Can winning nearly a million dollars in the lottery be a bad thing? Strangely, for Donald and Danette Sigmon the answer is apparently, "yes."
On July 26, Donald won $800,000 in the Powerball Lottery after accurately choosing five winning numbers. The Sigmons went to Raleigh to claim their prize. Ever since, they have worried over the fact that playing the lottery might have shamed them.
They say they have been shunned and ridiculed — and aren't entirely proud of having played. They're so uncomfortable that Donald has written an open letter to the community about the morality of winning the North Carolina Educational Lottery.
The Sigmons, members of a local Baptist church, were apprehensive at first. She's the child of a Baptist minister, and he is a Baptist after a childhood as a Catholic.
Donald says he had bought the Powerball ticket on a whim. He'd been dealing with the death of his mother earlier this year and said he had some numbers in mind, numbers he chose for personal reasons. He bought the PowerPlay option, which would multiply his winnings by four.
Then he and Danette went to the Outer Banks for a vacation. Only after they returned did they discover that Donald held a ticket worth $200,000. With the multiplier, he had $800,000.
"I didn't think he'd won because he didn't match the last number" or the Powerball number, Danette said.
Although he hadn't hit the jackpot, he had won.
And in the ensuing five weeks, they say, they've been strained by the way some people treat them differently.
"I have learned many things about the beliefs people have towards playing and winning the lottery," Donald wrote. "Is it right or wrong to play the lottery if you are a Christian or attend church? If you feel in your heart that the right thing to do, when winning the lottery, is to tithe the 10 percent of the winnings to a charity or church ... will the church accept it?" he asks.
They gave money to charity and to their church, but the church returned it.
"We understand why the money was returned; we just do not understand the criticism and shunning of our fellow Christian brothers and sisters," Donald wrote.
I "did not intend to win," he said. "But I did. Since that time, my family and I have been congratulated and ridiculed at the same time. The people in our community who know (us) were happy for us because they know how much it will help us financially, now and in the future. On the other hand, the people who should know my family best have ridiculed and shunned us due to this."
Danette, a part-time school bus driver, said the ride to Raleigh to claim their winnings "was the longest ride I've ever taken." After they made it through the maze of paperwork, they were given a check and looked for the first branch they could find of their bank.
That branch was too busy, they were told, as they wanted to deal directly with a banker. So they asked directions to the next branch. There, they were ushered in but greeted with wariness.
"She said they get lots of fake lottery checks," Danette said. "She said she'd never had a winning check come in."
After collecting, they came home and avoided publicity. But still, the state had announced their winnings, so it was in the paper.
Danette says she was unsettled from the get-go.
"I worried, 'What will my preacher think?' she recalls. "Will I be shunned?"
She said she's never played the lottery herself, and she has words of advice for those who do. When buying a ticket, think hard about it: "You don't think, 'What if I win?'" she said.
Donald, who works for Gilbert Engineering installing utilities, said "some people were for us; some were against us," when word got out about the money.
And what did they do with the winnings? They say they paid the taxes, which were substantial; paid off the mortgage on their West Iredell home; shared some with family; invested some for the children's college; and gave some away.
"We've done good things with this money," Danette said, but winning has been "good and bad."
"It changes your life," she said. "I'm so glad he didn't win the big one" worth tens of millions of dollars, she added.
Because they'd been on the financial brink, they appreciate having money in the bank. But still, they feel they are subject to stares in places they should be treated as friends.
Much of the reaction "has broken my heart," Danette said. "But what are we going to do, sit on this pile of money" and do nothing?
They both intend to continue working, because the amount they won isn't enough to get silly about.
So are they happy?
"I could be," Danette said with a laugh. But she would appreciate being able to let the worry go so she could sleep.
What? A lottery winner losing sleep worrying?
"This has not made us happy," they both said, because winning means "you're struggling with right and wrong."
"I'm happy we are able to pay things off, help our family and help charity," she said.
"But we want it to end," he interjected.
But will their acquaintances forgive them for gambling? Danette thinks many will but said: "I'm not going to beg them."
"You would have to be a strong person to not want that money," she said, sitting at her kitchen table with Donald, but "I don't know if it's a curse or a blessing."
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sigmon,
You have nothing to be ashamed of.
Tell those people that "shun" you to kiss your __.
It is a combination of ignorance and jealousy that makes the idiots treat you the way that they do. Go on with your lives and fuggetabout it.
