If I ever write a book and Billy Graham invites me to speak at a conference about it and said conference is held in Las Vegas, I'll be going to that conference alone. My wife, like many other Christians, has taken a secret blood oath against the city of Las Vegas. In her mind, Vegas is like the 14th circle of Dante's inferno. I don't know if he had that many, but if he knew about what Vegas would become I am fairly certain he would have included it.
I have a friend in Vegas that told me, "It's great, you don't have to go to the mission fields to witness to people. It's right here." I love that attitude and I hope to one day go there. But I think there are three main reasons we Christians are a little wary of Las Vegas.
1. The television show, "CSI Las Vegas"
Dang CBS, how often are they finding bodies without hands in the Las Vegas desert? Is Vegas that bad? I mean, honestly, how often are the cops needing to use that blue light glow stick thing on dead strippers? I just get worried about visiting there with how busy Gil Grisham is.
2. Marketing campaign built on affairs.
Rumor has it that the tourism board of Las Vegas initially wasn't going to use the ad campaign, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." They were really leaning toward, "Come have anonymous sex with strangers" but it looked weird on coffee mugs. Come on Vegas, you're killing me. (And I blame you for what looks like a horrible Mr. Demi Moore/Cameron Diaz movie. That is borderline unforgivable.)
3. Gambling
I recently heard a professor from MIT speak about the slot machine industry. She said it is a well documented fact that the industry views each person as "a potential addict." And even scarier is the idea that casinos measure something called "pain points." They study what makes someone unhappy while they are gambling and can pin point when you are going to leave the casino. When they see you walking away, they trigger what they call the "good luck algorithm." Suddenly as you make your way out of the casino an employee "randomly" approaches you and offers you a coupon for ten free plays or a free steak dinner. You feel a little better about the day and decide to stay a little longer. That's just creepy.
Those are the three main reasons I think Christians don't like Vegas but I am sure there are more. Like Nevada's legalized prostitution. We probably don't agree with that either. Matter of fact, that should have made the list. But someday I'm going to Vegas. I like Vegas and I like the people that live there that have written in and said hello. I'm going to go speak at a church there and hang out with other Christians that live there and maybe catch a Celine Dion show. What's that you say, she's left Vegas? Never mind.
Monday, May 5, 2008
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I am going to go out on a limb here and say it... both my wife and I (both Believers) happen to love the city, and have been probably a dozen times, and even spent a 6 month period of time living there in our RV at one point.
Yes, there is much to dis-like about the city, but it is also a great city, really. Why do you think (other than because Christians think it is the un-holy of un-holy's of cities) it is the fastest growing city in the country.
Find me one issue, problem, or sin, that exists in Vegas that doesn't exist right here in our very own "other" large city.
Like your friend said, the witness potential is even right there, out in the open, not hidden in the back room some where of your "clean" city.
My wife and I even went to church in Vegas, and... oh my... yes... he preached on the actual Word and everything. :)
"It's great, you don't have to go to the mission fields to witness to people. It's right here."
I love that - I think it's so important to realise that when Jesus said "go out into all the world" he not only meant to other countries - but also to OUR world right on our back doorstep - or over the nextdoor fence.
My name is Dan Smith and unfortunately, I'm a recovering addict. Your post, like many of yours, is awesome. It gets to the point and is really funny. Very enjoyable. The only caution I would give is that for men (and women) like myself, Vegas may not be the place to be. In fact, I would highly recommend against it. Doesn't really matter what addiction: SA, AA, GA, NA...all of them are undoubtedly in Vegas. Now, I'm an addict, and never went to Vegas, so yes, those things are everywhere, but I am weak, so why go where the enemy is strong?
Having said that, some of you stronger, more stable Christians need to get yourselves over there, saturate the place a little, and then the rest of us can come. No, that's not true either. There are some of us believers who will never be able to go.
