What do you think of Tattoos?

[GoldenEagle]

What do you think of Tattoos?

Both Christians having tattoos and non-Christians having tattoos.

I've been discussing this with my wife for a couple of years and the subject came up lately. Of course, people against tattoos always talk about Lev 19:26-32 about how they were a sign of pagan worship and 1 Cor. 6:12-20 on our bodies being the temple of God...

Here's some additional initial thoughts.

Some refer to Rev. 19:16 as an example of Jesus possibly having a tattoo on His thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Some people ask is getting a tattoo a sin? The question is not necessarily “is getting a tattoo a sin?” The question is more “is getting a tattoo a good and necessary thing to do?” 1 Cor. 10:23 declares, “Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive.” Christian tattoos may be “permissible,” but are they beneficial and constructive?

In 1 Cor. 9:22-23, Paul exclaims, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel.” Becoming all things to save some is perhaps the only good possible reason for getting a Christian tattoo. If having a tattoo genuinely opens doors for evangelism that would otherwise be closed, getting Christian tattoos would likely “qualify” under Paul’s “becoming all things” qualification. At the same time, it is frankly difficult to envision a scenario in which having a tattoo would enable a greater possibility of evangelism. If a person will not listen to you due to a lack of a tattoo, it is highly unlikely that such a person would genuinely listen due to the presence of a tattoo.

God bless,
GE


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Wow I totally forgot about this thread. 13 Pages later...

Further, this has been a topic of discussion with my wife lately. I think of these 6 M's when thinking about or discussing with people about getting tattoo's:

Modification - the Bible doesn't explicitly forbid tattoos. Some people do this to look more like animals which I find very strange. Our bodies are God's temple (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Motive - why are you wanting or do you have a tattoo? Our primary goal should be to glorify God (See 1 Cor. 10:31)

Message - what are you trying to say with your tattoo? Also keep in mind they are nearly permanent and will be with you for the remainder of your life.

Marketability - will employers offer you employment based on where you have or want to get a tattoo? Could have ink hurt your chances for gainful employment and promotions?

Maybe according to Salary.com:

The biggest takeaways from our survey include a whopping 76% of respondents feel tattoos and piercings hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired during a job interview. And more than one-third – 39% of those surveyed – believe employees with tattoos and piercings reflect poorly on their employers. Furthermore, 42% feel visible tattoos are always inappropriate at work, with 55% reporting the same thing about body piercings.

Fortunately, only 4% of those with tattoos and piercings report having faced actual discrimination because of their ink and body art.

Money - how much will your tattoo cost or are you putting this on a credit card? Do you have enough to cover your bills? A typical tattoo in the USA costs between $80 to $100 an hour. Few shops work for less than $40 an hour. We are to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

Medical concerns - There have been studies including those done by Mayo Clinic that side effects of tattoos can include allergic reactions, skin infections, other infections, contracting blood borne diseases, and on rare occasions complications with MRI scans.

 

As in all things, we should pray for God to give us wisdom (See James 1:5) and we should attempt to give others grace. Both those who frown on tattoos and those who promote them. Is it a salvation issue? No. Is it an essential doctrine to the faith? No. It's a non-essential not a non-negotiable. I have many friends on both side of the fence on this issue.

I personally do not find them attractive.

As Millennial's and Generation X become managers in the workplace perhaps the stigma about tattoos will change in the workplace. I imagine the same thing will happen as the shift in leadership in Church is affected by generational shifts as well. I think where you live also is a big factor.

Now off to read all your comments.

God bless,
GE

[Ezra]

Not for Christians or anyone with some sanity.

[missmuffet]

5 minutes ago, Ezra said:

Not for Christians or anyone with some sanity.

That is a harsh and  judgmental statement.

[MorningGlory]

I don't think a Christian having a tattoo is a sin or anything unless it's a satanic type tattoo.  To me they're just tacky and I wouldn't date a guy who was covered in them, for sure.  And on women?  Well, guys have their own thoughts on that subject and I have heard their names for women with ink.  I say it's not an issue so long as your heart is right and that's what God is going to judge us on. 

[The_Patriot21]

its kind of a grey area, im not going to say that its a "sin" or if they get one theyre not a christian, but if they have to "justify" it then theres something wrong. I had a friend in college, who got Jesus name in hebrew tattooed across her wrist. Ok, fine whatever. but, she told me she did it as a "witnessing" tool, because it helped her "connect" with people with tattoos, and they would see it and ask what it meant and it opened doors to talk about Jesus. My reply to her was, if you need a tattoo to talk to them about Jesus, your doing something wrong. People arnt going to come to Christ because someone had a cool tattoo, theyre going to come to Christ because we showed them something different. I can accomplish a lot more, by walking up to someone who has tattoos, and say hey, what does that what mean, and open a dialogue with them. First, doing it that way, shows that I care about them. People like to talk about themselves, and many, are proud of their tattoos. If I start that dialogue with them, it shows I care about them and whats important to them, and it builds a friendship. If I wait for them to comment on my tattoo, im drawing attention to me, which actually hurts my witness.

[Guest shiloh357]

I would never want a tattoo, but I don't think it is sin for others to get them.  I will say that I do think it is a sin to get a tattoo that glorifies sin and the devil.    But I have seen Christian themed tattoos that are okay. 

I personally don't like them, but that is just a matter of personal taste. 

[JohnD]

Personal preference... I think they are ugly.

In the Navy I came this close to getting one, but I am so glad I didn't.

My own bumps, bruises, scars,  wrinkles, and birthmark on my right breast are all the character this old bod needs.

What stopped me besides the pain I saw others go through the night I almost got one (in 1980) was the thought of the people who had a tattoo forced on them in concentration camps. And did I mention the pain? I don't like pain. It hurts me.

 

[Ezra]

47 minutes ago, bopeep1909 said:

That is a harsh and  judgmental statement.

Once we accept tattoos as a pagan practice (and frequently associated with criminals, even to this day in Russia), there is nothing harsh or judgmental about calling a spade a spade.

Quote

During the gradual process of Christianization in Europe, tattoos were often considered remaining elements of paganism and generally legally prohibited.

 

Quote

Criminals were marked with symbols typically including crosses, lines, double lines and circles on certain parts of the body, mostly the face and arms. These symbols sometimes designated the places where the crimes were committed.

[JohnD]

I see young people who I guess got all caught up in the tattoo craze who have marked up their bodies needlessly.

Then I see the old timers who would not have gotten the things if they knew they'd have turned out the way they did.

I don't say anything about them... unless asked...

No, I don't believe tattoos are any more evil than the other things we do to God's temple:

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 (NASB95)

16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

Does this include self destruction?

I dunno.

 

 

 

[Guest shiloh357]

I know older people who have them and are sorry they got them.   They are cool when you're young and your skin is tight and firm.  But when a person gets old and wrinkled and their skin sags, the tattoos are just ugly.