Sincerely,
DD
It's too bad they worry so much about what other people think about them. I believe in Lord Jesus Christ and his word also and I don't find one iota in the bible where it says that putting money on games is evil. The lottery is a tax game; it has always been used as a tax. Of course you will always have people that want to make you feel very very guilty. I think many of them are simply jealous. And the stares he gets? I'm sure if he gave those folks a big chunk of his money they wouldn't be staring at him so. Just my two cents.
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s . . . " Romans 13
and
"The lot is cast into the lap" Proverb 16:23
But its OK to go to a church sponsored picnic that has bingo? Same thing, you pick a board with numbers on and wait for them to be drawn and when you have all the numbers on your board then BINGO and you WIN MONEY! How many people do you know that will sit and play bingo for hours for the heck of it? None, they are all there to win money prizes! Christians are not supposed to be drunkards either but how many church picnics do you see selling beer at beer booths for profits? Many of them do!!!!!!! But I guess that is OK?
The people that are shunning you are called Hypocrites! And that is exactly what they are so next time you see them at a church picnic playing bingo and drinking beer shun them sinners too!!!!! LOL! You can’t get a speck out of your brothers eye when you have one in your own!
Enjoy your blessing because that is what it was!
People who don't want to win some money don't buy a PowerBall lottery ticket and those who buy a ticket that don't expect to win anyting don't pay extra for the PowerPlay. People who do things that they are ashamed of avoid talking about them in public.
I think it says alot about North Carolina, and why it took so long to establish a lottery in that state. It's hard to control the sheep in a flock if they start doing things that are going to make them pull the wool out of their eyes. I think the congregation is doing just that for these lucky people.
Sometime i think the wrong people hit the powerball games. Because, if it was me who hit that powerball game, i wouldn't give a *@!&^# what they say.
I wonder if they went through this when they bought Insurance? Did the "Flock" have problems with them gambling with that? Or what kind of Insurance they bought? I wonder if the "Flock" has problems with them having a 401k that is growing from the Stock Market. I wonder if the "Flock" has 401k's growing in the Stock Market. OMG! Could the "Flock" be "Gambling"? SOMEBODY TELL GOD!!!!!! The World is going to HELL! Oh wait a minute, it's already there.
That does show how narrow minded North Carolinans are. This always has eerked me. You can definetly tell that NC is a red state. Glad I don't live there.
Brad
I obviously completely disagree with the anti-gambling croud, but I would not be so judgmental to deem all North Carolinians as "close-minded," as you do.
I think a large segment of the population in N.C. despises gambling, which is their right. I don't think some of the comments about BINGO mentioned above apply to such people, because I don't think BINGO is used as a fundraiser in Born Again ministries. Someone can certainly correct me on this if I'm wrong.
I guess it's not in my personality to give a hoot about what someone else thinks, so it's hard to sympathize with the "shameful winners" described in the story. I do feel bad for them, in that they do not have the ability to enjoy their new-found wealth, and are dragged down by feelings of guilt.
By the way, regarding the "red state" comment mentioned by Brad, I would rather live in a red state any day of the week. And this comes from someone living in a blue state (me). If I'm lucky, someday I'll move to a red state, and it may even be one of the eight without a lottery.
Yes, this is the Bible Belt and many people have been brow beaten with religion....all in the presence of bigotry. But that doesn't make all of us stupid. Intelligence is an individual thing.
I'm glad you don't live here either, Bradley_60. God know we don't need another stupid person. Oh, did I say God.
Everyone who lives is Michigan are super intelligent and great people, except Bradly_60. He is stupid. You can paint him "red."
There are too many wonderful Michigan people on LP for me to be ignorant enough to insult the entire state.
A very valid point about gambling and BINGO. I think the reason many churches here were opposed to a lottery was for that very reason, it was competition against BINGO. My parents used to help out with BINGO for the Catholic school my brother attended and they raked in alot of money from it. Since lottery, video poker, and casinos came to Louisiana, BINGO revenues have been in decline and that will probably start happening in NC. The church doesn't like the competition.
I remember a story from several years ago about a Louisiana priest who actually refused to have BINGO for his church becuase he saw alot of people cashing Social Security and even Public Assistance(aka Welfare) checks to play BINGO. He caught alot of flack from the upper ranks of the area Catholic Church for it. The Catholic church wanted gambling but didn't want anyone else to have it since it cut in on their revenue.
