Tattoos?

[m0eseph]

i saw this question posted on the chaplains thingy and i was wondering what you guy's thoughts on the subjest.

I've been trying to figure out if it's against God's Will for Christians to get tattoos?

I'm familiar with the verse in Leviticus about cutting flesh, but it's still ambiguous to me. Looking into the chapter, and reading other people's theology, it seems to be talking about Pagan rituals specifically.

Another ambiguity is that this is from the Old Testament, i.e. the old Law. And as Christians, we follow Jesus who proclaimed a new Law--keeping the 10 Commandments and abolishing everything else, as much of it is irrelevant once Jesus took away our sins.

Am I way off with what I'm understanding?

i, however, have a tattoo on my right forearm of a human heart with the scripture that reads song of songs 8:6 - "i'll set you as a seal upon my heart, as a seal upon my arm. for there is love that is as strong as death, jealousy demanding as the grave. living waters cannot quench this love."

i like to get tattoos that shows my love for the lord. and before you say that im worshiping the creation rather than the creator by going LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME, im actually putting these meaningful pictures/scriptures upon my body so people will ask what it means, giving me an open oppurtunity to share my testimony to strangers. there for, im glorifying Gods name and his greatness, giving the attention and glory to God. rather than living for myself.

i'd like to hear your views.

 

[fm107]

m0eseph, Many Christians try to use what you have said as a means of justifying getting a tattoo. If you really loved God you would do what he said. What did he say? "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15) If you want to create opportunities to get people talking to you about God then we are told from scripture to simply lead good lives. That is all it takes... "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:12) & "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," (1 Peter 3:15) ............................................. Now with regards to tattoos themselves, our bodies DO NOT belong to us. We do not have permission to put this ink on them. Our body is also a temple for the Holy Spirit, we are not to put writtings or symbols on it. If that is what God intended then he would have made us like that... Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own? for ye have been bought with a price: glorify now then God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

 

[Autumnleaf]

I've known many old people who have had tattoos. They don't turn out as flattering as you might think. Eventually tramp stamps and such will go out of style.

 

[m0eseph]

I've known many old people who have had tattoos. They don't turn out as flattering as you might think. Eventually tramp stamps and such will go out of style.

its not a "style". my tattoo is of meaning. and did i ever say i had a tramp stamp? i dont really care what my tattoo looks like 80 years from now anyways.

 

[savedbygracebre]

I have three tattoos from before I was saved. I really don't regret them now in fact i'm thinking about getting scripture put on me from Isiah 53 about the suffering of our Lord. It means alot to me and I would like that reminder with me. Now, first off, there will be a split view on your question. Many conservatives will qoute old testament scripture to dissuade you. It's like drinking with me-I feel like no born again Christian should partake BUT that is my opinion(I'm ultra conservative on that topic for my own reasons) so I might respond negatively if you asked about that. However, at the end of the day I am man enough to admit that the Bible says drunkeness is a sin-not drinking. My opinion-how do you feel? You must follow your own convictions. What do you think God is telling you when you want to get a tatoo? Those are the most important questions.

 

[MyRightEye]

Rock on! Tats can certainly be a tool for witness.

 

[m0eseph]

Rock on! Tats can certainly be a tool for witness.

indeed!

 

[Autumnleaf]

its not a "style". my tattoo is of meaning. and did i ever say i had a tramp stamp? i dont really care what my tattoo looks like 80 years from now anyways.

Everybody assigns meaning to their tattoo. Just ask them. Unless they were drunk when they got it, in which case they may not remember the deep meaning behind what is on their behind.

 

[Megann*]

Personally, I belive tattoos are perfectly okay. The lord is not going to love us any less or look down upon us any more if we have tattoos. If someone is going to argue that tattoos are a sin then how is eating say a cheese burger any worse. They're bad, even worse actually, for your body (the holy spirits temple) than a tattoo is. I think what you're doing is awesome. Show your pride for christ m0eseph, more power to ya!

 

[Peripatetic]

Now with regards to tattoos themselves, our bodies DO NOT belong to us.

Just curious: are you also against Circumcision? Pierced ears? Makeup? Hair dye? There are many ways that we alter our bodies for personal reasons. What makes one more morally wrong than the other? We need to be careful with OT rules and ceremonial laws. If you were to follow the rules of Leviticus, you would not even be allowed to cut your hair, and you'd have to go see a priest if you get a rash on your skin.

Is it possible that you are more against tattoos than those others because you don't like them? Just for the record: I don't like them either. I will never get one, I'm glad my wife doesn't have any, and I hope my kids won't get them. I know some people that regret them too. But how I feel about them doesn't make them more or less allowable in God's eyes.

