At a dance, the focus is on the other person's body, how it looks and how it moves. The movements are sexual, the tone is sexual, and the atmosphere is of sexual stimulation.

In a time where million dollar words and fancy arguing are supposed to be the keys to successful persuasion, let me spare you the time. All I want to do is give you facts. These may be facts that you might already know, and if this is the case, I would like to "stir you up by way of reminder" (2 Pet. 1:13; 13:1). If these are new facts to you, I'm glad you are reading this now. They are simple facts — facts that are undisputed. Facts that you can hold on to as truth. Besides, after you wipe away all the big words and fancy talk, all you have are facts anyway.

When talking about dancing, you must know there are different types of dances. This article will not address all types of dancing. Why? Because you can't lump all dances under the heading of dancing and talk about them the same. There are different kinds. Folk dances, a dance for joy, dances mentioned in the Old Testament, ball-room dancing, the modern dance, square dancing, and I guess even round dancing. By saying this I do not mean that I approve of these, but we need to know that each case of dancing needs to be dealt with by itself. In this article we will be discussing the modem dance.

You will find the modem dance in many places. It is this very dance that is offered by our school systems, all the way from kindergarten to high school, on such occasions as Home-coming, Valentine's Day, and Prom. Anytime during this article when I mention dance or dancing, I am refer-ring to this particular dance. This dance involves close physical contact of the parties involved, as well as gyration movements. This dance is associated with rock, punk, new age, heavy metal, hip hop, R&B, and rap music. The movements of this dance are wild gyrations and explicit sexual movements with sexual overtones. Much of the music involved in this dance has sexual language and suggestions as well.

This modern dance is defined in the following way: (1) consists in rhythmical movement of any or all parts of the body in accordance with some type of emotion or idea (the focus is on the body). (2) Movements of the body, creating an infectious response, the two-way process of motion and (sexual) emotion. This dance has a purpose.

Let's take a factual look at this dance as is offered by our schools. Dads, Moms, I want you to think about your beautiful daughter God has blessed you with. As she goes to the dance, your daughter's body will be the main focus as she is on the dance floor. The boys will be looking at your daughter's body and watching how she moves it and how she gyrates it to music. The boy dancing with her or across the room is being stimulated by how your daughter is moving her body and, most likely adding to that, what she is wearing. As she moves her body around and as the boys look at her body, she is expressing the desire for others to look at her and enjoy what they see as she moves around. Also during this dance, your daughter is focusing on the boy's body and how he is moving and gyrating it in front of her. Dads, Moms, I want you to think about your wonderful son God has blessed you with. Yes, he is one of the "boys" mentioned above if he at-tends this dance. Your son is watching a girl's body as she moves it and gyrates it to music. As your son is focusing on her body, your son is immediately turned on sexually. His sexual desire has been ignited and the movements of a girl's body feeds this lustful reaction. He then in turn moves his body around for her to see. You see, at a dance, the focus is on the other person's body, how it looks and how it moves. The movements are sexual, the tone is sexual, and the atmosphere is of sexual stimulation. Bodies close, touching, rubbing together — stimulating sexual thoughts and desires.

What is the purpose of the modern dance, the one so popular among our young people? Can it be for harmless fun and exercise? Some use this as a defense. During the slow periods of dance, with two people rubbing their bodies together, is this exercise? No. If it was exercise that was needed during the Homecoming or Prom, wouldn't it be just the same if you had all of the students get together for an hour or two of a gym class? I think not. So much for exercise. Can it be just because "it's what you do now"? Is it just because it's the "in" thing? Schools use these ideas as their reasoning to have a dance because they want to get the kids together in a social atmosphere, but it is not the purpose of the dance itself. What is the answer? What is the purpose of this dance? Well, the purpose of this dance can be seen in its origin. It had its be-ginning in brothels and road houses where prostitutes work. This dance was originally known as the "art of seducers." Prostitutes did and still do use this dance to sexually stimulate the one who is paying her to have sex. It is the entrance to fornication. This is the purpose of this dance. To lead to fornication. Read the following quotes from those that use and promote this type of dancing. "Dancing's charm is based on sex appeal"; "Dancing is used as a doorway to sex. You must first arouse the desires then you fulfill them ..."; "Dancing is the easiest and surest way to turn on a boy." All of those that I have seen that describe this dance, that teach this dance, that pro-mote this dance in their establishments, do so using a common word. That word is sex.

Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, there you have it. Our children are being pressured in being involved with an activity that is sexually driven. Our school officials can deny it, and say that it is good clean fun, but in reality, and according to the facts, it is dirty not clean. They may not mean for this to be the purpose, but it is. Facts are facts. When your son and/or daughter goes to a dance, they are associating with sexual sins and prostitutes. Do you want your daughter to be a prostitute for the boys she goes to school with? Do you want boys to think of her as a girl of sexual per-version?

There is a word that God himself uses and he says that anyone guilty of it will burn in everlasting hell. The word is lasciviousness. (Some versions use the word sensuality or lewdness. Definitions apply to all.) We better know what the word means because God uses it. This word can be seen within Scripture (Mark 7:21-22; 2 Cor. 12:20-21; Gal. 5:19; 1 Pet. 4:3). The word means: "Absence of restraint, in-decency, wantonness, lust, excess wanton desires, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, tending to produce lewd emotions, shamelessness, exciting sexual desires, one that has a characteristic of lust." That definition really, really sounds familiar doesn't it? Where did we see those same words? Yes, you are right in the definition of dancing. The same words that define lasciviousness define dance. If the dance we are talking about does not involve "indecent bodily movements, or unchaste handling of males and females, or exciting sexual desires" it would be beyond my mind to know what is. The fact is, these two, dancing and lasciviousness are the same thing! Now really read Galatians 5:19. Go on, read it. Putting everything together now, we have this formula: Dancing = Lasciviousness and lasciviousness = will not inherit the kingdom of God (death in hell). You see the "good clean fun" has now turned into the loss of a soul. The Lord has spoken. We better listen. God says if you are involved in lasciviousness, you will lose your soul in hell. Dancing is a sin against God and punishable by death.

We have to face these facts. You can't say "I disagree with you, Jeff." I haven't said anything. I have just given you undisputed facts. You can't change the facts. But I fear you'll try. You might disagree with what you have read. You might be mad. You might not even care. But that doesn't change it. I fear you will lose your soul, and possibly cause your child to lose his soul out of your failure to teach them God's word on this matter because you want to do what you want and you want to have fun, or you want your kid to have fun. God sees it different, and the only way you or I will get in heaven is if we act and think like our Father.

If you are still not convinced, do the following exercise. Look up the following verses and as you read each one, look back at the definition of dancing. How does it hold up to the will of your God? It's the word you will be judged by against what man has to offer.

Wild Gyrations — Explicit Sexual Movements and Over-tones — Focusing On The Body — Sex Appeal — Arousing Desires — Sexual Stimulation (Matt. 5:27-28; Rom. 14:21; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Thess. 5:21-22; 1 Cor. 8:12-13; Jas. 4:4; Eph. 5:11; Rom. 12:9; 13:13-14; Matt. 18:5-7; 1 Pet. 4:1-19; Matt. 7:16-20; 1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Cor. 6:18-20; 1 Pet. 3:1-2; Matt. 6:13; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; Gal. 5:16-21; Matt. 5:16; Phil. 1:27; 1 Pet. 2:11; Matt. 15:16).

After you do this, do one more thing. Look at the following questions. What conclusions do you come up with as you honestly answer these questions?

1. Why are there chaperons at dances? If the dance is not sexual in nature, why do you need chaperons? (Quotes from those who chaperoned a dance, "I got tired of moving hands back where they should be," "I know for a fact I'm needed more after the kids leave the dance than in here. In the gym they just stimulate each other, later they are driven to fulfill those lusts.")

2. Would Jesus dance? Would he be involved in sexual gyrations and movements? Would Jesus chaperon a dance?

3. Could you dance under the cross of your bleeding Savior?

4. If this dance is not "sexually" natured, then try having all the boys just dance with each other. There should be no problem if it does not have a sexual overtone, should there?

5. If dancing is OK, I think we should have one for the adults of this congregation. Would you like me to dance with your wife like we have described? If you attempt to dance with my wife, I'd give you a knuckle sandwich!

6. If the boys and girls do the same movements involved in this dance, without music, they would be in big, big trouble? Would you like your son or daughter to do these dance movements in a car?

Guardian of Truth XLI: 11 p. 18-20
June 5, 1997