LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES IT?

To the Editor:

When I was growing up, a favorite statement of my mother and father was "just because everyone else is doing it, does that mean you have to do it too?" They instilled in me a sense of morality and trying to do things in a proper manner. I have always tried to follow that admonition to the best of my ability.

As I grew up I ran across a book entitled "In His Steps," by George Sheldon. In this book, he set the scene in a small town, where most of the people attended the same church. The pastor, one Sunday in his sermon, proposed the following challenge, "In the next month, before you do anything at all or respond to any situation, ask yourself the following question: `What would Jesus do in the same situation?' Then after quiet and prayerful consideration, respond to the situation in the same manner." This was set in the period of the early 1900's when Jesus still had some influence.

One of the first public responses to the suggestion was the newspaper publisher. There was no radio or TV in those days and all of the boxing results were given in the paper. The publisher asked himself if Jesus would go along with people beating each other up and the answer to him was no, so he did not publish the boxing results and with that many of the people in town were quite upset. You will have to read the book to see how it all turned out, but the premise was definitely interesting.

In this country today there seems to be a prevailing attitude that has greed as its main ingredient. In regards to the local area, it seems that morals have not entered into the decision making process of whether we should have gambling or not. The eye seems to be blinded by the huge amounts of monies that are promised, never mind how that money is obtained. There is no such thing as a free lunch under any circumstances. Someone or someone's family always pays. For everyone that wins in a lottery or gambling of any kind, there are thousands that lose.

Gambling cannot be challenged on the basis of the financial benefits to a town or community as the benefits of jobs and the "rake off" are there but -- What would Jesus do?

I will vote "no" as I believe that Jesus would and so would any professing Christian.

Ralph E. Flori Sr.

Cape Girardeau