‘Man of God’ Eyes Lotto ‘Booty’

THE K240,000 lotto winner Elizabeth Mubanga says she will pay in tithe from her ‘booty’ to a very special priest—her father, who runs the Church of God Is Love, a Pentecostal church.
Her father, Pastor Mwape Mubanga, has since said he will be more than glad to receive the K240,000 tithe despite being fully aware that the proceeds are from gambling, which is frowned upon by sections of Christianity that regard gambling as a sin.
Pastor Mubanga said it is in order for Elizabeth to pay tithe from the K2.4 million she won.
“Yes I know that playing the lotto is gambling and I can’t tell people to gamble but when the money is used for something noble, then it is okay,” he said.
Pastor Mubanga backed his conviction by quoting a story from Genesis 20:1-18 which talks about the patriarch Abraham lying to the heathen king Abimelech that Sarah was his sister when in fact not.
The king proceeded to take her to his palace but in a dream God told him Sara was married to Abraham.
In fright, Abimelech gave her back to Abraham and compensated him with livestock and money after which the patriarch prayed to reverse the curse that had befallen the king and the women of his kingdom.
The clergyman said if a holy man like Abraham could receive money from a heathen king, there is nothing wrong with receiving money gotten through gambling to be used for church purposes.
According to him, there is nothing different in what his daughter did by receiving money gained through secular means to be used for Christ.
As far as the pastor is concerned, Elizabeth’s move to give tithe was done according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Even if there no verse in the Bible that’s specifically mentions gambling, some religious leaders argue that lotto is a sin because it involves taking a chance.
But Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director Pukuta Mwanza defined gambling (playing the lottery) as a game of chance using guess work, which is a sin to God as it is not done in faith.
He said according to Romans 14: 23, everything that does not come from faith is sin adding that faith pleases God, without which it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6)
“To some, using money gained from lottery on church purposes may sound spiritual but an act of good based on sin is just that,” Rev Mwanza said.
He said it is like someone stealing money or using money earned from prostitution to pay tithe.
Rev Mwanza said we cannot mock God by sugar-coating sin with good.
According to the Zambia Revenue Authority Advice Centre, Ms Mubanga is required to pay 15 percent withholding tax as the money she won is regarded as income.