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EvangelCatholic
Guest
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Bob_Crowley
Guest
That’s a bit like the old joke - why do Methodists hang around darkened hallways?I wandered around in the Protestant world for awhile. Returned to the Catholic Church about 20 years ago. Some of the conservative churches I attended were so stridently anti- dance that you got the impression they didn’t so much believe that dancing led to sex but that sex led to dancing.
They don’t want to be seen dancing.
C
charlesby
Guest
Eccl 3:4 “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
I do think that certain prot, denominations go overboard on this one. It’s the immorality, if any, associated with dancing that is open to judgement, not the dancing of itself.
I do think that certain prot, denominations go overboard on this one. It’s the immorality, if any, associated with dancing that is open to judgement, not the dancing of itself.
A
adawgj
Guest
No dance no culture.
P
Publisher
Guest
I was raised in the Church of the Nazarene in the 60’s and 70’s…to be a faithful member, the following things were forbidden to anyone wishing to hold a church office or teach Sunday School, or serve on the church board.
No drinking alcohol
No smoking or use of any tobacco products.
No dancing
No movies
No carnivals or circus
No “mixed bathing”, men and women, boys and girls in the same pool area.
One was expected if a male to keep one’s hair short, and dress in at lease a dress shirt and slacks went attending worship service…if one was up front one HAD to wear a tie.
If a male, one was expected to not wear jewelry, if a watch was worn, a plain black or brown leather band was used, not metallic, if one wore a wedding ring, it was to be a plain gold band…that was it…no other jewelry
If one was a woman, no slacks or pants in church. The hem length was to be 'modest", make up was discouraged, but a little “rouge” of a skin tone lip stick to light pink was tolerable.
No jewelry other than a wedding ring, of a plain design, no earrings, small non descript were tolerable. No necklace except a simple chain and small simple plain cross was acceptable.
Things have changed quite a bit in the Nazarene church since I was convinced a Friend.
No drinking alcohol
No smoking or use of any tobacco products.
No dancing
No movies
No carnivals or circus
No “mixed bathing”, men and women, boys and girls in the same pool area.
One was expected if a male to keep one’s hair short, and dress in at lease a dress shirt and slacks went attending worship service…if one was up front one HAD to wear a tie.
If a male, one was expected to not wear jewelry, if a watch was worn, a plain black or brown leather band was used, not metallic, if one wore a wedding ring, it was to be a plain gold band…that was it…no other jewelry
If one was a woman, no slacks or pants in church. The hem length was to be 'modest", make up was discouraged, but a little “rouge” of a skin tone lip stick to light pink was tolerable.
No jewelry other than a wedding ring, of a plain design, no earrings, small non descript were tolerable. No necklace except a simple chain and small simple plain cross was acceptable.
Things have changed quite a bit in the Nazarene church since I was convinced a Friend.
C
Cat
Guest
Yes, the Nazarenes used to be very strict in their rules. My great-uncle and great-aunt were Nazarene; add “No Television” to your list of rules above.
However, after my great-uncle retired, he worked as school groundskeeper in the smallish town where he and my great-aunt lived. He was absolutely beloved by the children, teenagers, teachers, and parents because of his loving, helpful, friendly way. When he died, virtually the entire town turned out for his funeral; it was the largest funeral in the history of the local funeral home.
So we need to remember that “rules” don’t chase Jesus away! He can love through anyone who truly love Him!
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esieffe
Guest
Queen Victoria didn’t think there was anything untoward about dancing, and she set the moral bar higher than anyone, which lasted for generations.
S
SecretGarden
Guest
It is impossible to not generalize the word “evangelical” because the word can mean three things, 1) a movement of the spirit inside a mainline denomination such as Anglicain, Catholic, Presbyterian etc which is often charismatic in nature. 2) It applies to a specific denomination which doesn’t have any connection to a mainline denomination but it is charismatic by nature and then 3) there are churches that are simply charismatic such as the pentecostal, baptist and non-denonimational, fundamentalist etc.
That said, the evangelical churches I have attended, they love social dancing as long as it isn’t too racy (as in certain moves belong to a couple inside a bedroom or hotel room if you get my drift.) Drinking of any sort of alcohol beverage is generally frowned upon which means you will never see alcohol being served at a social church event. I know some members might casually go out for a glass of wine or another drink but those people will drink responsibly and their aim isn’t to get drunk but simply to fellowship together over a meal. If they know one of their friends is a former alcoholic, out of respect for their friend, they will abstain from alcohol all together.
That said, the evangelical churches I have attended, they love social dancing as long as it isn’t too racy (as in certain moves belong to a couple inside a bedroom or hotel room if you get my drift.) Drinking of any sort of alcohol beverage is generally frowned upon which means you will never see alcohol being served at a social church event. I know some members might casually go out for a glass of wine or another drink but those people will drink responsibly and their aim isn’t to get drunk but simply to fellowship together over a meal. If they know one of their friends is a former alcoholic, out of respect for their friend, they will abstain from alcohol all together.
