Topic: Morris/Christianity (Read 10370 times)

tiny · « **on:** July 15, 2009, 09:07:52 PM »

Does anyone else get a hard time for being interested in and playing for Morris and having a Christian Faith?

Mike Higgins · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:16:47 PM »

We have always had members of the clergy in our morris team, as we have always had non believers. I don't think that the blokes in our side care either way.

Come to Shropshire

Lester · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:24:00 PM »

My side is a "care in the community" side, we accept all-comers from the village's vicar's husband to a goths and at least one wife is a (non-practicing) witch. Guess it may depend on how you wear your religion?

tiny · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:45:59 PM »

Quote from: Lester on July 15, 2009, 09:24:00 PM

My side is a "care in the community" side, we accept all-comers from the village's vicar's husband to a goths and at least one wife is a (non-practicing) witch. Guess it may depend on how you wear your religion?

I think I wear it quietly, but we have been turned down at some Christian venues for being 'pagan' and questioned on faith at the same time. Maybe its the area that we live in.

Mike Higgins · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:00:07 PM »

Quote

I think I wear it quietly, but we have been turned down at some Christian venues for being 'pagan' and questioned on faith at the same time. Maybe its the area that we live in.

We dance in church at mid summer, as do visiting sides. The people you describe sound somewhat harsh for Christians, you know what I mean, love thy neighbour, judge not lest ye be judged etc

Martin Duffy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2009, 10:16:21 PM »

We've danced for a church fete & our side looks about as pagan as it gets! To be honest I've found one's faith has little impact on morris dancing.

xgx · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:24:13 AM »

As a practising non-believer I have no problem with anyone suffering the delusion that there is a god

... until some fool decides to 'save' me by peddling myth and superstition as the panacea for all of my ills...

gawd help us

rees · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:31:12 AM »

Quote from: tiny on July 15, 2009, 09:07:52 PM

Does anyone else get a hard time for being interested in and playing for Morris and having a Christian Faith?

No, as I don't indulge in either of the above, but I can see how the two might go together.

Lester · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2009, 09:10:40 AM »

Quote from: tiny on July 15, 2009, 09:45:59 PM

Quote from: Lester on July 15, 2009, 09:24:00 PM
My side is a "care in the community" side, we accept all-comers from the village's vicar's husband to a goths and at least one wife is a (non-practicing) witch. Guess it may depend on how you wear your religion?

I think I wear it quietly, but we have been turned down at some Christian venues for being 'pagan' and questioned on faith at the same time. Maybe its the area that we live in.

Maybe you should try the Church in Ross on Wye where we danced earlier this year. PICTURE of the lady vicar singing along to South Australia seemed to be a bit of a folkie.

tiny · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2009, 09:52:24 AM »

Quote from: Lester on July 16, 2009, 09:10:40 AM

Quote from: tiny on July 15, 2009, 09:45:59 PM
Quote from: Lester on July 15, 2009, 09:24:00 PM
My side is a "care in the community" side, we accept all-comers from the village's vicar's husband to a goths and at least one wife is a (non-practicing) witch. Guess it may depend on how you wear your religion?

I think I wear it quietly, but we have been turned down at some Christian venues for being 'pagan' and questioned on faith at the same time. Maybe its the area that we live in.

Maybe you should try the Church in Ross on Wye where we danced earlier this year. PICTURE of the lady vicar singing along to South Australia seemed to be a bit of a folkie.

She looks cool. Having given this a bit more thought its not an issue within Morris or my local Church, its casual comments that fly around in general conversation about justifying the two pastimes, perhaps that is to be expected.
Shame I didn't know you were dancing at Ross I would have enjoyed watching your side.

Ellie · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:11:38 AM »

My church think it's great

And my side quite often dance at church fetes and the like. I get more of a problem with christianity and bellydancing

Just how many times is it possible for people to get the wrong idea?

In fact, several of the festivals I've been to over the last year or so have included morris dancing as part of a church service - Southwell and Hastings are the two that spring immediately to mind.

