From: Marguerite Kendall
10 "Facts" About Dancing

IN THE MODERN DAY in which we live the pleasure of dancing is taken 
for granted. But the Christian (and especially the young man or 
woman who has recently received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour), 
will do well to examine dancing both in the light of the Scriptures, 
and also as to the effect it has upon his testimony.

Following are ten facts about dancing in the light of history and 
the Scriptures:

1 Dancing has a disreputable history. The path of the dance is a 
slimy trail back through half-civilized people to the very heart of 
savagery. As to the modern dance, it originated in the beer gardens 
of Germany among lustful men and dissolute women. A man named Gault, 
a French dancing master, originated the waltz in 1627. In an attempt 
to ruin his sister, he strangled her to death. For this he was 
beheaded in 1632. The lust of the human heart is the only reason for 
the popularity of the steps of the modern dance. Read James 1:14 and 
15.

2 The origin of the modern dance was on a low level. Many of the 
present day dances originated in the lowest places of this earth ... 
among prostitutes, drunken men, and in gambling dives. The dancer is 
putting himself or herself on a level with the scum of the earth. 
The dance floor is the nursery of the divorce courts, the training 
ship of prostitution and the graduate school of infamy.

3 Dancing has ruined millions of lives. Ex-dancing master T A 
Falker, an authority on the subject of dancing, said, "80 percent of 
the denizens of the underworld once belonged to churches which 
permitted dancing." There are 800,000 fallen women in houses of 
correction in the United States. The Chicago Vice Commission says 
that 75 percent of these women attribute their downfall to the 
dance. The average life of a fallen woman is only five years. This 
means that there are hundreds of thousands of new recruits for the 
underworld every year.

4 Dancing permits indecent familiarity between the sexes. Such 
familiarity, which would not be allowed otherwise, breeds lust which 
leads to the sins of adultery and fornication so prevalent among 
modern dancers. Please read Proverbs 6:27-32.

5 The dance ruins one's influence for good. The Christian who plays 
with dancing or indulges in dancing is always open to reproach, and 
never fails to bring down upon himself the censure of good people. 
Romans 14:22 says: "Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that 
thing which he alloweth."

6 One cannot take Christ with him when he goes to a dance. Who would 
dare pray just before entering a dance hall, "Lord Jesus, be with me 
this evening? Let Thy blessing rest upon this in which I am about to 
engage." How would you like Christ to call for your soul while you 
are on the dance floor, in indecent contact with some other man's 
wife or daughter? Read Philippians 4:8.

7 The dance robs Christ of one's affections. Colossians 3:1-3 should 
be enough for the Christian. Can a place where sin, danger and death 
constantly lurk be a fit place for any decent person?

8 The best people, and the most spiritually minded people condemn 
dancing. Mr C P J Mooney once wrote editorially in the Commercial 
Appeal concerning a dance hall in Memphis: "Why not let the police 
put a sign in red fire across the front reading thus: 'This is the 
beginning of the journey of lost souls.'" Read Exodus 32:26.

9 The appeal of the dance is altogether to the flesh. God's judgment 
to those who sow to the flesh is clearly stated in Galatians 6:7, 8. 
He who mingles with the dancing crowd is mingling with those whose 
hearts are full of lust and sin and evil desire.

10 The principles laid down in Scripture oppose dancing. No one will 
deny that dancing is an amusement of the world. In Romans 12:2 the 
Christian is exhorted: "be not conformed to this world." No clearer 
command is found in Scripture than is given in II Corinthians 6:14: 
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what 
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what 
communion hath light with darkness." This should settle the question 
for all honest Christians.

T A J Basley