By Michael Medved
Eight employees of a Nebraska ham-packing plant recently shared one of history's
biggest jackpots, collecting some $15 million each in after-tax dollars.
One of the lucky winners, a hard-working immigrant from the Congo, declared: "Now my baby
daughter will be happy for the rest of her life." Unfortunately, studies show that major
lottery winners are actually more likely than the general public to suffer marital and
emotional breakdown, and more than a third of them eventually declare bankruptcy!
Money can be a blessing if you know you've earned it, but it's more likely a curse if
you receive it in an arbitrary, unpredictable way.
By pushing the lottery, government hurts the public with a destructive message about getting rich, suggesting that success comes from chance rather than hard work and thrifty habits.
In so doing, greedy bureaucrats undermine the reliable American dream of patient
progress, substituting the fool's gold of an instant big score.
My Two Cents:
I like Mike. He is great guy, but I think he is being a bit over dramatic with the whole "Dark Side of the Lottery" idea.
We must not fall into idolatry. If the lottery, poker, video games, food, drink, or anything else rules your life, then you have a problem. That is an issue of the heart and it exists if you have $15 or $15 million.
8 co-workers win something next to impossible. Good for them! A person comes to America from the Congo to raise his children and pursue the American dream. Now his has 15 million in the bank and a great first hand story about that dream.
Money doesn't buy happiness, yet we all need it. I'm tired of the "rich equals evil" attitude by some in this country. I have news for you... If you live in this country you are rich.
Money is never a blessing. It's what you do with that money that could be a blessing. Are you going to be greedy a buy a faster car, or are you going to do something to change lives? We have asked people to give to Trans World Radio. Every dime given is a blessing. Even if it comes from a lottery winner.
The government is not the only one pushing the destructive message about getting rich. It on TV, radio, magazines, billboards, movies and even family and friends keep track of what you own. I have never seen a lottery message that says, "Quit working and just play the lottery". Anyone who buys into that idea not only is a fool, they will self destruct with or without the lottery.
2 comments:
And here I thought you were posting something about today's mid-day Daily Number being 666...
Money is a trap, for sure, but I'd still like to be happy and rich rather than happy and poor.
What portion of what he said was innaccurate?
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