If you won the jackpot tomorrow, how do you anticipate your future relationship with God?

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Poll options are “Positive” (i.e. you believe you would still be faithful and devout), “Negative” (i.e. you believe you would not be faithful and devout) and “Unsure”.

The option you choose won’t be made public.

*Edit: For those in different countries or from different backgrounds, the jackpot is the highest prize you can win in the lottery. So if the question confuses you, simply replace jackpot with “lottery”.
 
Heaven help me if I won the lottery.

I voted negative. Although I believe I would still keep my faith, I think that the win would increase my problems in life and that my devotion would suffer.

More temptations, more distractions, etc.
 
Had you asked me 35 years ago I’d have been very unsure. Now I would see using whatever was available on Church based causes as vocational, and a challenge of good stewardship. However, I would allow myself one small indulgence - a Bristol Fighter T. Brum, brumm, drool!

But even that would have to go in the end. Let’s face it: the most pointless and absurd thing is for someone to die wealthy!
 
Just ask all the people who have that much money and more and see what they will reply. 😉

In my view, the lottery is the biggest curse any person can bring upon themselves. Nobody needs that much money. Unless a person were to give it to many who need the money, why bother? So in response to the question, it really depends on the person’s disposition. If you aren’t content without that much money, you never will with it.
 
Some people have used the money well and some people have used the money foolishly.

One fellow started a university that is Catholic.

To accomplish some things, it takes big bucks.
 
Bohm_Bawerk said:
Poll options are “Positive” (i.e. you believe you would still be faithful and devout), “Negative” (i.e. you believe you would not be faithful and devout) and “Unsure”.

The option you choose won’t be made public.

*Edit: For those in different countries or from different backgrounds, the jackpot is the highest prize you can win in the lottery. So if the question confuses you, simply replace jackpot with “lottery”.
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Positive as I would give some of my winnings to a new Parish and their building fund that has been established in my town
 
Even if I were to donate the entire amount to charity, I fear that the win and subsequent donation would increase my pride. I might come to believe that I was somehow deserving of the win and then derserving of great appreciation for making the donation.

I would like to believe that I could handle a lottery win with my devotion as strong as ever and growing continually, but I think my devotion would likely suffer greatly.
 
There should be an option for “it wouldn’t change.”
 
I always said if I won, I would donate 1/2 to various Catholic charities. But, I worry I might become prideful, as if saying, “look at me, I won the lottery and am donating this much.” So, now I think I would be unsure. I would like to believe my faith and devotion would increase or at the very least not change. The temptations and problems, however, increase with all that money.
 
Money is a cross. I still remember a priest who said about Bill Gates that he has billions and billions of little crosses to carry. Unto whom much is given, much is expected.

I’m honestly not sure. I would like to think that it wouldn’t make a difference, but I also know I am a weak, fragile human being. If I ever won the lottery, I would set up a charitable foundation with most of the money, which I would be in charge of (or else hire someone I trust who knows what they’re doing :p). I have a few places I would love to give some substantial grants to. Of course, it would be nice to pay off debts, pay for my kids’ college, etc.

It would be extremely hard to live humbly when swiping that charge card for several thousand dollars really wouldn’t be that big of a deal with regards to my savings account. My biggest fear, though, would be not so much for myself but for my children. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to be raised in an environment where you never want for anything. Just look at how things turn out for so many of the celebutantes. That’s not a fate I would wish on my children.
 
You could use the money to start a business … or to convert a hobby into a business.

Maybe there is some aspect of life that really bugs you … managing your IRA, for example … takes wayyy too much time and energy. So you figure out a way, based on your experience to “automate” the process so that rebalancing can be done automatically. But you need to hire someone to do some programming for you.

If, for example, you enjoyed sport fishing … you could use the money to make improvements to the sport in terms of financing development of better equipment.

Or, you just don’t believe the statistics on fish population data, so you can put together your own marine institute and buy side-scanning sonars and boats and hire crews to go out and do the census yourself.

If you enjoyed some non-profit activity … could be anything … scouting or being an EMT … you could use the money to enhance those activities for others … through scholarships or a foundation to buy equipment. That, by the way, is how scholarships and foundations come about … people who have achieved some measure of financial success now have the ability to fund up a philanthropic fund. And, if you’re diffident or uncomfortable about taking or getting credit, you can set up a system so that your participation is anonymous.

All it takes is an idea. And now with the money in hand, you can follow through.

The point to all this is that you could use the money to help other people with some aspect of their lives.

And, there is no requirement that the experience has to be a penance for you or be unpleasant.

So, there is no reason to expect that the process would adversely affect your relationship with God.
 
LumenGent said:
Just ask all the people who have that much money and more and see what they will reply. 😉
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Actually to get a more accurate kind of answer, ask the people that were practicing their faith before they won the lottery. If many of the lottery winners didn’t have faith life to begin with, the result of winning the jackpot on their faith is inaccurate.

My mom’s parish has a family that won a jackpot close to 9 digits. But nobody would be able to tell they have that much money by just looking at them. They don’t “flash” their winnings to everyone. Their kids attended the same parish school my daughter did for kindergarten, they weren’t the “spoiled” kids in the classroom.
 
Good for them. I know if I ever won the lottery I would not change the person I am. I would still donate my time and money to those who need it just as I do now.
 
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