Much needed advice about a tattoo

seabassmgm · Jan 19, 2002

Hello everybody who chooses to read this. I need some advice. I know about the whole, "your body is a temple," thing and I was wondering if a tattoo would be against what the Bible teaches. I want to get a tattoo of a cross with the sacred heart in the middle (the intersection of the cross) with my favorite Bible verse (Mt 10:33) wrapping around it. Would that not be glorifing God? Are we not supposed to make our faith known? If anybody can offer any insite to this issue of mine, please post a reply...

Thanks,
Ray (20yrs)

man in the box · Jan 20, 2002

I don't have a problem with a tatoo. The OT speaks against it but tatooz were a part of idol worship in the ancient middle east. The NT speaks nothing of it so I would say it would be okay. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit but I believe that has more to do with what you are on the inside. (ie TV you watch, conversation how you treat others etc).
Take care.

psalms 22.3 · Jan 20, 2002

the old testament said not to scar the body, as the philistines did in mourning their dead. (i believe thats correct anyway)

the new testament says jesus will return with his name WRITTEN ON HIS THIGH.
i m not saying he got a tattoo, but i see no wrong with making a permanent sighn to glorify him on your body.

the only thing i think you should caution yourself with is,
that some people will not accept your tattoo, so get one in wisdom, you dont want to be hindered from being used by god because someone is grieved by your tattoo one day.
the bible says that we are not to grieve the younger less developed christians. even if it isnt wrong, if it grieves their unlearned mind, maybe causing them to fall away or fall down in anyway, then either be able to cover it, or dont get one at all.

just use wisdom, dont let that thing hinder your calling.
you may be surprised, the legalism of the church may see your tattoo and shut doors that god wanted you to walk through.

hagiadzo1999 · Jan 20, 2002

seabassmgm~
hey there....
I hope you will accept some advice about the tattoo you are thinking about getting....Although I don't think that the Bible has anything saying you shouldn't get a tattoo, you should be aware that many people look down on people with tattoos as, shall I say, common or trashy. I can say this because I have 14 of them (all done before I was saved). I can also now say that I would give anything to be able to have them all removed, but alas, it could cost me in the area of twenty three thousand dollars to have them all removed(that would be with one treatment, but if they had to do ten apiece, $3, 220, 000). YEAH! I can say, from personal experience, to think, long and hard, about having a tattoo. Yes, it can be removed, for the going rate of $500 per square inch per color, with up to ten treatments per square inch, and likely scarring (laser surgery). So, you could, essentially, be talking $135, 000 for removal of a three-square-inch, three color tatoo. I would suggest, that after you think long and hard about getting a tattoo, should you decide to have one done, that you have it placed on your back. As I said before, I have 14 tats, and the ones no one ever sees are the ones on my back. I have a job where I can't have any visible tattoos, so to hide the tattoos on my arms and legs, I have to wear long pants and long sleeves, even in the summer.

I hope this is able to help!

~N~
<><

solo66 man · Jan 21, 2002

All I can say is if there is any question about something I intend to do and there is no real definitive answer for it, why take the chance?
The old testament says you are not to scar your body with tattoos. But I have heard many takes on this too.
I say if you dont need it to further your ministry, why other than
vanity or pride?

psalms 22.3 · Jan 22, 2002

because it doesnt really matter.
if you feel wrong about doing anything you dont have to do, then fine, but i dont feel that way.
going fishing to relax, isnt needed to promote my ministy, but i can still do that.
there are inumurable things that arent abosolute neccesities, but god gives them to us anyway. fun, games, nice cars, golf, movies etc.
those things arent wrong.
you need your "you" time.

i mean, god wants to bless "you" not only use you to bless others.
its ok to do somethings for just yourself. if he wants a tatoo, let him get one. he needs things for him too.

dont let your fun things clog your ministry, you need balance, but thats it, balance.

solo66 man · Jan 22, 2002

The point is that if I want to do something and from what I have read in the Bible it may be a sin and I can live without it, why dont I just go fishing? If I am only doing to please myself or to impress someone, and it may be a sin in some way, what is the need of doing it?
If I have to ask someone about something I want to do because I think it may be a sin, maybe the Holy Spirit is trying to speak to me on something God wants to divert me from. Perhaps Gods plans are not the same as mine, which definitely needs to be adjusted in my life.
Or perhaps his girlfriend hates tatoos or maybe a future Christian girlfriend. Maybe the parents dont like them. Why make trouble when we do not need to make trouble.
The Apostle Paul in romans 14: says

15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

16 Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
God Bless you for your concern

girl4god · Jan 22, 2002

Well, I do beleive all has been said about your inquiry:

1.It should be considered carefully
2.The old testament did say not to have them because the children of God were not to imitate the surrounding pagan cultures.
3. You may regret your decision
4. Other christians may take offense to it
5. Other non- Christians may take offense to it
6. Doors may close in ministry because of it

It is your decision, think carefully, and pray a lot about it. Remember, God won't stop you from jumping off a cliff if you really want to, but you have to deal with the consequences.

I have a friend who has a few tatoos (about 5) that are all "Christian", and I don't hold anything against him for it, but I have heard people talk badly about him getting them- christian and non-christian alike. And all I know is, from a short distance, they don't say anything about God- but are just tatoos. You have to be standing near him to distinguish. Think about it.
God will love you no matter what. Forgive me for not finding it, but it does say in the bible that to he who considers something to be a sin, then it will be for him.

