I Pierced My Ears

[ButterflyPoette]

I had my ears pierced at age 30. Finally. I ended up taking them out for a SDA wedding and one hole closed up on me. That was before the six week period I was supposed to have them in.
I had them re-pierced. My mother thinks I'm going to hell.

I am turning 33 next week and my mother thinks I'm off the deep end because I wear earrings.

I have asked myself why it took me so long. It was because I wanted to be accepted by people. I wanted to please my family.

I now have to live for myself.

 

[ImperialJohn]

I had my ears pierced at age 30. Finally. I ended up taking them out for a SDA wedding and one hole closed up on me. That was before the six week period I was supposed to have them in.
I had them re-pierced. My mother thinks I'm going to hell.

I am turning 33 next week and my mother thinks I'm off the deep end because I wear earrings.

I have asked myself why it took me so long. It was because I wanted to be accepted by people. I wanted to please my family.

I now have to live for myself.

Live for Jesus not your family or yourself.

It is not for us to be pierced or take Christs place.
Allow your piercings to heal up.

 

[ButterflyPoette]

Where does the Bible say we are taking Christ's place if we have our ears pierced? Also, where does the Bible ban piercings?

 

[rainbowinthesky]

Not only the piercing of the ears but tatoos are also banned for the simple reason that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That's one reason. I don't remember the passages but I know I have read them in the past. Do a search.

sky

 

[Huusoku]

ButterflyPoette,

I think what ImperialJohn is saying is that we should live for Christ and to not become part of the world: To live in this world but not of this world.

Take a look at 1st Peter 3:3-4. The intent is to be pure from the inside and let that shine as brilliant gold (or pretty ear rings), and not the other way around.

The temple of the Lord reference is found in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where we are reminded that our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and because we were bought at such an ultimate price - the sacrifice of God's own son - isn't it only fair that we show great gratitude by glorifying God by keeping our redeemed body (heart, mind, soul) pure?

For these reasons piercings and tattoos are discouraged, but of course as brothers and sisters in Christ we should welcome and love anyone who has piercings and tattoos because we are all created equally as God's children and deserve His unconditional love.

When we seek to have the life that Jesus set forth as an example, we will naturally part and separate ourselves from the ways of this world (piercings, tattoos, et cetera).

I am sorry that it seems you are being disowned. I'm sure this is how many people leave almost any church. Jesus reminds us in Luke 6:41-42 that we can't judge others when we ourselves are guilty of sin. My advice is to not be upset with your mother, but rather pray and seek to understand God's unconditional love. The Holy Spirit will light a path for you and the rest will follow suit

Regards,
Huusoku

 

[ricker]

Not only the piercing of the ears but tatoos are also banned for the simple reason that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That's one reason. I don't remember the passages but I know I have read them in the past. Do a search.

sky

Apparently God had no problem with the Israelites wearing earrings. It surely doesn't say these things were "bad". It doesn't say everyone brought their earrings, it doesn't even say the willing people brought all their earrings. This passage clearly shows earrings and other jewelry were lawful and accepted items for the Children of Israel nation.


Exodus 35 20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.

 

[genetheking]

Not only the piercing of the ears but tatoos are also banned for the simple reason that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That's one reason. I don't remember the passages but I know I have read them in the past. Do a search.

sky

Your thinking of this verse Leviticus 19:28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

 

[ricker]

Your thinking of this verse Leviticus 19:28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

I like the verse before your quoted verse better :

Lev. 19 27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

 

[ricker]

I had my ears pierced at age 30. Finally. I ended up taking them out for a SDA wedding and one hole closed up on me. That was before the six week period I was supposed to have them in.
I had them re-pierced. My mother thinks I'm going to hell.

I am turning 33 next week and my mother thinks I'm off the deep end because I wear earrings.

I have asked myself why it took me so long. It was because I wanted to be accepted by people. I wanted to please my family.

I now have to live for myself.

You go, girl! Don't let 19th century rhetoric overide common sense and the Bible.

(For full disclosure , I am a former Adventist who is still an active Christian married to a girl raised a Lutheran who doesn't, for what ever reason, have her ears pierced.)

 

[maco]

Wearing jewelry, drinking wine and eating meat is only a sin to the weak.

 

[abysmul]

Your thinking of this verse Leviticus 19:28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

What about Leviticus 19:19?

19 ‘You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together.


I'm curious, is that followed?

 

[Stryder06]

Apparently God had no problem with the Israelites wearing earrings. It surely doesn't say these things were "bad". It doesn't say everyone brought their earrings, it doesn't even say the willing people brought all their earrings. This passage clearly shows earrings and other jewelry were lawful and accepted items for the Children of Israel nation.


Exodus 35 20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.

