Addictions, bad and good........tattoos of Bible verses; thoughts?

[farouk]

@Rosie1jack2pauline3

@Willa said not long ago:

"Just because I really dislike tats doesn't mean I dislike the people who have them.  Two favorite granddaughters have them as well as many friends.  

Granddaughters were 18 when they get theirs."

Ppl's likes and dislikes vary greatly, don't they? Willa doesn't like tattoos at all, but recognizes that several ppl near and dear to her really like having it done a lot, appreciating the artwork potentials. (You would likely come into that category, probably. Some ppl strongly prefer to avoid getting tattooed; for others - and especially since it has opened up so hugely for women - it can be about expressing themselves as women, with faith based potential there.)

Likes and dislikes do vary greatly, but you seem to know what you like, anyway.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by farouk

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

On 2/3/2023 at 9:09 AM, farouk said:

Okay, so on another thread -with restricted posting - there was a topic about addictions.

On the one hand we often rightly seem to think of addictions in terms of alcohol, drug abuse, etc., as being addictions and indeed thus bad.

On the other, it said if we spent more time diligently searching the Word of God as a compelling pursuit, this might in some ways be spoken of as an 'addiction', but the outcome is clearly very good.

I was thinking that sometimes compelling pursuits can have good outcomes.

E.g., some Christians really like getting Bible verse tattoos that they use as witness tools. It's sometimes said that if you get a tattoo, you might not stop at one. Some compelling pursuits can have good outcomes...

(Thoughts, ppl?)

(cc @sweetycakes ; @Rosie1jack2pauline3 )

I don't know if I'm misunderstanding the point of this post or not,  but addictions I don't think it's specifically defined in scripture. My own definition is addiction is any habit that is bad for the individual and damages their relationship with Jesus.  Not all addictions are equal or equally harmful,  so debates may rage about them. I believe smoking and alcohol can be addictions, but that doesn't mean they are forbidden for everyone. Tattoos are forbidden in the Old Testament,  but those laws are not for Christians,  so there is debate about that too. Regardless,  we must be very careful about our judgement of others, lest we condemn someone God has approved, as Paul said. 

[farouk]

@Debp FYI............any wisdom here?

[farouk]

5 hours ago, TrueFollowerOfChrist said:

I don't know if I'm misunderstanding the point of this post or not,  but addictions I don't think it's specifically defined in scripture. My own definition is addiction is any habit that is bad for the individual and damages their relationship with Jesus.  Not all addictions are equal or equally harmful,  so debates may rage about them. I believe smoking and alcohol can be addictions, but that doesn't mean they are forbidden for everyone. Tattoos are forbidden in the Old Testament,  but those laws are not for Christians,  so there is debate about that too. Regardless,  we must be very careful about our judgement of others, lest we condemn someone God has approved, as Paul said. 

@TrueFollowerOfChrist My wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of the wording of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area. It must have been quite a long session of tattooing.

What I would ask is, Are we really supposed to regard her evident strong desire to receive this inking - knowing it would become a talking point in conversation - as some kind of culpable addiction or obsession? Romans 14 Christian liberty would likely indicate it is not. Although it was a man thing many decades ago - sailors/bikers - yet since it has for decades become a thoroughly established custom for women to become tattooed, here was a young lady who evidently felt confident to participate in tattooing in a way that stimulated her witness as a Christian woman.

[TrueFollowerOfChrist]

20 minutes ago, farouk said:

@TrueFollowerOfChrist My wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of the wording of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area. It must have been quite a long session of tattooing.

What I would ask is, Are we really supposed to regard her evident strong desire to receive this inking - knowing it would become a talking point in conversation - as some kind of culpable addiction or obsession? Romans 14 Christian liberty would likely indicate it is not. Although it was a man thing many decades ago - sailors/bikers - yet since it has for decades become a thoroughly established custom for women to become tattooed, here was a young lady who evidently felt confident to participate in tattooing in a way that stimulated her witness as a Christian woman.

That kind of sounds like me a bit. I don't have any tattoos,  but I go out of my way to wear Christian clothing and wear a cross. I do it so people will notice and hopefully strike up a conversation.  I also like advertising that I'm a Christian, because it's something I'm proud of.  

[farouk]

2 minutes ago, TrueFollowerOfChrist said:

That kind of sounds like me a bit. I don't have any tattoos,  but I go out of my way to wear Christian clothing and wear a cross. I do it so people will notice and hopefully strike up a conversation.  I also like advertising that I'm a Christian, because it's something I'm proud of.  

@TrueFollowerOfChrist Well, by God's grace, being a Christian is a very humbling thing: a joy and a privilege to make the believer's hope known to a dark world.

But part of the challenge I guess is the apparently fast transition from inkless girl to tattooed woman with a faith based design. When the older relative still thinks of the young person as a child, it can sometimes take a bit of ink to make the older relative realize that the young person really has grown up.

[Debp]

6 hours ago, farouk said:

@Debp FYI............any wisdom here?

If a Christian or even someone else wants to get a tattoo, I don't think that is my concern.

I guess some people can become addicted to getting tattooed.   A former neighbor, a young lady, had all of her arms and all of her legs totally covered with tattoos.    I didn't understand why she would want to totally cover herself but that was her choice.

[Selah7]

20 minutes ago, Rosie1jack2pauline3 said:

My only pursuit now, is the word of God, which I hunger and thirst for.

I am definitely addicted to God, I listen to Praise and worship songs by the Gaither gospel singers, ..blaring out of my house, I know quite a few of my neighbours, think that I have “ lost the plot” I heard it through the grapevine!....😂🤣😅

“The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.”

Matthew 6:33 — English Standard Version (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and allthese things will be added to you.

💗😘🥰🙏💗🥰🙏

 

    

[farouk]

On 2/3/2023 at 6:26 PM, bropro said:

One example I can recall actually uses the word "addicted," but in a positive sense. The meaning here is more to devote oneself to a good thing. The difference may be that when addicted to drugs, alcohol, etc. this is something that has a strong hold on a person even if they try to get free from it. The verse below indicates these people chose to addict (devote) themselves to something that they don't want to be loosed from.

1 Corinthians 16:15 (KJV)
¹⁵   I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

Gary
 

@bropro I like this post!

( cc @Rosie1jack2pauline3 I was looking at the quote with the word 'addicted' that @bropro referred to.... )

[farouk]

17 hours ago, Rosie1jack2pauline3 said:

 

I would love a JESUS in words on my wrist, we shall see,🙏💗

@Rosie1jack2pauline3 We have been discussing words such as addicted and compelling pursuit; I guess what you would say really is that you would not be driven by an uncontrolled obsession by getting your planned faith based tattoo; rather, it would be a calm choice, aesthetically expressed, motivated by witness opportunities, right?