IS DANCING WRONG?

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 129, 25 February 1938, Page 12

IS DANCING WRONG?

Methodist Church’s Attitude MANIFESTO APPROVED Decision For Individual Conscience “That our people be warned of the subtle evils associated with many public dances, and that the matter of indulgence in dancing be laid on the enlightened individual conscience,” was a motion carried by the conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand yesterday after an hour and a quarter’s discussion in committee. It was resolved also that the conference continue in its refusal to allow dancing on church property or elsewhere under Methodist auspices. A manifesto on the church’s attitude to dancing, drawn up by a committee, was approved. The manifesto states that, in issuing it, “the conference is sensible of its responsibility to exercise oversight, not of constraint but of reason and example. The conference realises that, for a large section of Methodist people, dancing is an urgent problem, and feels that in view of the publicity given discussions on dancing the position of the Church should be clearly stated.” Kight of Conscience. ’ u “In surveying any modern problem of conduct, we must take account of the fact that, subsequent to the Great War, the map of accepted morality has shown the erasure of many age-old lixed boundaries,” it continues. "The ethical code of our fathers has been called in question and at present no newer formulation has gained universal acceptance. - We live in a day when the old is counted dead and the new is not yet born and in such a day above all others we must maintain the right of the individual conscience. We may - and should seek to enlighten that conscience and to awaken it to higher issues, but in the end conscience must decide. (Homans xiv, 22.) Thus in respect of dancing we are bound, in the last issue, to leave the matter to the individual conscience, and in this decision we are confirmed by the facts—viz., some people seem able to indulge in dancing without any obvious undermining of tlieir moral and spiritual stability, and yet others can so indulge only to the imperilling of their souls. Two General Principles. “We leave the matter therefore to the individual conscience, but, for those who aspire to the mind of Christ, there are two principles which should be regarded as crucial in any moral issue, (a) It is not enough for a Christian to estimate the desiriability of any form of conduct merely on the basis of its immediate personal pleasurability. We are in life to develop, by Divine help, those graces of character that fit us for fellowship with God, and citizenship in His family-kingdom. This Is our glorious calling, and no form of conduct, however pleasurable on other grounds, should be allowed to influence adversely our development in Christlikeness. (b) We are called to citizenship and citizenship presumes a society of those who live together in unity and brotherliness. We are influencing every day, by our actions and words, those with whom we make contact, and the awesome possibilities of bad influence must make us hesitate before we embark on any specific line of action which, however legitimate it may be for us personally, will yet in practice contribute to the undoing of some weaker, or less enlightened follower of Christ. (Romans xiv-xv, 2.) “Further to the above, it is necessary in applying the standards of the enlightened conscience, to understand, as clearly as possible, the real nature of any proposed form of conduct. So with the problem presented toy dancing it is necessary to analyse out the full meaning and implications of the activity.

Outlet or Stimulant.

“It is patent that the social and economic conditions of to-day do not favour Airly marriage and, consequently, young people are reaching maturity long years before they are able to set up the home for which maturity prepares them. In such circumstances a condition of emotional strain is the inevitable portion of the adolescent, and it should be frankly admitted that for the majority, normal and happy marriages alone can supply a permanent release of that strain. “Collectively and individually, however, youth has discovered certain forms of recreation which have the effect of providing temporary easement. , Such ‘outlets,’ which include organised games, constitute a large part of the spare-time activities of young people, and in most cases are helpful and commendable. From primitive times dancing has been a highly popular form of recreation, and in the experience of many dancing has proved and is proving, a satisfactory outlet. In the experience of others, however, dancing acts as a ‘stimulant’ rather than an ‘outlet.’ “An emotional ‘outlet’ is valued in proportion to its power of reducing strain, while a ‘stimulant’ is effective in raising the strain toward a maximum, where release can be secured only by the fullest natural satisfaction. These two phases are not distinguished dearly enough in our thought and practice to-day, and although it may he difficult to tell where the ‘outlet’ ends and the ‘stimulant’ begins, yet our very peace demands that we do make a thorough-going distinction. Adolescent calm depends on the free use of legitimate outlets and the resolute exclusion of all stimulants. —lt is for everyone who dances io discover for himself what effect dancing lias on his own emotional balance, and as he values his soul to act in accordance with his conscientious findings. “All the foregoing argument presumes the activity of the enlightened individual conscience, but in modern days the use of alcoholic beverages at dances is constantly weakening that conscience, to which our appeal is made. Alcohol is one of the greatest single evils in the modern world, for it is distinctive of those very foundations upon which our civilisation is built. Social progress depends upon the building-up of definite controls (or ideals) in the minds of the people. Now when it is realised that the first effect of alcohol is to render temporarily inactive the very forces that society has toiled to build into the individual life, it will be obvious that only when alcohol is avoided can conscience be fully active. So we can utter no words strong enough in condemnation and warning, concerning the association of dancing and alcohol.

Further, alcohol inevitably leads the most civilised back to the emotional state of the primitive—back to the stage when emotions rage uncontrolled and undirected —back to the primitive condition when the dance was , a stimulating introduction to the inevitable orgy. . “Wherever dancing and alcoholic indulgence are associated, disaster waits around the corner, for how can anyone keep on the outlet side of an emotional experience, while alcohol removes his sense of discrimination and allows his primitive emotions full sway? Dances on Church Property. “We must now take up the question as to whether the church could arrange and control dances so that they would be morally safe for those participating. In the first place, we have no means of distinguishing exactly those, whose indulgence in dancing is according bo the findings of an enlightened conscience, from those who dance only to their moral and spiritual peril. This factor alone would make it difficult for the church to sponsor dances on church property. Furthermore several practical considerations indicate the greatest difficulty in the way of the church's competing with the outside dance halls. These are in brief .-—Church halls are in most cases without suitable dressing room accommodation and floors of church halls are in most cases unsuitable for dancing. In many cases it would be impossible to provide good dance orchestras. The church dances would probably attract a large proportion of learners, and this would make the dances unattractive to the more proficient. The difficulty of excluding undesirables and those who risk moral and spiritual balance in dancing, together with the prohibiting of the use of intoxicants, would make the problem of oversight so onerous as to be impracticable. “For these reasons wo conclude that the church dances would serve as a training ground for those who, having learned to dance on our properties, would then seek the more brilliant dance halls. Church dances would therefore rather aggravate than solve the dancing problem. “It is therefore the purpose of conference to continue in its refusal to allow dances on church property. The manifesto concludes by stating that an endeavour has been made “to survey the dancing problem from every possible angle mid to enter fully into a sympathetic understanding of the problems that confront our people.” It is recognised that much needs yet to be 1 said and it is trusted that, in the sure mercies of God, further light may break upon people and illuminate more fully the multifarious problems of modern life. Finally, the church must ever stand for the highest Christian ideal coveting for our people not merely the minimum spiritual experience necessary for salvation, but the maximum possible, equipping for the greatest effectiveness in the interests of the Kingdom of God.