Piercings, tattoos etc...

[Vermithrax]

Labret = just below the lower lip

Septum = middle bit of the nose

Nape = back of the neck (very prominent for someone with a shaved head)

Ouch! Ye flipping gods that sounds painful! Please don't tell me you pierced your [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] too.

 

[Mandrake]

That'd be a tough one....... *looks at the blue arrow dealie beneath his name*

 

[Vermithrax]

Ouch! Ye flipping gods that sounds painful! Please don't tell me you pirerced your [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] too.

I just realized how uninformed and bigoted of me that sounds. I apologize. My prejudices are showing. I can understand a metal spike shoved through an earlobe.

I don't understand piercing other parts of the body. Common places include nose, lip, nipples, genitals. I do not understand the concept.

Given the fairly open nature of this conversation, and the relative lack of active argument, I would like to know more about why people pierce themselves in some...unexpected locations.

 

[Mandrake]

Depends. Aesthetic opinions differ from person to person and culture to culture. What I think makes me look good is different than what someone else might think makes him or her look good. I feel that some people are born with the desire to change themselves in ways that are considered unusual in western culture, which I think is borne out by the historical presence of modification-type activities in many premodern cultures. In addition, piercing certain unexpected locations can make certain uh... activities.... involving said locations feel more pleasant for all involved parties.

 

[TooCurious]

Just to provide a point of view that hasn't yet been mentioned in this thread, I'd like to add this: I'm abjectly terrified of needles. I don't even have my ears pierced. I doubt anyone could pay me enough to get a tattoo. Of course, I don't have a problem with anyone else getting piercings or tattoos, but the thought of getting one myself leaves me utterly terrified.

 

[Vermithrax]

Actually, TooCurious, I do understand. I'm well used to hiding fear. I'm told that when I am at my most scared, I never look like it or behave like it. So when I went, with my then girlfriend, to a mall in San Francisco to have the deal done, about a year ago, I was surprisingly nervous. As usual my sense of humor kicked it. The actual process was mildy interesting, sterile, swift and rather painless.

The funniest thing about it was that a 39 year old man ended up getting his left ear pierced by a teenager in a Claires Store, in a mall. She was very adept, laughed at my humor, and did a good job. My Mother, several months later when she insisted on inserting her gift, was impressed with how straight the hole was. That never occurred to me. Sometimes, apparently it can be crooked.

But there are no needles, and no pain. They use something like a gun, and when they say "you'll feed a pinch" that's entirely true. It felt like a pinch. You pick a simple stud that will be your first ear ornament. It will be much sharper then later earrings. It gets loaded into a device rather like an injector. Your ear is inserted, and there's a little pinch.

Now, you have to take care, especially for the next six to eight weeks. Your poor little lobe has just had a metal spike rammed through it. It will swell in response, and to prevent it being infected, you use a disinfectant to keep everything clean, and rotate it to prevent the metal sticking.

But compared with the past, it's really no big deal.

 

[MethodMan]

Indifference on the face. I ofthen ask the youth "Why?". You get very interesting answers.

As far as Biblical prohibition, it comes down to the same thing. Why?

 

[starelda]

I have nothing against tattoos or piercings and have pierced ears and a tattoo on my left shoulder. Often people quote Leviticus 19:28 (I think I got that right!) when they're against tattoos. But as others have said, that verse refers to a pagan ritual rather than the tattoos themselves and also if you're going to keep that one commandment you should keep them all.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

If you're young, you shouldn't get tattoos. You'll regret them.

I used to think that people that said that were just blowing smoke... but, I got a bunch of tatts when I was younger, first at 14 and last at 19. They are sort of addicting, and now... well, I don't regret all of them, but I do some of them, especially the ones on my hands, which were the first ones that I got.

 

[ClorTriMazOle]

General Moses probably found that spies with tattoos were more likely to get caught so he banned them.

