THE EVILS OF DRINKING AND GAMBLING



THE EVILS OF DRINKING AND GAMBLING
Outline:-

1.   Drinking too much and gambling are old sins of mankind. They are on record for more than two thousand years.
2.      Alcohol confuses the judgment, re-flames the passions.
3.      Drinking and gambling are expensive, as a rule.

Men have always known hot to produce alcoholic drinks from the fruits and vegetables of the earth. The old prophets in the Bible and the holy Prophet Muhammad, all denounced the sin of drunkenness. In Islam, gambling too is listed as a sin, but not mentioned in the Bible, so presumably Jews were not addicted to that vice. In early India, we have little reference to either, and it is hard to say how old the “today” habit is. 

Wine, beer, or other fermented drinks all contain alcohol. This substance first stimulates the body, then, gradually confuses the thinking powers. A drunkard will gravely proceed to do something which seems to him quite sensible thought in this sober moments he would see that it is nonsense. Continued drinking dulls his thinking and mental processes. Intelligence tests have shown that even a small amount of alcohol affects jovial with his so called friends, but, in the hour of need, he loses the reasoning powers unfavourably. The drunkard is noisy and finds that they are not friends. They are only drinking companions. His nerves and stomach are in course of time impaired he requires ever more and more of his favourite drink to satisfy him, and becomes an old man before his time. His wife and children grow up in want, unless he be a rich man, for the money which should buy them food and clothing is being spent in the toddy shop or hotel. 

The gambler is often a drinker too, and he is a man who wants a little cheap excitement. He does not really thirst for the money of his companions, but he wants the seeming “thrill” of the game. At the race-course, you will see men with a good salary rushing about in excitement to make a bet of five or ten rupees. It is just their idea of getting a little adventure out of a dull life. But someone has to lose and mostly it is the inexperienced and rash fellow who cannot afford to lose the money. And, thinks he will make his fortune by continuing to win, or he has lost and is trying to win his money back again. In either case, the final result is usually loss. It is not only loss of money but also time and self-respect. No employer will ever engage one reputed to be a drunkard or a gambler.        

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