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

[farouk]

11 hours ago, enoob57 said:

If He didn't like it then (in the context you presented) how will He like it now?

I think there is quite a bit of difference from making a permanent mark to the clipping of hair but neither here nor there... we are not under law!

My whole point is God seems to not want us to follow after the worlds practices as it relates us to agreeing with said world in their ways... hence the verses I quoted to you above... anyway that's my take on tattoos...

Law keeping didn't work then and will not work now- for it is a do to get scenario... But now with the presence of God The Holy Spirit within it is Love for God thus I do

John 14:21-24 (KJV)

[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

[22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

[23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

[24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

 

Hi @enoob57  Thanks for your various comments.

It's interesting that in Isaiah 44.5 the KJV has: "One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord..."

ESV: "This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,..."

NASB: "This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; And that one will call on the name of Jacob; And another will write on his hand, ‘Belonging to the Lord,’ ..."

CSB: 'This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; another will use the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and take on the name of Israel.”

 

(I have restricted the quotations to versions which are more formal.)

It has been commented: 'Here a tattoo appears to be allowable as a sign of submission, not to a human master but to God.' (biblestudytools dot org)

cc @nebula

Edited December 29, 2024 by farouk

[nebula]

5 hours ago, enoob57 said:

If He didn't like it then (in the context you presented) how will He like it now?

I think there is quite a bit of difference from making a permanent mark to the clipping of hair but neither here nor there... we are not under law!

My whole point is God seems to not want us to follow after the worlds practices as it relates us to agreeing with said world in their ways... hence the verses I quoted to you above... anyway that's my take on tattoos...

Law keeping didn't work then and will not work now- for it is a do to get scenario... But now with the presence of God The Holy Spirit within it is Love for God thus I do

John 14:21-24 (KJV)

[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

[22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

[23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

[24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

 

OK, this is what I am hearing from you:

26You must not eat anything with blood still in it.
You must not practice divination or sorcery. - Follow and obey

27You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. - No need to follow and obey; we are no longer under the law

28You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. - Follow and obey

[farouk]

Thanks to all who have voted so far in the poll.

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

[farouk]

18 hours ago, nebula said:

 ...given me a lot to think about. The rest is just dealing with life as it comes along. I'm also an analytical thinker, so yes...

@nebula

It would appear in any case that many Godly folk - to profusion, even - do seemingly in the fear of God pursue an option to receive designs that inevitably lead to edifying discussion.

FYI:

I think the pastor's wife has a faith tattoo.... quite a few in my church have faith based tattoos and my friend and I were talking about them....I've seen tattoos that have a lot of meaning like mine. I feel mine is special and thankful I got it.

Mayflower christianityboard dot com

This, against the background culturally that the most conservative of people are known to opt for ink.

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

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

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

 

[enoob57]

2 hours ago, nebula said:

OK, this is what I am hearing from you:

26You must not eat anything with blood still in it.
You must not practice divination or sorcery. - Follow and obey

27You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. - No need to follow and obey; we are no longer under the law

28You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. - Follow and obey

This is what I am saying succinctly: The child of God wishes to please God in every way possible and if we know He did not like a thing and has said no different then we must think He still thinks about such now... thus the question do you know anywhere that might be... dietary laws and dress has all been made moot with exception of modesty of course... as far as the rest I am satisfied I have made my point...

 

[farouk]

On 5/29/2023 at 2:14 PM, Anne2 said:

She is also tattooed, very discreetly though.

Hi @Anne2 FYI, did you see the new poll, above?

(Seeing as it's a really highly sought after procedure, as you well know.)

[farouk]

@hopper

Thanks for participating in the poll.

Seems like your response indicates you have some impressions.

[farouk]

Hi @NConly

On 6/11/2024 at 8:42 PM, NConly said:

 it does not take long before one learns just how many conversations are started by tats. I am always asking people about their tats.

Some Christians are always going to feel inhibited from going ahead and having it done (even though tattoos are a thoroughly proven conversation-starter, like you say).