I also agree with the shunning, those people are hypocrites pure and simple. For all anyone knows, some of them are probably closet lottery players themselves and may have even gone to Vegas or some other place with casinos and gambled. I tend to think people who engage in this sort of shunning or persecution of "sinners" probably have or are doing all the things they are telling the rest of us not to do and a few other things we haven't heard of or knew were physically possible<grin>.
My message to these people is enjoy your winnings and live a good life.
Sorry about my post earlier I guess I did come across as blunt. But it does seem like everyone is on the same page as to how we feel about this subject.
Brad
D.D. is absolutely correct. Your community's mindset is obviously located in the lowest part of the intestine. Take an enema and get out of there...fast. The brain is about 3 feet due north and your neighbors don't have a compass. Sad thing is, they'll have a GPS honed onto your wallet when it suits them.
Shame on them. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods". Must be a verse missing from their bible.
Get on with your life and leave the toilet paper in the toilet.
Congrats on your win!
And yet you don't seem to have a problem with being judgemental towards democrats and liberals do you Todd? I am really surprised at seeing such hypocrisy from a conservative.
Do all those do goodies harrass the lottery players in the stores when they are buying tickets?
How did they get lottery sales in that town any how.
The anti lottery people of N.C. knew what they were talking about when they said N.C. should not have a lottery.
Now look at what has happen.
This sounds like the reactions the PA Amish give to members of their community who do anything "modern". I've heard of one Amish family who was shunned by the community for buying an electric water pump to wash things on their farm, but not to use for drinking water.
Closed minded societies are a scary thing. I have found in my travels that the bible belt is such a society. It is a blanket description, but the blanket definitely has some moth holes in it, so to speak. I speak from experiences I've had in Southern Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Southwest Virginia.
Yay!!
I was so excited when I read this post that I dropped my Hillary For President button!
I have a different take on this from nearly everyone. Aside from the incident of the church returning their donation, this article is rather short on specifics. We see that they have been "shunned" and "ridiculed" with no mention of how they were shunned and ridiculed.
I might be playing armchair psychiatrist here, but maybe they feel guilty about playing and winning (from what I hear, this is common among lottery winners, even if it's not justified) and are reading too much into the way others are interacting with them.
Before my wife and I were married we were driving through Oklahoma and wanted to rent a motel room for the night but were refused because we weren't married. We drove out of the state through the night and never crossed its border again.
When those motel owners are standing before St. Peter, I hope he tells them "There is no room in the inn".
Mangeydog, I just tell the facts, and the facts burn like hot acid when applied to those who embody the facts that I describe. To say that my reporting of the facts is being "judgmental" is incorrect, and I will not take the bait you are offering.
If you would like to point out where I have ever failed to describe the facts surrounding any allegation about liberals and/or Democrats, I would appreciate it.
JE, I actually hope that Hillary Clinton wins the Democrat primary and becomes the candidate, because that means that the other side will win. I think Hillary realizes that, which is why her staff is "leaking" rumors that she may not run for prez, and will just seek the Senate leadership. One loss on Hillary's record will tarnish her forever, and she knows it.
Most people are not swayed by the arguments of the other side, and I do not expect you or other liberals to be swayed by the reasoned arguments that I put forth. (I try to keep political statements in my blog, but occasionally have to respond in the public forums when other people do not employ the same good faith that I do.)
However, if I can help one person to think logically instead of emotionally, and help one person to think on their own, rather than following the talking points of whatever political party they align with, then I feel it is worth it.
By the way mangeydog, I sincerely appreciate that you have labeled me as "conservative", rather than "Republican". In all honesty, the label I would attach to myself is "traditionalist", as I favor the philosophies that this country was founded on: freedom in all things that do not cause harm to others or impede others' freedoms, equality of all people, and freedom from oppressive government. The term "conservative" fits me pretty well most of the time, and Republican tends to also, but not all the time. So I guess that's the "label pecking order" for me, just in case you care.
Let our country's history be the facts.
I am a Christian. People are wary because there may have been cases where someone won big and sounded all holy and then their life was torn asunder between their own behavior and those around them. Maybe not the case with these people but we tend to remember the negative stories because the positive stories are rarely reported.
I don't have the Bible memorized. If someone knows could you tell me on what page does it say "Thou Shalt Not Gamble"? Wouldn't the stock market be a form of gambling? For that matter, the risks that one takes on a daily basis in order to survive? If the Lord wants me to be rich it will happen by some means, whether by a clever algorithm in the Lottery or some other way.
