Tattoos

[Tucansam93]

I have really been wanting to get a tattoo (Christ related) lately. A lot of Christians I know have Christianity related tattoos and it just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I know there is conflict whether Christians can get tattoos or not but I think that it can help express your faith and have meaning. Any thoughts??

 

[Jonny Doe]

Instead of thinking if it's wrong or right, ask yourself, are you abiding in Christ?

Personally, i wouldn't get a tattoo bc that is too much of a commitment for me to handle. But if u feel that you are mature enough to make this decision now and not doing it out of the impulsiveness of your youth or your desire to attract attention to yourself, then go ahead. I would just ask you that you make an honest examination of your motives. Are you doing it more to honor God or to look like the rebellious tough guy who has a rough exterior but soft heart?

 

[EndlessSerenade]

If you think that getting a tattoo will help you in faith and will strengthen your bond with God then by all means go for it. But like Jonny Doe says, just make sure it's because of that reason and only that reason. Often getting tattoo like that can be a very personal thing and I'm totally in favor of anyone saying they want a permanent reminder on their body of their love for God but there's a fine line between getting a tattoo solely just as a spiritual act and getting a tattoo because you also want to attract some attention. I'm not saying you are and I'm not saying it's even wrong to want to show the world your religion but really look at the exact purpose of your tattoo before making a decision. But in general I think it's a beautiful act and I myself would love to get angel wings on my back but I still have much to consider before doing such a thing as it's permanent.

 

[juvenissun]

I have really been wanting to get a tattoo (Christ related) lately. A lot of Christians I know have Christianity related tattoos and it just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I know there is conflict whether Christians can get tattoos or not but I think that it can help express your faith and have meaning. Any thoughts??

It IS bad to your health. You may get some kind of disease years later at the place where the tattoo is. Ask a dermatologist before you do it.

 

[Tucansam93]

It IS bad to your health. You may get some kind of disease years later at the place where the tattoo is. Ask a dermatologist before you do it.

I actually talked to my dermatologist not too long ago. He said the only risk with tattoos nowadays is hepatitis (if you don't go to a shop and use dirty needles) and there is a slight risk of being allergic to dyes. But other than that he said they aren't very harmful unless you're body is covered with them.

 

[Tucansam93]

Thanks for your input @Jonny Doe and @Endless Serenade

 

[apocolypticremedy999]

I'd strongly advise you not to get a tattoo, for we are commanded not to ink our skin.

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

God expects us to be comfortable in the image he made us in; for it is the very image of God itself. He expects us to be comfortable the way we are and not to make any altercations to our appearances, for this is the way he made us and when we make any altercations to it it is showing God that we have our own preferences to how we want to look and that we don't feel good enough as we are. Not that we should just leave our appearance uncared for and neglected that we allow our facial hair to grow out of control or anything, but we should indeed work with what we have.

And if you're looking for a good way to express your faith and have meaning, leave the mark of Christ on your heart and display that for all to see. Let the glory of Christ be manifested from within you from the inside out. If you remain true to it, the world will ideed see it, for you are called to be the light of the world, and light doesn't shine for itself, but for those who are in the darkness around it to see. It's like wearninfg a cross, you can wear that cross all day even as an expression of faith, but if you do not wear it on the heart, it is absolutely nothing. Let the glory of Christ within you be manifested outwardly through your actions, your deeds, you attitiude, etc. etc., not through anything on your appearance or a tattoo mark.

 

[juvenissun]

I actually talked to my dermatologist not too long ago. He said the only risk with tattoos nowadays is hepatitis (if you don't go to a shop and use dirty needles) and there is a slight risk of being allergic to dyes. But other than that he said they aren't very harmful unless you're body is covered with them.

Glad you did that. However, I would never trust one physician. Another convenient way to get more info is to read more on the Internet. You need to know that once this stuff is put on your skin, it would be painful, harmful and damaging to clean it out.

Another suggestion is: you may paint the tattoo you like on your skin for a short period of time and see if you like it. It is very very common that you put some tattoo on, and become dislike it or even hate it one or two years later. Your skin is not paper, you could not simply erase it and put another one on.

