It's a debate that's gone to courts more than once. Now the latest ruling has come - and skill is a big loser.
A court in India ruled Friday that the head of Spartan Poker was guilty of violating gambling laws by holding an apartment game in 2016. Nasir Patel argued the skill involved in successfully playing poker made him exempt from those laws. But the court ruled:
“How can poker be a game of skill? You simply get the cards and open it, and if chance be, you will win.”.
We've played poker long enough to know that's only true to a certain extent. If you're dealt pocket Aces, you're admittedly far more likely to win a pot than if you're dealt 2-3 offsuit. But the hands in between are where the "skill" comes in. Players set traps, make big bluffs or try various other stunts to claim as many chips as they can.
Other walks of life require a great deal of skill. For instance, if we need brain surgery, we'd rather have a surgeon who knows what he or she is doing. That takes years of study and training. But when it comes to the things of God, you might be surprised....
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? - Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)
The more we learn about our solar system, the more we see how predictable and orderly it is. Astronomers knew when the sun would rise this morning, and when the full moon would occur this weekend. They can calculate to the minute when the next eclipse will happen. If there's macro-evolution, shouldn't these things all come as a surprise?
It took a genius God to arrange all that - with no chance or luck involved at all. Yet you don't have to be a genius to accept these things, and have a relationship with God:
Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. - I Corinthians 1:27-28 (NLT)
If you believe in God and Jesus Christ, many "smart" people will scoff at you. Yet the late Stephen Hawking, who was considered a genius of our time and called an atheist by some, is being buried on church grounds - and near Sir Isaac Newton, who not only was expert in science but wrote a Bible commentary.
And does it take skill to start a relationship with God and Jesus Christ? Not really....
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9 (NLT)
As someone once put it: Are you just dumb enough to believe God, and do what He says? Even if that means admitting God has more skills than you'll ever have?
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