So for those who can, enjoy a steak dinner for me.
one of my goals in life (that i added to my bucket list a long time ago) is to go to vegas and renew my wedding vows with my husband and have a blast doing so. i might dress up as dorothy on the wizard of oz and have him dress up as elvis and take lots and lots of pictures. but yeah, we plan on doing it in the near future.
my husband's best friend lives in vegas, he's atheist. they met in iraq, which is where they are still living at this time, however, our plans are to head out and visit when they both get back.
he's atheist, my husband's a christian. only the Lord can put those two together and make them the best of friends. they certainly weren't out looking for each other.
but it sure opened alot of doors for us that we want to take advantage of, it's an awesome way to spread the love and go to vegas and do the same out there. :)
whenever we have gone to any sort of training/equiping/inspiring type of seminars with the church staff, this is the actual exchange that has occured:
- everyone chatting, no problem -
nevada minister: '...and where are you from...?' or, 'i see you're from san francisco...'
which is always followed by them, or someone close by saying:
'wow, so, there's churches there, in san francisco, huh?!'
true story. :)
I think what spoiled me on gambling was a stats class back in college. We did a diagram showing that the longer you stay in a casino your chances, mathmatically, go into the toilet. Ever since I've been like 'whatever' when it comes to gambling.
In fact, told a friend who was going to go to a local riverboat casino (and take $50) that he could just give me the 50, I'd punch him in the face and we'd call it even (he'd probably have just as fun of time...)
I love Vegas, there is so much to do and most of it is cheap, because their hoping you will gamble. But I look at gambling like an form of entertainment. The thing is I live in Detroit, so most cities including Vegas are less sinful.
When you say Vegas, in this context, you mean The Strip? There is more to Vegas than the strip. People who live there generally love it for lots of reasons and never go to The Strip.
Personally, I come home sick as a dog every time I am in Vegas. I think it is from ingesting so much second hand smoke.
Celine Dion isn't in Vegas anymore. Bette Middler has taken her spot at the C's Palace.
I always kind of felt the same way about Vegas. And San Francisco, even though I love both places. But truthfully I shouldn't. I'm from Washington, DC and God knows one could question if God's presence is actually there.
The truth is sin is everywhere - and honestly, no more here than there. I went to college in a small Southern town and the debauchery I got into would make you think that we were giving Hell a run for it's money.
I agree with the whole Vegas being a "mission field" philosophy. Our worship team started singing music produced by a church in Las Vegas. They seem to really have a heart for the city and what God wants to do there. Jon, you should check it out while you're there. The website is http://championcenterlv.com/
But like I mentioned earlier, the sings we think are Vegas-specific are alive in well in our own home towns. I guarantee.
I remember a divorced friend telling me he'd gotten married in Vegas. I confess I thought to myself, "No wonder it didn't work." Of course, I got married in a pretty little church, and THAT didn't work out either!
I have a friend on staff at a Christian church in Vegas. He said they regularly get "chips" in the offering plate. And yes, they cash them in.
Stacy
Yes, Celine Dion may be gone, but Donny and Marie are coming in September! And, hey, if Vegas is good enough for Donny and Marie....
Q: What would Jesus do?
A: Go to Vegas!
I'm going to Vegas!!
Before I'd even been there, I'd always defended Vegas. I had always wanted to go... just to see it... but as someone pointed out... "it" often just means "the strip". And while I did play golf about 20 miles from the strip, most of opinions are now based purely on that part of Vegas. I don't defend it anymore. A mission-field... yes...
But personally, I hope I never have to go back there.
Like Nevada's legalized prostitution.
While Vegas is as awful as you say it is, it is still the only part of Nevada where prostitution is illegal.
Celine may be gone but apparently Cher and Tina Turner are there and Oprah's going to see them. You'd get the tri-fecta of powerful women with that one!
Go ye into all the world. . . except Vegas?! I think not. . .
Grissom, Jon. Gil Grissom. (Yes, it is sad that I know that.)
One of the best nights of my life was on tour with a worship band; we stopped in Vegas for dinner, and I spent most of the time walking around enjoying the spectacle and glamour of it all with a pair of gaudy elvis sunglasses I ironically purchased in Tijuana. It is one of my favorite places on earth, and it is cool because every corner has someone in need of the gospel.
