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Your comment seems to suggest that religion can be used to combat excesses. In my experience, the only times when religion works in that way is when itself substitutes the previous excesses. Normally the person becomes someone completely different, seemingly lobotomised, and ends up giving away all their time, energy and many times money to the church or whatever organisation is behind it.

I'd hardly call that combatting excess. YMMV.

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I didn't interpret the parent comment as saying that religion can be used to/is effective at combating excess, but that the only existing efforts to combat this kind of excess come from religious groups (i.e. there aren't any secular groups lobbying against gambling). I don't know if that is true and I don't necessarily agree with the comment btw.

Aren't there secular groups lobbying against gambling?

I am afraid that governments lost the moral high ground a long time ago, when they started up lotteries (commonly with worse odds than the old numbers game).

Sorry, I should've been more clear. That was not my meaning.

I meant that every organization I've seen in that space has a religious aspect to it that has always rubbed me the wrong way. There should be non-affiliated options.

I see. Thanks for clarifying. I'm not sure I've seen any either!

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