P
Publisher
Guest
I think the avoidance of sin was the reason…I think in “Catholic” it is near occasion to sin and causing scandal . The rules for the most part a sign of ones devotion and to live in the world but of the world.
B
Some times the rules become more important, in my own traditions history, we once read out of meeting offenders of Quaker living…the clothes and hats and bonnets had to be just so. Joining the milatary use to be a disciplinary action being taken against you…or be read out of meeting
Times Chang, what we once held as so importand pales as the Light led us through those times…the Hicksitw schism of the Phiedelphia Yearly Meeting. And the meeting split in the early 19th century finly healed in the 60’a and the two Yearly Meeting became one again,
Some think conservatism equals spiritual…I think in many cases these would be our “Protestant Saints”
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ltwin
Guest
This is kind of an odd definition of Evangelicalism. What you are describing is (1) Charismatic Renewal in the mainline churches, (2) Neo-charismatic churches and (3) classical Pentecostal, “bapticostal” and Neo-pentecostal churches.
While all of these are certainly “evangelical” in a broad sense, there are many other parts of Evangelicalism that are hostile or at least cautious towards Charismatic Christianity. It certainly isn’t some new movement, but throughout the 19th century it was the default setting in many of the mainline denominations.
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South_Bound
Guest
Is it possible you’re confusing Pentecostal holiness with evangelical? Because in my twenty-five or so years as an evangelical, I’ve never met nor heard of an evangelical who believes dancing is wrong (and that includes two years at an evangelical seminary).
My wife and I love to dance. One of my favorite summertime activities is shagging on the beach. Lots of dancing at my daughter’s wedding, too.
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whatsmyname
Guest
I’ve always gone to evangelical churches, including Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Calvary Chapel, Vineyard, Lutheran and non-denominational. While I have no idea which of these church denominations have some stated rule about drinking or dancing, I know each individual church had its own rules on the subject, whether spoken or unspoken. Generally we believe dancing and drinking lead to immodesty and immoral behavior.
Lutherans seem fine with drinking, dancing, smoking and a whole lot of other things. Methodists are similar. They’re all very liberal, even those rare individual churches that still believe in sin, the Trinity and the inspired word of God.
My experience with Baptist, Presbyterian, non-denominational, Calvary Chapel and Vineyard is that the leaders don’t drink and members rarely do. Baptists don’t dance at all and the others don’t specifically prohibit it although it isn’t common and certainly nothing you’d be doing at church. Drinking to excess or partying is completely unacceptable, but some church-goers have an occasional alcoholic beverage outside of church social functions. My mom was a ballroom dancer, but that was pretty shocking to most people we knew. My college prohibited dancing on campus, but student groups were allowed to organize off-campus dances. We did have Jazzercise as a P.E. option. For those over 21, drinking was prohibited on campus, within a mile of campus, and you were prohibited from coming within a mile of campus if you had been drinking. Expulsion was the penalty for breaking these rules.
I’ve never met a church-goer who smokes.
I think you have evangelicals mixed up with Pentacostals or fundamentalists or something. And the past two Sundays, the priest’s homily has been about how the Catholic Church needs to be more evangelical. He even warned us we aren’t going to be happy with the upcoming changes.
Lutherans seem fine with drinking, dancing, smoking and a whole lot of other things. Methodists are similar. They’re all very liberal, even those rare individual churches that still believe in sin, the Trinity and the inspired word of God.
My experience with Baptist, Presbyterian, non-denominational, Calvary Chapel and Vineyard is that the leaders don’t drink and members rarely do. Baptists don’t dance at all and the others don’t specifically prohibit it although it isn’t common and certainly nothing you’d be doing at church. Drinking to excess or partying is completely unacceptable, but some church-goers have an occasional alcoholic beverage outside of church social functions. My mom was a ballroom dancer, but that was pretty shocking to most people we knew. My college prohibited dancing on campus, but student groups were allowed to organize off-campus dances. We did have Jazzercise as a P.E. option. For those over 21, drinking was prohibited on campus, within a mile of campus, and you were prohibited from coming within a mile of campus if you had been drinking. Expulsion was the penalty for breaking these rules.
I’ve never met a church-goer who smokes.
I think you have evangelicals mixed up with Pentacostals or fundamentalists or something. And the past two Sundays, the priest’s homily has been about how the Catholic Church needs to be more evangelical. He even warned us we aren’t going to be happy with the upcoming changes.
A
andrewstx
Guest
That just reminded me of something that happened during my college years. In the state college I went to when ever there was a dance at the Student Union the Baptist student union and the Christian Student center would always have punch and cookie parties to keep students away from the dances
As a poor student I would go to both for the goodies, LOL.
As a poor student I would go to both for the goodies, LOL.
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