BAPTISTS OPPOSE MEASURE; CONVENTION ASSAILS 2 GAMBLING ISSUES

Missouri Baptists hope voters will sink November ballot issues that would legalize riverboat and simulcast gambling in the state.

Delegates at the Missouri Baptist Convention meeting at the Show Me Center approved a resolution Wednesday opposing Proposition A, the riverboat gambling measure, and Amendment 3, which would allow betting on televised horse races.

The Rev. Rodney Travis, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jackson and newly elected president of the Baptist convention, said there are biblical and practical reasons to oppose gambling.

"It's a vicious black hole that will engulf us," Travis said of gambling.

He said gambling won't solve the state's financial concerns, but that's hard to get across to many Missouri voters. Political leaders, he said, have generally supported state lotteries.

"It's frustrating to me that many of our politicians I've talked to say without a state lottery our schools won't have money," said Travis.

He said the state lottery has not produced the revenue that had been anticipated. Riverboat and simulcast gambling would also fall short of revenue projections, he said.

Travis pointed out that in the late 1800s Louisiana became the last state to do away with a state-sponsored lottery because it was a poor way to raise revenue. Since then the tide has turned, with state lotteries becoming the rule.

About 2,000 delegates attended the state convention, which began Monday and concluded Wednesday. In all, about 4,000 people attended various sessions of the convention, Baptist convention officials said.

The resolution opposing the gambling measures was approved by a show of hands. There were no dissenting votes.

The resolution states that Missouri Baptists are opposed to the ballot measures on theological grounds and because "gambling exploits the poor, increases crime and brings destruction to families."

The resolution also urges member churches to urge their members to vote against the gambling measures.

With about 630,000 members in the state, the Baptist denomination is Missouri's largest Protestant group.

Travis said the group's opposition to gambling may not be enough to defeat the ballot measures. The Missouri Baptist Convention unsuccessfully opposed the establishment of the state lottery several years ago.

"I think the door was opened by the lottery when it came in," said Travis. "I'm afraid we can't close it again."

While the Baptist group has taken a strong stand on the gambling issue, Travis said he doesn't believe religious denominations should take stands on political candidates.

In many instances, he said, "candidates use us (religious groups) for votes and we use them for notoriety."

Travis said he doesn't believe churches should support specific candidates, but Christians individually should be involved in the political process.

As to the gambling measures, Travis said that if they are approved Tuesday the next step would be on-land casinos.

He said riverboat gambling is a revenue producer for casino owners but not for citizens.

A Baptist flier describes riverboat gambling as casino gambling. "Casinos do not provide the financial stability or lower taxes promised," it states.

The flier also takes aim at parimutuel betting. Voters approved parimutuel betting in 1984; however, no race track has been established yet in Missouri.

"Parimutuel wagering provides no income, yet thousands of dollars are spent annually by taxpayers to maintain a state commission on horse racing and parimutuel wagering."

Baptists say riverboat gambling won't boost tourism. "Cities in other states have used taxpayer dollars to make major improvements in anticipation of the influx of tourists to riverboats with gambling," the flier says.

"They've learned two lessons: the boats leave if profits aren't high enough and the `tourists' spend all their time on the boats and not in nearby shops and restaurants.

"Riverboat gambling seriously damages the quality of life. Gambling destroys families emotionally and financially," the flier states.

Travis said the gambling industry attracts criminal elements. "Atlantic City is a prime example of organized crime coming in."

He said any gambling jobs created would be offset by the need for cities to provide increased law enforcement and economic assistance.

Riverboat gambling, he said, won't bring economic prosperity to the state or the Cape Girardeau area. "I don't think it would benefit us at all."

People are attracted to gambling partly out of greed and the lure of winning the jackpot, said Travis. "People have this false dream," he said.

"If you would line up the people who have won the (Missouri) lottery since it has been in existence, it wouldn't go very far," he said.

But Travis said that even some people who don't gamble see nothing wrong with legalizing it.

"It's difficult to say you shouldn't do this, in some people's minds," he said. "I think there is a relativism today where many people feel there are no absolutes."