Stupid Question

[BubbaScott]

When I was growing up, I was always told that as a Southern Baptist, that we are not allowed to dance. Is this true? I mean heck, I couldnt dance even if I wanted to. I have two left feet. Just curious if there is scripture to back this up or is this just a rumour.

[RichardT]

When I was growing up, I was always told that as a Southern Baptist, that we are not allowed to dance. Is this true? I mean heck, I couldnt dance even if I wanted to. I have two left feet. Just curious if there is scripture to back this up or is this just a rumour.

"feeling the music" doesn't sound scriptual to me.

[CrimsonTideChristian]

I am a baptist, and I think that if god did not want us to dance, then david would not have made a harp and sang praises......

[RichardT]

I am a baptist, and I think that if god did not want us to dance, then david would not have made a harp and sang praises......

harp, and singing praises is different than dancing to secular music...

[Pepperoni]

I got a chuckle out of this:

I mean heck, I couldnt dance even if I wanted to. I have two left feet.

But seriously, I don't know of anywhere in Scripture where it says "Thou shalt not dance." Yet I also have to agree with Richard T who said "feeling the music" doesn't sound very scriptual.

I don't think dancing in itself is inherently wrong. I guess it just depends on the circumstances under which you are doing it.


And by the way--I don't think it was a stupid question at all.

[Gear853]

maybe not allow to dance in a naughty way... nothing wrong with a old tango and salsa =D

which i have to take some class with my love, once we are closer together =)

[bigRedhead]

When I was growing up, I was always told that as a Southern Baptist, that we are not allowed to dance. Is this true? I mean heck, I couldnt dance even if I wanted to. I have two left feet. Just curious if there is scripture to back this up or is this just a rumour.

In the church that I attend there were cases many many years ago where members excomunicated from the church for dancing.

But I know that in the Bible there are many references to dancing

5 to the word Dance
Ecc 3:4; SS 6:13; Jer31:13; Matt 11:17Luke 7:32

4 to the word Danced
Jdg 21:23; 1 SA 21:11; Matt 16:6; Mark 6:22

12 to the word Dancing
EX 15:20, 32:19; JDG 11:34; 1SA 18:6, 30:16; 2 SA 6:14,16; Psalms 30:11, 149:3, 150:4; LA 5:15, Luke 15:25

There are just a few reasons for dancing.

(BTW I joke about Baptist not being able to dance, that and we are not supposed to go to Disney either)

[Katakalupto]

This thread is reminding me of Footloose!
:P:P^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^^_^:P:P

[arunma]

"feeling the music" doesn't sound scriptual to me.

Richard, did you not say that you listen to secular music? Now, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with this (though I don't personally listen to secular music). On the contrary, I mean to say that your church is wrong to ban secular music. The fact that you listen to it anyway tells me that you know this to be true.

[parisiansky]

Well, I believe that God says nothing about how it is wrong to dance or listen to secular music.

[bigRedhead]

Music in and of itself is neither good nor evil. It is how it is used. Just like the internet.

IMO, and in my studies I have found that Music was created to Praise God in the begining. Well satan is the great imitator, so he likes to take the things that were/are made for God and have them used for himself.

I really have no opinion on if it is ok or not to listen to secular music other than this:


EPH 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
EPH 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
EPH 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;



COL 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
COL 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

[Pepperoni]

On the contrary, I mean to say that your church is wrong to ban secular music.
Why do you think this?

Well, I believe that God says nothing about how it is wrong to dance or listen to secular music.
Actually it says in many places in the Bible how we are not to be of this world, we're to be set apart, we're to set our sights on things above and not on the things of this world . . . don't get me wrong, I'm not judging anyone as I listen to a fair amount of secular music myself. But in all honesty I don't find much of it to be glorifying to God.

[arunma]

Why do you think this?

I think that his church is practicing legalism when they ban secular music. Mind you, I don't personally listen to any secular music, so it is not as though I am attempting to defend my own behavior here. But one could just as well say that Christians are being "of the world" when we eat meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. Just as the Apostle Paul instructed the Romans not to quarrel over meat or wine, we ought not to enforce restrictions on the music that Christians listen to. I have my own reasons for listening only to religious music, but it would be legalistic to require the same of others.

[PETE_]

Why do you think this?


Actually it says in many places in the Bible how we are not to be of this world, we're to be set apart, we're to set our sights on things above and not on the things of this world . . . don't get me wrong, I'm not judging anyone as I listen to a fair amount of secular music myself. But in all honesty I don't find much of it to be glorifying to God.
It is not the things we do that glorify God, but the attitude we have while doing them.

[FallingWaters]

When I was growing up, I was always told that as a Southern Baptist, that we are not allowed to dance. Is this true? I mean heck, I couldnt dance even if I wanted to. I have two left feet. Just curious if there is scripture to back this up or is this just a rumour.It is true that Baptists have been taught that dancing is sin. However, the Bible says that David danced, Miriam danced...

