Poll: Faith-based tattoo: Have you ever talked to someone with one?

[farouk]

On 4/25/2025 at 10:42 AM, Daniel whalen said:

I say "do it but don't be forced to"

It can be liberating 

@Daniel whalen It's not just doing it, but doing it properly, once it's decided upon. 

It does need to go in deep enough.

As @kwikphilly, a former tattoo artist, said:

I've had many cuts,gashes and punctures over the years and always heal very quickly .. . ..because dark skinned people have more melonin so you have to pack the ink deep into the dermis where as a fair skinned person it will stand out nicely just past the epidermis .. I've heard many a tattoo artist refer to people as a "canvas" and that the exact opposite of the whole idea- you paint on top of a canvas - you are not painting,you are tinting the epidermis by packing it with ink .. Had I been so interested in learning the "art" myself back when I simply & spontaneously got my first tattoo Im sure I would not have an unrecognizable blob of ink

[lrs68]

9 hours ago, farouk said:

Hi @lrs68

You can see that nowadays, since the most conservative of ppl get tattooed, a lot of Christian young ppl see it as an opportunity to express their innermost Scriptural convictions:

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GodsGrace said:

almost every young girl I know has some sort of tatoo.
Even those very conservative types.

christianityboard dot com

 

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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

julieannenw allnurses dot com

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FHII said:

Probably 75% of the congregation have tattoos...  Myself, the Pastor, his daughter and grand daughter included. Now, even my wife

christianityboard dot com

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8 hours ago, farouk said:

Hi @lrs68

Well, in some areas ink has almost become part of the standard among the most conservative.

(I hope these quotes seem to ring true to you?)

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Quote

I would be hard-pressed to come up with more than a handful of names of my friends who DON'T have at least one tattoo--and we are all suburban homeschooling moms, ages ranging from early-30s to mid-50s, living in conservative North Texas. greenvneck forums dot thewelltrainedmind dot com

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Hence why for so many Christians indeed it seems a natural move to use a tattoo parlor for something faith-based.

 

Lady Crosstalk said:

I have Christian friends who have them. They usually have their favorite Bible verse tattooed on a wrist

christianityboard dot com

 

As much as I agree to what everyone is saying and I also admit that I have tattoos I still believe it's a bad reason to get a tattoo because these people or so many people have them.   I regret my tattoos because I got them for all of the wrong reasons like these kinds of people have them so I should get some myself.   We are individuals and shouldn't be doing something based upon others did it or the percentage is this much so I should become part of that statistic.

 

If someone wants a tattoo and it represents something meaningful and will always be meaningful then they should get one.

 

But if they are getting one because these types of people or this many have them that to me is the wrong reason to get one.  Be an individual not someone just trying to fit in by looking like other people.

[farouk]

23 minutes ago, lrs68 said:

If someone wants a tattoo and it represents something meaningful and will always be meaningful then they should get one.

@Thanks, @lrs68, for your comment.

I myself would not even be likely to say to someone, You ought to get a tattoo.

But so many Christians do receive faith-based ink; my wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of the wording of John 3.16 rammed into her wrist area; her favorite Bible verse and mine also; and I reckon she'll be unlikely to regret it. She likely and, if so, correctly anticipated that the Bible verse would become a talking point and this likely influenced her decision to go confidently into the tattoo parlor.

Everyone has views about the practice, I suppose. Including even this sort of sentiment:

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Cachalot said:

Tattoos are unlady-like. That is why I would never have one.

christianityboard dot com

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Well, fair enough if it's what this poster thinks, but really it seems totally unrealistic and (I hope she is not reading this) bordering on nonsense; it's seems like denying the undeniable because the evidence would be that it's a widely pursued womanly thing to do.

So, no need to get a tattoo if the person doesn't want to; but no need to be a shrinking violet - so to speak - either... especially if there is thought to be an effective witness talking point thus made available.

(This likely would make sense to you, right?)

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll.

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

[farouk]

On 5/15/2025 at 9:37 AM, lrs68 said:

 

 these kinds of people have them so I should get some myself.

Hi @lrs68 Just re-read what you said; I'm actually not sure one can say about tattoos that the person must therefore belong to this or that kind of ppl.

(I know years ago some might have said that.)

I think it's probably a bit like ear piercing.

