Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    Re: .0
    
    I wouldn't want my daughter dancing on a bus...at home, fine!
    
    Marc H.

    I never understood it either. I suspect that it may have something
    to do with raging hormones and teenagers dancing while holding one
    an other tightly getting them all sexually excited leading to sexual
    misconduct.

    			Alfred

    I seem to recall hearing somewhere that to "rejoice" was to
    "dance" with excitement and good feelings.  Can anyone confirm
    this?
    
    I've also always wondered how one can rejoice without first having
    joiced! ;-}  (Please don't reply to this.  I *know* it's a groaner!)
    
    Shalom,
    Richard

    
    Dancing can lead to the freer expression and a greater unblocking of the 
    energy within.  This can lead to people realizing their true identity.  
    Therefore, restricting this activity can help to keep people dependent 
    upon the external forces (Church, State, etc.)
    
    Freedom of speech, movement, artistic expression - these are all things
    that are typically restricted by authoritarian governments and religious 
    institutions to keep control over the masses.  Governments go even
    further by restricting religious expression.
    
    However, there are those who will rebel nonetheless, because they
    already know themselves.  As Alex Haley once wrote, "You can't enslave 
    a man who knows who he is."
    
    Cindy 

    
    
    		David did dance naked before all Isreal.
    
    
    Dave

    As one who has a natural rhythmic nature, this no dancing decree at
    first was like an addict's first day off the stuff.  I near about died
    inside.  I had been winning dance contest since I was 4 years old, and
    then I become a Christian and dancing is "off limits"... :-(
    
    But what Alfred said is true... dancing *can be* provocative and to
    teenagers with raging hormones, a bump and a rub, can lead to a hump
    and a rub. :-) :-(
    
    Once I went through withdrawals... I was okay.  And quite honestly
    I was so busy with my other activities, didn't even miss it.  Now, I've
    learned balance and it's no longer an issue, if I'm listening to music
    that touches my Spirit, I allow the Spirit of God to *move* me.  I also
    grab my  kids and twirl them around and dancing has become rejoicing
    and spiritual expression...not artistic expression.
    
    Nancy..although I still can't jig to the Old Rugged Cross! :-)

    I got a whippin' I'll never forget for being caught doin' the twist in
    my sister's room with her (contraband) single of "I Wanna Hold Your
    Hand."
    
    I wish I could go back in time and tell my religiously-addicted parents
    to get a life...It ruined dancing for me.  I still can't do it worth a
    darn.
    
    Ruth

    I'm with you, Ruth .7.  Only my legs have never supported a body
    that might dance.  And so, it is only in spirit that I may dance.
    And it is in spirit that I have danced with the Shekinah; the very
    Spirit of the Living God.
    
    Shalom,
    Richard
    

    RE: Dancing...
    
    			I love to dance and I have often wondered at the
    Baptist stricture against dancing.  Provactive?  It can be but then
    again so can hugging and we Christians do that all the time so I
    believe its whats in your heart.  As many of you can tell I'm not a
    very good Baptist even though they believe more closely to what I
    believe.  They even allowed me to preach for them with these ideas
    and beliefs.  Its like drinking....I love wine...Baptists so no to it
    all.  Odd how beliefs come from traditional values rather than true
    Biblical truths.
    
    
    Dave

    Re: .6
    
    Nancy,
     Confused somewhat from your reply.......have you given up public
    dancing for church reasons?
    
    Marc H.

    What happens all too often is that people take rules and build
    buffers around them just to keep from getting to close to breaking
    the rules. I believe that this is what has happened with dancing
    and drinking to name two examples.

    For example, sex between unmarried partners is clearly, to many of
    us, prohibited by the Bible. Well dancing can lead to physical
    contact which can lead to sex. So some traditions rule out dancing
    because it may lead to something not because it itself is bad. After
    a time the buffer rule tends to become as hard and fast a rule as
    the rule it was designed to keep you away from. So a buffer gets
    built around it - like no rock and roll. R/R can lead to dancing you 
    know. :-)

    			Alfred

    Some interesting variations can emerge, too.  I understanding that
    square dancing was invented to allow the expression of dance,
    while prohibiting any one couple from being together too long. ;-}
    
    Weird about line dancing.  You don't need a partner at all!  It just
    might be the "New_Age-C&W-folk-dance-from-Hell!" ]B^)
    
