Buddha's Belly - by Mandy de León Recently, the news reported that a group of 100 factory workers won the Wisconsin lottery in a pool. Two ladies in the pool were interviewed on national television. In the interview they mentioned having a "little Buddha doll" that they used to bring them good luck by rubbing his belly. "We don't know if it was this Buddha that brought us luck. We don't know if it was our prayers to God that were answered,'' said Mary Entringer, who organized the pool. ''We have no idea, we're just grateful.'' They also sat their Buddha on top of their lottery tickets. Now, this is interesting to us; however, most Christians wouldn't give their comments a second thought. But deliverance ministers do, perhaps because we know the scriptures a little better than most, or we interpret scriptures differently than most, or we emphasize or apply scriptures that other Christians normally wouldn't. These ladies claimed to have been praying to God (we assume they're talking about the God of Israel, since they were Caucasian Wisconsin women), but they were also glibly rubbing a Buddha's belly to bring them the luck needed to win the lottery. In the commandments, God says that we are to have no other gods but Him, and that we are not to make (or purchase or own) an idol or anything that looks like a human or an animal; we are not to worship or serve it; because if you do, God will inflict the spiritual and physical results of your sins upon you, your children, your children's children, your children's children's children and on and on (see the First and Second Commandments in Exodus 20). It's a terrible curse. Even if you don't worship or bow down to your Buddha or rub his belly, you are still not allowed to even have it. So, in the deliverance minister's eyes, these lottery winners, who are so full of joy now, may reap what they have sewn either in this lifetime or in their ancestors' lifetimes. Why? Because they really don't know or don't care what the scriptures say. It appears many people just want to pick and choose from the Bible what suits their lifestyle and discard the rest. Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king. (I Samuel 15:23)