KELLIE - What is the Church's stand on Gambling? I have always heard that you could not get a Temple Recommend if you participated in ANY form of gambling. Is it against Church policy or is it just frowned upon.

JOEL - According to Church policy:

"The Church opposes gambling in any form, including government-sponsored lotteries. Members are urged to join with others who have similar concerns in opposing the legalization and government sponsorship of any form of gambling."(Church Handbook #1)

In 1987 the First Presidency of The Church made this statement:

"There can be no question about the moral ramifications of gambling. As it has in the past, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands opposed to gambling, including government-sponsored lotteries."

More than sixty years ago, President Heber J. Grant and his counselors, the First Presidency of that day, declared:

"The Church has been and now is unalterably opposed to gambling in any form whatever. It is opposed to any game of chance, occupation, or so-called business, which takes money from the person who may be possessed of it without giving value received in return. It is opposed to all practices the tendency of which is to degrade or weaken the high moral standard which the members of the Church, and our community at large, have always maintained."

A generation earlier, President Joseph F. Smith had stated:

"The Church does not approve of gambling but strongly condemns it as morally wrong, and classes also with this gambling, games of chance and lottery, of all kinds, and earnestly disapproves of any of its members engaging therein."(See Dallin H. Oaks, June Ensign 1987)

Although the temple recommend interview does not specifically ask about gambling, it is quite obvious that any Latter-day Saint(regardless of holding a temple recommend) would not be living their religion if they participated in gambling. Some Bishops in areas like Las Vegas do ask members about gambling in the temple recommend interview. So it is not just frowned upon but it is also a policy of the church.

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