Wesleyans dancing?

[the_box_of_giggles]

What biblical basis do Weslayns have for banning social dancing?

 

[BionicCAMEL]

I'm a terrible dancer. Maybe they are like myself and fully ban it so they don't have too.

That's my guess... Sorry I'm no help!

 

[we5frogs]

I can only speak for Nazarene doctrine, but my guess would be that the two denominations agree on this.

Dancing is not prohibited entirely, but any form of behavior that can be interpreted as impure, or can lead to impure thoughts or actions is.

The actual statement from the manual is:

Avoid sexual immorality, such as premarital or extramarital relations, perversion in any form, or looseness and impropriety of conduct.

Generally described in today's terms, I would say that anything that can cloud our minds, our 'filter' of holiness behavior, is to be avoided.

Very little social dancing today passes this litmus test. Even for those who choose not to indulge themselves in dancing that might be considered inappropriate, one still finds themselves among others who have no such qualms.

As for scripture, listed in the manual are Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19, and the one I believe most clearly states clear reasoning, which is:

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified, that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."

 

[ImaginaryVoyager]

Well, I'll throw in my $.02 here, although I hardly speak for Wesleyans in general: although I can see the danger of dancing as far as sexual temptation goes, I don't see any convincing Biblical basis to ban it altogether.

I look to 2 Sam 6:12-16 and see David dancing with all his heart before the Lord, so I think there are appropriate times to dance.

Interestingly enough, there's supposed to be dancing at our Shrove Tuesday get together tomorrow night--I'll be kinda curious as to how it goes. I'm sure that with our group, it will be more along the lines of comical than anything else

 

[we5frogs]

I agree - sometimes dancing just happens when we worship - and also not all dancing is inappropriate.

Our youth group has a little jig they do at church functions all in a line - it's so funny - and yet really shows their closeness and unity - one gets started and all of a sudden there is a line of teens across the gym, all in sync. It's great!

On the other hand, the entire teen group made a decision together not to attend school proms or dances because of the atmosphere they would find themselves in. So, they have a prom alternative at our church.

BTW - My kids will be the first to tell you that sometimes I 'get to movin' a little during service. It used to bother them a little, but now they just accept it as 'Mom being with God', especially when one of them starts to sway without realizing it as the Spirit moves within them.

 

[Texas Lynn]

What biblical basis do Weslayns have for banning social dancing?

In the past Methodism was an evangelical sect not much different from other evangelical sects and this was the culture of those sects. IMO it had a basis but it wasn't "Biblical" per se.

 

[ImaginaryVoyager]

Just a quick update, since someone asked

We had our Shrove Tuesday shindig tonight. It was a great family affair with all the kids and everything. We played zydeco music and there is one couple that new how to dance to it. The rest of us were rather less elegant

 

[desert_island_1]

Umm, I posted a thing in the teens section if you want to go look. (Or if you want to not go into the teens section becuase you are, well, old, you can check all my recent posts and find it there.)

Kristy

 

[ParaCristo]

I love to dance with my Wife....I think God would be mad if I didn't...
or if he was watching He would prolly laugh at my moves so to speak...

sooo....the Macarena and Holiness are never to meet huh?

 

[joyfulthanks]

I've never heard of Methodists banning dancing. As a Methodist growing up, we even used to have a joke about why the Baptists didn't dance (sorry, I'm not going to tell it).

I love to dance with my hubby at weddings, special work-related parties, and such. When I do dance, I dance only with my hubby. And all of our dancing is ballroom style or Texas two-stepping.

 

[we5frogs]

The Macarena is just to funny to be inappropriate!

 

[vicarius]

"I've never heard of Methodists banning dancing. As a Methodist growing up, we even used to have a joke about why the Baptists didn't dance (sorry, I'm not going to tell it)."

I know that joke! Except that we Nazarenes told it about ourselves. (good call not retelling it)

 

[desert_island_1]

I know that joke! Except that we Nazarenes told it about ourselves. (good call not retelling it)

Oh. We joke about it all the time. Thank you for not telling it, it was a good call and I have heard it far too many times.

Kristy

 

[David_The_Disciple]

well here my little bit hehe

if we are to love the lord with all my heart , body , mind and starght then dacneing is priseing god if you have your heart in the right place when are danceing. and you recall King David was Dancing so hard that his top and pants where falling off and his wife the Queen wanted to take him back inside but he said no and you should not bear any more of my kids cuse you stand in the way of me prising my Lord my God. so this tell you that dancing is ok and dont get in the way of others who prise in a way that you dont.

 

[willem]

I have never been affiliated with a UMC church that practiced any sort of ban on dancing. Perhaps this varies somewhat from conference to conference, or region to region?

Isn't it interesting that "Lord of the Dance" is one of the most popular hymns in the UMC? It's a favorite at our church.

"Dance then, whomever you may be, for I am the Lord of the Dance said He..." I love that song.

It's presence in our hymnal seems to contradict any doctrine opposing dancing. Just my .02.

 

[SandyLou]

I have to join in with Willem and ContriteHeart - I'm not aware on any ban of dancing within the UMC.

box of giggles, how did you get the impression social dancing was "banned"

Our Youth hold quarterly dances that are attended by our pastors. . . . .