Why do Baptists teach abstinence from alcohol and dancing?

That reminds me of the old joke “Can Baptists dance?” And the answer is “Not very well.” Certainly we’re not to engage in sensual, lascivious dancing. But other than that, there’s no prohibition in the Bible against dancing. Even in our church we have Sunday school classes that have boot scoots, square dancing, and all those sorts of things. There’s nothing wrong with that. 

I put alcohol in a whole different category. Now, nowhere does the Bible say that absolutely, positively, no alcohol is to pass your lips for any reason. Proverbs 23 and other passages talk about the dangers of alcohol, of anything that blurs our thinking. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with [controlled by] the Spirit.” Anytime we allow anything to control us other than the Holy Spirit of God, that’s a sin. 

But even though there’s not an exact prohibition against alcohol, I think Christians need to seriously consider the influence it has on other people, especially our children and grandchildren. I know a number of Christian teenagers who are battling this issue of whether or not to drink. They say, “Well, so-and-so drinks,” and they’ll name a deacon or Sunday school teacher or preacher they admire. Think about the effect that has on a teenager. How do you know that teenager won’t become an alcoholic or turn their use of alcohol into an addiction to drugs? 

Even though you may be able to handle drinking alcohol, do you know for sure your child or grandchild is going to be able to handle alcohol? And do you really want to take responsibility for what could be their ultimate downfall? That’s the reason I don’t drink. I don’t want to be a detrimental influence on other people.