 

[fm107]

VertigoAge that is a fair question.

I believe pierced ears, make up and hair dye are ALL SINFUL.

No Christian man or women should ever allow their bodies to be pierced.

God created our bodies, he doesn't want us to make holes in them!

God made our hair colour a certain way, he is our designer, does he want us changing this with artificial colours? Of course not! His creation is perfect! Are we saying we know better than God? If we change the way he created us, are we improving ourselves?

Make up is also another form of changing ourselves and the way we look. God never made us this way!

Nature itself tell us all these things, piercings, make up and dye are all sinful. How does it tell us this? Well look at the results, do you think piercings are good for your body? No, they are not, and they can cause infections! Is make up or dye good for our bodies? Of course not, in fact we can get rashes and spots due to it. Hair dye often results in loss of hair. Make up makes you wrinklier quicker.

And I never mentioned the old testament once did I?

Here is what the new testament tells us:

1 Timothy 2:9-10
I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

1 Peter 3:3
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.

Tatoos, make up, piercings and dye all come under this verse. It's there in black and white. All these things are outward adornment!

If we do do these things then we are sinning because the bible is God's word, and he tells us right there not to do these things.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Other scriptures back this up but are not required to do so because these scriptures are so clear in that they are against these things.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Our bodies are temples and should be treated that way, not with graffitti (tattoos).

Our bodies are not our own, they do not belong to us. God has leant them to us for use. Do you have God's permission to do these things with your body? If you don't then you ought to re-think what your doing.

Romans 6:13
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Vertigo, you mentioned the old testament. This is what everyone loves to mention in defence of tattoos. "oh, we're not under the old testament laws anymore, we can do what we like."

Wrong!

The old testment laws should still be read, we know God doesn't change.

Malachi 3:6
"I the LORD do not change"

So let's read them:

Leviticus 19:28
"'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD."

Now everyone who has a tatoo points at this and says this no verse no longer matters because we are not under the old law.

Ok, well if that is the case then read the whole verse! Do not cut your bodies for the dead. So if tatoos are ok, then the rest of the verse MUST be ok.

Tattoos are therefore just as justified in God's eyes as cutting your bodies for the dead. If one is ok then so is the other, if one is not ok then either is the other!

Of course God doesn't want us cutting our bodies! And he doesn't want us putting tattoos on our bodies either. You cannot have one but not the other!


I urge you my brothers and sisters, turn from these sins. You may have been blinded but I believe I have shown you God's view on these matters in fine detail. Change your ways I urge you for your own sake.

 

[Peripatetic]

VertigoAge that is a fair question.

I believe pierced ears, make up and hair dye are ALL SINFUL.

Even if I disagree with some of them, I respect that your views are consistent. If you read my posts, you'll see that I am not a fan of "selective condemnation" (ie. condemning something that makes a person uncomfortable while supporting other things that are just as non-Biblical).

If we do do these things then we are sinning because the bible is God's word, and he tells us right there not to do these things.

The problem with legalistic interpretation of the Bible is that you can't be sure of the context or intended interpretation. In Luke 14, Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple."

Should I hate my parents, wife, and kids? No... we have to understand the context of His statement. I would argue the same thing for this:

1 Peter 3:3
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.

I don't think Peter (or Paul when writing to Timothy) is saying that braided hair is wrong. I believe that he was speaking to a disturbing trend in his time where women were spending extravagant amounts of time and money on crazy outfits and hair styles. It was becoming an obsession, and a means of class stratification. So you have your interpretation and I have mine. There is no way to prove which is right.

When we try to be legalistic according to the laws of the Bible, we go down a very slippery slope. Jesus was very clear that this practice is wrong when he addressed the Pharisees. They were trying to interpret His rules, but were instead making up rules of their own. They really did think they were doing God's will, but Jesus told them otherwise. To this day, Orthodox Jews still struggle with this. Mark Driscoll tells of his trip to Israel where he found two people waiting by an elevator. They told him that they weren't allowed to push the UP button because it would be operating machinery on the sabbath (ie. working). So they had to wait for a Gentile to push the button so they could ride it. Legalism.

 

[Peripatetic]

Leviticus 19:28
[/COLOR]"'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD."

Now everyone who has a tatoo points at this and says this no verse no longer matters because we are not under the old law.

Ok, well if that is the case then read the whole verse! Do not cut your bodies for the dead. So if tatoos are ok, then the rest of the verse MUST be ok.

Let me ask you a question: have you gotten a hair cut or have you shaved in your lifetime? According to your logic, the fact that we are released from the law against hair cuts would make "sorcery and divination" ok. Or making your daughter a prostitute (verse 28).

See below...

