Beauty contests and fashion shows
They are organized regionally, nationally and internationally to get say Miss Uganda, miss world etc.
Through beauty contests participants, especially winners, get rewards or acquire wealth.
The contest promotes fashions and improves on some ones smartness.
It is a source of employment to the organisers e.g. judges, gate collectors etc.
It helps in sales promotion of cosmetics, perfumes, chemicals and designers etc.
Beauty contests usher in prestige to the participants and the society they come from e.g. if one comes from a certain region and becomes miss Uganda there is pride realised e.g. miss Acom who became miss Uganda made the Iteso feel good.
Some men can get chance to identify beautiful ladies for marriage.
Beauty contests are another form of leisure which people attend to enjoy by watching.
Idle people who lack what to do will be kept busy or occupied.
It also promotes sales of news papers for people to identify and see for themselves the beauties of the time.
People improve on their health and beauty as they treat the hair, bather and make sure they are attractive.
Sexual satisfaction is achieved since there are people who get sexual satisfaction through sight and imagination.
Disadvantages
There are problems associated with beauty contests and fashions as illustrated below:-
Beauty contests promote sexual promiscuity in that it arouses peoples feelings and need for sex through imaginations.
Society also associates participants to prostitution e.g. attached by Moslems for defaming Islam since it involves some degree of indecency.
The contest can lead to frustration and even death for instance after one using all resources and in later declared the last; which expresses ugliness and so can commit suicide.
The contest can also promote fornication sexual lust, adultery which is sinful.
The whole exercise is expensive and is limited to few individuals. Some of whom borrow and end up highly indebted.
Beauty belongs to the beholder in other words it is relative; what is beautiful to one person may be different to another so the judgment may not be clear. Judgment can be characterised by corruption, bribery and judgement can be based on tribe, religion, level of education and actual bribery by some participants.
Contests lead to inferiority and superiority complex between those who have not excelled and those who excel.
Beauty contests contradict traditional values where one exposes her body in public in order to be declared number one.
Since they arouse sexual instinct, the victims are prone to sexually transmitted diseases.
Beauty contests can affect balance of payment problem of the country since a lot of foreign currency is used to import the items such as earning, lotions, chemicals etc.
They can lead to moral degradation in that people will want such fashions used on stage to be used in public which can even lead to rape.
They do not glorify God; all are created in image of God.
What are the common problems faced by mass media industry
Employees of mass media industries such as journalists have on several occasions been arrested for exposing certain secrets of government and sometimes imprisoned or killed.
Sometimes they are barred from attending important political meetings so they may not have exact information but speculations.
Lack of enough facilities to ensure wide coverage of media e.g. due to insecurity, transport some places may not be reached.
The public may attach little value to news papers and magazines which affects the mass media industry.
Some church leaders think that the only ways to avoid leisure activities, consequently then keep people in church on Sunday for a whole day. Comment on this decision.'
It is wrong to keep people in church on a particular day as a way of avoiding sin by not participating in leisure activity.
Forbidding people to enjoy leisure is bad because leisure is good.
God also gives people freedom to choose between the good and the bad so they should be given chance to select for themselves.
It is good to worship in church but people also need to have fellowship with others through leisure activities.
People may be in church while their hearts are far away, yet God judges the heart.
This leads some to sine even while they are in the church.
Overstaying in church can lead to boredom tiredness and loss of interest.
Believers needs since they are the light and salt of the world.
Man is the lord of the Sabbath and can use it to benefit others outside the church premises.
Not all leisure activities are sinful e.g. one can watch educative I religious films.
God also rested on the Sabbath.
In (Ecc13) we learn that there is time for everything.
Jesus often had time to rest in some places e.g. under the boat and other lonely places.
He attached other leisure activities such as wedding at Cana so Christian can join other junctions.
Some leisure activities generate income.
Some leisure activities develop talents of individuals.
Jesus used leisure time to visit friends like Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
He used such time to associate with sinners e.g. Levi and Zacheous.
However, to a lesser extent religious leaders are right to keep people in church because some leisure activities stimulated people's sexual urges.
Some leisure activities destroy people's morals.
Some do not glorify God e.g. beauty contests.
By remaining in church people are given opportunity to study the word of God.
This time can be used for prayers.
It leads to personal conviction and repentance or reflection on ones spiritual life.
People may learn the spirit of sharing as it is enhanced in SDA church where they share food.
It saves Christians from unnecessary expenditure.
It also leads to fellowship which promotes reconciliation and brotherhood.
Outline the teaching about leisure in the old and the New Testament.
Old Testament Teaching
In the Old Testament, life is seen as a rhythm of work, prayer, reflection, celebration making leisure very important.
The Sabbath is a special day of rest, prayer, reflection and joyful celebration (Dt 5: 12- 15).
The purpose of the Sabbath was to recall the mighty works of God, God's rest and honoring the day.
Agricultural feasts were opportunities of expressing of attitudes to God. Trust in God was emphasised to stand against the tensions of life.
King Solomon built prestigious and luxurious palaces for 13 years for resting during leisure.
David is remembered for his music; playing the harp and writing of psalms.
In Exodus 20:8-10 Israelites are commanded to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy/day of rest.
Atonement feasts were made to remove guilt! Sin committed.
They also had feasts like the feast of uncleared bread; a festival lasting seven days after the Passover.
People sang and danced to traditional instruments and feasted
Pilgrimages were made to the ancestral sanctuaries from Palestine to Jerusalem (Ps 120 - 134).
In Ecc 3: 1-8 there is open support of the enjoyment of leisure that there is time for everything e.g. laughing, dancing etc.
Studying scripture was a common form of leisure as a way of nurturing people into God's ways.
Scribes used leisure time to acquire wisdom and self improvement (Ecclesiasticism 38:34).
There was joy in the worship of God (Ps 122: 1).
New Testament
The basic standard of understanding leisure in the New Testament in Jesus Christ as noted below:- Jesus respected the Sabbath; attended the synagogue or found some time off to be in God's house (Luke 4: 16).
He defended leisure; although he observed the Sabbath, he criticized the way it was being observed glorifying it at the expense of mercy and they had made it burden on people attaching it with regulations.
Jesus enjoyed and desired to make friends e.g. Lazarus, Mary and Martha and tie often visited them (Luke 10:38, Jn 11:5).
In his teaching there was need for leisure time "come away by yourself to a lonely place and rest a while" (Mk 6:31).
Jesus loved fellowship meals, had a reception at Levi's house (Luke 5:29) meat at Simon's house (Luke 7; 36) arid also asked for hospitality at Zacheous 'house; "Behold, a glutton, drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Mt 11: 19)."
He was involved in a wedding at Cana (Jn2)
He explained parables which appeared hard to understand.
Jesus is himself the leisure the leisure and calls those who were weary to rest in him (Mt 11:28) in order to have meaningful life.
He used leisure time for restoring souls from forces of darkness (Jn3). He was a story teller; picking stories from local situations.
Giving an example of a wedding feast in (Luke 14:7-11) he stressed the importance of humility and respect for others while spending leisure.
He had a good time with children and held them by arms (Mk 10: 13-14).