 

For women, multiples have been mainstream for a very long while; this lady might well be a great-grandmother now:

I have three holes in each earlobe, had them since the 70s ...I think it's now considered mainstream source: Bunny gardenweb dot com

In some areas this seems to be the case; Chellz84 said:

My husband has both his ears pierced. Where I live Hartford CT. It is extreamly common for a guy to have both his ears pierced. ...I can't tell you how many.. boys have both their ears pierced along with most Dads...

forums dot thebump dot com

 

Similarly getting inked up a bit is likely such a widespread thing that getting a bit of ink doesn't particularly prove anything about what kind of person it is that is using the parlor:

Nancy said:

tattoos ... everyone and their grandmothers has them now .. what can I say? Pretty much every one I know, and that includes Christians and myself, have a tattoo ... christianityboard dot com

 

I guess a sensible Christian perspective might be: whether or not you go into a parlor and get inked up a bit, but if you do, maybe remembering it could count as a silent witness or even talking point (if ppl want to talk).

 

Ppl talk about tattoo regret, certainly. Some older Christians actually regret not having gone to the parlor years back, FYI:

Dave L said:

I think when I was a young Christian, a scripture or Christian art Tattoo would have helped me stake a claim as a Christian and made people aware early on. It would have helped sort out friends from the start. So I regret not having that as an option during that time. .. If I found myself in a similar situation to when I was young, I'd probably have a tattoo.

 

source: christianityboard dot com

 

What the poster seems to be saying, is: If after 18 you decide to go in and get inked up, use the parlor wisely.

 

(Some of these quotes might have been mentioned before; but they seem quite reasonable...)

[farouk]

Hi @TheBlade

Back a bit you said about tattoos:

We can add burdens to those that have them or make them feel condemned. I pause and think wait and listen to the sweet spirit of God and do not believe they are wrong. Just really need to think before.

The fact is that some Christians seem to have a mission in life to guilt-manipulate other ppl on matters which are not even doctrinal.

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Originally posted by Jeni Ruth I guess for our family the question of whether or not to be tattooed was already made as I had 12 tats and my hubby had 4 when we were first saved. Certainly the style and reason for our tats changed after being saved. Five of our 6 kids are also inked [ages 28-35] .. (from Christian hyphen tattoos dot com )
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But there are always going to be the traditionalists who elevate their preferences to a matter of doctrine and then try to impose them on everyone else.

 

[farouk]

On 4/24/2025 at 12:27 AM, Your closest friendnt said:

Actually it can be beneficial because nourishing a tattoo can empower someone's faith. 

It can remind someone of his faith and create a Thanksgiving heart in him . And in difficult situations it can reminds  him that he is not alone. 

Even if anyone questions someone's faith he can say  that the Cross is an expression or a confession of the faith in his heart and no condemnation can erase it.

Hi @Your closest friendnt.

Seems like in these 'last days' conditions, a lot of Christians treat a bit of expense and pain at a tattoo parlor as a joyful opportunity to have a ready made witness tool.

(I'm sure you would agree.)

(cc @Tristen I think you said something similar, back a bit....)

Edited May 17 by farouk

[farouk]

PS: @Your closest friendnt

Imagine someone trying to find fault with this confident Christian lady:

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Originally posted by Jeni Ruth I guess for our family the question of whether or not to be tattooed was already made as I had 12 tats and my hubby had 4 when we were first saved. Certainly the style and reason for our tats changed after being saved. Five of our 6 kids are also inked [ages 28-35] .. (from Christian hyphen tattoos dot com )
.........

[farouk]

Thanks, @InChristsLight, for participating in the poll.

[BibleLove]

On 12/3/2024 at 4:04 PM, farouk said:

@Ps37 said:

'I was in a home improvement store the other day and saw a fellow with Phil. 4:13 tattooed on his arm.

Had to stop just to say "always good to meet a fellow believer." '

Re. a faith-based tattoo: Have you ever talked to someone with one?

(With the closure some weeks ago of a previous poll, an opportunity to vote on one's experiences in talking to ppl with faith-based tattoos.)

(cc @NConly @Scott Free @Henry_iain @Debp @Cyoder @Katie Rose Müller@In the Clouds @LividSky @Leo Manner @Tristen @debrakay @LaurenMay @Fran C @Marston @z88@maddy07@timf@borndagain@Edward429451@lrs68 @BibleLove @Laracan @InChristsLight)

 

Leviticus 19:28