What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Is rhythmic music and gentle movements to such music a sin? Christian standards for music and dance"
Answer
Music and physical movements are critically evaluated when they confuse the senses, cloud reason, or merely serve self‑display and entertainment. While music is intended as a precious gift of God to uplift the soul, the literature warns against rhythmic noise, drums, and dance that create an atmosphere of disorder and imitate the Holy Spirit through mere emotionality. True worship should instead be characterized by dignity, solemnity, and a pure heart attitude toward God.
Dangers of noisy music and dance in the end times
»The Lord has shown me that shortly before the end of the grace period ... all that is improper will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dance. The senses of reasonable beings will be so confused that one can no longer trust them to make right decisions. And this will be called the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never reveals Himself in such methods, in such a jumble of noise. This is a invention of Satan to conceal his sophisticated methods... A jumble of noise shocks the senses and perverts what, if properly guided, could be a blessing.«
Inappropriate physical movements and self‑display
»Imagine standing in the choir of angels, lifting your shoulders, emphasizing the words, moving your body, and using the full volume of your voice. What kind of concert and harmony would there be in such a display before the angels? ... Everything that is in any way connected with the religious worship should be dignified, solemn, and impressive. God does not like it when preachers ... throw the body into theatrical poses and make unworthy and coarse gestures.«
Distinguishing between holy joy and worldly pleasure
»David's dancing in reverent joy before God was cited by pleasure‑seekers to justify modern fashionable dance, but there is no basis for such an argument. In our time, dancing is associated with folly and midnight revelry. Health and morality are sacrificed to pleasure. ... Pleasures that tend to weaken love for holy things and diminish our joy in serving God should not be sought by Christians. The music and dancing for the joyful praise of God at the transport of the Ark of the Covenant bore no resemblance at all to the excesses of modern dance.«
The purpose of sacred music
»When properly employed, music is a precious gift of God, intended to direct thoughts toward lofty and noble subjects, to inspire and uplift the soul. ... There is hardly a more effective means of embedding His words in memory than repeating them in song. And such a song has wonderful power. It has the power to tame raw and uncultivated natures, to enliven thinking, to awaken compassion, to promote harmonious action, and to dispel darkness and foreboding.«
Quality and nature of good music
»Great improvement can be achieved in singing. Some think that the louder they sing, the more music they make; but noise is not music. Good singing is like the music of birds – subtle and melodic. ... God is glorified through hymns from a pure heart that is filled with love and devotion toward Him.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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