Triggers and Impact of Habitual Betting Enterprise on Christian Youth in Soweto Village, Nairobi County, Kenya in the Light of Jesus’ Liberating Pedagogy

Abstract

The study is on the triggers and impact of habitual betting enterprise among Christian youth in the light of Jesus’ liberating pedagogy in Soweto Village in Nairobi County, Kenya. The main goal is to investigate the causes and effects of addictive betting engagement among Christian youth in Soweto Village illumined by Jesus’ liberating pedagogy while interrogating the agents of Christianity in the realization of Christ’s mandate to minister to all in collaboration with Him. Three specific objectives that guided the study were: To identify the triggers of habitual betting among Christian youth; to establish the effects of habitual betting among Christian youth; and to examine the role of the Church, under the inspiration of Jesus’ liberating pedagogy, in curbing addictive betting enterprise among the aforementioned youths. The study engaged descriptive survey research. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample of forty Christian youth, ten parents, seven administrators, police officers and the area chief, and three clergy. Questionnaires and structured interviews were used to gather primary data while secondary data was drawn from various relevant sources. Data was analysed through descriptive analysis. Three complementary theories guided the Research to accomplish its goal. These are: Self-efficacy theory by Bandura; mediation theory by Boff and Boff; and self-regulatory theory by Leventhal et al. The study found out that there are various critical factors that contribute to the habitual betting among the Christian youth in Soweto Village that include unemployment, advertisements, peer pressure, early exposure to betting and as an escape from reality. Some of the effects of habitual betting among the above youth the Research found out are; betting addiction, early school dropout, family disruptions, job loss, suicide thoughts, rising debt level and development of criminal behaviour together with premature deaths. The Church in Soweto has made some effort, though inadequate, to provide the Christian youth with some activities like sports that will help them to feel as part of the entire “Family of God.” Through organizing some seminars and youth fora they are helped to showcase their talents and capabilities thus diverting their attention from habitual betting. The unfortunate thing is that there are different interpretations of Scripture by the different local Churches on whether a Christian should engage in betting or not on the one hand. On the other hand, these evangelizers do not seem to take Jesus’ liberating pedagogy with the seriousness it deserves thus doing injustice to Christ’s principle of “without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:4) as they undermine Christ’s teaching on living full (Jn 10:10), not just existing, and pragmatically taking Him as the Way to True Life (Jn 14:6) - hence the need for the Research to educate and provoke such awareness.