Sikhs And The Lottery?

[Guest OntarioSingh]

I'm pretty sure playing the lottery would be against sikh principles and values as it is essentially gambling (putting money down to get more money). Casinos and stuff are clearly frowned upon and not the right setting for any practicing Sikh.

What about the stock market?

If I buy 100 shares of Apple, I am essentially putting money down and buying a product (a lottery ticket equivalent). I'm hopeful the stock will increase and I will make money sitting doing nothing while the shares rise and later sell them and make a profit. The same way, buying a lottery (buy 100 stocks) and hoping to win the $50 million jackpot (rise in shares).

The only difference perhaps is that essentially you do get a product when buying the shares, but this argument is invalidated if the market collapses or the shares decrease and you lose your initial investment. This is the same principle as you buying a lottery ticket and not winning. $5 stock (or a lottomax ticket) = didn't win = same as buying blackberry stocks 4 months ago and losing all your money.

What about “honest living” and earning all your money? If I physically work hard for 8 hours and make my money versus I save up money for 5 years and buy a property that pays me rent, I’m essentially doing nothing and making my profits by sitting on a chair. The same way, I could save up my money and buy lottery tickets or buy stocks.

Would then working in a stock market environment also be considered bad and incompatible with being Sikhs? I sense not and then why is buying lottery tickets considered bad? Casino's I consider a different issue really because of the setting and addiction. But buying a lottery ticket or stocks, something that we could do in a grocery store or gas station and online, why is it suddenly incompatible?

Shares can be bought by logging into my banks website and a lottery ticket by going to my local gas station/convenient store. Not like the environment or setting is a bad thing.

What are your opinions?

[Guest hkaur]

With regards to your point about saving money and buying property: money doesn't just accumulate of its own accord, you would still have earned that money honestly by working hard. And there is nothing wrong with making a sound investment by buying property and renting it out.

Also, I firmly believe that the stock market is not gambling. Of course, there is a level of uncertainty in all investments. Since a stock represents ownership of a company, it is an investment and it creates value by helping the economy and the company amongst other things. Gambling does not create value, it is passing money from a winner to a loser for the sake of a game and for the sake of having fun. Completely different. However, those that don't understand the stock market and its intricacies could quite easily lose money.

[Guest Babbu]

Iz same as all those that drink or sell booze and give money 2 the temple . The temple still takes the money from where it is coming !

[HeatSikhingMissile]

I refer to lottery as fool's tax. Although it is 'gambling' per say, if it's state/province run, then the profit margins made by the lottery go directly to government infrastructure, so your $2 loss essentially has become a tax grab by the government for road ways, healthcare, debt reduction etc. etc., and one you voluntarily gave them

[Guest Guest]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa

Waheguru ji ki fateh

Ontario Singh,

If you want to invest in Stock then it's advisable to do a crash course on Financial Markets.

Generally people who invest in stock do so based on TIPS from Brokers or Investment Bankers.

So in reality you are just taking a gamble on their word.

People who want to earn their bread & butter from stock usually end up bankrupt or in debt.

Only those who have steady source of income should invest a part of their savings in stock (medium or long term).

Lottery is gambling but you can use the concept for a Game Show then it's Business !

Waheguru ji ka khalsa

Waheguru ji ki fateh

[Guest Singh]

From the OP's original post, it's clear that you are starting to learn about stocks or property invesments.

My family has been doing business with Property and property development for quite some time now and it is a really good business to get into if you are serious about it.

To be apart of investing in companies (stocks, shares, bonds etc.) you have to understand how the financial market works (through financial courses, uni etc.)

It is not gambling(casino, poker blackjack etc.) as some may believe it to be without researching into how or what the market is.

For example, If you invest in Apple at $400 per share, this essentially means you have made the choice of giving Apple that money for whatever purpose Apple chooses to do with that money, with you assuming all risk of giving that company your money. However if Apple chooses to use that $400 to invest in its own Research and Development program to upgrade their Iphone platform, this can mean that their new iphone will be a hit. So when the new ihpone comes out it'll increase the value of Apple the company because of your initial investment of $400. Since the investment you have given Apple, apple was able to create a better platform which meant increase in sales of their new product which means the value of their company has grown from $400 to $401.

So at this time, you the investor have the option of collecting your investment of $400 plus the additional $1 profit because of the increase in value of the company.

However the risk is whether or not the company can sustain it's value and you either waiting for the company to increase in value or decrease in value depending on what type of investor you are.

Same concept is used in Property. You look at a property value at $200,000 and then you look at the surrounding development land. So depending on the market trend you can either have property increase in 5 years or a decrease in value. There is more attributes involved but for sake of understanding just a little jist of it.

As for your concern for the lottery which isn't the same as investing in property or companies, placing 2$ for a chance at $50 million jackpot is something most people do, but they only do it well obviously there current financial condition is something they aren't satisfied with so they hope to win this mass amount of money. But can't blame them some people just want or need more. When placing that $2 to purchase a ticket, you aren't investing in a company yet you are contributing to a pool(or a fools tax like above) in order for someone to win the jackpot this can be similar to playing blackjack or poker. You put in some amount of money and play a game in this case a ball will be picked and a number will be read and who ever matches there ticket with a number will win. Some people become addicted to this, there has been studies done where the effects of cocaine in an addict in the brain is similar to the effects of winning or losing to a gambling addict.

Whatever we have should be more then enough for us to live a balanced life of meditating and working.

Doing business in the market, property or companies it is a full-time job and from experience it is not as easy as you may make it sound (sitting on a chair and earning money).

But I hope some things were answered if not, you can always find the true answer with Guru Sahib.

[Guest Guest]

I agree with Ontario Singh that investment in stock market is against sikh principles. Stock market is like playing gambling.Sometime you loose money and some time you gain money.Be truthful and live honestly that is message of gurus.Also investing in stock market increase greed in you where you look for more and more return or want to put money in stock which gives you maximum return .This means you are becoming more greedy by trying to maximize your profit. Guru Nanak told us to not be servant of 5 passions(Greed is one of them).

But in today world where you work for some company and saving money for retirement, automatically your saving go indirectly into stock market.And in retirement account also you look for funds which gives to maximum return.I am also in dilema how to get out of this stock market . One options is to invest in Bonds,Tips etc which means you are giving money to Government for welfare of country men and in return getting minimum return. But that also to some extend create greed in you as you try to put in bonds which gives you maximum returns e.g india bonds(8.5%) vs US bonds(2%). In modern economy where world is so interlinked and money indirectly goes to Stock market,there is very difficult to find way where you can be gurumukh and not be greedy.

[Guest Jasleen Kaur Little]

I am gonna have to disagree with  everyone. Stock market or lottery "IS" against Sikh principles seems like a personal opinion and not a fact. You are not gaining money by any wrong means. 

Now if you stole someone else's winning ticket and signed it off as yours or if you stole money from people to create fake investment portfolios and again, kept it for yourself, THAT is definitely against the Sikh principles of earning with Honesty.

Since it is wildly known and repeatedly said, Waheguru Ji knows what is in your heart even without Ardaas. So if you buy a lottery ticket for $2 and win or your investments are doing great, yous should consider yourself extremely blessed, stay humble and share with those who cannot afford it. I think this is what Skhi is all about.

[Kaurr]

Isn't stock market buying a part of the business, where you have to do your research and stuff, that wouldn't be considered gambling then