I came across Deuteronomy 12:4 today. It's only interesting when you think of trying to redeem other religious practices. It says, "You must not worship the Lord your God in their way". It isn't just that the gods were incorrect, some of the ways are wrong as well.
The reason I bring this up is because of the book "A New Kind of Christian", by Brian McLaren. In the book he talks of Christian Indians and their desire to dance the old dances but to God. I must have loaned the book out. I don't see it here anywhere.
In Deuteronomy here they weren't even to use the same places.
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Perhaps also relevant to this thought would be yoga. I wonder about yoga's roots.
You could go too far with it though. How many of the things we do are simply redeemed practices that were once used for worship of other gods, or still are used for worship of other gods. Music for example can be glorifying and completly unglorifying, depending on the heart of the singer. I think the same could be said for dancing. Dancing itself is amoral. There is nothing inherently wrong with moving your limbs and torso in time with music. It's all in the heart of the dancer/worshiper. God sees our hearts alot more clearly than we do. David danced, and the only person to complain was a jealous wife.
Good points chalrie. I'm talking about specifics though. I don't think we could use a specific song that was written to praise a false god. The Indians in the book were wanting to do a specific dance that was done to a false God. I have no problem with music or dance. Songs and dances that were specifically done to false gods, those seem to be off limits.
I bet a couple of David's friends jokingly asked to have their eyes burnt out after seeing him dance.
so what do we do with the song sweet home up in heaven, eh, i mean alabama...
not really meant for a false god, but does it fall under the rule?
i think that mcclaren's thoughts are a little more sophysiticated that just "its ok to worship in other ways" but i am studying tonight and cannot defend him well right now... this is not to say that his more complex argument shouldnt be pressed, but just not in htis direct, one verse manor...
Sorry Ken, I wasn't trying to broadstroke McLaren. When I read the book the Indian dance thing was really interesting to me. It sounded like such a noble and neat thing. But really I think that specific dance that was done to a specific god would be wrong to use to praise the true God.
I was just lifting one story and example out the book, not trying to go after the whole book.
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