Beware of Imitations

The World Series of Poker is the game's biggest spectacle. But maybe we should have seen this coming - a different big tournament being played in Las Vegas during WSOP season, but having nothing to do with the WSOP.

The "Super High-Roller Bowl" is planned for the first weekend in July. It's timed for the three days before the WSOP Main Event opens.  But it apparently won't be on cable TV until late August - a tournament with a $500,000 buy-in, but "no tournament fees." (No fees? Then why isn't it a freeroll?)

The "Bowl" organizers clearly are taking advantage of the fact that the biggest names in poker will be in Las Vegas for that other big contest. If we worked for the WSOP, we'd probably be a bit annoyed by this.  Isn't this a form of stealing from the WSOP's success?

There's a case in the Bible where someone appeared to do this sort of thing - and even took the name of Jesus as he did it:

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." - Mark 9:38

Some church groups sadly think like John. In the classic words of Ricki Lake's old talk show, they think they're "all that" - and no other group possibly can be that. Those others might even be called wrong, or tools of the devil. But is that how Jesus looked at this?

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us." - Mark  9:39-40

Is Jesus giving legitimacy to Islam or Buddhism here? No, we don't think so - because the key phrase in these verses is "in my name." Are other people doing things in the name of Jesus?  If they are, Jesus indicates there's no problem with it.  But if they're glorifying somebody or something else, that's another matter.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

That sounds awfully exclusivist. But that's a direct quote from Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of humankind.

If you're going to play your own "side game" in terms of faith, do so carefully -- and give honor to the One who's making the true "Main Events" of history.