I would say painted tattoo is a much better way of testing it. You can show it off in a party and wipe it off the next day and put a new one on in the next party.

 

[TheChristianSurvivalGuide]

I actually talked to my dermatologist not too long ago. He said the only risk with tattoos nowadays is hepatitis (if you don't go to a shop and use dirty needles) and there is a slight risk of being allergic to dyes. But other than that he said they aren't very harmful unless you're body is covered with them.

There are risks of secondary infections and possible allergies to ink compounds. The latter being extremely rare. You must understand that by being tattooed you are creating an open wound, and you must take care of it properly to avoid infection - as rare as they might be.

Tucansam - I have many tattoos, most are faith based.

At the time I was initially interested in tattoos I researched relevant scripture and contextual arguments. You will find very little argument against tattoos (scriptural) if you focus on context of scripture including who was being addressed, what specific issue was being articulated, at what time was there a specific cultural issue which no longer exists, etc.

Most people will go with the "you cannot desecrate the temple and your body is the temple of Christ". I always respond to this argument that not one single church/temple/cathedral I have visited does not have some sort of decoration or adornment - though that is not really a relevant contextual response.

None the less I have to say - really know what you want and visit several artists. Quality work is not cheap and you don't want to be stuck with a piece of junk on your body.

I have to say my family's opinion on tattoos has changed since I started getting them. My wife has one, my step father now has several, my father just got his second piece last week, his wife now has one, and several others are interested.

 

[juvenissun]

There are risks of secondary infections and possible allergies to ink compounds. The latter being extremely rare. You must understand that by being tattooed you are creating an open wound, and you must take care of it properly to avoid infection - as rare as they might be.

Tucansam - I have many tattoos, most are faith based.

At the time I was initially interested in tattoos I researched relevant scripture and contextual arguments. You will find very little argument against tattoos (scriptural) if you focus on context of scripture including who was being addressed, what specific issue was being articulated, at what time was there a specific cultural issue which no longer exists, etc.

Most people will go with the "you cannot desecrate the temple and your body is the temple of Christ". I always respond to this argument that not one single church/temple/cathedral I have visited does not have some sort of decoration or adornment - though that is not really a relevant contextual response.

None the less I have to say - really know what you want and visit several artists. Quality work is not cheap and you don't want to be stuck with a piece of junk on your body.

I have to say my family's opinion on tattoos has changed since I started getting them. My wife has one, my step father now has several, my father just got his second piece last week, his wife now has one, and several others are interested.

I won't do it. Our natural body is at its most beautiful status. Any disruption to it (including ear piercing) would only make the body less beautiful or even more ugly.

 

[TheChristianSurvivalGuide]

I won't do it. Our natural body is at its most beautiful status. Any disruption to it (including ear piercing) would only make the body less beautiful or even more ugly.

That's one opinion I happen to disagree with. Remember the old adage, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder?".

BTW - What's your opinion on make up or cutting your hair?

 

[Tucansam93]

That's one opinion I happen to disagree with. Remember the old adage, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder?".

BTW - What's your opinion on make up or cutting your hair?

I never really thought about make up or cutting your hair as being bad. Just piercings and tattoos being controversial.

 

[Tucansam93]

Glad you did that. However, I would never trust one physician. Another convenient way to get more info is to read more on the Internet. You need to know that once this stuff is put on your skin, it would be painful, harmful and damaging to clean it out.

Another suggestion is: you may paint the tattoo you like on your skin for a short period of time and see if you like it. It is very very common that you put some tattoo on, and become dislike it or even hate it one or two years later. Your skin is not paper, you could not simply erase it and put another one on.

I would say painted tattoo is a much better way of testing it. You can show it off in a party and wipe it off the next day and put a new one on in the next party.

I never thought of doing those things, thanks for the ideas. I definitely should think it over before I do it, or if I do it.

 

[Tucansam93]

I'd strongly advise you not to get a tattoo, for we are commanded not to ink our skin.

