Here, Lucy, this PM was written to you by me almost EXACTLY two years to the day ago:
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Why a Church might be against Dancing
Remember that I'm FOR dancing, but let's consider the other side.
1: Some who dance are trying to be attractive to the opposite sex, instead of honoring God.
2: Even some who are not trying to be "alluring" may still be trying to impress others with their skill, instead of honoring God.
3: Even some who don't care at all if others are watching what they do, may be dancing just because they enjoy the physical exertion, and not to honor God.
4: Since dancing is inherently wordless, it has to play to the emotions; thus, even dance that IS trying to honor God will not be able to convey much in the way of doctrine. And it is true that emotion won't make much difference to our character unless there is some reliable truth to be emotional ABOUT.
Fifteen or so years ago, I had the delightful privilege of performing in a community-theater production of "Godspell." (This version added a children's chorus,
and my daughter, then seven years old, got to be in it.) In one number, I had to dance as partners with a beautiful girl less than half my age. In view of my age, my marital status, and what play this was we were doing, I let the choreographer know that I was anxious NOT to make our dancing together unnecessarily sensuous. She agreed, and it managed to be tasteful.
-- Joseph