A quick couple of questions..

[pam]

FYI - those of us from WV are mountaineers, hillbillies are from a Los Angeles suburb!

Oh and I bet they made their fortune while out shooting at some food?

[beefche]

Originally Posted by mesmith

Also, how much trouble will I be in when I root for the WVU Mountaineers over BYU?

(First question is serious, second not so much.)

It's difficult to divide your loyalties. I was born and raised in Indiana and bleed IU red. I graduated from BYU and love BYU blue. Thankfully, they are in different divisions, so when I'm watching basketball, I can cheer the Hoosiers to my heart's content and not worry about BYU. When BYU plays football, I can cheer them on and not worry about IU. It helps that IU is a more of a basketball school and BYU is football.

[beefche]

Originally Posted by mesmith

When I convert to LDS do I have to stop playing canasta, euchre, and pinochle?


(First question is serious, second not so much.)

I honestly don't understand why people don't play with face cards. I know there was something in Mormon Doctrine about the Satanic symbols that is supposedly on face cards and that face cards are used in gambling.

But, Mormon Doctrine is not doctrine (despite the title) and I have had a fantastic time fellowshipping over euchre tournaments and generally having fun. For people inclined to gamble, I'm betting () that they will gamble while playing Old Maid, if given the chance.

As with anything else we discuss, YMMV. If you are inclined to be tempted to gamble and playing any particular game tempts you beyond your ability to resist, then stop playing that.

[Gwen]

my husband and stepson came back from an all lds scout camp one yr and had learned to play some dice game from a member of the stake pres. it takes like 50 dice so then they wanted to go out and buy a bunch of dice. they get annoyed that i won't play with them. involves to much counting for me. lol there are several card games i do enjoy though.

[Misshalfway]

Originally Posted by beefche

I honestly don't understand why people don't play with face cards. I know there was something in Mormon Doctrine about the Satanic symbols that is supposedly on face cards and that face cards are used in gambling.

But, Mormon Doctrine is not doctrine (despite the title) and I have had a fantastic time fellowshipping over euchre tournaments and generally having fun. For people inclined to gamble, I'm betting () that they will gamble while playing Old Maid, if given the chance.

As with anything else we discuss, YMMV. If you are inclined to be tempted to gamble and playing any particular game tempts you beyond your ability to resist, then stop playing that.

THis reminds me of people who can't celebrate Halloween or read fantasy books. These are dictates that come from inside of certain personality types....not the dictates of the church.

I never had a problem with any of these things. I don't worry about exposing my kids to stuff like Harry Potter. But you know....some people feel strongly about not using face cards. I can respect that if that works for them. It just makes me question if they are really living according to principle or practice. I find myself happier when I live according to principle as shame has a harder time taking root.

[beefche]

Originally Posted by Misshalfway

THis reminds me of people who can't celebrate Halloween or read fantasy books. These are dictates that come from inside of certain personality types....not the dictates of the church.

I never had a problem with any of these things. I don't worry about exposing my kids to stuff like Harry Potter. But you know....some people feel strongly about not using face cards. I can respect that if that works for them. It just makes me question if they are really living according to principle or practice. I find myself happier when I live according to principle as shame has a harder time taking root.

Yeah, I have a friend (non-LDS) who thinks Halloween is evil and anything that mentions witches or spells or whatever. I respect that and don't ask her to go see HP with me. I don't agree with it, but that's quite ok, because she doesn't agree with me NOT having a problem with it. So, we just tease each other--she calls me a heathen and I tell her to go read her scriptures when she does.

[pam]

Okay I'm such a dork. I posted this originally in the wrong thread. That's what I get for having two windows open.

I supposed when I play the game of "war" with my teenagers it could be misconstrued as a bit of violence. Phrases like "you are so going down" and "give me all your cards NOW" do have a touch of violence there. Or perhaps it's the mwahahaha at the end of a winning war.

Perhaps if we changed the wording to "Oh honey..I so hope that you don't lose for I fear greatly for your demise" and to "please may I have your cards? If you don't mind of course."
__________________

[dazed-and-confused]

I have a thing for cribbage, myself. Maybe i'll look into learning euchre. As for college football, GO MIDSHIPMEN, NAVY...YEAH!

[john doe]

Back in the day the counsel was about not playing games of 'chance', which is basically having a winner or loser based mainly on luck. I can see how some personality types can get hooked on gambling on such things to the point where an addiction or stupid bet is made and they lose everything to it.

[Dravin]

This article, LDS.org - New Era Article - Q&A: Questions and Answers, talks about playing cards (though it should be pointed out the article itself is not doctrine). Though it isn't talking about something intrinsically evil about face cards (as I read it) but a tendency to use them to not just play but to gamble with, even mentioning that tendency is absent in say a Rook deck. Interestingly enough it also mentions that playing 'poker' with said Rook deck doesn't tend towards such. I wonder if Elder Widtsoe was making a comment on psychology (face cards are associated with gambling, so the connection is there in a subconscious even if you aren't exchanging money) or something else.

Personally I'm removed enough from gambling that playing war or what have you with a deck of face cards doesn't give me an itch to start spending money. Though I suppose if one was predisposed towards problems with gambling I could see how one would want to avoid having a deck in the house, I wonder if that is what some of the advice is about. Though it it was really that much of an issue you'd probably want to skip the Rook deck, though you'd probably be fine with Uno. If one was really worried about this kinda stuff it looks like playing those cards with a Rook deck (or any other deck which would work) has an official nod of sorts.

P.S. My family's personal weakness cardwise is playing Shanghai (similar to Phase 10 and uses a Rook deck, thus the references in my post).