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

God expects us to be comfortable in the image he made us in; for it is the very image of God itself. He expects us to be comfortable the way we are and not to make any altercations to our appearances, for this is the way he made us and when we make any altercations to it it is showing God that we have our own preferences to how we want to look and that we don't feel good enough as we are. Not that we should just leave our appearance uncared for and neglected that we allow our facial hair to grow out of control or anything, but we should indeed work with what we have.

And if you're looking for a good way to express your faith and have meaning, leave the mark of Christ on your heart and display that for all to see. Let the glory of Christ be manifested from within you from the inside out. If you remain true to it, the world will ideed see it, for you are called to be the light of the world, and light doesn't shine for itself, but for those who are in the darkness around it to see. It's like wearninfg a cross, you can wear that cross all day even as an expression of faith, but if you do not wear it on the heart, it is absolutely nothing. Let the glory of Christ within you be manifested outwardly through your actions, your deeds, you attitiude, etc. etc., not through anything on your appearance or a tattoo mark.

I have heard that verse before but I heard it refers to rituals and means more of a satanic sense, not really just for the sake of getting it to express yourself. Definitely up for debate though because God doesn't want us changing ourselves. But you are right about how you should express yourself with faith. What you said definitely puts things into perspective more.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I have heard that verse before but I heard it refers to rituals and means more of a satanic sense, not really just for the sake of getting it to express yourself. Definitely up for debate though because God doesn't want us changing ourselves. But you are right about how you should express yourself with faith. What you said definitely puts things into perspective more.

Correct, it has to do with ritual scarring and the paganism in Canaan. It's also seamlessly given simultaneously with the commandment for men not to shave the sides of their beards (this is why Orthodox Jewish men have the locks on the sides of their face).

Torah is not given for us as Christians, using Leviticus to condemn tattooing is no different than using Leviticus to condemn eating lobster.

As Christians there exists no commandment for us concerning something like this, and thus it is entirely a matter of conscience.

God has nothing to say on the matter one way or the other.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[apocolypticremedy999]

I have heard that verse before but I heard it refers to rituals and means more of a satanic sense, not really just for the sake of getting it to express yourself. Definitely up for debate though because God doesn't want us changing ourselves. But you are right about how you should express yourself with faith. What you said definitely puts things into perspective more.

I have heard that before too, but it says not to put tattoo marks on yourself, period. It starts off talking about how weshouldn't cut ourselves for the dead and then goes into the tattoo marks, and I could see how that might give someone the impression that it is referring to making marks for the dead in commemoration or for cuilt rituals, but it says not to make marks on your skin and ends there. I can't imagine God allowing us to cut oursleves for anything else if we can't do it for the dead, it would make no sense if God permitted his followers to inflict harm on themselves for anything, let alone the dead. So I think this verse is pretty general in regards to cutting and making tattoo marks.

Be comfortable in your own skin folks.

 

[juvenissun]

Correct, it has to do with ritual scarring and the paganism in Canaan. It's also seamlessly given simultaneously with the commandment for men not to shave the sides of their beards (this is why Orthodox Jewish men have the locks on the sides of their face).

Torah is not given for us as Christians, using Leviticus to condemn tattooing is no different than using Leviticus to condemn eating lobster.

As Christians there exists no commandment for us concerning something like this, and thus it is entirely a matter of conscience.

God has nothing to say on the matter one way or the other.

-CryptoLutheran

God says that your body is His temple.

Do you think tattoo is the decoration on the outside wall of the temple? If so, why don't we all have a lot of it?

 

[ViaCrucis]

God says that your body is His temple.

Do you think tattoo is the decoration on the outside wall of the temple? If so, why don't we all have a lot of it?

I don't know. Why aren't we born wearing clothes or with a very specific uniform hair cut?

In any event, the Apostle's exhortation of the importance of the body and not defiling it with prostitutes has nothing to do with tattoos.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[hwyangel]

I have 3 tattoos that I now regret. Especially the one that draws unwanted attention to my "shirt". Be careful about that.

 

[Deano715]

Reputable tattoo artists will tell you how to care for your tat to prevent infections. On the other hand everybody and their dog these days are claiming to be tattoo artists. All that aside. People change over the years and what seems like a good idea now may not seem so 10 years down the road. I have several tats myself and sometimes wonder why.