Is playing with face cards evil?

Question

Gramps,

I recollect that Mormon Doctrine says (at least the first edition) says that face cards carry the inherit spirit of Satan (or words to similar effect). This refers more directly to the question than your answer (which was a good answer), but I frankly puzzle how McConkie could come up with that idea. According to that, it would be OK to play poker, etc., with Rook cards, but not face cards.

Ken

Answer

Ken,

While it is easy for us to “dismiss” the book Mormon Doctrine as just Elder McConkie’s testimony and opinions on the gospel, playing cards and the games associated with gambling have been talked about by many latter day prophets.

President Joseph F. Smith has stated the position of the Church with reference to card playing in these words:

“Card playing is an excessive pleasure; it is intoxicating and, therefore, in the nature of a vice. It is generally the companion of the cigarette and the wine glass, and the latter lead to the poolroom and the gambling hall… Few indulge frequently in card playing in whose lives it does not become a ruling passion… A deck of cards in the hands of a faithful servant of God is a satire upon religion… Those who thus indulge are not fit to administer in sacred ordinances… The bishops are charged with the responsibility for the evil, and it is their duty to see that it is abolished… No man who is addicted to card playing should be called to act as a ward teacher; such men cannot be consistent advocates of that which they do not themselves practice.”

Elder Widtsoe criticized card playing on the grounds that it was habit forming and a waste of time. He said:

“It has been observed through centuries of experience that the habit of card playing becomes fixed upon a person and increases until he feels that a day without a game of cards is incomplete. After an afternoon or evening at card-playing, nothing has been changed, no new knowledge, thoughts, or visions have come, no new hopes or aspirations have been generated, except for another opportunity to waste precious hours. It leads nowhere; it is a dead-end road. Dull and deadly is a life which does not seek to immerse itself in the rapidly moving stream of new and increasing knowledge and power. Time is required to ‘keep up with the times.’ We dare not waste time on pastimes that starve the soul.”

President Kimball once said:

“We hope faithful Latter-day Saints will not use the playing cards which are used for gambling, either with or without the gambling. As for the gambling, in connection with horse racing or games or sports, we firmly discourage such things.” (General Conference, 1974).

The bottom line message is that card playing and gambling lead to wasting our time, energy and resources away from the things that make life meaningful to live.

In my own opinion, having a deck of cards is harmless… as long as it isn’t addictive or used for gambling purposes. (I’ve been known to play a grueling game of “crazy 8’s”. or “gin rummy”.)

But I would stay away from the gambling games – poker, blackjack and others. These are games that dull your spirituality and create financial incentives (or great debt and the tearing apart of families) to learn the “poker face” to deceive and lie to others.

Gramps