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Christian view of dances...

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Carly33, Apr 4, 2002.

  1. Carly33

    Carly33 New Member

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    I wondered if anyone could give me some solid scriptures for the case against taking part in dances(school or prom or adult)?

    I have 3 teens , and we stand against letting them go to these functions. Could someone give me their view and some scripture to back it up?
     
  2. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    Would you be willing to listen to a view that goes against the stand against social dance? If so I would be happy to share, if not, I don't want to waste the bandwidth. Let me know [​IMG]

    UNP
    Adam
     
  3. 10usNE1

    10usNE1 New Member

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    Adam, I would be interested in hearing what you have to say on this matter.

    Cindy
     
  4. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    okay [​IMG]

    Well first let me say that I don't promote drunken parties where people go off and have sex in every corner of the house. Like most things in life, dancing can be used for the wrong purposes.

    Scripturally dancing is not condemned. Many examples of dancing are seen in the Bible:

    Exodus 15:20 (KJV)
    And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

    1 Samuel 21:11 (KJV)
    And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

    2 Samuel 6:14-16 (KJV)
    And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. [15] So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. [16] And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

    Psalm 30:11 (KJV)
    Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

    Psalm 149:3 (KJV)
    Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

    Psalm 150:4 (KJV)
    Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

    Eccles. 3:4 (KJV)
    A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

    Jeremiah 31:13 (KJV)
    Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

    Luke 15:23-25 (KJV)
    And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: [24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. [25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

    In the Bible there seems to be a theme that dancing centers around: Either dancing to the Lord, or dancing as a celebration of life. There is nothing dangerous about this type of dancing. Unfortunately we live in a society who has taken something beautiful, such as dancing, and used it in a condemable way. Dancing in a manner that evokes sexual feelings is wrong. For some people, this can mean typical "slow dancing", some people are able to "slow dance" without having to worry about being tempted.

    So, knowing dancing can be a celebration of life, something that the Lord did not condemn, yet dancing can be wrong if it evokes sexual feelings, should we allow our children to attend proms, homecomings, or other engagements that include dancing? Well, if they are too young or immature to be able to make a responsible choice, perhaps they should be stopped from attending a typical secular dance, but if they have been taught well and understand what they should avoid, I believe we should allow our children to be able to make their own choices regarding dancing.

    In my own experience, I have found that dancing with my other Christian friends has been fun, a way to grow closer to them, has not been tempting, and has, as the Bible says, been a celebration of life. At school functions, I have found there are many dances I have had to sit out of, and in that become a testimony to my faith in Christ. This of course, is my experience. Someone else might have a difference experience.

    I pray that this has been helpful.

    UNP
    Adam
     
  5. Carly33

    Carly33 New Member

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    Thanks Adam, I see the principle of dancing to worship God or celebrate God. Mostly in the old testament tho...

    But secular dances have a different focus, and the atmosphere is worldly. I think it creates a desire in kids that draws them away from the Lord.

    Does anyone else have scripture for the other view point?

    Thanks again Adam.
     
  6. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    I will preface what I say by the fact that I do not have scripture to back it up.

    If I were a parent, and I permitted my child to go to a school dance, I would go as a sponsor or rotate with trusted adults to be sponsors. Else, I would not let my child go to a dance. This is due to several pressures placed on children to drink alcohol, do drugs, and take part in promiscuity that unattended or underattended parties provide.

    As a Christian single adult, I do not have a problem with going dancing with others in my singles group. Honestly, though, I would not dance with many of them for risk of what they would interpret our relationship to be. I have a few close friends that I would not have a problem dancing with, nor, of course, with the man I am interested in, who I have danced with.
     
  7. redwhitenblue

    redwhitenblue New Member

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    Carly,

    Perhaps what you should do is sit down with your kids and talk about this. Find out from them what expectations they have for the dances and what they feel in their hearts about it. I'm not saying you are doing this, but a lot of times parents tend to assume the kids have bad or dirty intentions with partying or dances when most of the time the kids simply just want to go with their friends and dance with nothing more than pure intentions. Sometimes of course it's a different story and they have other hidden motives. I think for the most part if a teen is uncomfortable with something they will walk away from it, in fact that is the message kids are now being sent thru tv and that is they have a choice to make and to make the right one.

    I know none of this is scriptural, but think of this as more of a "kid's point of view" coming thru an adult mom. <wink>

    karen
     
  8. Carly33

    Carly33 New Member

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    Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate your points of view, but I guess I still consider worldly dances of no spiritual benefit, actually I consider them a threat to my child's growth as a christian.

    I think they whet their appetite for worldly things.....they are too immature to understand satans' wiles and devices...

    The only examples of dancing I see are for celebrating God's goodness and worshipping Him(in a proper fashion). I don't have a problem with dancing with my husband, but I do believe dancing is a sensual device that satan uses.

    As an unsaved teen, I went to dances and I understand the underlying purpose for these activities. One may not attend with those evil intents in heart, but if you pitch your tent toward Sodom, before long you are right in the middle of it.....

    Can we play with the world, dip our feet in , and expect not to get pulled in head first?????
     
  9. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    A little paranoid, are we?

    Mike
     
  10. Clint Kritzer

    Clint Kritzer Active Member
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    A little paranoia is a very healthy thing!
     
  11. Carly33

    Carly33 New Member

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    Since when did holiness become paranoia...?? I think a few more of us should get paranoid. [​IMG]
     
  12. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Holiness is good.

