CHRISTIANS APPROACHES TO LEISURE - CRE FORM 4 Notes

Meaning of Leisure

Work is an obligation – however people cannot work 24 hours.
They need to rest.
God rested on the 7th day after work.
Work and rest are complementary elements of human life.

Definition of Leisure

This is the time when one is free from work or other duties.
Time at one’s own disposal, which can be utilized in a productive manner depending on one’s interests and abilities.
Leisure provides mental, physical relaxation, spiritual, emotional relaxation and enrichment

Forms of Leisure

Passive

Passive involves use of mental energy
Examples of activities of passive leisure are
- Watching television
- Reading story books
- Playing video games
- Chatting with friends

Active

there is use of physical energy
Examples of activities of active leisure are
- Jogging
- Mountain climbing
- Gardening
- Dancing
- Tree planting
- Playing football

Leisure is used for

Enjoyment
Entertainment – song, dance, watching movies etc
Relaxation – exercises
Socialization – sharing, education
Religious engagement – wedding ceremonies, visiting the sick, worship
In passive leisure others entertain while in active leisure the person is active, whole body is involved.

Active leisure enables a person to

Develop his/her body
Build stamina
Strengthen relationships etc
- Some leisure activities are dangerous e.g. boxing, motor racing; while others are expensive e.g. golf.
- Other leisure activities are addictive while others are unproductive.
Leisure activities should be planned for
Leisure activities can also be economic, income generating activities.
In traditional African society leisure permeates all aspects of life.
Leisure activities accompany work.
Leisure and work were entertainment.
Work was accompanied by singing, reciting stories sharing past events.
Examples of leisure activities in traditional African society include
- Wrestling
- Running
- Playing ajua
- Mock fighting
- Swimming
- Spear throwing
- Poetry
- Music and dance etc
Leisure activities that were communal include
- Bull fighting
- Tongue – twisters
- Poetry recitation
- Telling of myths legends
- Dancing
- Brain teasers
- Riddles etc
Work in African society included fishing, tilling the land, herding, hunting, harvesting o most leisure activities in traditional African society were active form of leisure, communal, not individualistic and not for monetary gains
All forms of leisure had an educational value.
Folk stories had a moral value.
People were taught not to be selfish, greedy jealousy etc
Myths and legends tell of the origin of the community and its history of important people as well as history of the community.
In African traditional society, leisure led to acquisition of values or virtues such as co – operation, sharing, solidarity, love, bravery, empathy, endurance, tolerance etc.
Most activities were linked to the worship of God and, veneration of the ancestors
Leisure activates were organized along gender and age group season (E.g. harvest – dancing, singing); wet rainy seasons – boat swimming
Rites of passage e.g. initiation, marriage, birth and naming provided leisure activities
Leisure activities were planned for

Christian Teaching on Leisure

Christian teach that:

Work and leisure are of divine origin. God rested on the 7th day after working
Leisure is a gift from God leisure should be put to good use. Its not be wasted
Leisure provides us with the opportunity to worship God. Leisure should be used to serve God.
Christians associate leisure with personal growth and fellowship
Jesus recognized the need for rest by withdrawing his disciples from their active ministry. It’s good to have time alone for reflection, rest, visit friend etc.
Leisure should be used to seek God and help others e.g. Jesus prayed, helped the needy restored people’s health.
Ways Christian use their leisure time – activities
- Worshipping God
- Visiting the sick
- Caring for the needy
- Resting
- Watching television
- Chatting with family members
- Retreat – time spend away with a group of people to be alone with God
- Visiting friends, relatives
- Reading the bible
- Praying etc

Importance, Use and Misuse of Leisure

Importance of Leisure

Leisure is necessary. It’s important in various ways
- It is a good time to assess the work we have done (Reflection time)
- It brings people together leading to self – growth and fulfillment (Social function of leisure)
- Leisure helps individuals to discover their hidden talents
- Leisure relaxes the mind – a change of activity, relieves the mind
- Leisure refreshes the body – restores lost energy
- Leisure enables Christians to offer charity to those in need
- Leisure provides time for worship and spiritual renewal
- Leisure gives one time to rest
- It’s time for recreation
- Give one time to attend social occasions
- Allows people to travel and visit friends and relatives
- Leisure can be used to enhance and acquire new skills and knowledge
- It’s a time to develop and discover ones talents

Uses of Leisure – Proper use of Leisure

Leisure can be used for
- Religious experience
- A time for rest
- Leisure is used to provide us with time to help others
- Leisure can be used to spread the word of God
- Development of talents
- It’s an opportunity for individual growth
- Leisure strengthens social relationships
- Leisure can be used for reflection on one’s decision; actions etc leisure activities reveal who we are.
- Leisure can be used for educative and economic purposes
Proper use of leisure is when leisure time is spent doing activities that add value to us.

