dancing why can’t a christian dance? how can we say it is wrong when no passage specifically...

DancingDancing

Why Can’t A Christian Dance?

• How can we say it is wrong when no passage specifically forbids it?

• Why some Christians see nothing wrong with dancing & encourage it?

• World thinks it is an innocent thing.

• Is it wrong to go to school prom?

• Many know it is wrong – can’t prove it.

Christians Live a Life of Moral Purity

This PURITY is motivated by the desire to be like Christ - I John 3:1-3

This desire results in the Christian being “in the world” but not “of this world”. John 17:14-16

Affections are “on things above” (Col. 3:2)

Thinking different from the world (Rom. 12:1-2)

Sees the dangers of the world (I Jn 2:15-17)

Desires to be “unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:27)

Dancing Is WorldlinessDancing Is Worldliness

Homer Hailey: “It is true that only a minority of church members dance, and possibly a small minority; but to whatever degree dancing is tolerated among members of the body, to just that degree the church tends toward the world, and allows the spirit of the world to infiltrate it.”

“LOVE NOT THE WORLD”I John 2:15-17

Danger of DancingDanger of Dancing

I.I. What is Dancing?What is Dancing?

Dancing DefinedDancing Defined Dance is an expression in Dance is an expression in

rhythmic movement of an rhythmic movement of an intensified sense of life, intensified sense of life, arising from an inner arising from an inner perception that stimulates perception that stimulates both mind and body.both mind and body. GrolierGrolier

To move rhythmically to To move rhythmically to music, using prescribed or music, using prescribed or improvised steps and improvised steps and gestures. gestures. American American Heritage DictionaryHeritage Dictionary

What Is Involved In Dancing?What Is Involved In Dancing?

Close Bodily Contact

Moving in Rhythm To The Music

Romantic Atmosphere: Lights, Music, etc.

Various Types of DancingVarious Types of Dancing

WaltzWaltz DiscoDisco BallroomBallroom Dirty DancingDirty Dancing PromProm PartyParty



II.II. What Is The Appeal?What Is The Appeal?

The Appeal:

Sexual

Dr. B. S. Talmey: "The modern dance copies the oriental dances and represents not wooing and love, but gross sexuality . . .the modern dance represents an appeal to the lower instincts."

The Appeal:

Sexual

Dr. Lita Hollingsworth, Professor of Education at Columbia, in an article defending the dance, admitted: "Dancing is an exciting and pleasurable recreation as it affords a partial satisfaction to the sex impulse."



II.II. What Is The Appeal?What Is The Appeal?

III.III. Principles That Condemn Principles That Condemn The DanceThe Dance

Dancing Is LasciviousnessDancing Is Lasciviousness

A.G Hobbs (tract on Dancing): states that an audience of 1500 men were asked the question, "How many can dance and not have evil thoughts," and not one hand was raised!

Dancing involves: close bodily contact, wild gyrations, explicit sexual

movements, focusing on the body, sex appeal, sexual stimulation, etc.

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing

“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness

21 …and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

LasciviousnessLasciviousness

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing


Defined:

“Unbridled lust… indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc. (Thayer)

“lewd, wanton, lustful… tending to produce lewd emotions…”(Webster)

Passages:

Gal. 5:19-21

1 Pet. 4:3

Rom. 13:13

Eph. 4:19

2 Tim. 2:22

Defined

“Unbridled lust…indecent

bodily movements,unchaste handling of

males and females, etc.(Thayer)

“lewd, wanton, lustful…tending to produce lewd

emotions…”(Webster)

Dancing

wild gyrations

explicit sexualmovements

focusing on thebody

arousing desires


Dr. Thomas C. Whitfield: "The modern dance is condemned precisely at this point. It is not wrong solely because it might lead one to the physical act of fornication, but it is sinful to the degree that it arouses unrestrained desires that cannot be fulfilled under present relations and conditions. When such desires are aroused, the dancing is within itself sinful because it is then a lascivious act.“Dr. A. C. Dixon: "The modern dance is the fine art of covering with music, indelicate, immodest and oftentimes indecent attitudes and postures between men and women.“

