Discussion The Sin of tattooing

[Biblicist]

The tattoo today for young adults as a rite of passage is in some ways a little like the ear piercing wave of decades back, I guess.

But of course subjective preferences and comparisons could be talked about ad infinitum, going round and round in circles.

Yes, for some, they will see their rights of passage being outworked as being able to become blind drunk, take drugs, have as much pre-marital sex as they desire and of course to deface their bodies with graffiti.

It never fascinates me how you never raise the issue of the incredible regret and pain that many go through once they realise that a foolish youthful decision to deface their bodies with often stupid and coarse designs will cause them great pain and anguish in later years. It seems that you must receive a degree of satisfaction knowing that you may have been the source of some future pain for many.

 

[Goatee]

Tats are not sinful......................

 

[Biblicist]

Tats are not sinful......................

I suppose pouring acid over your face and even cutting off a few fingers and toes could also be argued with some success as not being sinful, which goes to show that maybe not all stupid behaviour is necessarily sinful.

As much as I deem body defacement as being a symptom of a fallen society, where even the elect are prone to embracing the ways of the world, my main concern is not so much with the practice of body defacement but with the severe anguish that countless thousands will go through once they mature.

I would not be surprised that those who gleefully encourage our young people in particular to deface their bodies, where they know that many will later regret such a foolish decision, that they many will also encourage our youth to smoke, drink, swear and become involved with premartial and other forms of illicit sex.

 

[Goatee]

What matters is what is in the Soul and Heart. Not what is worn on ones sleeve!!

 

[faroukfarouk]

Yes, for some, they will see their rights of passage being outworked as being able to become blind drunk, take drugs, have as much pre-marital sex as they desire and of course to deface their bodies with graffiti.

It never fascinates me how you never raise the issue of the incredible regret and pain that many go through once they realise that a foolish youthful decision to deface their bodies with often stupid and coarse designs will cause them great pain and anguish in later years. It seems that you must receive a degree of satisfaction knowing that you may have been the source of some future pain for many.

I won't react in annoyance to your post. Rather, so we can all learn something peaceably and constructively, I'll serenely say I don't subscribe to your linkage of the subject with drunkenness, drug-taking and pre-marital sex. Arguments which introduce emotive elements in this way serve in my humble view to obscure rather than clarify the subject.

 

[Biblicist]

What matters is what is in the Soul and Heart. Not what is worn on ones sleeve!!

Your are obviously trying to deflect the issue as no one is talking about what someone wear's on a shirt or jacket but with how they deface their bodies with excrement that that many will one day live to regret. As I said previously, it never fails to amaze me with how body defacement practitioners will always try and avoid discussing the misery that they gleefully impose on those who are impressionable, or maybe in some cases who are still carnally minded.

 

[Goatee]

Your are obviously trying to deflect the issue as no one is talking about what someone wear's on a shirt or jacket but with how they deface their bodies with excrement that that many will one day live to regret. As I said previously, it never fails to amaze me with how body defacement practitioners will always try and avoid discussing the misery that they gleefully impose on those who are impressionable, or maybe in some cases who are still carnally minded.

Dont get wrapped up in how someone looks! God knows our hearts and souls. That is the most important thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Biblicist]

I won't react in annoyance to your post. Rather, so we can all learn something peaceably and constructively, I'll serenely say I don't subscribe to your linkage of the subject with drunkenness, drug-taking and pre-marital sex. Arguments which introduce emotive elements in this way serve in my humble view to obscure rather than clarify the subject.

Why are you feigning annoyance when you know full well that any argument that is based on some odd notion of their being a 'right of passage' is usually little more than an excuse to commit sin or as an excuse to 'do our own thing'. I must admit that I am not interested with any pretense of being 'peaceable' toward any practice that creates misery and regret for many.

 

[Biblicist]

Dont get wrapped up in how someone looks! God knows our hearts and souls. That is the most important thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not necessarily about 'how someone looks', though when someone proudly wears a badge that says that they lack common sense is certainly something to consider, where it is akin to someone putting a stamp on their forehead that says "Hey, look at me, I obviously lack Godly judgement". When someone proudly displays various forms of bodily defacement this certainly comes from the heart, but of course some have succumbed to this wicked practice as a result of being intoxicated and where their "friends" have gleefully tricked them into getting a tattoo just so that they can inflict some lifelong misery on them.

What would you say to someone who later on in life walks up to your complaining that you encouraged them to get some form of bodily defacement in their youth; would it be "Oh well, it was your decision and stupid is what stupid does". Tell me, what is your true objective with encouraging often impressionable and youthful individuals to deface their bodies, where you know that they will most likely regret such a decision when they mature; do you say, "Good I got one more under my belt."

 

[faroukfarouk]

Why are you feigning annoyance when you know full well that any argument that is based on some odd notion of their being a 'right of passage' is usually little more than an excuse to commit sin or as an excuse to 'do our own thing'. I must admit that I am not interested with any pretense of being 'peaceable' toward any practice that creates misery and regret for many.

Actually the term is: 'rite of passage'.

All you said was based on a misunderstanding of the term used.

 

[Biblicist]

Actually the term is: 'rite of passage'.

All you said was based on a misunderstanding of the term used.

Oh yeah . . . silly me, what was I thinking; we should all know that bodily defacement is not right in any form but it is in fact a pagan rite - thanks for the correction.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Oh yeah . . . silly me, what was I thinking; we should all know that bodily defacement is not right in any form but it is in fact a pagan rite - thanks for the correction.

