If I ever write a book and Billy Graham invites me to speak at a conference about it and said conference is held in Las Vegas, I’ll be going to that conference alone. My wife, like many other Christians, has taken a secret blood oath against the city of Las Vegas. In her mind, Vegas is like the 14th circle of Dante’s inferno. I don’t know if he had that many, but if he knew about what Vegas would become I am fairly certain he would have included it.
I have a friend in Vegas that told me, “It’s great, you don’t have to go to the mission fields to witness to people. It’s right here.” I love that attitude and I hope to one day go there. But I think there are three main reasons we Christians are a little wary of Las Vegas.
1. The television show, “CSI Las Vegas”
Dang CBS, how often are they finding bodies without hands in the Las Vegas desert? Is Vegas that bad? I mean, honestly, how often are the cops needing to use that blue light glow stick thing on dead strippers? I just get worried about visiting there with how busy Gil Grisham is.
2. Marketing campaign built on affairs.
Rumor has it that the tourism board of Las Vegas initially wasn’t going to use the ad campaign, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” They were really leaning toward, “Come have anonymous sex with strangers” but it looked weird on coffee mugs. Come on Vegas, you’re killing me. (And I blame you for what looks like a horrible Mr. Demi Moore/Cameron Diaz movie. That is borderline unforgivable.)
3. Gambling
I recently heard a professor from MIT speak about the slot machine industry. She said it is a well documented fact that the industry views each person as “a potential addict.” And even scarier is the idea that casinos measure something called “pain points.” They study what makes someone unhappy while they are gambling and can pin point when you are going to leave the casino. When they see you walking away, they trigger what they call the “good luck algorithm.” Suddenly as you make your way out of the casino an employee “randomly” approaches you and offers you a coupon for ten free plays or a free steak dinner. You feel a little better about the day and decide to stay a little longer. That’s just creepy.
Those are the three main reasons I think Christians don’t like Vegas but I am sure there are more. But someday I’m going to Vegas. I like Vegas and I like the people that live there that have written in and said hello. I’m going to go speak at a church there and hang out with other Christians that live there and maybe catch a Celine Dion show. What’s that you say, she’s left Vegas? Never mind.
