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“I Wanna Dance With Somebody”
Categories: GRAB BAGAre we allowed to dance? Our church doesn’t let us, and I was wondering if our church is Christian, and if we aren’t allowed to, why would other Christians do it? Also, I have the same question about wearing earrings and necklaces and tattoos.Sincerely,
Two Left-Out Feet
Dear Two Left-Out Feet,
We can’t tell you why your church teaches what it does or why others do what they do… but let’s look at what the Bible says about dancing. Not all dancing is sinful (Eccl 3:4), but the kind of dancing seen in a lot of today’s society is. Modern dancing is designed to be sexually provocative, and it puts young men and women in compromising positions that nurture the sort of behavior and attitudes that lead to sexual immorality and unhealthy relationships.
We are told to flee fornication (1 Cor 6:18), to do things that are honorable (Rom 12:17), and to avoid even the appearance of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22). When people engage in the type of dancing so often seen in today’s culture, they act in a way that appears indecent and gives room for the lust of the flesh to overpower them (Rom 6:12, 1 Jn 2:16).
As for the other issues that you mentioned, here is an article on what the Bible says about tattoos (“Only Skin Deep”), and here is an article about what the Bible says on things like jewelry and makeup (“Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall”). In all of these issues, it comes down to wisdom and avoiding sinful behavior that can sometimes be associated with dancing, tattoos, or excessive accessorizing.