Thank$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.............RJOh!!!!
Have you ever.........ever??????????????????????.............WON???
Won??? anything of VALUE??????
"DEATH" in a family......
can DO some......strange
""""THING$$""""
PSYKOMO
I concur with your excellent diagnosis. To sum it up, misery loves company!
Blue
MANGEYA$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.........psykomo
agree$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$......."WITCH"
you..............................................MANGEY
"YOU" are the Jacka$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
to....."LEAD" the TROOPS from Bagdad to IOWA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when "YOU" give...........................................................................
YOUR "BASTARD" friends (PERMISSION) to cut OFF HEADS<<<<<
DON'T ask HELP from the.............................................................
"National Guard"
PSYKOMO.
I'm glad we agree.
I disagree with you wholeheartedly.
then..................ButHead holes the
HEAD & BeviS..
whack's................it "OFF"
then, you & Bevis suck all the BLOOD out of the HEAD you
were HOLD'G ....................................GOOD STUFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!
DON'T CALL<<<<<<<<<<YOU KNOW WHO..............
if IT's YOUR......................................................."HEAD"!!
"Go"
National Guard!!!!
PSYKOMO
Here is what to do to solve this problem...When you drive to church this sunday in your new H2 hummer hold your head up and when the collection plate comes around peel off about 10k and drop it in and watch the mood of the church change!
congratulations!!! change churches.
LOL emilyg,,,,,,,,,,
I think that your responce is the best one so far. I agree completely......
This is a story I wrote for a writing course, fits here:
Pastor John Ezra was a third generation preacher. In Kentucky, as in most of the South and bordering states, the clergy preached fire and brimstone sermons. In a tobacco and distillery economy some subjects were taboo. This was a given. Because of this, most preachers had something besides tobacco or drinking that they got very passionate about. Pastor John Ezra was no different, with him his passionate sermons were on gambling.
The church he pastored was facing some difficulties. Membership had dropped off, families have moved away. The area was experiencing a decline in population. One of the regulars in his church was Tommy Finley. Tommy was there almost every Sunday and enjoyed the fire and brimstone sermons, seeing some valid points in them -despite Tommy’s love of playing the lotto most every week. Tommy had been involved with race horses and casinos in the past and knew a little more about gambling than the average person.
Pastor Jon and Tommy had met for lunch and were discussing a tobacco mart down the road. In Kentucky tobaccos stores are a very bi business, as even with the latest tax increases the tax per pack and per carton still made Kentucky cigarettes less expensive than the cost in surrounding states. These stores sold discount cigarettes and other tobacco products, discount liquor, and lottery tickets. This was on top of the other knick- knacks common to convenience stores along highways.
“You gotta love it”, Tommy said as he looked at the Pastor.
“What’s that”, asked Pastor John?
“Well, just look around you. We see cigarettes, liquor, flyers for horse farms that raise race horses, lottery tickets, and look on the window. Flyers for upcoming events at two Baptist churches.”
“You don’t see that as kind of ironic, or see the humor in it?”, asked Tommy.
“Gladly take in tobacco money or liquor money from your congregation and preach against the lottery?”
“It’s gambling”, said Pastor John.
Tommy said, “Look, I’m not talking about casinos and enticing people to play their whole paycheck on video poker, trying to win an $1100.00 Royal Flush. Unlikely that would change anyone’s life - but the casino owners. As they make more and more. I’m talking about working stiffs playing a buck or two on a lottery ticket because it gives them just a little bit of hope. You see this everyday I casinos, when people walk out, most of them look angry. Of course they do, most of them lost. When people leave a lotto place, especially when there’s a huge jackpot, they walk out with hope on their face.”
“It’s still gambling, “ Pastor John said.
“I’m not saying it isn’t,” remarked Tommy. “I’m saying far better to risk a dollar or two trying to change your life than risking paycheck after paycheck to get even. Read a lottery ticket, the remark about proceeds from the lottery benefit all Kentuckians. Proceeds from the casinos go to the casino corporations, most out of state. Big difference.”
Pastor John said, “So you’re opposed to casinos but pro-lottery.”
“Not exactly”, said Tommy. “I’m just saying casinos promise a bunch of spin off business. Then after they’re up and operating, they open their own restaurants which takes away from the businesses in town, to the point they eventually close.”