Professor Harry Stribes (renowned champion dancer and originator of many noted society dances): "I will say that I do not believe a woman can waltz virtuously and waltz well, for she must yield her person completely to her partner." Professor William H. Holmes (former dancing master): "I have found the ballroom an avenue of destruction to multitudes. This is a truth burned into the hearts of thousands of downcast fathers and brokenhearted mothers.“T. A. Faulkner (former supervisor of the Dancing Assembly of Los Angeles & former President of the Dancing Master's Association of the Pacific Coast): "The strongest indictment of the dance is the attendant immorality. The inducement to immorality lies in the co-sexual dancing."

J. P. Gibson, MD: “Among those who dance it is noteworthy that very few girls spend much time dancing with other girls. Neither do men dance very much with own wives, nor brothers with their own sisters...the secret of the popularity of dancing (or is it a secret) is the exciting, sexual stimulation resulting from the close embrace of male and female...” A Lubbock, Texas Physician: "As far as I am concerned, the children can stay home and twiddle their thumbs rather than go to dances, and others would feel the same way, too, if they could be in my office and see mothers come in with tears streaming down their faces, with their little girls begging for help and advice.“J. Edgar Hoover: “Most juvenile crime has its inception in the dance hall, either public or private.”

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing


Flee LustFlee Lust

2 Timothy 2:222 Timothy 2:22

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing

“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing


Flee LustFlee Lust

Flee:Flee: “To run away, “To run away,shun or escape”shun or escape”

(Strongs)(Strongs)

2 Timothy 2:222 Timothy 2:22I Corinthians 6:18 I Corinthians 6:18

1 Thessalonians 4:3-61 Thessalonians 4:3-6

Flee FornicationFlee Fornication

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God..” I Thessalonians 4:3-5

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Cor. 6:18-20

The Appeal:

Sexual

• The Testimony The Testimony of of The WorldThe World

• If Remove If Remove Sexual Sexual – Kill – Kill Dance:Dance:

Bodily ContactBodily Contact Lewd Lewd MovementsMovements Boys w/ girlsBoys w/ girls

• If Stop the If Stop the Music – Music – same same actions actions would be would be called called “petting”“petting”

If a young man takes your daughter to the

Prom –The parents are proud!

If they engage in the sameaction in theLiving room –

Send him home!

“…by their fruits ye shall know

them” (Matt. 7:20)

Evil companions, obscene Evil companions, obscene language, smoking, drinking, language, smoking, drinking, petting, adultery and divorcepetting, adultery and divorce

Albert Barnes said, "No child Albert Barnes said, "No child dances into heaven, but many a dances into heaven, but many a one dances into hell.“one dances into hell.“

Homer Hailey said, "A dancing Homer Hailey said, "A dancing foot and a praying knee do not foot and a praying knee do not grow on the same leg.”grow on the same leg.”

“…by their fruits ye shall know

them” (Matt. 7:20)

Dancing destroys the Christian’s Dancing destroys the Christian’s influence. influence.

Christians are to be the “light of Christians are to be the “light of the world" and the "salt of the the world" and the "salt of the

earth“. (Matt. 5:13-16) earth“. (Matt. 5:13-16) Dancing becomes a Dancing becomes a

"stumblingblock" to the weak "stumblingblock" to the weak and erring. (Luke 17:1-2)and erring. (Luke 17:1-2)

Bible

Principles

That

Condemn

Dancing

“Flee also youthful lusts…”

2 Timothy 2:22 “neither be partakers of other men’s sins, keep

thyself pure…”1 Timothy 5:22

“Abstain from all appearance of evil …”1 Thessalonians 5:22

dancing why can’t a christian dance? how can we say it is wrong when no passage specifically...

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