Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 13
October 26, 1961
NUMBER 25, PAGE 14a

What About The Dance?

Jesse G. Jenkins, Fort Worth, Texas

People who profess to be Christians should not dance. That dancing originated among men of vile morals and women of loose character is a historical fact. That dancing was practiced by these men and women for the express purpose of exciting the sensual nature is also a matter of history. Then as dancing was originated by sinful people for a sinful purpose the true Christian should have no desire to participate in it. Dancing will still excite the same sinful lusts among people who practice it as it did among the sinful people who originated it. This is testified to by the fact that dancing without the indulgence of both sexes is a thing that is not desired by those who dance. The dance is an amusement that requires the participation of both sexes for it to thrive. Men play golf alone, and women play bridge alone. And many amusements are enjoyed more if only one sex is participating, but not the dance. If someone gave a dance for either sex alone, all know that there would be but few, if indeed, any, who would attend. For the dance to thrive it must have the cooperation of both sexes.

Dancing has been the downfall of more women than any other cause. To this statistics testify. One professor interviewed two hundred fallen women. Out of this number, one hundred and sixty-seven testified that their downfall had been due to either the dance school or the ballroom. After making a survey among fallen women, a Catholic priest stated that the dance had been the cause of nineteen out of twenty going wrong. In face of statistics like this, a person who professes to a Christian should abstain from the dance like he would the plague.

The main proof that I submit to sustain my proposition is that dancing is condemned as sinful by the Word of God. Paul said that no one who practiced reveling could enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Gal. 5:17-21) In Funk and Wag-nail's Dictionary, one definition given the word "reveling" is — the dance. For your further consideration I offer this syllogism:

Major Premise: Anything that excites inordinate lust of the flesh is sinful.

Minor Premise: Dancing excites inordinate lust of the flesh.

Conclusion: Dancing is sinful.

The major premise is proved to be true by Colossians 3:5 and Galatians 5:17-21. The minor premise is proved to be true by statistics and the testimony of almost all men who dance.

The conclusion, therefore, is inevitable. Dancing is sinful, and surely all of God's people will agree that a Christian cannot dance.