State lawmakers who consider giving Alabamians a lottery to benefit education in 2019 will be caught between the Bible on one side and the allure of instant fortune on the other, a debate that promises to engage voters in a deeply personal conflict of wills.
It looks that way if a Facebook poll being conducted by The Alexander City Outlook and comments from local religious leaders are an indication.
kAm%H6?EJ\7@FC 9@FCD 27E6C E96 A@== H2D DE2CE65 @? k6>m%96 ~FE=@@<’Dk^6>m u2463@@< A286[ ha A6C46?E @7 `[_f_ C6DA@?56?ED D2:5 E96J H@F=5 A=2J 2 =@EE6CJ :7 p=232>2 86ED @?6 @C DFAA@CE E96 :562] %96 A@== — H9:49 2D<D C6D:56?ED @7 %2==2A@@D2[ r@@D2 2?5 t=>@C6 4@F?E:6D 7@C E96:C @A:?:@?D — H:== 4@?E:?F6 F?E:= (65?6D52J[ s64] d]k^Am
kAm{@42= A2DE@CD 4@?E24E65 3J k6>m%96 ~FE=@@<k^6>m @? %9FCD52J >256 4=62C E96:C 5:D52:? 7@C 2 =@EE6CJ]k^Am
kAm“uC@> 2 4=6C8J DE2?5A@:?E[ x 766= H6 92G6 =68:E:>:K65 E96 D:?7F=?6DD @7 :E[ ECJ:?8 E@ D2J :E’D 7@C 2 8@@5 42FD6[” u=:?E w:== u:CDE &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE r9FC49 #6G] y@9? w:== D2:5] “x 92G6 2? :DDF6 ECJ:?8 E@ =68:E:>:K6 D@>6E9:?8 E96 q:3=6 DA62<D 282:?DE]”k^Am
kAm$FAA@CE6CD 92G6 =@?8 >2:?E2:?65 E96 DE2E6’D A@@C=J 7F?565 65F42E:@? DJDE6> ?665D E96 7:?2?4:2= 3@@DE 2 =@EE6CJ H@F=5 AC@G:56] rC:E:4D D2J :E :D :>>@C2= 2?5 2?@E96C E2I @? E96 A@@C]k^Am
kAmp=232>2 :D DFCC@F?565 :? E96 s66A $@FE9 3J =@EE6C:6D :? %6??6DD66[ u=@C:52[ v6@C8:2 2?5 |:DD:DD:AA:[ 2?5 :D @?6 @7 @?=J 7:G6 DE2E6D H:E9@FE 2 =@EE6CJ — p=2D<2[ w2H2::[ }6G252 2?5 &E29 2C6 E96 @E96CD]k^Am
kAmxE’D A@DD:3=6 E96 p=232>2 {68:D=2EFC6 H:== 282:? 4@?D:56C 2 =@EE6CJ :? a_`h 27E6C G@E6CD C6;64E65 :E :? `hhh[ 2?@E96C AC@A@D2= 72:=65 E@ A2DD 2 DA64:2= D6DD:@? 27E6C AC@55:?8 7C@> E96?\v@G] #@36CE q6?E=6J :? a_`e[ 2?5 s6>@4C2E (2=E |255@I H2D 62D:=J 362E6? 3J :?4F>36?E #6AF3=:42? v@G] z2J xG6J 62C=:6C E9:D >@?E9 27E6C 42>A2:8?:?8 7@C 2 =@EE6CJ]k^Am
kAm%96 E:>:?8 @7 2?@E96C =@EE6CJ AFD9 H@F=5 4@>6 27E6C E96 =68:D=2EFC6 2AAC@AC:2E65 E96 =2C86DE :?7FD:@? @7 >@?6J E@ AF3=:4 65F42E:@? 7C@> <:?56C82CE6? E@ 4@==686 :? `_ J62CD — Se]e 3:==:@?] p=D@[ E96 64@?@>J :D A6C4@=2E:?8 2?5 E2I C6G6?F6D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ :?4C62D6 :? p=232>2]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ p=232>2 92D E96 =@H6DE A6C\42A:E2 E2I6D 2?5 AC@A6CEJ E2I6D :? E96 4@F?ECJ[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?