Leviticus 19:26-27
'Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.
'Do not practice divination or sorcery.
'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

I'm really confused here... are you saying we should be still offering animal sacrifices, as commanded in Leviticus? I'm honestly trying to understand your point of view.

 

[Macx]

Inked and weighing in on the topic.

I have used my tats to spread the Gospel, I don't mean they can (potential) I mean they have (past tense) they have been an effective tool both in openning doors and in explaining concepts. A picture is worth a 1000 words . . . how often are you going to get someone unsaved to listen to a 1000 word monologue?

The sinfulness of tats has a lot to do with Old Testament "purity laws" things God put in place at that time and place to sepparate the Israelites from the surrounding nations, they don't apply today any more than the ban on shellfish or the requirement to stone surly children to death. The Law, is made complete in Christ. . . anything that helps in the mission to spread the Gospel is good, anything that detracts is bad. In the company of the people God has called me to witness among . .. inkless skin would detract.

'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

Of course I am sporting a close clipped head (clippered with no guard every other week), smooth shaved sideburns, and a goatee too. I am a Gentile saved by grace, makes no sense to pretend to be a Jew.

 

[salida]

This is what the bible says about tattoos.
http://www.biblebelievers.com/watkins_tattoos/bible.html

 

[Aibrean]

Hair dye...really? Look at all the sin in my avatar.

 

[Friend of Bunyan]

Aw! an' I was going to get rabbits all over my chest 'cause from a distance they look like hairs(hares).

 

[Peripatetic]

This is what the bible says about tattoos.
http://www.biblebelievers.com/watkins_tattoos/bible.html

It's a series of interpretations - certainly some can be argued. Proper Biblical debate should always be prefaced by a certain amount of "I don't know for sure, but here's how I interpret it." Instead, this type of document takes the position that it is so clear that you have to be dumb not to see our point of view.

"Ye shall not. . .print any marks upon you. . ."

Simple. . . Straightforward. . .Settled. . .

God Said It. . . I Believe It. . . That Settles It. . .

Yet they don't see their own double standard in the same document:

One of the silliest and childish arguments to justify the Christian tattoo is the: "Hey man, do you get a haircut or trim your beard? God condemned getting a haircut or trimming your beard in the verse before forbidding the tattoo. Dude, the tattoo is the same as getting a haircut."

Believe it or not . . . this is a widely used argument.

Leviticus 19:26-28 is a clear condemnation of pagan, witchcraft and heathen practices. Look at the context.

In other words, when a passage agrees with their position/interpretation, it is "simple, straightforward, settled." But when it doesn't match, you have to "look at the context". Using their logic, you could just as easily say that haircuts are clearly forbidden, but you have to understand the context of how tattoos were used to see why they were forbidden then, but not now. The truth is, we always need to look at the context. And because the context is not always fully known, there will always be room for debate.

Also, is it really necessary to show a person on the other side of the argument as stupid and/or stoned ("silly", "childish", "hey dude", etc.)? These topics have been debated by intelligent theologians for centuries. Can't we have mutual respect? That alone puts a bad taste in my mouth, even if I agreed with every point.

 

[Peripatetic]

Even more ironic that you could substitute "simply getting a haircut" with "putting a simple decoration on your arm", and the their own argument about the pagan/witchcraft/enchantment context (which is a good one, by the way) defeats their position on tattoos.

Leviticus 19:26-28 is a clear condemnation of pagan, witchcraft and heathen practices. Look at the context. Verse 26 is plainly referring to "enchantment [spells or witchcraft] nor observe times [astrology]. . . Verse 28 is the pagan, demonic practice of bloodletting [cuttings in your flesh] and tattooing. Why would the Lord stick in the middle a verse that "condemns simply getting a haircut"? Of course, He wouldn’t. . . And He didn’t. . .

By the way, I'm not a tattoo advocate. As I said earlier, I don't particularly like them in general, but it's a personal preference... not a Biblical imperative. Unless you go outside of moderation, in which case too much of many un-forbidden things can become sinful.

 

[katautumn]

Three cheers for legalism! We're not bound to the Mosaic Law, as that was specifically put forth for the Jews in the land of Canaan. Should we go back to executing people for working on the Sabbath? Should we exile people for having sex during a woman's menstruation? Should we kick people out of our churches for eating shrimp or pork or for wearing clothing made from blended fibers? People who twist the Scriptures to condemn hair coloring, makeup, piercings, tattoos, etc. only do so out of their blind prejudice against the practice(s).

I miss my nostril piercing (never healed properly), but I love my tattoos and plan on getting more. I don't care what they'll look like when I'm old and wrinkly. All my friends with tattoos will be equally old and wrinkly along with me.