Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

— The Joker. Batman

Don’t… tempt me Frodo! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo. I would use this ring from a desire to do good… But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine.

— Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings

Note: I originally wrote this for the November 2021 newsletter, the last time Rosie’s was on the ballot.  As it is coming up again, and my thoughts on the matter haven’t changed, I felt it appropriate to share this again. — DG

Something’s been nagging at the back of my mind for the past several months, and I thought I’d work through it with you in this space. Sometimes things happen in our lives and culture and we wonder how to think it through biblically, and that’s what I hope to do here. 

Have you noticed the incredible surge in advertisements for sports betting apps recently?  You can hardly watch anything on TV or stream on the internet without being barraged with advertisements for these apps.  This has happened because sports betting became legal in Virginia as a result of two bills that passed through the Virginia General Assembly in 2020.

Now a referendum is coming up for Amherst County on the November ballot.  Voting “yes” on this referendum will allow pari-mutuel wagering in the county.  If it passes, a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium will open in Seminole Plaza.  By this point, this should be old news — the amount of money and effort being spent to promote this referendum and change is pretty amazing (that alone should be cause for concern).  It’s being presented as a “win-win,” particularly for Madison Heights and Amherst County.  Bringing in Rosie’s, we’re told, will jumpstart a much-needed revitalization and transformation of our community.

I suspect this isn’t going to work out as we expect. Every time I see an ad for those betting apps or Rosie’s I keep thinking about the quotes at the top of this article. Take the lottery for example.  It was supposed to provide a financial windfall for public education.  But how has it worked out?  The amount the state spends on education has been significantly reduced, a reduction almost directly related to the amount received from the lottery.  So instead of a significant increase to education spending, schools have the same amount of money available. 

This is what happens when you try and dance with the devil.  He lets you think you’re leading and makes all sorts of wonderful promises, but it’s always too good to be true.  He offers us shortcuts to the things we want, often even the things we need, but never comes through on delivering.  Satan even tried the same thing with Jesus, telling him that if Jesus would serve Satan instead of God, then Jesus could accomplish all he came to do without the pain and suffering of the cross.  But Jesus didn’t bite, because he knew it wasn’t true (you can read about this in Matthew 4).

We, as a church, have committed to being an active part in “transforming our homes, community and the world.”  But there’s a key part of the transformation we want to see happen: the power of God.  In fact, our purpose statement says that we are “seeking to experience and share God’s love to transform our homes, community and the world” (emphasis added).  We want to see the Kingdom of God come so that Amherst County can experience and be transformed by God’s love and grace.  There are no shortcuts in this work, and you can’t use the devil’s tools to accomplish it.  Jesus said, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” (Mark 3:23–24)

Honestly, I am sure Rosie’s might well provide some good for our community and our county.    I’m sure you can win some easy cash using those betting apps.  However, when the devil comes promising blessing, you can count (I was going to say bet, but the irony stopped me) on there being a catch.  As Paul warned the Corinthians, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Cor. 11:13–15)  There might be some good… there will certainly be more bad that comes from it.  Is it really wise and good to promote anything that will surely increase addiction, poverty and family dysfunction — issues that are already running rampant in our area?

As the saying goes, “the house always wins.” At the very least, you can count on Rosie’s getting more out of Amherst County than they put into it. There are better ways to revitalize Madison Heights and Amherst County.  It might take longer and more work, but it’ll be better for the people and the community in the long run.  In the five years since we first voted on this issue, we now have Starbucks, Cookout,  and Planet Fitness.  Chipotle will open soon and Amazon is about to open a local warehouse.  A new residential community is (slowly) being built.  Growth is coming.  We don’t need Rosie’s, and the price we’ll pay for it, to get there.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. — 1 Peter 5:8–9)

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison