As I had planned, I took notes about what to blog about on each day of the camp out, but I don't want to copy down all of those notes now because it would take a significant amount of time, and I have to go get ready for church. Instead, I'll blog about dancing.
During the campout, on Thursday and Friday specifically, we had a couple of dance parties in which fun music was played (a little bit too loudly, in my opinion) and we were invited to come up onto a porch with the Staff and dance like no one was watching. Several of the boys did, but most didn't, and almost none of the leaders did, but on Friday, I couldn't really help myself. I went up there, danced my heart out, and sang along to all the songs I knew the words to. While I was up there, I was a little bit worried about what others, specifically the other leaders in our group, would think of me. It wasn't very dignified. It wasn't behavior one would really expect from a Paladin or from a leader of a Boy Scout Troop. I probably shouldn't have gone up there with the others, but it was a lot of fun.
And what's wrong with having fun? The camp Staff was up there, some of them in goofy outfits, dancing like they were crazy, and at that point, we had had an entire week worth of evidence supporting that theory. All week, they've been doing silly skits, telling corny jokes, challenging each other to eating and dancing contests, and pulling practical jokes on each other - all for the amusement and entertainment of the boys. It could be said that they were all dignified and respectable people under normal circumstances, and that they only behaved that way during Scout Camp because it was in their job description, but I believe that some of them were honestly having fun. And again, what's wrong with that?
Last night, I had an opportunity to dance like crazy and have fun at our Ward Dance and Game Night. I took that opportunity, and nobody there thought any less of me for doing it (as far as I know). In my opinion, people, even adults, are allowed to have fun. Yes, adults are expected to be respectable and sane most of the time, but there are times, like at crazy dance parties, when even adults are allowed to let loose. Our culture makes such allowances, and unless I'm wrong, so does our religion.
Of course, we have to be reverent on Sundays, we have to do our share of work every day, and we should never listen to, let alone dance to, the inappropriate music you hear at most crazy weekend dance parties (thankfully, the music at Scout Camp was clean), but at other times and with good clean music, I think we're allowed to have fun, and even to dance like crazy if we feel like it. I certainly did, and I didn't feel any less like a Christian for doing it.
I did, however, feel a little bit less like a Paladin. Paladins are expected to be especially dignified and respectable, and I find it hard to imagine a Paladin dancing like no one was watching, even after he had fulfilled all of his regular duties. Paladins don't normally dance like crazy. It's just not the kind of thing that Paladins normally do. But are they allowed to? Once they've done everything they're supposed to do, and assuming the music is clean enough and tame enough to not offend the Spirit, are Paladins allowed to loosen up and just dance? Am I?
I want to be like a Paladin. If Paladins don't dance like crazy, even when it's okay for others to, then I should refrain from dancing like crazy also. It's a Paladin's strict standards that give them their moral strength. If I want that strength (and I most certainly do!), I must uphold high standards as well. Does that include not dancing? I don't think so. I don't want it to. But still, dancing like that is something that I can't really picture a Paladin doing. Maybe dancing is okay for most people, but not okay for me.
That'd be a bummer, but I could probably live with it. It'd be sort of like fasting, except that instead of fasting from food, I'd be fasting from acting like I'm crazy. That would be a challenge for me, but that's what makes it a sacrifice. If God accepts that sacrifice and rewards it with additional strength, it'll be worth it.
I'm going to try to work out an answer to whether Paladins are allowed to dance like crazy or not. If they're not, or if I can't find a satisfactory answer, I may never dance like crazy again.
2 comments:
I think Paladins can dance and do other fun things. Can you picture Paladins spending hours and hours at fantasy games pretending to be Paladins? Evidence is that you can. Why can they not have other forms of wholesome entertainment? If one neglects one's duties and responsibilities, then no matter how serious a face he wears or what wonderful rules he quotes, they are not true Paladins. It is about noble living, which includes doing good work, taking care of one's responsibilities, and sharing joy. One can have fun at their work and service, too. Including wholesome humor.
I know Paladins are allowed to have fun and enjoy wholesome recreation. Even missionaries are allowed (even required) to unwind every once in a while. My question wasn't whether or not Paladins are allowed to dance, but whether they're allowed to dance like that. Are they allowed to really let loose and dance like crazy?
While I still don't have a definite answer to that question, I'm not going to worry about it too much. As you suggested, there are more important things to consider when pondering what a Paladin is or is not supposed to do.
Besides, I don't have to be exactly like a Paladin. In fact, I probably can't, or at least shouldn't be. In my blog post of April 9, 2013, I talked about how being a Paladin is more figurative than literal. Perhaps I had forgotten that momentarily, or perhaps I haven't yet figured out which aspects of being a Paladin I should emulate and which ones I can't or shouldn't. I'll have to keep working on it to help me get a clearer understanding of what kind of person I want to try to be.
Post a Comment