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

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll.

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

[farouk]

20 minutes ago, Anne2 said:

I suppose it could be seen that way. Sure

@Anne2 It's definitely quite subjective, really, matters of such personal style.

But it's hard to deny that some customs have become rather mainstream and benign.

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

Anyway it's kind of undeniable that 2 or 3 each side is rather mainstream and benign: so well established for so long. (I guess you could have 2 or 3 generations - grandma, daughter and granddaughter - with 3 each side and in some families might be almost expected.) What you said about nose and tongue; they are both popular now, and have been for years; though I didn't talk to her about it, the lady serving in my local Christian bookstore seemed relaxed enough to have her tongue ring evident; for those who are accustomed already to have studs in ears, another placement for an extra piercing. People's personal preferences are going to vary; and customs have developed significantly over the decades.

Ink customs and parlor visits also have greatly broadened since it was mainly the domain of sailors and bikers in the mid-20th century. Somewhere it said that in North America 55%-70% of parlor clients going in for ink ups are female.)

Again, at least in some families, getting inked up at least a bit is almost expected.

(Though I know of course that the emphasis of this thread is really more faith-based tattooing...Against the background of their profusion, many Christians have long been taking advantage of opportunities to express faith by going in for an ink up in a suitable faith-based design.)

 

[Anne2]

1 minute ago, farouk said:

@Anne2 It's definitely quite subjective, really, matters of such personal style.

But it's hard to deny that some customs have become rather mainstream and benign.

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

Anyway it's kind of undeniable that 2 or 3 each side is rather mainstream and benign: so well established for so long. (I guess you could have 2 or 3 generations - grandma, daughter and granddaughter - with 3 each side and in some families might be almost expected.) What you said about nose and tongue; they are both popular now, and have been for years; though I didn't talk to her about it, the lady serving in my local Christian bookstore seemed relaxed enough to have her tongue ring evident; for those who are accustomed already to have studs in ears, another placement for an extra piercing. People's personal preferences are going to vary; and customs have developed significantly over the decades.

Ink customs and parlor visits also have greatly broadened since it was mainly the domain of sailors and bikers in the mid-20th century. Somewhere it said that in North America 55%-70% of parlor clients going in for ink ups are female.)

Again, at least in some families, getting inked up at least a bit is almost expected.

(Though I know of course that the emphasis of this thread is really more faith-based tattooing...Against the background of their profusion, many Christians have long been taking advantage of opportunities to express faith by going in for an ink up in a suitable faith-based design.)

 

I think if I were young, I would do several piercings on my ears. To old for that stuff now. But i like that .

[farouk]

On 5/23/2025 at 5:46 PM, Anne2 said:

I think if I were young, I would do several piercings on my ears. To old for that stuff now. But i like that .

Hi @Anne2 ... and it's mainstream among the most conservative of ppl, right?

I have three holes in each earlobe...I think it's now considered mainstream source: Bunny gardenweb dot com

Edited May 27 by farouk

[Anne2]

1 hour ago, farouk said:

Hi @Anne2 ... and it's mainstream among the most conservative of ppl, right?

I have three holes in each earlobe...I think it's now considered mainstream source: Bunny gardenweb dot com

What do you wear in them? All the same?

I think it is probably mainstream

Edited May 27 by Anne2

[farouk]

On 5/9/2025 at 5:39 PM, lrs68 said:

 I do agree a John 3:16 tattoo is pretty decent considering my tattoos are of male\female grim reapers, assortment of Celtic tattoos, mythical dragons, and the last tattoo is a cross that is as long as my entire ankle to knee.   Unfortunately, none of my tattoos are small and decent.   I really should get them removed.

Hi @lrs68

You must know anyway what your preference is.

It's not unusual anyway that you are inked up.

Given their sheer profusion, a lot of ppl seem anyway to want to use it simply as a way of expressing something faith-based that might be either a silent witness or friendly talking point.

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

"...Most of my clients are in the older bracket," Gallo-Kohlas told The Huffington Post. "We see a lot of women in their sixties and seventies getting their first tattoos."
 huffington post

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

  Quote

..in the rural Bible Belt. Just about every person in three of the four sides of my family (bio parents, step parents) have multiple tattoos. Most of them are biblical (crosses between the shoulder blades are the most common ones) getting tattoos when your old enough is pretty much expected in the family.

source: reddit

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

Especially if the motive is God-honoring, going in to be needled with wholesome, faith-related ink is often seen as a rather welcome experience.

But I guess your preference for tattoo removal is settled, right?

[farouk]

On 5/23/2025 at 5:46 PM, Anne2 said:

I think if I were young, I would do several piercings on my ears. To old for that stuff now. But i like that .

Hi @Anne2 In terms of customs today, I expect you understand why at 18 a tattoo parlor is often kind of regarded for both young men and young women to go into as a rite of passage.

I can see you do understand also why adolescent young women like to go receive a few holes in each earlobe (whether in stages or even a few all at once).

Maybe also you understand why some adolescent young men have for decades liked to go receive a hole in one or both earlobes?

Willa said:

 "I adapted to men wearing ear rings".

In history, Cossack soldiers would wear earrings. So did a lot of sailors; in an oblique way, it was a sort of identification with Christianity in the sense that if they did hazardous work overseas and died, the metal in the earring might be sold to pay for what was regarded as a Christian burial; Willa would likely agree that there is a lot of precedent and history for it to be regarded as a manly custom.

[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.

Since today the most conservative of ppl may become quite naturally the clients of tattoo parlors, I guess you can see why many Christians do seem to accept that  becoming clients also and being thereafter a tattooed Christian man / Christian woman with Bible ref.s - etc. - inked in can be a rather wholesome experience, right?

Interesting you use the words nourishing and empowering.

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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. I've always worn long sleeves ..a professional persona as well as a unique one while I'm not working

julieannenw allnurses dot com

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[farouk]

Thanks for the 'like', @Your closest friendnt.

Fact is, that going into a tattoo parlor seems to have become such a benign, sought after thing......

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

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

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....that Christian young ppl to whom the appeal of expressing something faith-based may occur, don't seem to hesitate about going in to have their dermises rammed. (Way beyond the sailors and bikers demographics...)

Of course, there will always be legalists:

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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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I think both these quotes with opposite perspectives ring true as expressions of the great variety of ways that ppl think, right?

 

[Your closest friendnt]

13 minutes ago, farouk said:

Thanks for the 'like', @Your closest friendnt.

Fact is, that going into a tattoo parlor seems to have become such a benign, sought after thing......

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

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

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

....that Christian young ppl to whom the appeal of expressing something faith-based may occur, don't seem to hesitate about going in to have their dermises rammed. (Way beyond the sailors and bikers demographics...)

Of course, there will always be legalists:

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

Cachalot said:

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

christianityboard dot com

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

I think both these quotes with opposite perspectives ring true as expressions of the great variety of ways that ppl think, right?

 

To your last sentence we cannot say no.