@?A2CE:D2? !F3=:4 p772:CD #6D62C49 r@F?4:= @7 p=232>2[ 2?5 :E’D 6DE:>2E65 3J DE2E6 @77:4:2=D 2?5 2? pF3FC? &?:G6CD:EJ |@?E8@>6CJ DEF5J E96 DE2E6 4@F=5 82:? FA E@ Sb__ >:==:@? 2 J62C H:E9 2 =@EE6CJ]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2=6I4:EJ@FE=@@<]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_`g^``^``b_\=@EE6CJ\A@==];A8Qmk^2mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m!@==i *6D[ J6D[ J6DPk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>m%96 ~FE=@@<’Dk^6>m u2463@@< A@==[ H9:=6 F?D4:6?E:7:4[ :?5:42E6D 2? @G6CH96=>:?8 56D:C6 7@C 2? p=232>2 =@EE6CJ] $@>6 D2>A=6 4@>>6?ED 2D :56?E:7:65 3J u2463@@<ik^Am
kAm• “%96C6 H:== ?6G6C 36 2 =@EE@ :? p=232>2 … E@@ >F49 >@?6J F?56C E96 E23=6 7C@> @FC ?6:893@C:?8 DE2E6D]” — rJ?E9:2 uF==6C]k^Am
kAm• “*6D E@ 96=A D49@@=D @?=J]” —kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?m v=6?52 %9@C?E@?]k^Am
kAm• “*6D 3642FD6 @FC D49@@=D ?665 E96 >@?6J … 9FCED >J 962CE E@ D66 E96 =24< @7 E@:=6E A2A6C 2?5 D@2A :? E96 32E9C@@>D 2D H6== 2D E62496CD 92G:?8 E@ DA6?5 E96:C @H? >@?6J 7@C E96:C 4=2DDC@@> ?665D] xE’D ?@E C:89E]” —kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?m !2F=2 (2C5]k^Am
kAm• “qFE A6@A=6 G@E65 7@C 2 42?5:52E6 E92E H2D pvpx}$% 2? 65F42E:@? =@EE6CJ]” — $E246J (:==:2>D y6774@2E]k^Am
kAm• “$9@F=5 25F=ED 92G6 E96 7C665@> E@ 5@ H:E9 E96:C >@?6J 2D E96J A=62D6n *6D] (@F=5 x A6CD@?2==J A=2J E96 =@EE6CJn }@A6]” —kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?m s2=E@? (2C5]k^Am
kAm• “tG6CJ@?6 H9@ H2?ED E@ A=2J C:89E ?@H :D 8:G:?8 E96:C >@?6J E@ v6@C8:2] (6 >:89E 2D H6== <66A :E 96C6P” — $92??2? q6? #@D63C@4<]k^Am
kAm• “~FC D49@@=D 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ ?665D E9:D]” —kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?m s63C2 w2?D@?]k^Am
kAm• “x G@E6 J6D] x H2D ?@E 3@C? 96C6 ?@C H2D x C2:D65] x 4@>6 7C@> 2 DE2E6 H9@’D 925 E96 =@EE6CJ 2?5 E@ D2J :E’D 96=A65 H@F=5 36 2? F?56CDE2E6>6?E] %96 >@?6J E96J FD65 E@ AFE E@H2C5 C@25 H@C< 2?5 E96 65F42E:@? DJDE6> H2D A96?@>6?2=] x 766= =:<6 :E 4@F=5 5@ 2 =@E @7 8@@5 :7 E96J H@F=5 8:G6 :E 2 492?46] (9J H@F=5 J@F 36 ~z H:E9 H2E49:?8 E2IA2J6CD 7C@> J@FC DE2E6 H:==:?8=J 5C:G6 E@ 2 ?62C3J DE2E6 2?5 DA6?5 E96:C >@?6J E96C6n” — $E2CC w2=6J]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m|:?:DE6CD D2J ?@k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm{@42= A2DE@CD D2:5 2 =@EE6CJ :D 282:?DE q:3=:42= E6249:?8]k^Am
