away $70, his family loses that amount in groceries.
In his commentary on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Johannes Vos states that such gaming is wasteful as “it involves an attempt to gain wealth without rendering an equivalent value in return. If the gambler wins, he is a thief. If he loses, he is a waster of his Lord’s property.” (Vos, 385)
Southern Presbyterian theologian Robert Lewis Dabney doesn’t mince words about the matter: “To take your neighbor’s property in a game of chance is theft, for you give no quid pro quo. Does one say that the loser surrenders his property voluntarily? The answer is that his consent is one which he has no right to give, because it is prompted by an immoral motive, namely: the hope of plundering his rival.” (Dabney, 485)
Consequences:
- The consequences of gambling don’t start and stop in an addictive rut. No, gambling addiction often causes great harm to the financial stability and well-being of individuals and families. Those addicted can not only quickly empty bank accounts and max out credit cards, but they can also lose property, vehicles, etc. because they put it all on the line. Considering these kinds of tragic actions can happen “in the moment” and unbeknownst to spouses and family, great harm can also come to marriage and children.
- Those addicted can also have a lot of problems at work and church. Whether time away gets out of hand or attempts to use company money or diaconal funds to support their addiction ensues, the list of problems can get quite long there too.
- In addition, those addicted can easily fall into repeated depression and experience panic and high anxiety. They can fall into excessive drinking and/or drug use. They can wrestle with suicidal thoughts as well. Gambling is a beast that easily goes out of control and brings grave consequences!
Biblical and Practical Remedies:
- Again, recognition of the addiction is essential, coupled with a grace-fueled commitment to stop. Confession and repentance of sin of poor stewardship, theft, and idolatry are also essential. A true return to Christ is needed, coupled with stopping gambling “cold turkey”.
- Helping the addicted not only stop bad habits, but also fight temptations, take the God-given ways of escape, and replace bad habits in both thoughts and actions with good and godly habits is important. Stop making “pit stops” at casinos or local gas station stores for food and drinks where gambling is available. Guard against any attempts to shift to or continue online gambling. This will help work through withdrawal symptoms and temptations. Close monitoring of financial accounts is also good for accountability and well-being.
- In addition, seek help from your pastor and elders regarding any of this steps, especially the need to deal with and heal matters of the heart that fueled the addiction should also be pursued.
As I wrap up this series for now, I pray that this edition blesses you with both knowledge and tools to help and navigate through addictions.
Works Cited:
Johannes Vos, The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary (2002, P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey), 385.
Robert Lewis Dabney, The Practical Philosophy (1897; repr., Harrisonburg, VA: Sprinkle Publications, 1984), 485.