Again, you have added the word pagan to the word rite.

In fact, lots of things are rites of passage.

When a young person goes to the bank and gets his or her first bank or credit card, this could be regarded as a rite of passage; or ears pierced, or something.

In your attempt to do whatever it is that you want to do, you have again added a word which was not there, Friend.

 

[Goatee]

It's not necessarily about 'how someone looks', though when someone proudly wears a badge that says that they lack common sense is certainly something to consider, where it is akin to someone putting a stamp on their forehead that says "Hey, look at me, I obviously lack Godly judgement". When someone proudly displays various forms of bodily defacement this certainly comes from the heart, but of course some have succumbed to this wicked practice as a result of being intoxicated and where their "friends" have gleefully tricked them into getting a tattoo just so that they can inflict some lifelong misery on them.

What would you say to someone who later on in life walks up to your complaining that you encouraged them to get some form of bodily defacement in their youth; would it be "Oh well, it was your decision and stupid is what stupid does". Tell me, what is your true objective with encouraging often impressionable and youthful individuals to deface their bodies, where you know that they will most likely regret such a decision when they mature; do you say, "Good I got one more under my belt."

We all have free will

 

[FoundInGrace]

Personally I am glad I did not get a tattoo as it is so common now that it is nice to stand out and not have one. My sister and I were talking about getting one together but then decided it was a bit trashy. But, it was a serious option at one time that I struggled with before God (because it would have been a faith based tattoo) so I do get why some get them and it is a personal thing between a person and God and I wouldn't encourage someone else to get one but leave it between them and God. Now my sister and I have a coffee together instead lol.. we're too old for all that now, and I'd hate for my younger relatives to use me having one as a reason to get one as well. When I was young I made many decisions young people consider that I wish I hadn't but I'm not going to look at someone with tattoos and say theyre not wise or Godly based on outward appearance. I didn't end up with a tattoo (and I am grateful I didn't) but I'm neither wise or Godly in many matters. God knows that! I find it quite sad and shocking how outward appearance is so incredibly important to some believers in how they assess godliness in others. But then for a while in my church I changed how I dressed to be seen differently and accepted because sometimes church people need people to look and behave a certain way so they feel comfortable and not threatened and also I just wanted to belong for a while, it worked sadly because hey we're all superficial but it was too difficult to maintain for a long time.

 

[FoundInGrace]

Why is outward appearance so important? I have a friend who, for most of her life, does what is expected of her for appearances. It is rather tiring to be around. And fake. But I feel for her as she knows no other way to be, and we're all shaped by our life experiences. She is a believer but she is also one of the most angry people I know underneath because she feels she can't be who she is and her every move is for others approval in the church, not God first most of the time but how people in the church will perceive her but it's not real its an act. In some ways I would rather someone with a tattoo who is who they are than someone who looks 'Godly' on the outside because they feel they have to keep up appearances but inside isvery different.

 

[faroukfarouk]

In some ways I would rather someone with a tattoo who is who they are than someone who looks 'Godly' on the outside because they feel they have to keep up appearances but inside isvery different.

FoundInGrace: (again, great screen name! )

Yes, and actually some Christians have faith based ink because when they get it done they are trusting that it will be effective in conversations with ppl. What it "feels" like for them is only a side issue, very likely.

I saw a quote about just how high a proportion of Christian young ppl who have tattoos, apparently.

 

[FoundInGrace]

I know you are an advocate for tattoos but I find it's also useful not to have one when talking with people who have them.
Tattoo regret is a very real thing.. and expensive and painful to remedy.
I remember when trying to make the decision about whether to get one, what if it were tattooed on my heart what would that mean. It's very easy to put something on your wrist or wherever but to live it a lot more difficult. Its all food for thought. I do think there is a movement in young people not wanting tattoos now because they are so becoming so common. If it's a fad for too long people get bored with it I guess.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I know you are an advocate for tattoos but I find it's also useful not to have one when talking with people who have them.
Tattoo regret is a very real thing.. and expensive and painful to remedy.
I remember when trying to make the decision about whether to get one, what if it were tattooed on my heart what would that mean. It's very easy to put something on your wrist or wherever but to live it a lot more difficult. Its all food for thought. I do think there is a movement in young people not wanting tattoos now because they are so becoming so common. If it's a fad for too long people get bored with it I guess.

Interesting...
I guess I do recognize their prevalence, and their potentials in faith based form, although I wouldn't consciously pressurize someone who doesn't want one to get it.

I agree about what you say about the absence of tattoos: maybe one day an avant-garde act of fashion radicalism will be no tattoos and bare earlobes!

 

[faroukfarouk]

The dumbbell nose ring that some young lady wears, or the nip^%$le piercing is done generally for fleshly reasons. Whereas the earring or nose ring would symbolize marriage, covenant, or other things in times past.

So you don't object to piercings as much as to tattoos?

 

[Ken Rank]

So you don't object to piercings as much as to tattoos?

Scripture doesn't have anything to say about piercings and we know the Hebraic culture used them as certain markings for certain things. The tattoo is specifically singled out as being a sin. Now, you don't see that as sin today, I do. I see sin as that which stands in contrast to God's character... and that character doesn't change. But we don't see eye to eye on that so no big deal.