Guess (the name of the girl who has put her beautiful palms on your eyes), wild guess (no clue and hence choose option D), educated guess (options A and B have been eliminated and hence choose between C and D), speculation (invest in Company A), etc. are not synonymous. Of these, the phrase "wild guess" has a negative connotation. In this case the guesser has absolutely no clue about the possible outcome. Even in this case "faith" has no role. A person with absolute faith does not guess and no gambling is involved. He acts with 100% confidence. There are, however, "partial" believers (skeptics!) (I have met people belonging to this group) who are not risk averse at all when it comes to religion and hence acts like a believer although sometimes in a loosely bound way.
I think all the great religions have spoken against gambling. Sage Manu has disapproved of gambling. From Mahabharata we know that the pious kings had the custom of gambling. Yuthisthira lost in gambling his entire kingdom and even his and his four brothers' common wife Draupadi. Probably the author of this epic Vyasadev was also not in favor of gambling.
Economic history points to the fact that speculation in stock markets can be catastrophic. No doubt there is fun and excitement and sorrow as well associated with gambling. We have seen how gambling, wine, women can go hand in hand to ruin a person or a whole family. That's why I think religious prohibitions may be rooted in preserving or promoting the welfare of the followers.
Having said all this, I am not against gambling as a fun and gambling as a fund raising mechanism.
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, July 1, 2012 11:47 AM
Subject: [mukto-mona] Oh! the Thrill of Gambling (a wondering thought)
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, July 1, 2012 11:47 AM
Subject: [mukto-mona] Oh! the Thrill of Gambling (a wondering thought)
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