Faith based tattoo question

[LoveJoyHope-lady]

²⁸ “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves...  (NIV)

   >>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<

If I were to be more serious... It's interesting how Christians still follow many (most?) of the laws in Leviticus 19, but not if we're tattooing. I don't solely go by that as my reason to abstain, but I do wonder what God thinks of them.

Also, tats have that way of sliding and deforming as bodies change...

Yet, I have pierced ears, once in awhile wear nail polish, and almost daily apply lip color... as many in modern American culture. So, I might be inconsistent with my treatment of the OT, etc. (Though, again, I am a New Testament believer.)

Edited August 16, 2024 by LoveJoyHope-lady

[farouk]

11 minutes ago, LoveJoyHope-lady said:

I have pierced ears, once in awhile wear nail polish, and almost daily apply lip color... as many in modern American culture.

@LoveJoyHope-lady Well, since you mention this, how many preachers' wives don't have pierced ears? and as regarding daily lipstick, its history goes back in North America to Elizabeth Arden and the suffragettes' pink lipstick, symbolizing educated and informed female voters participating confidently in the elections.

So pierced ears and lipstick are very much historically part of the scene.

And tattoos today? - not least in their faith-based aspect, having a faith-related potential more that either pierced ears or lipstick.

From the Bible Belt:

..................

  Quote

Around here (Bible Belt), it is common, especially among evangelical Christians, for the girls under about 40 to have religious tattoos. More do than don't, especially when you get to the under 30 crowd. I hardly know any female at church that is under 30 that does not have a tattoo.

forums dot thewelltrainedmind dot com

..................

Edited August 14, 2024 by farouk

[LoveJoyHope-lady]

3 minutes ago, farouk said:

@LoveJoyHope-lady Well, since you mention this, how many preachers' wives don't have pierced ears? and as regarding daily lipstick, its history goes back in North America to Elizabeth Arden and the suffragettes' pink lipstick, symbolizing educated and informed female voters participating confidently in the elections.

So pierced ears and lipstick are very much historically part of the scene.

And tattoos today? - not least in their faith-based aspect, having a faith-related potential more that either pierced ears or lipstick.

From the Bible Belt:

..................

  Quote

Around here (Bible Belt), it is common, especially among evangelical Christians, for the girls under about 40 to have religious tattoos. More do than don't, especially when you get to the under 30 crowd. I hardly know any female at church that is under 30 that does not have a tattoo.

forums dot thewelltrainedmind dot com

..................

Hmm, yes, I live as a standard American woman (loaded statement,  I know), lipstick, pants, and all.

I was pointing out how the Bible contains statements that we somehow don't follow, which is just interesting as a point of fact. Like many women have braided hair, ppl wear mixed fabrics, etc. I'm not being contentious, just plain curious...  How did some laws become woven into our culture thousands of years later, but others were abandoned?

Sincerely: Living in New Testament freedom seems to be our answer.

(Note: I see that Lev. 19:28 may reference some specific cultural practices - but why did God call out those things?)

🤷‍♀️

[LoveJoyHope-lady]

Also, I can see how some might:

1. Get a tattoo with the agenda of it being a faith conversation starter.

2. Get a faith-oriented tattoo because they're in Christian circles (but really, they just want a tattoo).

3. Combination of 1+2

----

I live in the Bible Belt, and see FAR, far, far fewer tats here than in my former state of Oregon.

In the end, it's my personal preference to not get one, mixed with a little fear of God's potential opinion on the subject. (I'd actually read an article in a little Christian newspaper in Oregon the '90s that condemned tats.)

If someone gets one, Ok, if they feel that freedom; and, yes, it could be used as a chance to open a spiritual conversation. (I did meet a waitress a few weeks ago who had her baptism date tattooed on her arm, and I asked her about it.) But, a person could open the convo without a tat, too.

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2024 by LoveJoyHope-lady

[farouk]

14 hours ago, Gracejj said:

I guess so. They already like it

@Gracejj

Although there is huge evidence that huge numbers of women like and appreciate tattoo art.............

....................

...one of the major resurgences of interest in tattoos in Europe occurred among 19th century high society Victorian women (as well as men), after British explorers .. brought back the practice to Britain. .. grew during the 19th century, and even Winston Churchill’s mother had a tattoo .. on her wrist. Queen Victoria was also believed to have had a tattoo.. . From Victorian Europe...to America. In 1897, (art critic, Margot) Miffin says that an estimated 75% of American society women were tattooed..
(Black Fire: Women, Tattoos, and the Transformative Power of Body Art )

........................................

Paula Castle took up tattooing after being made redundant from a sales job ..."I really did not want to do it. ...But I’m a bit of an all or nothing person so I said ‘yes’ and really pushed myself and I’ve not stopped...About 97% of my clients are female and that is universal across the board."

James McCarthy, Mirror dot co dot uk

.....................................

.....yet I guess if the appreciation isn't there already — if indeed the motivation to use faith based tattoo designs as conversation talking points and witness tools — there's little point in emphasizing any possible health benefits, right?

[farouk]

On 7/24/2024 at 12:30 PM, Lilybloom said:

I don't really plan on getting anymore tattoos. Not out of any kind of personal conviction against them

Hi @Lilybloom Before Christians decides to get more tattoos and use them as witness tools, there does usefully need to be conviction behind it in order for the ppl to use them for that purpose, right?

...................................

I have about 5 tattoos (which I all love) and I know plenty of christians who have them as well. One tattoo in particular is my favorite Bible verse which is near my hand. I get asked all the time about it by strangers source DestinyA3 reddit

................................

I got mine at a younger age, I have 2 full sleeves, both hands & neck done. I never once thought of removing them., they are a part of my past & they can be used as great conversation starters. .. I encourage those that have ink to not hide it, but use it as a tool to share the Gospel. source: reddit

...............................

I used to hate the idea of getting tattoos but in recent years I’ve thought more about it and I don’t mind the idea as much now..The tattoo ideas I had were Christian..I’d love John 3:16 on my forearm and maybe a sleeve on my left arm Christian themed source: reddit

.............................

Edited August 15, 2024 by farouk

[farouk]

Hi @Neighbor

It's true what you said, back, about zeal for bfs/gfs can drive tattooing:

"I have seen some pretty lame artwork, over the decades, smudged on the bodies of young flesh by an aspiring boyfriend or girlfriend of the canvass of living flesh."

It's also true that among some young Christians, zeal for testimony in faith-based tattoos can drive the process... (My wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area; and as a conversation-starting tool it certainly worked......, right?

[farouk]

On 5/8/2024 at 6:52 PM, deva1 said:

Yes. Definitely conversation starter. Each to his own.....

Hi @deva1

As a way to express something personally important, it's certainly become established for the most traditionally minded and conservative ppl to go into a tattoo parlor confidently.

FYI:

........................................

juliannenw said:

I am a nurse in a cardiac ICU. I am also pretty heavily tattooed. I am a well educated, well rounded nurse, and was raised with strong morals and manners. .. I am an extremely traditional person..a professional persona as well as a unique one while I'm not working

allnurses dot com

....................................

godlywoman413 said:

"I have some tattoos that I had gotten as a younger person. Mine are not anything questionable."

......................................

 

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll.

If you have not yet voted in the poll, please vote now.

[farouk]

Hi @TheBlade Did you vote in the poll, above?

In the early 20th century, it was regarded as a rather manly thing to do to get tattooed, but now for a long time in North America 55%-70% or more of clients who feel they need to go into a tattoo parlor - often for faith based designs - are female. (It's now probably more about being manly and confident or womanly and confident.)