bodyofchrist32
New Member
I have always heard that tattoos are wrong and sinful, but can somebody tell me why? What scripture is used to support this?
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Tattoos
- Thread starter bodyofchrist32
- Start date
Jerome:
It says "for the dead", so basically the concept is tattoing in dedication to the dead, or for religious purposes.
Not that I'm saying tattoing is acceptable.
I don't see someone calling himself a Christian and decorated like a hell's angel.
But it's just me.
I don't think it's a sin.
It says "for the dead", so basically the concept is tattoing in dedication to the dead, or for religious purposes.
Not that I'm saying tattoing is acceptable.
I don't see someone calling himself a Christian and decorated like a hell's angel.
But it's just me.
I don't think it's a sin.
Based on the fact that a Christian's body is a temple for God's spirit to indwell and based on the artistic nature of most tattoos, I would say that most tattoos are akin to gang graffiti on the church building.
My first question of a Christian would be what is the motive, the reason for getting tattooed? Does it bring glory and honour to God? Their response would determine if it was a sin, and I cannot judge that, but it will be judged when they stand before Christ and give account.
My first question of a Christian would be what is the motive, the reason for getting tattooed? Does it bring glory and honour to God? Their response would determine if it was a sin, and I cannot judge that, but it will be judged when they stand before Christ and give account.
Tom Butler
New Member
I suspect that most people who get tattoos are thinking about everything but glorifying God in it.
If God saves them, it's still too late.
If God saves them, it's still too late.
You heard wrong. There's nothing in scripture that forbids tattoos. The verse in Lev. 19:28 (You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead) referrs to a form of disfiguring for the purpose of idolatry.
Like anything, though, it's possible to abuse it. If you want a tattoo, make sure it honors your body and does not dishonor it. Like piercings, what consistutes honoring vs dishonoring can vary.
Honor your body? How about honoring God?
I don't think tattoos are neccessarily a sin, but all we do should be for God's glory.
Since the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, honring one's body is a noble thing. Honoring your body can and frequently does honor God. A tattooo in and of itself doesn't necessarily dishonor the body or God.
I got one on the right thigh, covers half of the thigh. Done the old fashioned way. You know. 24 needles on a popsicle stick, tied together so that the ends are shaped like a guillotine blade's slant, then heated, dipped in alcohol, swabbed or dipped into indian ink, then applied on to your skin. You deaden the pain with rum or gin, then swallow a coupla antibiotics for infection and aspirin for fever (which you will have, trust me).
'nuther one on my left shoulder, done the same way.
thought of getting one a coupla years ago, this one colored. American Eagle looking behind him clutching a closed Bible and a fragmented constitution flying away from a crowd with one shouting allahu so-on and another shouting down with religions.
guy who was gon' do it wanted to charge me five hundred dollars, and said it'll cover most of my back.
didn't think it was worth the money, and the skin.
'nuther one on my left shoulder, done the same way.
thought of getting one a coupla years ago, this one colored. American Eagle looking behind him clutching a closed Bible and a fragmented constitution flying away from a crowd with one shouting allahu so-on and another shouting down with religions.
guy who was gon' do it wanted to charge me five hundred dollars, and said it'll cover most of my back.
didn't think it was worth the money, and the skin.
RustySword
Member
Wow - this one hits close to home.
My oldest son was murdered in June of 2008 while standing outside a Christian recording studio, where he served as the sound engineer. All three of my children were very close growing up. My daughter - his younger sister by 2 years - made a copy of his signiture from the lease they had signed (they all rented a house together), took it to a tattoo artist, and he enlarged it, made a stencil out of it, and tattooed it onto the back of her neck, where it is covered by her hair unless she is wearing it up.
So one could say that she tattooed herself for the dead. But somehow, I doubt if this was the spirit of the command in Leviticus.
Some of my friends, especially the ones that have tattoos, were very touched by this and suggested I do the same thing, only maybe on an upper arm. I have resisted so far - I have an aversion to needles.
My oldest son was murdered in June of 2008 while standing outside a Christian recording studio, where he served as the sound engineer. All three of my children were very close growing up. My daughter - his younger sister by 2 years - made a copy of his signiture from the lease they had signed (they all rented a house together), took it to a tattoo artist, and he enlarged it, made a stencil out of it, and tattooed it onto the back of her neck, where it is covered by her hair unless she is wearing it up.
So one could say that she tattooed herself for the dead. But somehow, I doubt if this was the spirit of the command in Leviticus.
Some of my friends, especially the ones that have tattoos, were very touched by this and suggested I do the same thing, only maybe on an upper arm. I have resisted so far - I have an aversion to needles.
Last edited by a moderator:
Maybe, maybe not.
But I believe He will bear the scars of crucifixion for eternity.
Selah.
HankD
I'm very sorry to hear about your son.
Losing somebody because of natural causes is one thing, losing him/her because of somebody who had no right to take life, is another.
I don't think your daughter's motives even hits close to the reason for the prohibition.
I hope the murderer is in jail doing time ?
God bless.
Tom Butler
New Member
I wonder how many folks with tattoos eventually have second thoughts when they grow up.
That is the downside of tatooing. Calling it skin art does not change the fact that once it's there, it's there, and when youthful exuberance starts to mellow (did I say that right ?), there's no way to remove it without leaving some trace behind.
In my country and in my time, we had tatoos covered up by tatooing mother's breast milk onto the design. Or we had what we called "manteca de papel", which was like glueboard you put on top of the tatoo and pulls your first layer of skin off. Ouch !
Had a friend who because he was a convict and doing double life for killing another during a prison riot thought he was never going to get out of prison and so had an a-shirt tattooed on his front torso, from shoulder to waist, completely black, took two months to finish.
Then on his back he had a picture of a "Christ" complete with the crown of thorns, holding an M-16 and ammo belt around his chest, firing it, with a caption below saying in the vernacular "I'm sick and tired of these people".
Well, he was converted, had a prison "ministry", and as a result of good behavior, let out in the early 90's. Now he had to deal with his tatoos. Good thing his wife bore him four kids. She had plenty of milk to share with him. lol.
ReformedBaptist
Well-Known Member
I would hope they executed the murderer.
I have a tattoo on my right forearm of crossed Canadian flags, hand-shaking and Canada written below it. This was the result of a dare that a chaplain would never get a tattoo. We were on our way to Korea. I insisted they show up for chapel service on Sunday. So, fifty cents later I had my scar for life, and yes, it was questionable by some for a pastor to have a tattoo. I mostly wore long sleeves.
Cheers,
Jim
By the way, the only way to remove a tattoo in those days was to visit a mortician who would make two cuts, remove the tattoo and sew up the arm. You would be left with two a long scar.
Cheers,
Jim
By the way, the only way to remove a tattoo in those days was to visit a mortician who would make two cuts, remove the tattoo and sew up the arm. You would be left with two a long scar.