Mr. and Mrs. Francisco and Stacey Martinez
Dancing Salsa – Is it sinful???? A Biblical Perspective…
By my Dear Friends, and Brother Sister in the Lord,
Stacey and Francisco… CHRISTIAN DANCERS AND OWNERS of The “Dance Family” Dance Studio in Pasadena, CA
Is it sinful to dance Salsa? No! (But there is a disclaimer to add to it)
We can go to the Bible to understand God’s view on it.
Francisco and Stacey Martinez
Sooooo………
He (God) turns our mourning into dancing! (Ps 30:11)
Praise His name with dancing! (Ps 149:3)
Praise Him with timbral and dancing! (Ps 150:4) ~ should be timbale, eh?
There is a time to mourn … a time to dance! (Eccles 3:4)
David was dancing before the Lord! (2 Sam 6:14) (Hah! – and David was called “a man after God’s own heart!” In addition, Jesus himself hailed that he was a direct descendant of you guessed it –David’s!)
So those Scriptures tell us the following: God loves to see us dancing! When we are sad, He can turn it into dancing! We are told to worship Him with dancing! There is a time in life we SHOULD dance! So YES! Dance, dance, dance!!!!!
However, I hear your heart, and maybe the further explanations would help calm your mind about other aspects of salsa dancing:
First of all, men groping women while dancing or getting sexual pleasure out of it… THAT’S NOT DANCING! That is a cheap feel. So, we always want to consider our motives. After all, God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7; Jer 17:10). That’s where you might want to ask yourself, “why am I here?” Is it to dance, or because it kinda turns me on to be touchy-feeley with men?
It has been my personal experience that most everyone out there dances while maintaining common decency and respect. However, I know Edie, I, and many other women have walked off the dance floor when a guy has done something disgusting (it doesn’t matter how many people are watching). In fact, many guys you might have seen are known for their “crotch sniffing” or getting too close so you feel the “broomstick between their legs” (as Edie puts it). Therefore, if you’re a Christian, then what looks to be having sex on the dance floor could fall into what you mention “sinful” category. I think we’d all agree on that one – right? (I don’t need to list all the Scripture references on that one, do I?)
Bottom line, getting sexual pleasure is not what many men or women are out there for. Most of us are out there to dance. Just dance. Not get a cheap feel. And I recognize we can’t always know the motives of others. We can only responsible for our own motives. So, if you ever get into a bad spot, and you need the courage to walk off the floor when a guy has pulled a cheap one, just take courage knowing you’re in good company! There are many of us women who have done it before you ~ so YOU GO GIRL!!!
Secondly, it has been argued (even in areas on Salsaweb) that the origins of Salsa are spiritualistic dances that ultimately were to pagan gods – which God hates (Ex 20:3; Jer 22:9). In addition, Paul warns in 1 Thes 5:12-28 to “abstain from every form of evil.” Personally, I don’t necessarily buy that today’s salsa would even fall into that classification. However, either way, if you are a Christian, God says, “He who is in you is greater than he (pagan gods, whatever) that is in the world”. So, even if there were funky spiritualistic origins– I don’t know anyone today who is dancing salsa as a form of worship to pagan gods. But even if it was cultic or full of curses (which I’ve never heard it is, but just considering the worst case scenario)… you would still be protected by He who lives in you (the Holy Spirit) which is greater than any power on earth (or hell for that matter). “Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil.”
It all boils down to what are you submitting to. Are you submitting yourself and handing over the controls of your life to yourself, your own desires, or to God. If your life is in God’s hands, and you’ve truly handed over the controls of your life to Christ, NO WORRIES! He knows your heart, and you are protected.
Francisco and Stacey Martinez
www.TheDanceFamily.com
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