    Looking for evil around every corner is paranoia.

    Mike
     
  13. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Holiness is good.

    Looking for evil around every corner is paranoia.

    Mike
    </font>[/QUOTE]Not if it is there ... and at the dances it most certainly is. Think about it ... do we really need our high school kids rubbing their bodies against each other in that fashion, guys standing in a great position to see down girls dresses? Furthermore, the biblical "support" for the dance is hardly the modern dance that we see today. I am pretty sure that the biblical dances did not involve unmarried people (especially teenagers) holding their bodies against each other and moving in sensual ways.

    I just can't see the benefit of it. A nice banquet provides all the social benefits without the physical influence. I think there are better things to do to train our children in the ways of biblical holiness. Stick to your guns.
     
  14. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    Not all dancing is sexual....oh grr...i'm not even going to bother because I'm not going to get anywhere...
     
  15. Maverick

    Maverick Member

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    I am an old honky tonk man as well as an old hippie and I know a few thangs about dancing. Worldy dancing is inappropriate in a public setting because of the sexual arousal especially in teens by all that booty shaking or that close rubbing in a slow dance. Now, if I want to turn on some C&W and polish my buckle on my wife's belly t'ain't a thang wrong with it. Young people will be a bit too hormonal and turned on by swapping partners. I will not be crude and graphically explain how happy it makes guys that age to rub up against a gal or watch a near nekkid honey wavin' what she's got.

    There is some dancing that goes on in some churches, but some of it is a bit erotic and many brothers have testified that it is hard to keep pure thoughts because of the motion of the ocean by the sisters and especially the attire some wear while doing it. Some dances might be best done only in a women's group in that case though it might arouse some women in this age.

    Can appropriate dancing before the Lord be done? Yes, I believe it can, but it will take a very spiritual choreographer to develop it.

    Smoke eater is right in stating it is not profitable. Girls don't end up pregnant after the prom or some other dance for nothing. All that arousal usually erupts not subsides.
     
  16. Maverick

    Maverick Member

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    Oops, that was Carly not smoke eater. My bad!
     
  17. KeeperOfMyHome

    KeeperOfMyHome New Member

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    Well, Maverick, you certainly have an interesting way of expressing things! LOL . . . :eek: :D Polishing your belt buckle . . . ROFL . . .
     
  18. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    I think dancing can be done with out it being sexual. But it also can be done with being sexual.

    I became a Christian when I was almost 11. As I grew older, I did attend a dance in Junior high because my club was sponsoring it. I enjoyed it, but basically, only a few people danced. I later chose not to attend advertized dances because of several reasons, none of which were because my parents wouldn't let me. I chose not to attend because I didn't like the crowd--most were not in my Christian crowd, and I was concerned about what would be going on. I personally did not want to face that kind of pressure. As a Junior in High school, I attended my Junior / Senior prom. I enjoyed the banquet but left early from the prom because it was not that much fun for me. Many who were there were not my good friends. I did not like feeling like I was on show. I didn't attend my Senior prom, but instead went with a senior friend to a church sponsored youth activity and had a great time.

    Realize that all this was by my choice, not because my parents wouldn't let me. ( I am not necessarily saying to not be active in your children's decisions, but they will have to make these choices eventually when they move out. . . and you need to help them choose.)

    As an adult, when I finally chose to go to places that had "dances", some were Christian and some were not. Never once in all the choices as I made as an adult did I feel like I had compromised any of the God-given convictions I have. I have been to a honky tonk a couple of times with a few different friends. It was for fun because it was a town highlight and we wanted to see why. Also, here recently, our church singles class went out to Sims BBQ, where they have these old timers playing that goofy music. Yes, we danced. Yes, we had a great time. We have been out twice. Once I danced with my youth minister. The other time it was with the guy I am interested in. No regrets, though.
     
  19. Molly

    Molly New Member

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    I always thought that when the bible refers to dancing before the Lord,it was like a leap of joy or jump,like when David says he danced before the Lord...it wasn't a swaying hip swinging erotic kind of dancing at all,not like we think of today as dancing. In all the commentaries I've read,that is what it is referring to. And,by the way...it does not say at all to do this in a worship service.... :rolleyes:

    I have 2 daughters myself(younger than your's) and we will defintely not be promoting going to dances,but I will say that a prom date will probably be allowed,with us there helping with it and possibly a late night breakfast at our house with some choice friends. With,I might add, a devotional time,prayer time,etc. we can make some things very special and appropriate,and still let them participate in some okay things. I would say,just going to dances though on a regular basis will not be encouraged. We also realize we are raising our girls to hopefully make these kind of decisions for themselves. We will not have authority over everything little thing,but our influence will still be very strong.

    HTH!
     
  20. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Between police/fire/EMS functions and the dozen or so sports leagues I belong to, I go to a lot (and I mean a LOT!) of banquets.

    I don't think I've ever been to one that didn't have dancing with a band or DJ.

    Knowing that your kids are going to be exposed to this sort of thing throughout all of their lives, wouldn't it be a better idea to teach them to handle difficult situations now, rather than just putting a bag over their heads?

    Besides, if boys are going to hit on girls at a dance, what makes you think the same boys aren't going to hit on girls at a banquet?

    Don't any of these school dances have chaperones? Because of liability concerns, I can't imagine a school holding a dance with no supervision.

    Mike
     
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