“The thing is”, said Tommy, “if three people from your church were to come in here right now, and one buys cigarettes, one buys a bottle of booze, and one buys a lottery ticket, you’d preach to the one with a lottery ticket and say hello to the other two.”
“Well yeah”, said Pastor John.
They had finished lunch and Tommy said he wanted to get one more cup of coffee and make some phone calls. Pastor John said he had a few stops to make and went out to his car and left.
Tommy got another coffee and grabbed a newspaper, noticing that the Powerball jackpot was
$75,000,000. He remembered the old adage about how even a blind hog could find an acorn eery now and then and decided to spend a couple of dollars to” benefit all Kentuckians.”
Powerball is played by picking five out of 53 numbers in the top box of a powerball slip, and 1 number of 42 on the bottom. Hitting the five of five on the top portion wins $100,000. Adding the winning powerball number to those five takes the prize up by millions, literally.
Tommy chose five numbers, and the powerball number. He repeated one of the first five as the powerball number, just on a hunch. He thought about how much he’d give to Pastor John and his church if he won, but to do that the media would make a big affair out of it. Not only that, the taxes would really be sticky. He couldn’t give that much away anonymously. Tommy came up with a better idea. H gave the clerk three dollars and said, “Can you play this same ticket three times?”. The clerk said, “Sure” as she knew people always played tickets for other people, especially of they were out of state people. As she handed him the tickets and said, “Good luck” he gave one back to her and said, “This is for you, I want someone rooting for those numbers”. Tommy thought 75 million for one person was a bit much, splitting it would be better.
She thanked him and he left, taking the other two tickets.
The Saturday night of the drawing, Tommy watched it on TV and one by one the numbers were selected. 7 - 24 - 27- 29 - 41 and the powerball, 24. Tommy checked his tickets. (So did the store clerk at her home!) Then he checked and rechecked.
Tommy didn’t sleep much that night, neither did that store clerk! He made it a point to get to Pastor John’s church on time, sat there and listened to sermon on the lottery. He kind of had hunch that’s what it would be on, as Pastor John often used those lunches as ideas for the next Sunday’s sermon.
When it came time for the offering basket to be passed around and it came to Tommy, he took out a $20 bill and wrapped it around the other winning lottery ticket and dropped them in the basket....
OK, I have to comment here. You brought it up so I'm going to talk about it.
First of all, if you have something to communicate, communicate it.
It sounds like you're saying Baghdad was going to march to Iowa and behead us if we didn't go make war on them first. If I'm wrong, then make a sensible post so I can understand what you are saying.
Baghdad did not bomb the WTC. Osama Bin Laden did. He freely admitted to it before we started a war in Iraq. Osama Bin Laden is still a free man 5 years later. Osama Bin Laden and his cronies will be the ones beheading in Iowa not Baghdad. And you are right, we won't be asking the National Guard to help us because they're in Iraq right now, aren't they?
Get the flags out of your eyes and ask yourself, "Why is the man who attacked our country and murdered 3,000 innocent citizens in a half hour's time still a free man?"
150,000 soldiers with accompanying American warfare technology combing Afghanistan and Pakistan would have had him and his major cohorts captured in 6 months. That is the way to prosecute a crime.
He would have been convicted and sentenced to death. Iraq would not be in a civil war because Saddam would still be there to stop it. Iran wouldn't be waving its nuclear arms because historically Iraq and Iran have countered each other's power in the region, leaving no one single superpower.
Right now we're screwed and haven't accomplished a single thing. And you think you're safer in Iowa?
Aw, too bad, I'm brokenhearted.
Nice story, Coin Toss.
I'm a transplant anyways so not much to hold me here. I will immediately move away from here to a state with more favorable taxes. I will tell no one at the new locale about the win. My new church gets my tithes and if someone puts it together it's from a lottery win and they decide to return the money then so be it. It would prob take me a good 6 months to settle on a new church so maybe memories will dim. I'll just add that 10% to the other additional 10% (if it's tax favorable) I'd earmark for charities, etc. I believe in sharing the wealth.
What a great story! And it proves a point...The preacher is going to be changing his sermon's pretty damn quick!
I've been reading the comments, and I'd like to throw in my 2 cents here. I believe in God. I'm a Christian. I will NOT be ashamed when I win. Why? Because I truely believe that a sin is something that comes between you and God. No matter WHAT it is. If you take that money and you break it off with your family, or you do stupid things like JW did....then it's a sin. If I'm so obcessed with...say Chocolate...and I can't seem to make it to church or to read my bible because of my sticky hands....then my obcession with Chocolate is now a sin. MY GOODNESS! CHOCOLATE A SIN? Yes...only if it comes between you and God. If you ask God to help you with your finances but you're blowing your paycheck on Gambling...its a sin.
