Tattoo repair

[Coliseum]

On 9/17/2020 at 5:29 AM, Thewhitedove said:

A few years ago, before I became a Christian, I was peer pressured into getting a tattoo that I immediately regretted. It was some writing in a non-English script and looked so ugly on my skin. It's on my foot so I can hide it but it means I xant wear shoes I want to and always feel self conscious when I have to show my feet. Every time I see it, I always feel a little deflated and have cried over it in the past. Everyone who knows me agrees that its not great.

I looked into getting it removed, and it will cost a lot of money, time and pain. I went to a tattoo place last night and the tattoo artist used a marker to sketch on a cover up. It's a pretty floral design. It will take 30 minutes and cost much less than the removal process. I am thinking it over to decide how to proceed.

I have looked into the over arching themes of scripture, as well as checked out how my favourite online pastor John Piper views it, and also asked my own pastor. Their view is that tattoos are permissible but not advisable due to their permanent nature. 

I literally just want to cover the ugly one and be done with tattoos for the rest of my life. What do you all think? Would I be going against God if I get this repair work done? 

 

Thanks 

"Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial." Wood and stone are not harmful either until we promote them and give them power over us. Then they become idols. A tattoo is a tattoo until you promote it and worship it, which you are obviously not doing.

[LonerAndy]

On 9/17/2020 at 5:29 AM, Thewhitedove said:

A few years ago, before I became a Christian, I was peer pressured into getting a tattoo that I immediately regretted. It was some writing in a non-English script and looked so ugly on my skin. It's on my foot so I can hide it but it means I xant wear shoes I want to and always feel self conscious when I have to show my feet. Every time I see it, I always feel a little deflated and have cried over it in the past. Everyone who knows me agrees that its not great.

I looked into getting it removed, and it will cost a lot of money, time and pain. I went to a tattoo place last night and the tattoo artist used a marker to sketch on a cover up. It's a pretty floral design. It will take 30 minutes and cost much less than the removal process. I am thinking it over to decide how to proceed.

I have looked into the over arching themes of scripture, as well as checked out how my favourite online pastor John Piper views it, and also asked my own pastor. Their view is that tattoos are permissible but not advisable due to their permanent nature. 

I literally just want to cover the ugly one and be done with tattoos for the rest of my life. What do you all think? Would I be going against God if I get this repair work done? 

 

Thanks 

Unless you know of a verse saying "Thou shalt not tattoo" or something similar in the new testament, I don't even see why this is contentious.

So first, you are part of a Christian Church congregation, I would assume.  You have local church, that you go to, and that you fellowship with.

Ask your pastor.

If you don't have a church, then for future reference, I would suggest you make that a priority in your life.  Online churches are fine, but you need a church that you personally, are directly participating in.

I don't know anything at all about pastor John Piper, but his views seem in-line with what the Bible says.  Perfectly permissible, just not advisable.

I actually know of a couple, a Christian Couple which has tattoos up and down their entire bodies, and when they became Christians, they had all of their 'questionable' tattoo choices down over, with various christian symbolism and a few verses.

Today, they use their tattoos and their looks, to reach out to motorcycle gangs.  I think they went to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally last month, spreading the good news of salvation, in a way that a clean cut, paper white, guy like me, could never do.

So while I'm not a fan of tattoos, I'm also not opposed to Christian people using what they have for G-d's glory.

I think if I were you, and the removal wasn't financially a good option, then I would go have it redone.

The only thing I would make sure about, is that if you are going to put a Christian symbol, or a Bible verse, or anything like that.... if you are going to put a tattoo on your body, that refers to the Kingdom of G-d.... then I would suggest you do the absolute best possible tattoo you can.

Don't do something half-baked, that looks lame.  Like they say, if it's worth doing, then it's worth doing right.  If you are going to do this, then do it to the very best you possibly can.