Farasha Hanem

People drank wine in Biblical times mostly for health reasons. Fresh, untainted water was scarce in some regions, hence Paul's admonition to Timothy to "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." There were two kinds of wine: the fermented kind we're all familiar with, and "the fruit of the vine," or "new wine," which was merely grape juice. Of course, then, as now, some people abused the fermented wine and got drunk.

But anyway. I wouldn't feel right going to a bellydance class in a house of worship, because it is supposed to be reserved for praying, meditating, etc. However, if a church has no problem with it, that's their business what goes on in their building. It probably would have been better, as it was mentioned earlier, to perhaps use a different picture on the ad to promote the class, maybe one that emphasized the exercise aspects of the dance. I don't know if that particular church meets on Wed. nights like most churches; if so, it might have been better to hold the classes on a night when no church activities were scheduled.

I BRISTLED at the post one woman made about she would rather keep her clothes on when she dances.