No Dancing?

[GoGators]

Can anyone please explain why Baptists don't dance?? I've never read anything in the Bible that says "you shall not dance." And the Bible even says that David danced before the Lord. I'm a Baptist and I love to dance. But I've never heard why Baptists don't dance...

 

[fuzzymel]

To be honest I wasn't even aware that Baptists don't dance. No one ever told me.

 

[Epiphoskei]

This is a common stereotype. It's not always true. And it's mostly only true for Baptist churches in America that could have been termed "fundamentalist" during the fundamentalist heyday.

As I understand it, Fundimentalism sought to remedy some social ills like alchoholism, sexual immorality, etc., by promoting total abstinence from the things which lead to them. This can make a lot of sense - you can't become an alchoholic if you don't drink. Dancing doesn't make as much sense, but it seems dancing was seen as somthing sexual (as indeed it can be) and accordingly was put on the list of things to abstain from.

Personally, I don't dance because I'm terrible at it, but I don't have any problem with it in and of itself.

 

[BBAS 64]

Can anyone please explain why Baptists don't dance?? I've never read anything in the Bible that says "you shall not dance." And the Bible even says that David danced before the Lord. I'm a Baptist and I love to dance. But I've never heard why Baptists don't dance...

Good Day, GoGators

I am Baptist and I love to dance.....


In Him,

Bill

 

[edie19]

Can anyone please explain why Baptists don't dance?? I've never read anything in the Bible that says "you shall not dance." And the Bible even says that David danced before the Lord. I'm a Baptist and I love to dance. But I've never heard why Baptists don't dance...

One of man's silly (sorry ahead of time if that offends anyone) rules. Man's rules (i.e. no alcohol, no tobacco, no dancing) don't save us. Plus I've often found that people who are forbidden to do these things still do them, just in private.

 

[Hentenza]

I love to dance!!!

 

[sageoffools]

I think one of the major issues that (we) Baptist have is that we have tried to overcompensate for everything out of opposition to certain behavior in other denominations.
When the Catholics started becoming a force, proclaiming that it was good works that get you to Heaven, many Baptist stood against this by saying, "Hey, the Catholics are wrong, do whatever you want, you will still go to Heaven." While, this is true, it has given people the idea that God does not care what we do with our lives, so long as we are saved.
When the Charismatics came along with the touchy-feely emotion based beliefs, the Baptist stood against it by saying "Emotions are the Devil! Disregard every emotion that you have because it is evil and carnal." I have even heard Baptists say that certain music was bad because it appealed to your emotions. The problem is that God created us with emotions for a reason. He wants us to get mad and happy and feel good when we do right.
The problem is that Fundamentalist preachers get up and preach that a good Baptist man has short hair, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't gamble and doesn't dance. The problem is that we are defining ourselves by what we DON'T do, instead of what we do.
If we Baptists are really going to be able to say that we are the ones following the Bible, we need to start defining ourselves by what the Bible says we are supposed to do.

Well, I got a little off track. Back to the OP. Many Fundamental Baptists don't dance because they consider it, as I have heard it said many times "A vertical representation of a horizontal action". There is a lot of sexual connotation to much of the dancing that goes on today. Personally, I do not think that there is anything wrong with certain kinds of dancing, but when the gyrations and moves start to emphasize a persons body, they are not glorifying the Lord, they are showing off their bodies.

 

[lucypevensie]

All good answers^, and I don't have much to add. I grew up in a church that had these anti-dancing, drinking, smoking, playing cards, etc. rules. Our family used to sneak some of these things when no one from church was around. The whole premise behind the no dancing rule is that dancing is worldly. Most people dance in places that Christians "aren't supposed to go", bars, rock concerts, not to mention prom night when so many young people lose their innocence.

I've heard various explanations about David's dancing among fundamentalists: He did it in private before the Lord and so shoud WE do it only in private, the word "dancing" is another word for tapping your foot, or he was conducting like a choir director would wave his arms. None of which I agree with, just sharing some of the stuff I have heard.