SonWorshipper · Jan 22, 2002

Hi, Alot of good arguments out there, here's my two cents:

I have been planning on getting one for quite awhile now, I'm not sure exactly when it will be but it will be soon and I don't want to have any other "mark" competing with it!!!!

Revelation 3 : 12 (KJV)

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Actually it will be Three Tattoos!!

FFX · Jan 22, 2002

Hmm... then what about ear piercing and body piercing... hmmm...

I think tattoos are ok... but not the provocative ones... which some girls like to have to make them "look" "sexier"... :o

I would like to get a tattoo... but then I remembered... it's there for life... when I get to the age of 65, I think I would look weird ^_^

... oh well, that's my point of view though.

Oh hey, almost forgot... WELCOME SEABASSMQM!!

seabassmgm · Jan 22, 2002

I have to say that I did not expect this large of a response for the fact that there were no replies for a few days.

I have carefully read everybody's advice and it is all taken well. To put a few issues to rest: If I do decide to get the tattoo, it will be on my upper back, between my shoulder blades (I am in the military, therefore, no visable tattoos after entering). I will, upon determining the exact image (I, with the assistance of a graphic engineer friend, am designing the tattoo myself) I will sit on it for a year. I am fully aware that I will be stuck with it for life, that is partly why I chose the location I did (it can be easily covered). Yes, my mother is adverse to this, but I love her all the same. I am not really sure what my father's take is on all this. No girlfriend right now, but the last one had no problem with it, and if future women have a problem with it, thus who I am, then she is not seeing me for who I am and I do not need to share my life with anybody who is not willing to except everything that makes me, me.

I look forward to furthur replies.

-Ray

PS Thank you FFX for the warm welcome

kathleen7 · Jan 22, 2002

Hello Seabassmgm,
We are Christians. Most everybody has a different interpretation of what a Christian is right? I believe and teach my teenagers that to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ or Christlike.
Well, here's my thought on tattoos or any and all contraversial issues... when in doubt, check your scriptures... yes, your body is the temple of God and should remain undefiled. Still, even though tatoos come from a pagan practice, what's a guy to do? or gal? Tattoos are kind of worldly right?
Listen, I'm just a mom and don't claim to know it all but here's what I'd say if you were one of my sons...!
When all is said and done and we've asked everybodies advice... here's what you should really think about > WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? Jesus didn't wear tattoos or conform to the world in any way and yet He changed the world with the power of His witness. Our fruit and our love is really our witness to this world isn't it?
Just a thought... Good luck on your decision

renee · Jan 22, 2002

Hey, Seabassmgm,
Sounds like you came to a really good solution. I can tell that you want live wisely by the way you sought out advice from others and the amount of prayer you've put into your decision and your steps to check out what God's word says on tattooing. If I could throw one more thing onto the table...
My husband has a large celtic cross on his upper arm (shoulder to elbow), which he had done before he met me. I'll tell you, at first it didn't impress me, nor did it offend me. Now, I can honestly say that I don't even notice it anymore. Why? Because my husband's tattoo has nothing to do with who my husband is. It doesn't change how much he loves me or how much he loves God. It's part of him, just like the freckles on his face are part of him (by the way, OT said freckles were bad too).
My husband is also considering (with my full approval) to have his wedding band tattooed onto his ring finger (just as his father has his done on his finger). What a compliment to me as his wife, that he would want to be permanently married to me!

ZiSunka · Jan 23, 2002

My best friend got a tatoo when she was 18, and now that she is 46, it's really ugly! It's on her wrist where everyone can see it, and the ink is spreading under her skin and it looks all smeary. She's looked into getting it removed, since it has kept her from getting promotions at work (her boss told her that her tatoo gives the managers the impression that she's got poor judgement), but it will cost almost $5000! and may leave an ugly scar.

When I was interviewing for an assistant, a young woman came in with tatoos on her leg, all the way up to her knee. It gave me the creeps. We talked a bit about it when I called her to let her know we had hired someone else, and she said that she had started out with one small rose on her ankle and she just got carried away from there. Soon she had a rose vine climbing her leg. She knew that it was keeping her from getting a good job, but she couldn't afford removal ($9,000), so she just kept working at Wendy's.

That seems like a high price to pay for an artistic moment. Try a temporary tatoo. You can custom make them on your computer with special paper, and if you don't like it, you can change it. In fact, you can use a different verse every week, if you want, and you can remove it when you need a more polished look.

Mandy · Jan 23, 2002

Personally I see nothing wrong with tattoos as long as they are neutral or Christian. There is nothing in scripture to indicate that it would be a sin. Yes, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but we can argue we shouldn't eat fattening foods, or drink soda, etc. These bodies will one day be changed anyway.
I think you should pray about it. My pastor's grandson has a tattoo and it has actually brought about many witnessing opportunities.

Whatever you do, do for the glory of God.

Damien · Jan 23, 2002

Ray-
I have a tattoo mural on my back. It is made up of things like stussys, 8-balls, and other sweet symbols. So don't worry!

renee · Jan 25, 2002

Mandy, I like that scripture you used: Whatever you do, do for the glory of God. Kinda interesting how we relate that scripture to work or the tasks in life, but it's not often associated with something fun or recreational.

Much needed advice about a tattoo

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