Tyrone Reid, Enterprise Reporter

"Hypocritical". That is how former lay preacher and current Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, describes the Church's campaign against casino gambling.

He told The Sunday Gleaner that the interest groups that have been lobbying against the official advent of casino gaming are silent on other forms of betting, gaming and lotteries.

"It is very hypocritical because we have embraced the lottery, we have embraced horse racing, we have embraced bingo and all kinds of other games," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

"The parallel of gaming with bingo and other games of chance makes it difficult for one to maintain a strong negative position."

Not picking a fight

While expressing his views, Minister Bartlett said he was not picking a fight with any group that opposed the introduction of casino gambling, "because we are in a free democracy that offers competitive views on various activities in our society and all views must contend and then be subsumed by a higher order," he said. The minister also pointed out that the introduction of casino gambling did not fall within the purview of his ministry but that of the Ministry of Finance.

While the former lay preacher embraces the advent of casino gambling, it seems the Church is still holding its hard-line stance against the venture. Bishop Joseph Ade-Gold, founding pastor of Overcomers World Ministries, told our news team that most factions within the church community were still against it. "I still believe that the position still holds for many of us, but there are a few Christian leaders who have changed their minds and others have adopted a nonchalant view, saying that the Government will legalise it despite what the Church thinks," he said.

Still committed to church

Bartlett, who grew up in the New Testament Church of God in George's Plain, Westmoreland, does not currently see himself as a "very active member" but says he is "still quite committed". What many people do not know about the 56-year-old minister of government, who is on a drive to spruce up Jamaica, is that in his youthful days he laboured in a different ministry.

At first, the minister was a little bashful to discuss his days as a lay preacher. "Why you going into all of that for now?" he said with a chuckle.

However, he eventually revealed some information about his days around the sacred desk. "I was very active during my earlier years,particularly during my period at high school and university," he explained.

Despite his rich history in the pulpit as a youth, Minister Bartlett told The Sunday Gleaner that his view, and not that of the ministry, was that the introduction of casino gambling would bring with it more benefits than drawbacks. However, he is in favour of introducing the controversial venture as part of a wider experience in entertainment and cultural activity.

"(Casino) gaming, however, as an attraction, has far more pluses to it and offers greater opportunities for job creation and a variety of entertainment experiences.

"And, therefore, is not a moral obligation, as was suggested in the years when it was solely an activity involving the mob, (or) an activity solely involving nefarious characters," he said.

Not contrary to Scriptures

While admitting that the New Testament Church of God had "traditionally taken a strong position on all forms of gaming", Minister Bartlett argued that he had no difficulty reconciling his support for the advent of casino gambling with his reputation as a lay preacher because his stance was not contrary to the Scriptures, from which he once preached.

"I have no difficulty with that because there is no biblical base to say casino gaming is wrong as opposed to any other form of game of chance such as bingo, lottery or anything else.

"What does happen is that we are in an ever-evolving cycle of moral values and I believe that the (response) to moral issues, which are not biblically based, is subjected to review by various generations," he explained.

In support of his position, Minister Bartlett pointed out that several things that were taboo within church circles when he was a child were now accepted forms of activity.

"So, our religion itself is an ever-evolving phenomenon, with, of course, the basic principles, rooted in the Bible, which are immutable."

Casino gambling aside, Minister Bartlett believes he has been called to the Kingdom for such a time as this. "In Christendom, the Lord directs people at varying points to perform various functions in His kingdom. And, my vocation now through the Divine, is in the political arena as a minister of tourism."