But if I go to Vegas just to go see the Blue Man Group and maybe eat at one of those 99 Cent buffets, am I still going to Hell?
Furthermore, is it straight to hell or is there a less direct path since I didn't gamble or pick up a prostitute?
i am astounded that this post didn'g include New Orleans... another bastion of righteousness and wise choices.... ahhhhh!!!!
i'm just saying...
maybe you're saving it for a future post:
Thinking Jazz Fest is Evil.
No matter what city, Vegas, Atlantic City, New Orleans or any of the other hundreds of places that have gambling. ANYTHING done in excess is a sin.
I am a Christian and I have gone to Vegas and played the Black Jack tables. I hate the sound of the slots. But Black Jack, I have paid from my vacations before. I take a set amount of money that I have saved specifically for gambling. I start playing BJ and as my winning grow I put the money I brought with me back in my pocket and play off the winnings. If I loose my seed money then I get to go window shopping and sight seeing.
My husband is a fundamental Baptist. He has never been to Vegas and never will go. Because he was told it was bad he stays away.
We can all have opinions about what is and isn't sinful. However, don't judge blindly.
Hubby and I love Vegas. Mostly because my husband is a true night owl and going to bed at 4:00 am is his idea of heaven. Vegas is one of the few cities where there is more to do after 9:00 pm then before. Even if you don't gamble, drink, pick up prostitutes, go to nude shows, or leave body parts buried in the desert.
I did have one friend that went with her family for the first time about 5 years after she became a Christian. She didn't like it for the obvious reasons but then she also mentioned that her odometer trip meter read 666 miles when she got there and she took it as a "sign".
Great post on Vegas! It Made me think of another thing Christian's like. "Walking out on a Movie." So many people I talk to about movies, say, "Oh, we went to see that... but we walked out of it." And I wonder, didn't you check to see what movie you're seeing? You just randomly walked into the theatre?
Now I personally haven't walked out of a movie, but after working in the home video business for a bit, I just got to the point where I would stop watching, because the quality of the film was crap.
I apologize but as I just studied Dante's Inferno and you mentioned that book in the very first paragraph I feel inclined to inform you that there were 9 circles of hell. I'm not trying to correct you I just felt it was my duty to inform you :)
It is frgn' hot there.
Live here and love it. There is much more to Vegas than the strip like many have mentioned. I used to attend Champion Center way back in the day. And most people are suprised to learn that prostitution is NOT legal in Vegas, which is part of Clark County. It is however legal in Nye County, a neighboring county, just FYI.
I have a very appropriate story to share.
I am a pastor's kid. Once on a vacation we stopped in las vegas for a day because we had some extra time before we had to drive home. I was in 7th grade and we stayed at a place with a pool, rode on a roller coaster, saw lots of neon lights and ate at a buffet at 12; therefore i loved it!
Well, at the next new members luncheon I attended after church (because after all, I was the pastor's kid and had to go) we were asked to share what our favorite vacation spot was. I, very unwisely said "I love las vegas." I was chastised on the way home with "do you know how bad that makes us look?"
I love Las Vegas. I go there a couple of times a year. To the airport, that is. Because even though the airport in LA is closer, Vegas is much easier to get to from my hometown in the middle of nowhere and much cheaper than LAX. Come to think of it, is LA really any better than Vegas?
LOL! I live in Vegas and people are either really disappointed when they meet me (Aw you're from Vegas? We'll never be able to be friends) or really awestruck (My God, Vegas? Bless your soul! How do you do it?) or...really geeked. Super geeked. (Vegas? James, get over here! This girl is from VEGAS...you know...*whisper* Vegas! Vegas? Wow! Bob, get over...she's from Vegas! Yeah, someone from VEGAS is at this CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE! Come see!!) Like saying the name of the conference is going to suddenly remind me that I flew 2000 miles to end up in the wrong place. Ech.
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