Why Do American Muslims oppose Gaming?
Compulsive gambling, otherwise known as pathological gambling disorder, is an uncontrollable urge to keep on betting even despite the enormous cost it exacts on your private life. Gambling just means you are willing to risk something that you value very much in the hopes of getting something else of much greater worth. However, the more you gamble, the more value you place on every 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 all over the ages.
To understand how to beat the odds at gambling, it is important to understand a bit about the way the game is designed. In a very simple game of roulette, in case you lay bets equal to the likelihood of the particular amount or"line" that is drawn, you win. If you make any other changes like folding or changing the line or number, the amount you can win will decrease. So how does this factor into gaming? It is important to remember that the odds are in favor of the home and that any attempt to alter the odds by means of such tactics as laying bets that are in opposition with the house's odds will raise the amount you stand to lose.
1 great example of how gambling can affect your bottom line is the event of prominent British writer, Jonathan Swift. Swift trivia will show that the very person who is 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 term referred to the situation wherein a traveler coming to another country could be persuaded, perhaps persuaded enough to go ahead and sign whatever contract was being negotiated. Among the terms that was commonly understood in the gambling world during this time period was"the cut". The cut was the casino's way of saying that they would take a reduction in exchange for a higher commission from the winner of the game.
In the event of the famous quote,"The odds are against the wager," the gaming establishment proved to be unyielding. Many players tried to deceive the wagers by placing larger bets when the odds were against them. Those players who couldn't discern the truth were frequently either forced out or put in prison. Although the issue of gaming laws and their application were debated by both sides of the debate 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 america, except in the few states that have legalized sports wagering and have generated state-funded gaming establishments.
Many Muslim gamblers in Las Vegas and other gambling cities around the world feel that America is despised by their fellow players that are Muslim. This is based on the fact that America supposedly stands for freedom and democracy, while their own gaming establishments present an obvious symbol of unearned wealth. Additionally, many Muslims fear that 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 gambling, the overwhelming majority would discount it out of hand. This is probably because gambling seems so banal. Few Americans believe it to be a issue, so the notion that gaming is a pathology worthy of a law or just a solution seems absurd. This attitude is understandable, but if you look deeper, you will see that the root of the problem really lies within America, instead of with the players.
The real problem with American society, and the real reason why so many Americans are against gambling, is based in the fact that the majority 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 need to either decide to gamble more to relieve feelings of anxiety or to withdraw from playing entirely. Gambling, which appears to be such an important part of daily life, is often removed from these types of 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 does not prohibit gaming, most Protestants see gambling as a source of riches for non-Muslims, especially in areas like Las Vegas. Thus, many Protestants feel that all gamblers, Muslim or not, are guilty of unearned wealth. It follows that all Muslims are poor and must therefore stop playing because they're thieves and profiteers. By this logic, all Muslims should immediately resign their posts at all government agencies and mosques and join the army of Islamic resistance against America and the Jews.