However I think the difference is worshipful praise dancing versus sensual, suggestive dancing- in other words, the purpose of the dance seems to be key.

There may still be some congregations somewhere that teach that dancing- as we know it today- is a sin, but most denominations probably accept it- though I am no expert.

[RED that's ME]

David did dance before the Lord :) I think it depends on how and where it's done. I have dance exercise tapes that I use to help me get in shape, I use them privately. :) As long as it's not done for the wrong reasons, or provocative I see no problem with it.

[edb19]

With some exceptions I have no problem with dancing - neither does my church (Reformed as opposed to Southern Baptist). We need to be discerning, simple as that.

Mankind often has a distorted image of what sin is and sets a bunch of rules for us to keep - rules that generally can't be found in Scripture. All too often I think that ends up causing folks to resent God and not recognize Him for the loving, concerned parent He is.

edie

[BereanTodd]

Yes traditionally the baptists (and in particular southern baptists) have gotten a reputation as the "no dancing, no drinking" denomination, and unfortunately neither of those positions is Biblical in the least little bit.

In terms of dancing it has for the most part gone away. I would agree with others here, that provocative, overly sexualised dancing would be wrong. But dancing is not in and of itself wrong.

Now the denomination is still behind the curve when it comes to drinking ... but has largely gotten with the Scriptures in the case of dancing.

[Pepperoni]

I think that his church is practicing legalism when they ban secular music. Mind you, I don't personally listen to any secular music, so it is not as though I am attempting to defend my own behavior here. But one could just as well say that Christians are being "of the world" when we eat meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. Just as the Apostle Paul instructed the Romans not to quarrel over meat or wine, we ought not to enforce restrictions on the music that Christians listen to. I have my own reasons for listening only to religious music, but it would be legalistic to require the same of others.
When you say they "ban" secular music, does that mean that it's banned in the church? Or banned for the members? Meaning that if someone were seen at a traffic light listening to a rock station in their car, would (or should) they be booted out of the church?

My church has a music policy. Regarding the selection of music, it says this (in part): "Music should be neither shoddy nor cheap in an attempt to imitate the world. Gospel Rock shall not be allowed and contemporary music must be used with discretion." Now as far as what sort of music members listen to personally, I don't know if that's ever been addressed.

I agree with you about not imposing restrictions on what individuals do, but I do believe that secular music in general is out of place in a worship service. Is that legalism? (not being sarcastic--for once! LOL!--I'm just wondering if that fits within the definition of legalism). Maybe I'm legalistic and I just don't know it!!

[Pepperoni]

Yes traditionally the baptists (and in particular southern baptists) have gotten a reputation as the "no dancing, no drinking" denomination, and unfortunately neither of those positions is Biblical in the least little bit.
. . .

Now the denomination is still behind the curve when it comes to drinking ... but has largely gotten with the Scriptures in the case of dancing.
I totally agree! I think there's a time and a place for having a drink, should you be so inclined. Should we have kegs available during Sunday morning service? Definitely not. But I don't think there is anything wrong with someone having a drink (or two) now and then. An long as it's in moderation, is my opinion.

When you say "the denomination has gotten with the scriptures in the case of dancing", what does that mean? Does that mean you know of Baptist churches who condone dancing? I live in a relatively small town with two Baptist churches (I attend the more conservative of the two). The other one seems to be a bit more liberal (contemporary music, etc.) so I'd be interested in their stance on this . . . not that I'm going to switch, mind you, I'm merely curious. But I do know of someone who switched churches for that reason. I personally believe the message is more important than the music.

[BereanTodd]

When you say "the denomination has gotten with the scriptures in the case of dancing", what does that mean? Does that mean you know of Baptist churches who condone dancing? I live in a relatively small town with two Baptist churches (I attend the more conservative of the two). The other one seems to be a bit more liberal (contemporary music, etc.) so I'd be interested in their stance on this . . . not that I'm going to switch, mind you, I'm merely curious. But I do know of someone who switched churches for that reason. I personally believe the message is more important than the music.

Yes, of course there are still many legalistic strongholds within the SBC, but generally speaking there has been a great loosening up in regards to dancing. Why, one of the first baptist preachers I sat under during the Christian part of my life (I was raised an atheist), had been extremely legalistic. Definaetly part of the "no dance" crowd, and I ran into him at a wedding a couple of years ago, and he got out on the dance floor to a jazzy tune that was playing. Everyone who knew him had our jaws drop open.

I don't mean to come off as a liberal in what I've been saying in this thread. I'm extremely conservative Biblically. I attend Dallas Theological Seminary, and I agree with them on almost everything. However, there are some things that American protestantism of the last century-plus time has taken a stand against which just do not line up with Scripture. Dancing (which happened unto the Lord all throughout the OT) and drinking (which our Lord Jesus did every day of His adult life) are two things that too many condone where the Bible simply does not.