A Deal With the "Gods"

A recent post remembered a poker player we knew in the Southeast U.S. who went by the name "Buddha." Now in an unusual twist (we don't dare it "karma"), a real Buddhist has hit it big in a major poker tournament.

Canadian Scott Wellenbach finished in third place at a recent PokerStars event in the Bahamas. That earned him more than $670,000 - and he says he'll give it all to charity. In fact, he did it before. Wellenbach donated a $72,000 prize from a tournament in Spain to a Buddhist version of a convent.

Why is he doing this? Wellenbach says he made a deal with "the poker gods."

Uh-oh. That's where we feel compelled to come in. Not because he gave away all his prize money. Giving is a good thing....

...Freely you have received, freely give. - Matthew 10:8

No, it's the "poker gods" part that raised a red flag with us. You see, our quote about giving comes from Jesus Christ - and He's the "one God" who came to Earth in the flesh.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. - John 1:1, 14

Some Christian preachers explain this as "two gods." The Bible indicates that's misleading:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. - Deuteronomy 6:4

Is this a Bible contradiction? No, because Jesus clarified it:

I and my Father are one. - John 10:30

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. - John 17:20-21

Jesus was God on Earth. He said He was One with God the Father. Would Scott Wellenbach say Jesus is God? We won't put words in his mouth, but traditional Buddhism doesn't have such a belief. And "the Lord" of the Bible warns:

You shall have no other gods before me. - Deuteronomy 5:7

In the end, each of us must choose which god we serve - or if we serve any at all. We choose the God of the Bible and Christianity because it provides us hope beyond this life. It's a hope of eternal life with no sin, because God can forgive our sins through the blood of Jesus.

What do you think of this? Your comments are always welcome, and we might reply to them.