Why Do American Muslims oppose Gaming?
Compulsive gambling, otherwise known as pathological gambling disorder, is an uncontrollable desire to continue gambling even despite the enormous cost it exacts on your private life. Gambling just means you're willing to risk something which 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 objective of any gambler would be to have the casino cover 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 was created. In a very simple game of roulette, in case you lay bets equal to the likelihood of the specific amount or"line" that is drawn, you win. Should you make any other changes such as folding or changing the number or line, the amount you can win will decrease. So how does this factor into gambling? It is important to remember that the odds are in favor of the house and that any attempt to change the odds by way of such approaches as laying bets that are in opposition with the house's odds is going to raise the amount you stand to lose.
One great example of how gambling can affect your bottom line is the case of prominent British author, Jonathan Swift. Swift trivia will reveal that the very person who's credited with the quote that is known as the American Thomas Cromwell was in actuality, a gambler. On one of his many visits to the notorious gaming enclave of London, Cromwell experienced what many of us call the"caveat emptor." This term 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 gambling world in that time period was"the cut". The cut was that the casino's way of stating 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 bet," the gaming establishment was shown 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. Even though 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 issue once and for all. Today gambling is strictly prohibited in the United States, except in the few states that have legalized sports wagering and have generated state-funded gaming institutions.
Many Muslim gamblers in Las Vegas and other gambling cities around the globe 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. In addition, many Muslims fear that gambling, even in a country such as the United States, is a symbol of Western decadence and depravation. All in all, the mindset of the American majority towards gaming seems to boil down to one question: Is America prepared 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 most likely because gambling seems so banal. Few Americans believe it to be a issue, so the idea that gambling is a pathology worthy of a law or just a solution appears absurd. This attitude is understandable, but if you look deeper, you will see that the origin of the problem actually lies inside America, instead of with the players.
The real problem with American culture, and the true reason why so many Americans are against gambling, lies in the fact that most of them are unwilling to admit that gambling is an issue. The refusal to accept that gambling is a problem forces gamblers to be in an unnatural position, where they must either decide to gamble more to alleviate feelings of anxiety or to withdraw from playing entirely. Gambling, which seems to be such an important part of daily life, can be removed from these situations. Gamblers are consequently forced to find other ways to"relieve feelings of anxiety".
For Muslim Americans, this scenario is even more debatable. Although Islam does not prohibit gaming, most Protestants see gambling as a source of wealth 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 are 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.