    Richard
    

    Marc,
    
    The answer is Yes and No. :-)  I've given up public dancing because I
    do not attend places where public dancing is done.. i.e., bars. 
    However, at private parties I will dance with my partner when asked..
    there is one problem with me though... all my rhythm is in my hips and
    I'm told I dance very sensuously... this now inhibits the way I move. 
    It reminds me of the Jerry Lewis' impression of rhythm...he was rather
    awkward trying to dance.. well imagine someone who is extremely
    rhythmic trying not to be. :-) :-) :-)
    
    And of course, I only slow dance with my husband [ex].  I do not slow
    dance with a date... it *would* lead to other things. 
    
    Oh and all of this struggle only happens once a year... so it's not
    really an issue for me.
    
    Nancy
    
    

Rules are designed to keep us on the straight and narrow.
Some people obviously need rules; if they didn't, they'd
never have been widely accepted.  Some people don't need
the rules and, in fact, do better without them.

Robyn and I have greatly enjoyed square dancing since we
started it just over a year ago.  The happiest I've seen
her in months was last week when we were dancing at the
Plus workshop we attend.

BTW, David was not dancing naked; he was dancing and the
problem was with his wife, Michel (sp?), not the actual
appropriateness of his dancing which is never condemned
in the Scriptures.

Collis

    .14  I recall something about Saul dancing ecstatically
    at some point.  Didn't remember about David.
    
    Is Plus a dance-related group?
    
    Peace,
    Richard
    

>Robyn and I have greatly enjoyed square dancing since we
>started it just over a year ago.  The happiest I've seen
>her in months was last week when we were dancing at the
>Plus workshop we attend.

    May you celebrate your love like that for decades to come....  :-)

    Tom

    Rock n Roll - A ghetto term for fornication started by Alan Freed, a
    Cleveland Disc jockey from the early 50's.
    
    Dancing to me is one of those areas that seems to be up to the
    individual.  I haven't danced in awhile but I see no problem in many
    dances, e.g. slow dancing, line dancing and what not!
    
    Dancing to fast music, for some, can be a release of energy, exercise,
    or what have you.  For example, I enjoy aerobics and that requires fast
    paced music.  There are some however, that this kind of dancing can
    lead to lascivious behavior.  One of those areas where you have to
    determine whether or not it's something to be avoided.
    
    I recall a few times when in an aerobics class, I had to force myself
    to look the other way.  Didn't work sometimes!!!
    
    -Jack (Member of a Baptist Church)
    

After a year of learning the "Basic" calls (68 of them
I think), you can learn the next level of "Plus"
calls (27 of them).  There are square dances every weekend
(usually both Friday and Saturday night) somewhere around
here if that's how you like to spend your time.  We get
to a weekend dance maybe once every 2 months.  Square
dancing has been a very positive experience since:

 - we do it together
 - it is exercise
 - it is fun
 - it is cheap

Our church (Nazarene) now allows dancing that is not
sexually suggestive.  I haven't a clue when that rule was
change.  Nor would it have stopped me from Square Dancing
had the rule not been changed.  I'm not a rules kind of
guy (at least in my opinion) - despite my conservative 
beliefs.

Collis

Re: .17 Jack

>    Rock n Roll - A ghetto term for fornication started by Alan Freed, a
>    Cleveland Disc jockey from the early 50's.
    
I've always enjoyed rock 'n' roll, but until now I never knew why. :-)

				-- Bob

    .19  Truth be known, Bob, it meant any kind of screwing, not just
    outside of marriage.
    
    Shalom,
    Richard

    RE: .17
    
    "My baby rock's and roll's me....all night long!".
    
    Great line from one of my old record collections.
    
    Marc H.

    .21
    
    "I know
        it's only rock and roll,
                   but I like it!"
    
    Richard
    

    RE: .22
    
    "Like it Like it yes I do!"
    
    Sounds like we have some common musical tastes......
    
    Marc H.

    my, my, my.
    
    all this talk about dancin', rockin' and rollin'....
    
    I think I'm gonna log off and go find my sweetie and be a doer instead
    of just a hearer...
    
    Ruth
    
    
    <wicked grin>

    .24
    
    Oooo...Shake your booty!
    
    ;-}
    
    Richard