kAm“x 2> 282:?DE 82>3=:?8 :? 2?J 7@C>[” C6E:C65 $@FE96C? q2AE:DE >:?:DE6C q:== |:55=63C@@<D D2:5] “xE’D 4@?EC2CJ E@ H92E v@5’D DE2?52C5D 2C6] !6@A=6 5@?’E ?665 E@ E2<6 25G2?E286 @7 @E96CD] x E9:?< :E’D E96 HC@?8 H2J E@ 82:? >@?6J] x? E9:D 42D6[ E96 >62?D 5@?’E ;FDE:7J E96 6?5D]k^Am
kAm“(92E6G6C >@?6J J@F 86E 7C@> 2 =@EE6CJ H:== ?@E D@=G6 E96 AC@3=6>] ~? E@A @7 E92E[ 5@:?8 HC@?8 E@ 86E D@>6E9:?8 C:89E :D?’E C:89E]”k^Am
kAmw:== D2:5 2 =@EE6CJ E2<6D 25G2?E286 @7 E96 A@@C H9@ 4=2>@C 7@C :?DE2?E C:496D 2?5 92G6 =:EE=6 492?46 @7 4@==64E:?8]k^Am
kAm“x 5@?’E D66 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 5C:G:?8 {6IFD6D 2?5 r25:==24D 8@:?8 E@ 3FJ =@EE6CJ E:4<6ED[” 96 D2:5] “x D66 A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 >@C6 5:D6?7C2?49:D65[ 7C@> 2 =@H6C 7:?2?4:2= DE2EFD[ 9@A:?8 E@ 42E49 9@=5 @7 E9:D 5C62>] p S` E:4<6E :D?’E 8@:?8 E@ 3C62< J@F 3FE H92E x D66 :D 3FJ:?8 S`__ H@CE9 @7 E:4<6ED 2?5 J@F 42?’E 277@C5 E@ A2J J@FC 3:==D] x E9:?< :E’D 42E6C:?8 E@ =68:E:>:K:?8 D@>6E9:?8 E92E 5@6D?’E 8=@C:7J v@5] pC6 H6 FD:?8 <:5D E@ ;FDE:7J 82>3=:?8n x E9:?< E92E :D HC@?8]”k^Am
kAmx?56A6?56?E |6E9@5:DE r9FC49 qC@] (2J?6 r@H9:4< D2:5 E96 =@EE6CJ :ED6=7 :D ?@E :?96C6?E=J >:D8F:565[ @?=J E96 F?56C=J:?8 >@E:G2E:@? 7@C A=2J:?8 E96 =@EE6CJ]k^Am
kAm“x’> ?@E 2 3:8 72? @7 :E 3FE x 2=D@ 5@?’E E9:?< 3FJ:?8 2 =@EE6CJ E:4<6E H:== D6?5 J@F E@ 96==[” 96 D2:5] “(92E D6?5D J@F E@ 96== :D F?36=:67] %96 {@C5 E6==D FD E@ AFE @FC 72:E9 :? w:>[ ?@E 2 =@EE6CJ] %96 =@EE6CJ H2D >256 7@C A@@C A6@A=6[ ?@E E96 C:49] %96 C:49 H@?’E 8@ 2?5 3FJ 2 =@EE6CJ E:4<6E] qFE A@@C A6@A=6 H:== DA6?5 E96:C H9@=6 4964< @? :E … E92E :D H96C6 E96J AFE E96:C 72:E9]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 A6@A=6 H9@ D2J — 2?5 x 92G6 962C5 E9:D D@ >2?J E:>6D — E92E H6 8:G6 >@?6J E@ E96 A@@C 2?5 E9:D :D 2 H2J @7 86EE:?8 :E 324<] %92E :D D:?7F= E9:?<:?8]”k^Am
kAmw:== D2:5 96 5@6D?’E ECFDE E96 =68:D=2EFC6 E@ DA6?5 =@EE6CJ AC@4665D @? 65F42E:@?]k^Am
kAm“x H@?56C :7 E96 3:8\H:8D :? |@?E8@>6CJ H:== =:?6 E96:C A@4<6ED 2?5 H6 6?5 FA :? E96 D2>6 DA@E H6 2C6 ?@H[” 96 D2:5] “x H@F=5 C2E96C D66 E96> 86E E@86E96C 2?5 D66 H92E 4FED E96J 42? >2<6 W:? @E96C 2C62D 2?5 D9:7E :E E@ 65F42E:@?X]k^Am
kAm“x 2> 2=H2JD 7@C A2J:?8 @FC E62496CD >@C6 2?5 AC@G:5:?8 H92E @FC <:5D ?665] qFE x 5@?’E E9:?< E96 =68:D=2EFC6 5@6D 2 8@@5 ;@3 AC:@C:E:K:?8 H96C6 E96 >@?6J D9@F=5 8@] tG6? :7 x <?6H E96J H@F=5 5@ E96 C:89E E9:?8 H:E9 :E[ x 5@?’E <?@H :7 x 4@F=5 86E 369:?5 :E]”k^Am


