The Chicago Tribune writes:
Dancing bans were once common
throughout the rural United States, particularly in Protestant-dominated areas.
Historians
date dance bans back to the Calvinists, with the first written treatise against
dancing coming from Increase Mather, the Boston clergyman who was president of
Harvard College from 1685 to 1701.
Strict
Protestant denominations like Mennonites and the Amish have frowned upon
dancing, as have the Baptists. While Scripture does not refers to dancing as an
evil, opponents quote the Apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians, in which he
warns that the flesh is at war with the spirit and admonishes followers to shun
sexual immorality, debauchery and drunkenness.
However, BBC
supplements this:
PRE - 1556 A.D.
Classical and early
Christian writings report dancing as dangerous and sinful, particularly if it
allowed close physical contact between men and women from the lower orders. In
the medieval period, circle dances were common with partner dances later
becoming more popular.
And, so it seems, what makes certain kinds of dancing
immoral, often times, is because it is conducive of lewd and lascivious
behavior. This is important because it
is not always apparent what counts as dancing, what counts as lewd or “dirty”
dancing, or even what lewdness itself is.
2 Peter 2:7
describes those who are “lewd” or “unrestrained” or “sensual” or “depraved.” The Greek word is ἀσέλγεια and EDNT (p. 169) defines it as:
In the NT ἀσέλγεια normally has a sensual meaning and refers esp. to sexual debauchery: In addition, the word describes behavior in which
sexual debauchery is only one element
among many. Ἀσέλγεια is thus a
comprehensive expression for evil and perversion.
Nevertheless, what about concrete examples? Perhaps, it might be better to give clear
examples of that which is not lewd. A concrete example of modest attire can be
seen in the Moody Bible Institute “Classroom Dress” standards from Moody’s “Student
Life Guide 2009”:
Men
Collared, knit or ribbed shirts (not plain or printed athletic t-shirts),
sweaters, hoodies and sweatshirts, track jackets, dress slacks, khakis, and
jeans in good repair. [Good repair: no holes, patches, rips, tears, or excessive fraying.
Overalls are not permitted.]
Women
Dresses, skirts, blouses, hoodies and sweatshirts, sweaters, shirts
with two-inch or wider shoulder straps, dress slacks, khakis, and jeans in good
repair.
[Good repair: no holes, patches, rips, tears, or excessive fraying. Overalls
are not permitted.] The hemlines of dresses and skirts are to reach the top of the
kneecap, and slits may be two inches above the kneecap.
Not permitted:
§ Stretch
pants, leggings, or knit gauchos.
§ Garments
that are tight-fitting, shoulder-less, low-cut or fail to cover the midriff and
back area at all times.
§ Plain or
printed athletic t-shirts.
As
with attire, so also with dancing. There are clear examples of modesty and
clear examples of lewdness as well as a spectrum of vagueness in-between. Different societies have different standards,
and yet the Bible holds an absolute timeless standard. The desire is to be above reproach as in 1 Timothy
3:2 and overly conservative in a positive way as seen by the example of Job in Job 1:5. Err on the cautious side, but try not to err
at all. However, the caution is to avoid
the mistake of the Pharisees in
Mark 3:1-6, who both incorrectly interpreted the meaning of working on the Sabbath
as well as misunderstood the purpose and priority of this commandment in
relation to God’s command to love our neighbor.
With
this, it seems that perhaps the best concrete advice would be summed up in
something that some friends and I put together for Church a number of years
ago:
Clubbing/Dancing:
1. Flee from sin. Many of the dance styles are highly
sexualized. Dancing of this type is “revelry” and “out of control” as similar
to Israel
in Exodus 32:6,19-25. But dancing that
is done as worship to God is not sinful.
2 Sam 6:12-16. Ask yourself, Are you
dancing to bring attention to either yourself or your body? Is this
dancing stirring up sinful desires? Or, perhaps, Why am I going
clubbing? What activities will I be
doing there that Scripture would address as needing to “flee from sin”?
2. Maximum Edification. Don't go clubbing/dancing if you
know it'll stumble someone. Consider the
effect and example your actions and decisions have on others.
3. Love Limiting Freedom. If it distresses your brother,
you should, out of love for him, abstain from going to a dance club.