Others keep returning for appointments with artists with a great deal of confidence, very evidently. FYI:

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 )
.........

[hopper]

2 hours ago, farouk said:

@hopper

Thanks for participating in the poll.

Seems like your response indicates you have some impressions.

I do. I do not like them, but I do not believe them to always be a sin, and I respect the value they have to some, especially to those for whom they have a healthy spiritual meaning.

I'm from a generation (I'm 67) and culture (a conservative Reformed American South) where they have been frowned upon as undesirable even uncouth. We Presbyterian and Reformed were initially against iconography, feeling that such too often led to idolatry. We often are still against 'pictures' of Christ, human statuary (ex. Mary, the mother of Jesus), stained glass depictions of the life of Christ and the Apostles, etc. It's a bit of the reason Protestant crosses are plain, whereas Roman Catholic crosses usually depict Christ on the cross.

Such distaste carries over somewhat to body art. I personally just generally find it unattractive, much as I do body piercings, particularly on the face. 

On the other hand, I find any proscription in Scripture to be largely cultural ("Do not do as the heathen do... Do not do as the Pharisees do..., etc.). The Children of Israel were even commanded to have phylacteries or tefillin between their very eyes so that such Scripture would be a reminder to them. Nose rings were often like our wedding bands, as a witness of the marriage covenant.

A problem arises however, if one may come to rely upon amulets or tats and the like as crossing over from a due reminder to some fashion of belief in a protective power residing within them, rather than a faith in the sovereign love and predestination of God alone. We humans are delicate creatures when it comes to adorning ourselves immodestly or misplacing faith worship with something like a 'sacred cow'. 

Tats can be great. Tats can also be not so great. I'd rather avoid them for myself.

[farouk]

3 hours ago, hopper said:

I do. I do not like them, but I do not believe them to always be a sin, and I respect the value they have to some, especially to those for whom they have a healthy spiritual meaning.

I'm from a generation (I'm 67) and culture (a conservative Reformed American South) where they have been frowned upon as undesirable even uncouth. We Presbyterian and Reformed were initially against iconography, feeling that such too often led to idolatry. We often are still against 'pictures' of Christ, human statuary (ex. Mary, the mother of Jesus), stained glass depictions of the life of Christ and the Apostles, etc. It's a bit of the reason Protestant crosses are plain, whereas Roman Catholic crosses usually depict Christ on the cross.

Such distaste carries over somewhat to body art. I personally just generally find it unattractive, much as I do body piercings, particularly on the face. 

On the other hand, I find any proscription in Scripture to be largely cultural ("Do not do as the heathen do... Do not do as the Pharisees do..., etc.). The Children of Israel were even commanded to have phylacteries or tefillin between their very eyes so that such Scripture would be a reminder to them. Nose rings were often like our wedding bands, as a witness of the marriage covenant.

A problem arises however, if one may come to rely upon amulets or tats and the like as crossing over from a due reminder to some fashion of belief in a protective power residing within them, rather than a faith in the sovereign love and predestination of God alone. We humans are delicate creatures when it comes to adorning ourselves immodestly or misplacing faith worship with something like a 'sacred cow'. 

Tats can be great. Tats can also be not so great. I'd rather avoid them for myself.

Thank-you, @hopper, for your comments, indeed.

Some ppl are never going to like tattoos.

For some Christians they are likely to seem compelling, especially in some circumstances.

Such as: when a Christian woman with a tattoo of the name of a non-Christian ex-bf might be strongly driven to have it modified, e.g., from BILL to BIBLE, etc., and thus not be condemned to have a constant reminder of her pre-conversion days, but instead have something much more in keeping with her convictions. (One can thus imagine her as a Christian going joyfully into the tattoo parlor for such a further ink up.)

This is also against the cultural background of the undeniable, established fact that beneath the sleeves of the most conservative of people may lie some ink (of course, in variable degrees of design success...). While years ago associated more with male sailors and bikers, women now certainly participate in it fully. FYI:

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

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

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

But some ppl indeed are never going to like tattoos; this is only to be expected.