Lester - I love the idea of a "care in the community" side - that describes my lot perfectly

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:47:01 AM »

Quote from: tiny on July 16, 2009, 09:52:24 AM

Quote from: Lester on July 16, 2009, 09:10:40 AM
Maybe you should try the Church in Ross on Wye where we danced earlier this year. PICTURE of the lady vicar singing along to South Australia seemed to be a bit of a folkie.

She looks cool. Having given this a bit more thought its not an issue within Morris or my local Church, its casual comments that fly around in general conversation about justifying the two pastimes, perhaps that is to be expected.
Shame I didn't know you were dancing at Ross I would have enjoyed watching your side.

Her name is Sarah and she is a good friend of mine - used to live in Sheffield. She is indeed very cool and a great folkie, a singer and a brilliant guitarist.

Lester · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:48:04 AM »

Quote from: Steve_freereeder on July 16, 2009, 10:47:01 AM

Quote from: tiny on July 16, 2009, 09:52:24 AM
Quote from: Lester on July 16, 2009, 09:10:40 AM
Maybe you should try the Church in Ross on Wye where we danced earlier this year. PICTURE of the lady vicar singing along to South Australia seemed to be a bit of a folkie.

She looks cool. Having given this a bit more thought its not an issue within Morris or my local Church, its casual comments that fly around in general conversation about justifying the two pastimes, perhaps that is to be expected.
Shame I didn't know you were dancing at Ross I would have enjoyed watching your side.
Her name is Sarah and she is a good friend of mine - used to live in Sheffield. She is indeed very cool and a great folkie, a singer and a brilliant guitarist.

Small world!

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:49:55 AM »

Quote from: Ellie on July 16, 2009, 10:11:38 AM

Just how many times is it possible for people to get the wrong idea?

People will always get the wrong idea and trumpet their objections loudly, if it suits their prejudices to do so.

mikesamwild · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:52:00 AM »

I danced in the morning when the world was begun..... lah lah lah

ganderbox · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2009, 10:58:23 AM »

In some old church records, there are items in the accounts for money spent on such things as ribbons and bells for the morris dancers. Morris dancing and the church were probably quite closely connected.

The idea of morris dancing being an old pagan ritual was first put forward, I think, by Cecil Sharp, and the idea caught on. Lots of the border sides that around now have a strong pagan image, but that really is a modern invention. Obviously they attract people with pagan leanings, but even some of the darker sides have a fair proportion of Christians amongst them.

As for prejudice....A pagan friend of mine once danced with a border side (of the black faces and dark tatters variety) where another member of the side (a Christian) actually objected to her wearing pentacles or other "pagan" symbols.

Tyker · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:06:59 PM »

The Abbot's Bromley Horn Dancers look , to me , very pagan . The horns are kept on display in the church .

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:32:40 PM »

Quote from: Tyker on July 16, 2009, 12:06:59 PM

The Abbot's Bromley Horn Dancers look , to me , very pagan . The horns are kept on display in the church .

Speaking of horns, one of the most pagan images I know connected with a Christian church is a figure carved in stone, set in a wall of St Clement's Church at Rodel on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. It depicts a naked man handling his erect member and clearly having a good w**k.

I guess that because of the harsh climate, any help with fertility of the crofter's fields needs to be stronger than usual.

joe · « **Reply #18 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:35:27 PM »

We were trying to ourganise our wedding hymns and my partner was given a 5 minute lecture for suggesting Lord of the Dance. Apparently it is based the resurrection so isnt suitable for weddings. I would have pointed out that pretty much everything in Christianity, down to the shape of the bloody church is based on the resurrection but there we go.

Anyway just because you dance doesnt mean you are going to start scarificing goats now is it. It annoys me so much when people are righteous about their beliefs, ready to leacture you at any minute, or worse, make passing comments from time to time.

Mike Gott · « **Reply #19 on:** July 16, 2009, 12:43:31 PM »

This is another area where all the varied, regional and sometimes totally unconnected forms of dance all get tarred with the same brush thanks to their all being filed in the same pigeonhole called "Morris".

Mike

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Author Topic: Morris/Christianity (Read 10370 times)