Argumentative Essay 2-First Draft

08.05.2014

Feyzanur Öztürk

Should Lottery Be Banned?

     A lottery is type of gambling that has the element of chance. Many people purchases one ticket on which numbers are written to win prize money, after then these numbers are selected randomly and winner is designated. While some people say that lottery is good idea, lottery should be banned because lottery is legal gambling, it is theft of labor, it causes pecuniary loss and intangible damages, and it is sin to our religion.

   Firstly, lottery is a legal gambling because it is a policy supported by government. One lottery director says that lotteries are different from any other gaming product. Lottery players risk a small amount of money against very long odds to win a large prize. If they can’t win a large prize, they want to take this risk again and again. So lottery can addict like gambling. Gambling requires not only chance but also skill unlike lottery. Lottery does not involve skill at all. There is an equal chance of winning for everybody. But the more lottery players buy ticket the more their chance of winning increases.

     Secondly, Lottery is theft of labor. People work to earn for hours and they earn money in their own right but some people win money without doing anything thanks to lottery. These people go on living with this money for a length of time. Moreover they might leave their jobs as they depend on prize money.  Later, when they get through money, they are at a loss. They have to start all over again.

    Thirdly, lottery causes pecuniary loss and intangible damages. As long as people don’t win a large prize, they continue playing lotteries. They spend more money on lottery and put their families in an awkward position. Therefore, most marriages end in divorce and which causes traumatic events in families. On the other hand, if people gain too much money with lottery, it affects badly their lives. They don’t know how to spend money. Generally, people waste the money that they won. The money even can lead separation among members of family because family members want to do different things with the money and there become huge arguments.

     Finally, lottery is sin in Islam because it is a form of gambling. All forms of gambling: staking money on card games; horse racing; gambling machines etc. are all forbidden in Islam. In the Holy Qur'an where Allah says: "O who you believe! Intoxicants (e.g. alcohol) and gambling and idols and (lottery by) arrows are an abomination of Satan’s work, so avoid them so that you may get salvation. Satan's only desire is to create among you enmity and hatred by means of intoxicants and gambling and stop you from praying and remembering Allah. Will you not then stop? "(TMQ Sura Ma'idah 5:90,91) On the other hand, The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5).  

       To sum up, a lottery is a form of gambling. It requires taking a risk. As long as people don’t win a large prize, they become addicted it. Lottery can be refered as unearned gain. People have a large amount of money in a while and they don’t know how to spend it consciously. They waste whole of money. Pecuniary loss and intangible damages come out in society. In addition to these, it is sin in our religion. Therefore, lottery should be banned.