2009 West Ohio Annual Conference (June 7-11) - Recommendation #2

Our West Ohio Annual Conference consisting of lay and clergy representing 1,150 United Methodist churches meets June 7 to 11 at the historic and scenic Lakeside grounds, in Lakeside, Ohio, along Lake Erie.

In addition to inspiring worship services, the ordination of Deacons and Elders, the approval of the conference budget, and times for learning and growth, Bishop Bruce Ough will preside over our legislative meetings. This year, we have nine recommendations to consider as an Annual Conference.

Please keep Faith Community's representatives, Joyce Smith, Mary Carol Short, John Sherer, and me in your prayers as we prepare to participate in this year's Annual Conference.

Each day leading up to the beginning of Annual Conference, I am providing a recommendation so we can all begin praying and think about these issues that are before us. You are welcome to make comments on this blog regarding these issues.

RECOMMENDATION #2
2 No Casinos In Ohio!
3
4 Those who exploit the poor blaspheme their Maker,
5 but those who are kind to the needy honor Him.
6 Proverbs 14:31
7
8 WHEREAS Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as God has loved us; and,
9
10 WHEREAS the Bible further compels us not to put stumbling blocks before others; and,
11
12 WHEREAS Paul reminds us that “if one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of
13 our body is honored, the whole body will be happy. Together you are the body of Christ. Each
14 one of you is part of his body”1; and,
15
16 WHEREAS the Evangelical Ethic compels us to become activists for God because we are called
17 to treat others like people whom Christ gave his life for on the cross2; and,
18
19 WHEREAS our United Methodist Social Principles state, “Gambling is a menace to society,
20 deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic and spiritual life, destructive of good
21 government and good stewardship3; and,
22
23 WHEREAS the field research indicates that nationwide you stand to lose 1.5 jobs for every job
24 the casino creates…for every dollar that legalized gaming interests claim is contributed in taxes,
25 it really costs the taxpayer $3 to address the increased socio-economic costs to society4; and,
26
27 WHEREAS about 60% of the 4.2 million Americans addicted to gambling have annual incomes
28 below $25,000”5; and,
29
30 WHEREAS a Mississippi State University study found that in counties with casinos, those
31 earning less than $10,000 per year lost 10% of the family income to casinos; and,
32
33 WHEREAS Penn National and the Ohio Race Tracks have presented two different proposals to
34 bring casinos and slot machines to Ohio within close proximity to communities living in poverty;
35
36 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That congregations and members of the West Ohio
37 Conference stand firm in their opposition to gambling through education and public witness; and,
38
39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively engage
40 friends, colleagues and family members around the negative impacts of gambling; and,
41
42 BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively communicate
43 with their Ohio legislators to defeat the Ohio Race Track proposal which would place slot
44 machines at the 7 race tracks without a vote of the people; and,
45
1 BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively write letters to
2 their newspapers opposing Penn National’s proposed constitutional amendment and the Ohio
3 Race Track owners’ proposal; and,
4
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations actively and
6 consistently pray that gambling interests will not be successful in their efforts to bring casinos
7 and slots to Ohio; and,
8
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of West Ohio congregations remember our
10 neighbors living in poverty who would be harmed by casinos and slot machines.
11
12 Submitted by: Anti-Gambling Taskforce and Let Justice Roll Lead Team
13
14
15 1I Corinthians 12:26-27 CEV 2Jackson Day, GBCS Consultant
16 3United Methodist Social Principles 163G, 2008 4Professor John Kindt, University of Chicago
17 5National Institute on Mental Health