 

[bammertheblue]

I don't think I'd get a tattoo just because I'd be afraid that I'd change my mind and want it gone. With piercings, you can just take the metal out and it heals shut pretty quickly.
I have 13 holes in my ears, my nose, tongue, nipples, and my hood (below the belt) and I used to have my navel pierced.
Nobody's ever been rude to me about or because of my piercings. I have to take most of the earrings and the nose ring out for work, but other than that it's pretty hassle-free. And no, I don't set off metal detectors

 

[NPH]

If you're young, you shouldn't get tattoos. You'll regret them.

I used to think that people that said that were just blowing smoke... but, I got a bunch of tatts when I was younger, first at 14 and last at 19. They are sort of addicting, and now... well, I don't regret all of them, but I do some of them, especially the ones on my hands, which were the first ones that I got.

I certainly know that piercings are quite addicting Once I got my first I just wanted more and more ... and still want more lol.

One thing i've thought of in regards to tattoos and piercings is that one aspect of them is overcoming the fear and (sometimes) pain associated with them. It is a very empowering feeling to conquer that fear within yourself and do something that many cannot.

 

[justanobserver]

I certainly know that piercings are quite addicting Once I got my first I just wanted more and more ... and still want more lol.

I got a 21 yr old nephew that is like that. He gets his pay check and will go out to get something new pierced. We talked once about it and personally, i dont see the attraction or purpose but it aint my body so its cool for him I guess.

As far as tatoos - all the years I spent in the military (USMC then later Army), I came close but was either not drunk enough or sober but broke. Have always thought about it, my teenage sons think I should get a Marine AND an Army one, one thinks I oughta get a peirced ear and the other agrees with me it will never happen (their older brother has peirced ears).

So, after reading this thread, I will think for a few days (like I do every time I read this topic or talk to someone about it) about getting a tat but after all these years, I doubt its ever gonna happen.

(the one tatto idea my daughter had was one in very tiny letters where you have to get up real close to read:" nosy little <insert metaphor here> arent you!" )

now, I really did give that one some thought.

 

[daughterofzion]

Abraham gave Rebekah a nose ring for a wedding gift - she was chosen to marry his son Isaac.

Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
Genesis 24:47

I personally believe that many christians/churches are far too obessed on this topic.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7

 

[sister_maynard]

Interesting aspect of the matter! I'll be sure to bring up those verses the next time this comes up on a different forum.

 

[Mandrake]

Exodus 21 and Deuteronomy 15 also mention that a slave who chose to remain part of the household that he served after the term of indenture was up was to have his or her ear pierced in the main door of the house. I'm not sure that this is in any way relevant to contemporary modification, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

 

[sister_maynard]

Well, it's a good perspective, given that some people tend to condemn all piercings and tattoos with one out-of-context verse. It's always nice to have some other verses to prove that the single verse isn't neccessarily representative of all the Bible has to say on the subject.

 

[I'ddie4him]

Well, it's a good perspective, given that some people tend to condemn all piercings and tattoos with one out-of-context verse. It's always nice to have some other verses to prove that the single verse isn't neccessarily representative of all the Bible has to say on the subject.

I agree.
It (Lev 19) has been taken out of context so badly and we are not under that covenent any longer.

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

I'd have to say I agree with most of the posters have said about tattoos and piercings.

Honestly, I believe God is going to look at people's hearts...not the flaming sword (just an example) tattoo or 0 gauge ears the person may have.

To the comment about Coptics getting tattoos I have heard about many Coptics getting crosses tattooed on their forhead. Pretty interesting if you ask me...but then again...I really like to read about body modification especially in history and with particular groups.

 

[Cian]

I certainly know that piercings are quite addicting Once I got my first I just wanted more and more ... and still want more lol.

One thing i've thought of in regards to tattoos and piercings is that one aspect of them is overcoming the fear and (sometimes) pain associated with them. It is a very empowering feeling to conquer that fear within yourself and do something that many cannot.

That is very true, as soon as I got my eyebrow pierced I thought about what else I should pierce; hopefully next week I'll get my lip pierced and later this summer perhaps my nipples. I prefer piercings because unlike tatoos it is completely pain-free to remove them if you grow tired of them.