Think of it this way....You are taking that lottery ticket....or chocolate...or whatever and you are putting it up on a pedestal....you're making it a God. God said you can't have any other Gods before Him.....I don't think he meant JUST buddha or Alah.
I'm rambling now.....sorry. lol
I don't see it that way.
If you asked, "And you think you're safer in New Jersey?" my answer would a resounding "yes".
I live a lot closer to Ground Zero than you, Rick, and I was supposed to be in the WTC in the Marsh & McLennan floors at the exact time the planes hit. The only reason I'm not dead today is that another consultant took my place. They are dead, and I'm alive.
I don't think of this as some kind of theory to discuss, it is a real war against those a-holes who attacked this country.
And don't fool yourself: we ARE fighting the exact people would be be attacking our country today. Instead of helping their fellow fascists in Iraq, they would be blowing up planes or buildings, or maybe smuggling chemical weapons into cities.
You can't argue with success of the Bush administration: zero attacks on our homeland since 9/11. You can say whatever you want, but all the fighting is being done in the terrorists homeland.
Spain train stations have been blown up, UK busses have been blown up, Jordanian hotels have been blown up, and a dozen other things, but exactly how many things have been blown up in your town, Rick?
I simply don't care who YOU think attacked us. All I know is that Bush has kept us safe. And yes, Iraq was a center of state-sponsored terrorism, and a threat to the whole world. The thousands of Arab language documents that have now been translated have proven that the terrorist ties were all there, and quite real. How many news stories have you heard on CBS News about that?
Osama Bin Laden is neutralized, just as good as dead. Al Zarqwari is dead. A recent report showed that something like 80% of the Al Queda leadership is dead or captured. They are not gone, but severely crippled.
Of course, the New York Times and Katie Couric would never tell you that, but a lot of people in America believe their hogwash anyway.
Everyone thinks they know better, and lots of people listen to the lame-o liberals who talk tough, but cower in the corner when they actually have to do something. I scoff at the notion of listening to Nancy Pelosi for leading troops into battle. Or any of those liberal mealy-mouths.
You people can bash our President all day long, but I am proud to have him as my president.
And you can bet the Pastor wouldn't turn down that lottery ticket and he can always justify it by the fact that he didn't buy the ticket but was given it. I've yet to see any Scripture that tells us we can't spend a buck on a lottery ticket and that a church should turn down donations given to them because it came from gambling. Do they turn down money from casino owners? Liquor store owners? Bar owners? Very hypocritical behavior of these Christians to treat this couple so badly.
As it was said earlier by Stephi, there is nothing in the bible that forbids gambling, but it does warn of some of the sins that can accompany the act of gambling, like greed and such. It also says things like drink wine, but do not get drunk. The point being, if these people played on a whim, like it sounds in the story, then what is the problem? The only one with the problem here is the pastor of the church. Unless these people lied about how involved they were in the lottery and it caused them to have things like greed in their lives and now they are having to lie about it to save face they have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. none at all.
Like advice by others, give your 10% to another church who will be blessed by the offering. And stop feeling guilty...
Just another view,
Bryan :)
A true cat - comes right to the point.
Todd, think I'll stick to talking about the lottery, not politics. However, I do agree with you that Hillary Clinton won't win. I read your blog from time to time, and you can't possibly say you aren't judgmental. You tore my head off once when I criticized George Bush, Our Savior's self-appointed personal messenger. I don't think I've heard more lies from an administration since the Nixon years. By the way, the station you say is the "only" news to watch is probably the most biased and unreliable channel in television history. I'll be watching the local news and change to MSNBC and CNN and listen to Public Broadcasting and Fox is the only station with "exclusive stories" that must have happened when the rest of the world was sleeping. There's a difference between making a point and making one up. You also wrote above that you like to be referred to as a "Conservative" not a "Republican." Yet, in many of your comments you write "Democrats & Liberals" as if the 2 terms are synonymous. I am not a Liberal, yet I've always been a Democrat. This is your board, so write what you think, think what you feel, feel what you want. It doesn't make it so.
