Gambling Opposed By Churches Of Christ

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30591, 6 November 1964, Page 1

Gambling Opposed By Churches Of Christ

The Associated Churches of Christ of New Zealand, meeting in annual Dominion conference in Christchurch, formally reaffirmed their stand against gambling. The conference debated and adopted a deliverance of the public questions committee, which singled out for attack the Mammoth Golden Kiwi lottery. “We view with alarm and strongly condemn,” the deliverance said, “the recent introduction of a large Statesponsored lottery.” “The conference, urging Church of Christ members to refrain from all forms of gambling, expressed the view that “gambling is not in the best interests of the individual or the community.” A section of the committee’s deliverance which would have condemned use of Golden Kiwi profits for “community luxuries” was defeated. The section also would have suggested that Golden Kiwi profits be given to “truly worthy causes,” such as the widespread distress overseas among refugees, dispossessed, underprivileged and others for whom urgent appeals are frequently made by the United

Nations, Save the Children Fund, C.0.R.5.0. and similar organisations.” Many conference members opposed the section on the grounds that it seemed, paradoxically when viewed in the perspective of the whole deliverance, to condone lotteries.