Why Do American Muslims oppose Gaming?
Compulsive gambling, otherwise called pathological gambling disorder, is an uncontrollable urge to keep on betting even despite the enormous cost it exacts in your private life. Gambling just means you're willing to risk something that you value very much in the hopes of getting something else of even greater worth. However, the more you gamble, the more value you place on each win and loss. The ultimate goal of any gambler is to get the casino pay out more than they took. It is a vicious cycle that has plagued countless gamblers throughout the ages.
To know how to beat the odds at gambling, it's important to understand a bit about the way the game was created. In a very simple game of roulette, if you lay bets equal to the odds of the particular number or"line" which is drawn, you win. Should you make any other changes such as folding or altering the line or number, the amount you can win will decrease. So how does this factor into gambling? It's important to keep in mind that the chances are in favor of the home and that any attempt to change the odds by way of such tactics as placing bets that are in opposition with the house's odds will raise the amount you stand to lose.
One great example of how gambling can affect your bottom line is the event of prominent British writer, Jonathan Swift. Swift trivia will reveal that the very person who's credited with the quote that has become known as the American Thomas Cromwell was in fact, a gambler. On one of his many visits to the notorious gambling enclave of London, Cromwell experienced what many of us call the"caveat emptor." This phrase referred to the situation wherein a traveler coming to a new country could be persuaded, perhaps persuaded enough to go ahead and sign whatever contract was being negotiated. One of the terms that was commonly understood in the gaming world during this time period was"the cut". The cut was the casino's way of stating that they would accept a loss in exchange for a higher commission from the winner of this game.
In the event of the famous quote,"The odds are against the bet," the gaming establishment proved to be unyielding. Many players attempted to deceive the wagers by placing larger bets when the odds were against them. Those players who could not discern the facts were often either forced out or put in prison. Although the dilemma of gaming laws and their application were debated by both sides of the argument throughout the years, the American Revolution and the creation of the US Constitution solved the problem once and for all. Today gambling is strictly illegal in the United States, except in the few states that have legalized sports wagering and have generated state-funded gambling establishments.
Many Muslim gamblers in Las Vegas and other gambling cities around the globe feel that America is despised by their fellow Muslim gamblers. This is based on the fact that America supposedly stands for freedom and democracy, while their own gaming establishments present a clear symbol of unearned riches. In addition, many Muslims fear that all gambling, even in a country like the United States, is a symbol of Western decadence and depravation. Overall, the attitude of the American majority towards gaming appears to boil down to one question: Is America ready for shariah?
For many non-gamers, the answer would be no. While some non-gamers would express concern over gaming, the overwhelming majority would discount it out of hand. This is probably because gambling seems so banal. Few Americans believe it to be a problem, so the notion that gambling is a pathology worthy of a law or even a solution seems absurd. This attitude is understandable, but if you look deeper, you will see that the root of the problem actually lies within America, instead of with the players.
The actual problem with American society, and the real reason why so many Americans are against gambling, lies in the fact that most of them are reluctant to acknowledge that gambling is a problem. The refusal to accept that gambling is a problem forces gamblers to be in an unnatural position, where they must either choose to gamble more to relieve feelings of anxiety or to withdraw from playing entirely. Gambling, which appears to be such an important part of everyday life, is often removed from these situations. Gamblers are consequently forced to find other ways to"alleviate feelings of anxiety".
For Muslim Americans, this scenario is even more problematic. Although Islam doesn't prohibit gaming, most Protestants see gambling as a source of riches for non-Muslims, particularly in areas such as Las Vegas. Thus, many Protestants feel that all gamblers, Muslim or not, are guilty of unearned riches. This means that all Muslims are poor and must therefore stop playing because they're thieves and profiteers. By this logic, all Muslims must immediately resign their posts at all government agencies and mosques and join the army of Islamic resistance against America and the Jews.