Psykomo - I respect the military, every branch including the National Guard. When did it become un-American for a citizen in the United States to disagree with foreign policy? When did it become a sin to oppose violence? Many people who pray to God everyday and night, who are much more passionate about their faith than I could ever be, are pacifists who oppose the war in Iraq. Many of them are U.S. soldiers. Take for example IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) Suddenly, someone who has lost an eye or maybe a limb fighting for our country is un-American? Maybe Max Cleland, a former Senator and a Democrat who lost both his legs and one arm in Viet Nam and who supported John Kerry also hates America, because he speaks the Truth. If it wasn't so comical it would be pathetic how the Republicans slander Democrat war heroes while they have a leader who didn't even show up for duty because he was one of the privileged brats who used his family connections to avoid a tour of duty. So what has Mr. Bush sacrificed? Well, he has given up a few golfing days but that's the price you pay for being the Chief.
Being an athiest I wouldn't be in this delima. I doubted they cared that much either since they cashed the ticket.
As far as the rest of the politics on this discussion I'd say Kerry only would know how to defame people serving just like he did in Vietnam. Going into Iraq was a very serious mistake but the people we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are truely evil and insane. Any culture that dresses it's children up with fake bombs (or real ones in some cases), has actual slaves in 2006 and stones to death gays deserves to be wiped off the face of the earth. Cultural diversity does not include having your throat cut because you are too afraid to stand up for what's right.
I appreciate your comments JE, but I think you read in my blog what you are expecting or want to read. I am very careful in my selection of words. I have not said the liberals and Democrats are the same thing, although they are very often aligned. There are actually some good Democrats out there.
Good meaning if you put them in power I would not fear for my safety.
You sound like many people I have heard speak about Fox News as "biased", and I'm sorry to say that you are gravely mistaken. You ignore all the facts with that statement -- from people on the inside who have come clean -- but my guess is that you are more interested in holding to certain "truths" than in opening your mind to alternative viewpoints.
I used to think a lot more like you do, so I have traveled down a long path to arrive where I am in life. (Calling it a road to enlightenment sounds pretentious, so I won't call it that.) Whatever paths you choose in life, I wish you the best.
And JE, your example using the maimed Democrat Senator is fairly meaningless in the scheme of things. You can selectively pick out people who go against the grain in any situation, yes, even including the military.
To say that your example proves anything is ludicrous. Let's see what happens if you bring your world views into any gathering a service men or women, and see what kind of reception you get. I don't think your posterboy Democrats will be very popular.
Americans killed on 9-11 - 2,819
Americans killed in Iraq - 2,652 and counting
are we safer??? Hezbollah has survived, Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, Taliban and al Qaeda are on the march in Afghanistan and terror cells are all over Western Europe and elsewhere.
FIND A NEW CHURCH!
And we can't take military action against Iran because of the damaged caused to our country by the bleeding heart liberals like John Kerry and John Murtha.
Nuc em till they glow and shot them in the dark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, and imagine is John Kerry or Al Gore were president. It's bad enough that all these terror groups grew to enormous strength under Bill Clinton for eight years, now they are like roaches trying to stamp them out.
Emily, how about you show the number of Americans killed in car crashes every year too? Or maybe the number of murders in America each year? I'm really not sure what the purpose of your numbers are. They certainly don't have any bearing on this. (I especially like your morbid "and counting".)
In WWII, why don't you compare the number of people killed in Pearl Harbor to the number who died fighting in Europe? Because that's what your little comparison amounts to.
A much better comparison is:
Americans killed by terrorists in the USA on 9-11 - 2,819
Americans killed by terrorists in the USA since 9-11 - 0 ... and holding
Also there have not been any attacks like the USS Cole or Marine Corp Barracks overseas
A) Iraq War and 911 are 2 different things. I don't believe a direct relationship, regardless what some news stations might say. Yes, go kill Osama and gang. No, the war should have never been started.
B) If George Bush wants the war so badly, put him on the front lines and let him at it. Let him stay the course and finish the job and bring our soldiers home!
C) Saddam had people killed that he felt were enemies. George Bush declares a war to kill people he feels are enemies. George is OK otherwise - but certainly guilty of this.
D) Iraq is a sovereign Country - should of just let Saddam run it. Too bad we didn't like the way he did it. The average Iraqi is either dead or worse off if still alive. We have made a shambles of their Country. We have dead soldiers. And we have less money. At the rate of $271 Million per day, I'd rather the Government gave every adult here $1 million dollars everyday. Why would anyone in their right mind want to spend the money over there? Why would I want to suffer even more than I already was - now prices are climbing higher due to the war. It was hard enough to exist before. I am suffering for Iraqis I don't know or will never meet. We all are - the national debt is higher than I care to count. Stupid.
