'To Bless All Mankind' February 27, 2017 Issue

Freedom from ‘problem gambling’—the spiritual way!

Tony Lobl

Adapted from an article published in The Christian Science Monitor, January 11, 2017.

I was a “problem gambler” in my 20s, playing the fruit machines (one-armed bandits) in the West End of London, day in and day out. On the occasional time when I managed to leave victorious over the odds, the glow of victory was short-lived. I would invariably take my winnings back to the arcades later that day.

So my heart goes out to those who are experiencing such misery and even risking their marriages by giving in to the urge to gamble (see editorial on facing page). Looking back from the freedom I’ve since found, I pray individuals will find their own route out of such circumstances, as I finally did.

What happened in my case was someone introduced me to Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, a deeply healing book that introduced me to a love of the Bible’s profound message of comfort and hope and has since become a constant companion. I was blown away to read something overtly spiritual that made practical sense. It clarified spiritual moments I’d previously experienced that had a practical impact on my life. It showed me that such glimpses of spiritual awareness should and would bring actual healing.

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