 

[prgallo]

Can anyone please explain why Baptists don't dance?? I've never read anything in the Bible that says "you shall not dance." And the Bible even says that David danced before the Lord. I'm a Baptist and I love to dance. But I've never heard why Baptists don't dance...

I don't dance because I have no rhythm and people point. My wife can dance though.

No dance problems with any Baptists that I know. As long as it's done in good taste.

Who claims that us Baptist don't dance anyway? I'll bet is was CNN as Fox News would never say that!

LOL, sorry for the lame joke.

 

[eldermike]

Can anyone please explain why Baptists don't dance?? I've never read anything in the Bible that says "you shall not dance." And the Bible even says that David danced before the Lord. I'm a Baptist and I love to dance. But I've never heard why Baptists don't dance...

There is nothing wrong with dancing.

 

[jive4005]

Baptists dance. What they don't do is gyrate to excite.
We have line-dancing, square & round dancing. We have married and engaged sweeties that dance cheek to cheek.

If you can dance a dance without the element of lust being a nessessary part of that dance... well, let's do it!

But please don't ask me... me feet are not so good these days. I COULD sing you a tune!

His,
Rev J

ps: people gotta stop thinking that Christians don't know how to have fun!

 

[prgallo]

ps: people gotta stop thinking that Christians don't know how to have fun!

Now that is a huge truth. Even Christians have to believe it! I'm just guessing, but I bet Jesus was a blast to hang with while he was here in the flesh.

Maybe we should stop trying to sin and just look to Him. I mean to change our focus, from ourselves and our self effot simply to Him and trust. Let the fun begin!

 

[whitebeaches]

this baptist loves to dance. It is a good form of excericise :^)
I was raised in a fundamental baptist church and they felt it improper to dance but I danced. I did ballet for a while and I danced in the privacy of my own room to some tunes that I liked and loved it.

 

[arunma]

One of man's silly (sorry ahead of time if that offends anyone) rules. Man's rules (i.e. no alcohol, no tobacco, no dancing) don't save us. Plus I've often found that people who are forbidden to do these things still do them, just in private.

I've noticed this as well. There are at least a few denominations around today which had strange rules such as this back in the 70's and 80's. I've heard stories of congregants and even deacons sneaking televisions and playing cards into their homes. It seems to me that rules like these only cause people to have guilt for things that God doesn't disapprove of. Furthermore, replacing the commandment of God with the tradition of man is quite specifically described in the Bible as a sin.

 

[jive4005]

In town here we have several baptist churches, some strict but none I know of condeming dancing.

How ridiculous... why Jesus was a Jew and I don't know any group that enjoys dancing (or is better at it) than the Jews. I'm certain Jesus danced. I think He still does, for all good things exist in heaven. I'm certain there will be much dancing at the wedding feast!

His,
Rev J

 

[rainbowpromises]

I would love to go dancing with my husband (if we were 20 years younger) but I cannot find an alcohol free place to go. Then there is the problem of music. I don't like much of it.

The last time we went dancing was before I rededicated my life to Christ. Even then I was unimpressed at the sexual undertones at a local Boy Scout fundraiser dance.

 

[BereanTodd]

I do know of some baptist churches like that - my wife grew up in one that condemned drinking, dancing, even television. Women were required to wear skirts to the ankle, no jeans or slacks for ladies. But those types of churches are the exception, and they are unbiblical in that stuff.

As for me? Well this is one baptist seminary student who loves to dance, and keeps beer in his fridge Legalism is a scourge.

 

[MrJim]

I love to dance!!!

I'll bet that's a sight

 

[Taylor43]

I am a Baptist see it no wrong to dance

 

[spiersdodgerblue]

I don't dance because I have no rhythm and people point. My wife can dance though.

No dance problems with any Baptists that I know. As long as it's done in good taste.

Who claims that us Baptist don't dance anyway? I'll bet is was CNN as Fox News would never say that!

LOL, sorry for the lame joke.

LOL The joke was funny!

My daughter got married Dec. 2006, in our home church which is in the SBC and we had a wooden dance floor brought in. All three of our pastors were present. And we were only the second one to do this, so maybe there will be more. And yes we had a blast dancing, and know one raised an eye brow.