E) The U.S. could still have zero terrorist attacks after 911 without any connection to the Iraq war. All the same measures could have been put in place. Not only that but we would have a few more soldiers that would be alive and useful in defending our borders.
Congrats on your winnings!!! I am a North Carolina resident also, and I can't wait until it's my turn to win. Enjoy your winnings, and to heck with what other people say and think!!!
Truecritic,
I could not agree with you more.
If anyone tells you their proximity to the WTC makes them right about the Republican's foreign policy, laugh in their face. Ask him why Bush's job approvel rating in NYC and NJ suburbs is at 25%. The Republicans dont win in NY/ NJ where the most lives were lost 9-11 because thinking people there know they are wrong in their policies.
Invading and occupying Iraq at an estimated cost of $1-2 trillion when it is all over is the most foolish policy for fighting terrorism. Do you know how many people in different Arab countries are looking at the killing going on in Iraq and are deciding to retaliate later on??
That money could be better spent building roads, schools etc here ast home.
There have not been any terrorist attacks for 5 years, so what?? 9-11 happened on Bush's watch! There were no terrorist attacks on the homeland between 1993 and 2001---> Clinton kept us safe for 8 years, longer than Bush's 5 years!! Will you give him that???
Look at the daily terrorist attacks going on in Iraq now and the lives and treasure being lost over there.
It is ridiculous that people are still impressed by the mess the Republicans have made of our foreign and domestic policy in the last 6 years. Everywhere you turn in the world there is crises that the current Administration is incompetent to solve. They are good at propagandizing the American people and winning elections but cant't govern. Republicans are no more patriotic than any Democrat!!
So, you want to say, "If anyone tells you their proximity to the WTC makes them right about the Republican's foreign policy..."?
I assume I am the "anyone" you're referring to, since nobody else has mentioned their proximity to the WTC.
I don't care what wacky fairy tales you want to believe in, that's your business, but your backhanded, idiotic insult to me will not be forgotten.
You and I have a very different idea of what patriotism means. Now go burn your flag.
Go burn a flag? Are you one of those Sean Hannity/ WABC 770 ditto-heads???
Ditto-heads? Are you a reader of the New York Times?
Yeah, I read the Times and the Washington Post, The New Republic, The Nation etc. They are fair and even leaning right these days. I do not watch Fox News and I have broken a few TV and radio sets because Dumbya came on...
What else do you want to know? Liberals are just as American as far right-wing people. You guys do not own this country.
Anyway lets leave it there. I do not want you to ban me from your website because we disagree politically.
Regardless of how we got there, we need to respect others political views or don't state them at all. Politicians sometimes use our own hatreds of other people and fear to put them in office. I was called "a bleeding heart liberal" because I said that we should be careful about calling illegal immigrants "wetbacks" and other derogatory names.
I got personally attacked in my blog because I posted historical facts unfavorably to the founding fathers. Go figure. But a person like me normally will feel that way about the founding fathers, and the person who attacked me would normally feel the way they do about the founding fathers.
But it's politics, that's all. It's corruption and we should look at it as being just that and try to eliminate as much of it as we can. But how can we see the corruption if we fight among ourselves?
We need to start recognizing the corruption of our leaders and pay attention to those who bring it forward for all to see and demand honesty and integrity rather than defending it. Our country is in the state it is in because of corrupt leaders since the beginning.
Ha, ha, ha!! Thanks for the good laugh today!
Calling the New York Times "fair and even leaning right" was just the bomb!
Yes, liberals may be Americans, but being liberal does not make one patriotic.
The definition of patriotic is "Devoted love, support, and defense of one's country." (Look it up in the dictionary if those words don't ring a bell.)
Protesting everything and calling the President a liar does not count as any of those things.
Once liberals start doing things that defend this country, I'll start calling them patriotic. I know that's a pretty general statement, and not ALL liberals fit that statement, so my deepest apologies to those liberals who are clearly patriotic. I just wish there were more of them.
What else do you want to know? I know that we conservatives are nothing but anti-environment, greedy, war-loving, business-oriented jerks, but hopefully you'll allow us to pay for your next anti-religion dung artwork display to make up for it.