Misuse of Leisure Today

Leisure time can be misused through various activities e.g.
- Spending too much time in passive activities e.g. pornography watching, watching films that are violent
- Spending leisure time in idle talk – gossip-leading to conflicts
- Spending time in gambling, casinos making bets on horses playing Ajua games etc
- Alcohol and drug taking – when a person over drinks alcohol, spends time drinking at the expense of family, abusing drugs is misuse of leisure time.
- Leisure can also be misused by engaging in dangerous activities.
- Night dancing, disco dancing has become a common form of leisure worldwide.

Drug Abuse and its Effects - Alcohol, Soft and Hard Drugs

A drug is any substance which when taken may alter or cause changes in the normal functioning of the body.

Drug abuse

Improper use of drugs. Using a drug for another purpose than what it is intended for

Drug use

Proper use of drugs
Drugs are taken in various forms namely
- Liquid
- Lotions
- Ointments
- Powders
- Cake form,
Drugs are classified as legal and illegal

Ways of Administering Drugs

Drugs are taken /administered in various ways
- Infecting
- Inhaling / smoking
- Chewing
- Swallowing
- Drinking
- Sniffing / snuffing

Categories of Drugs

Medicinal
Soft drugs
Hard / narcotic drugs

Types of Drugs

Preventive drugs e.g. drugs to prevent polio, cholera, yellow fever
Curative drugs – drugs that cure diseases
Sedatives , palliatives – drugs that alleviate pain, put patients to sleep e.g. drugs for diabetes, heart diseases, asthma, painkillers
Tranquillizers – drugs that relieve tension induce sleep e.g. piriton, valium
Stimulants – drugs used to increase physiological activity of a particular organ. They arouse the activity of the central nervous system / senses.
Volatile drugs – these drugs intoxicate the user, they are derived from petroleum products paint thinners dry cleaning fluids glue etc. stimulants and volatile drugs classified as soft drugs.
Hard drugs or narcotic drugs. These are highly addictive drugs. The body forms dependence on these drugs. These drugs affect the mind causing drowsiness; sleep, stupor and they are the most commonly abused drugs. Examples are

Hard Drugs

Cocaine

From coca leaves
Its highly addictive
Causes mental problems
Can lead to death on overdose
A very expensive drug
Other side effects are confusion, Convulsions, circulatory collapse and rapid heart beat

Bhang / Marijuana

A plant of Indian hemp
Also called marijuana, Hashish, Cannabis, and Sativa depending on which part of the plant is taken i.e. leaves, stem, or roots.
Users become aggressive excited or high
Bhang changes perception of space, time and reality
It causes drowsiness and irresponsible behavior
Its side effects causes people to be engaged in criminal activities e.g. robbery with violence as it gives changes in perception

Morphine

It’s used to suppress pain clinically
Its addictive
Its derived from cocaine
Used as local aesthetic

Heroine

Its pain relieving
Highly addictive
Powder heated in foil paper, vapor forms hence smoked referred to as” chasing the dragon”
Also called brown sugar
Its injected and inhaled
An overdose can lead to death
Its expensive
It causes respiratory problems
Its depressive
Withdrawal symptoms when heroine is not available are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and severe anxiety

Soft Drugs

Cigarette
Alcohol
Miraa / khat

Cigarette

Made from tobacco
Cigarettes contain
- Nicotine – a highly addictive substance.
- Carbon monoxide, which damages arteries heart and lungs
- Tar – black substance which promotes cancer of the throat, heart and lungs
Cigarettes are legal drugs in Kenya.
Pregnant women may miscarry or terminate the pregnancy if they smoke.
Leads to chest respiratory diseases poor blood circulation
Leads to destructive fires due to carelessness

Miraa / khat

Plants / legally in Kenyan, and other parts of the world
They are chewed
Causes temporary excitement
Makes one loose appetite for food and sex
The juice in miraa causes temporary excitement in the user when ingested
Miraa makes the user to be irritable

Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug made through fermentation
It’s a drink used in social ceremonial occasions
It’s in form of beer wines, traditional brew (e.g. busaa, muratina, mnazi ) and spirits e.g. whisks, brandy, gin, chang’aa
Alcohol is prepared by fermentation or distillation – heating to a certain degree.
In African traditional society, alcohol was fermented and used for:
- Medicinal value
- Entertainment
- Marriage celebrations
- Beer parties given to visitors
- Excessive drinking was discouraged
- Drunk people were scorned or scolded
- Young people were not allowed to drink alcohol
- When alcohol is taken excessively it is abused

Alcohol abuse

Alcohol can lead to body dependence or addiction
Consequences of abusing alcohol are such as
- Squandering family resources
- Health deterioration
- Lack of concentration leading to poor quality of work
- Family break-ups due to frustrations. A man experiences a desire for sex but lacks the ability to perform leading to break ups
- Deformed foetus if a mother abuses alcohol when pregnant
- Alcohol destroys brain cells
- It leads to unruly behavior such as fights, violence
- One is vulnerable to risky behavior – a drunken person is unable to make proper decisions hence vulnerable to sexual infections such as HIV / AIDS
- Can make a person cause accidents if driving under the influence of alcohol or staggering on the road.

Causes of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Reasons why People Abuse Alcohol and Drugs)

Frustration due to unemployment, inability to perform well and meet set standards or other personal frustrations.
Idleness – when idle some turn to alcohol and drug use
Addiction
Boredom
Bad examples from adults
Availability of drugs in the Kenyan market
Negative peer pressure
Experimentation then addiction
Media influence
Societal permissiveness
Urbanization
Pressure of work
Financial stress
Globalization – foreign world influences

Effects of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse poses danger to the health of a person, affects family, society in general. Effects of drug abuse are:

Psychological Problems

drugs are addictive.
The body becomes dependant on them.
It cannot perform without the drugs.
It leads to depression, irritability, aggressiveness, paranoia, one becoming afraid to face reality etc.

Crime

Robbery, theft, people abusing drugs will rob, steal so as to get money to buy the drugs.
Drugs have led to students setting schools on fire,
killing their fellow students

Illusion

users do not face reality

Health Problems

one is prone to diseases because of frequent use of drugs.
Drugs weaken the body’s system e.g. alcohol leads to liver Cirrhosis, stomach ulcers.
One is susceptible / prone to HIV / AIDS infection STI’s lung cancer, still birth etc

Economic Problems

Drugs are expensive.
Abuse leads to depletion of family resources leading to poverty

Loss of job and income

Social problems

Abuse of drugs leads to family conflicts,
leading to separation,
divorce, family quarrels fights and even murder (domestic violence)

Accidents

Frustrations

Poor performance in school work

Death

People die out of drug abuse.
An over dose of heroin, cocaine kills.
Alcohol can lead to a blackout, this affects the brain

Remedies of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse has become a global problem. Remedies or solutions include:

Law enforcement

Through bodies such as UNDCP United Nations International Drug Control Programme Anti Narcotics Police Units, NACADA National Agency for the Campaign against Drug Abuse so as to control abuse of Narcotics and other drugs.

Education

People to be educated on the effects of drugs.
The curriculum from primary to secondary to include topics on drug abuse.

Guidance and counseling

Religious teachings

all religious condemn the abuse of drugs

Family values to be promoted

Parents should set good examples to their children
Every individual to cultivate individual values. Respect their body and take care of their bodies

-Rehabilitation of drug users / abusers

Christian Criteria For Evaluating the Use of Leisure

Criteria – criterion – a principle or standard for judging something.
criteria for evaluating the use of leisure
- Christians, should engage in leisure activities which promote their respect and dignity they should socialize with people who are morally upright (bad company corrupts good morals)
- God ordains leisure hence it should serve God’s purpose.
- Leisure should come after work
- Leisure should be used for the good of others. The activities that are harmful to others should be avoided
- Activities chosen should enrich their knowledge of God
- Activities should provide service to others
- Leisure doesn’t mean laziness.
- A Christian should not engage in a harmful activity to self but those that promote respect and dignity
- Christians to avoid activities that lead to sin or to addiction
- They should perform an activity which develop their physical emotional social and spiritual well being
- Leisure should be enjoyed with moderation
- Activities for leisure should be moral, within the laws of God and pleasing to good.