Bad assumption. One could say the opposite given the following verse:
For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee (Ex 33:5).

If God doesn't have a problem with it, why did He tell them to take it off before He came into their presence?

I'm not wholly interested in arguing whether we should or shouldn't wear jewelry. Instead, I wanted to point out that you can't assume that God was Ok with something simply because the scriptures don't show Him outlawing it.

 

[Stryder06]

You go, girl! Don't let 19th century rhetoric overide common sense and the Bible.

(For full disclosure , I am a former Adventist who is still an active Christian married to a girl raised a Lutheran who doesn't, for what ever reason, have her ears pierced.)

Didn't know you were a former Adventist. THought you were just married to one

 

[maco]

If God doesn't have a problem with it, why did He tell them to take it off before He came into their presence?

The context tells us that they were acting wild and worshiping a golden calf, which they had just made. They must have been all decked out dancing, screaming and worshiping the golden image when they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It wasn't the fact that they were wearing jewelry that was the issue it was how they were behaving with it. We know the jewelry wasn't an issue to start with because they had it the whole time prior to the golden calf incident.

 

[Stryder06]

The context tells us that they were acting wild and worshiping a golden calf, which they had just made. They must have been all decked out dancing, screaming and worshiping the golden image when they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It wasn't the fact that they were wearing jewelry that was the issue it was how they were behaving with it. We know the jewelry wasn't an issue to start with because they had it the whole time prior to the golden calf incident.

That's inconsistent. The bible gives no specifics about how they were acting with the jewelry that would allow us to come to such a conclusion. We know they were acting a fool, that much is for certain. But we can't say that God wanted them to remove the jewelry because they were using it in XYZ way while worshiping the calf. What we know is that God told them to remove it. Remember also that not all of Israel was involved with the apostasy that occured at the bottom of the mountain. Do you think that only those who were acting foolishly were wearing Jewelry?

There's much to be considered here, and many unknowns.

 

[maco]

That's inconsistent. The bible gives no specifics about how they were acting with the jewelry that would allow us to come to such a conclusion. We know they were acting a fool, that much is for certain. But we can't say that God wanted them to remove the jewelry because they were using it in XYZ way while worshiping the calf. What we know is that God told them to remove it. Remember also that not all of Israel was involved with the apostasy that occured at the bottom of the mountain. Do you think that only those who were acting foolishly were wearing Jewelry?

There's much to be considered here, and many unknowns.

Read chapter 32 and 33. They were wild. As you read through the Bible you will find verses that speak positive and verses that speak negative about jewelry and it's never about the jewelry, but rather, about the attitude and motive.

 

[maco]

That's inconsistent. The bible gives no specifics about how they were acting with the jewelry that would allow us to come to such a conclusion. We know they were acting a fool, that much is for certain. But we can't say that God wanted them to remove the jewelry because they were using it in XYZ way while worshiping the calf. What we know is that God told them to remove it. Remember also that not all of Israel was involved with the apostasy that occured at the bottom of the mountain. Do you think that only those who were acting foolishly were wearing Jewelry?

There's much to be considered here, and many unknowns.

Delete double...

 

[ricker]

Didn't know you were a former Adventist. THought you were just married to one

I'm going to visit my local SDA church this Sabbath, as I do occasionally. Some times I feel the need to double-dip, as it were. I usually get a blessing from the SDA service, just as in my own church.

 

[ricker]

Bad assumption. One could say the opposite given the following verse:
For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee (Ex 33:5).

If God doesn't have a problem with it, why did He tell them to take it off before He came into their presence?

I'm not wholly interested in arguing whether we should or shouldn't wear jewelry. Instead, I wanted to point out that you can't assume that God was Ok with something simply because the scriptures don't show Him outlawing it.

The Bible definitely divides ornaments from other jewelry.

22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments.

26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian

God didn't say take all your jewelry off in Exodus 33. The Israelites had just come from making gods for themselves from gold, don't you think the ornaments might have had something to do with that?

 

[Coire]

in Romans 14:22 Paul writes; "You may believe that there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty about something they have decided is right." Basically he's saying that if there is no clear command in the bible that something is wrong then you must follow the convictions of the Holy Spirit on your conscience. if you don't feel that having ur ears pierced then it is not a sin.
However, love for one another overides all convictions. in verse 15 of the same chapter he writes, "And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died." this applies to every action and conviction, not just eating.
I completely agree with the very 1st reply in this thread that said to live for Jesus not ur family or yourself. Jesus said to love one another as He has loved us.
If ear piercings offend ur mother, u should act in love rather than wat u want or feel is right.
Talk to her and listen to her and make sure she listens to u as well and try to compromise...which goes both ways