Should a Christian get tattoos

[Theopolis]

I don't know if this topic has been covered in here before, so let me post my question.

Should Christian's get tattoos?
What are your thoughts?

Read the following and answer

Lev 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (KJV)

Lev 19:28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. (NASB)


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[pinoybaptist]

I don't know if this topic has been covered in here before, so let me post my question.

Should Christian's get tattoos?
What are your thoughts?

Read the following and answer

Lev 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (KJV)

Lev 19:28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. (NASB)


.

Weren't those Scriptures given to Israel to differentiate their practice in worship, being people of the living God, from the practice in worship to their dead gods of the tribes surrounding them, along with all the other laws of God ?

I don't see why I wouldn't allow any of my kids to have a tatoo if they wanted to, or any of my grandkids, supposing that they do it for reasons other than spiritual.
Only thing I'd say is don't overdo it like this beautiful woman in INK with the most tatto-covered body I think it becomes unsightly.

I already have some tattoos on me (left leg, left upper arm, right thigh).
I'm thinking of having a cobra draped from right shoulder with head smack in the middle of my chest to cover my by-pass surgery scar. Whatchathink ?:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Theopolis]

Weren't those Scriptures given to Israel to differentiate their practice in worship, being people of the living God, from the practice in worship to their dead gods of the tribes surrounding them, along with all the other laws of God ?

I don't see why I wouldn't allow any of my kids to have a tatoo if they wanted to, or any of my grandkids, supposing that they do it for reasons other than spiritual.
Only thing I'd say is don't overdo it like this beautiful woman in INK with the most tatto-covered body I think it becomes unsightly.

I already have some tattoos on me (left leg, left upper arm, right thigh).
I'm thinking of having a cobra draped from right shoulder with head smack in the middle of my chest to cover my by-pass surgery scar. Whatchathink ?:smilewinkgrin:

I don't know. For me personally, I would error on the side of caution. If God says not to get tattoos (Lev. 19:28), then why would I want to test Him? I always figured if God wanted me to have a tattoo, then He would have created me with one. Wait, I think He did, it's called my birth mark. Secondly, if I had a disfigurement in my flesh, such as a scar, I don't think I would personally have it tattooed over. I just am not the type of person who would pay someone, however many dollars it costs to have a needle rapidly pierce my flesh to inject various colors of ink under my skin. I can think of a hundred or so better more glorifying things to do with my time and money than to lay on a cot for four hours or so having art work performed on my body. Besides, my wife and doctor is the only one who would ever see it. My wife thinks tattoos are gross, and my doctor wouldn't give me a discount because of one.
I once knew a young man from Arkansas, whom I served with in the military. I was with him in a tattoo shop in Hong Kong, when he got a tattoo on his arm of a KKK guy with a sheet over his head. One day this young man visited several taverns, and ran across several black men who noticed the KKK tattoo on his arm and they took him and literally beat the tar out of this young man. After the man recovered from his whipping, he then went to another tattoo shop and had a black panther tattooed over top the KKK tattoo. TRUE STORY, I kid you not.

 

[pinoybaptist]

<snip>
I once knew a young man from Arkansas, whom I served with in the military. I was with him in a tattoo shop in Hong Kong, when he got a tattoo on his arm of a KKK guy with a sheet over his head. One day this young man visited several taverns, and ran across several black men who noticed the KKK tattoo on his arm and they took him and literally beat the tar out of this young man. After the man recovered from his whipping, he then went to another tattoo shop and had a black panther tattooed over top the KKK tattoo. TRUE STORY, I kid you not.

:laugh::laugh:

He's a sport, that guy.
At least now he won't have to worry about being beat up by blacks.

 

[blackbird]

I don't know if this topic has been covered in here before, so let me post my question.

Should Christian's get tattoos?
What are your thoughts?

Read the following and answer

Lev 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (KJV)

Lev 19:28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. (NASB)


.

I believe modern tatooing is a fad----worldly minded Christians follow these fads despite what Scripture teaches we should obstain from

When a Believer obtains a tatoo---he at that point has defiled his body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit---nonetheless---there are Christians who choose to deliberately disobey the point blank teaching of Scripture in securing said tatoo---which is not the will of the Lord Jesus taught in His word

It is a travisty to take what is written in the OT and then say there is no application to today---friend---you are lieing to yourself----Lev 19:28 applies to today just like Exodus 20:13 does-----go out and disobey OT law of Ex 20:13 and you'll find yourself in a world of trouble!!!!

Take Leviticus 19:28 point blank---and make application

 

[menageriekeeper]

I find myself in both disagreement and agreement with Bro. Blackbird. That doesn't usually happen.

I disagree that the ban on tatoos applies to us (us as in Christians living in 2010) because we don't mark our bodies in worship of the dead. God was making a point about worshipping ONLY Him, in a list of points that He wanted the Jewish people to follow in order to have them better associated with Him. I'm neither Jewish, nor under the law. However:

The New Testament proclaims our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit and tells us that we should take care of them as such. In line with those scriptures, I can't see any reason why I would need a tatoo to decorate my temple with. Others may feel differently. Such is the nature of having liberty in Christ.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

I don't think it's a sin, but it certainly isn't wise.

I have to be honest and say that I'm less likely to hire someone with a tattoo and, frankly, I've never seen a woman with a tattoo that didn't look trashy. After all, they don't call it a "tramp stamp" for nothing.

I never will forget going to a wedding once and standing as the bride entered. All the way down the aisle, she looked very beautiful, but I could hear snickers as she passed.

Then, when she walked past me, I saw why. She had tattoos over her shoulder that made the wedding dress look silly.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

I have a more purtinant question. Do tatoos come with our resurrected bodies? In otherwords if I get a tatoo now and my body is raised will it come along with the resurrection or will it not?

 

[menageriekeeper]

Umm, JDF, you do realize that a "tramp stamp" is a tatoo in a particular part of a woman's anatomy right. And that part ain't a shoulder or an ankle. It is called what it is because it is meant to attract male attention where a male's attention shouldn't be drawn too. (that's as polite as I can make it, folks!)

And yes, I would consider a tatoo of that type to be sin, because it invites/tempts men to sin.

 

[blackbird]

I find myself in both disagreement and agreement with Bro. Blackbird. That doesn't usually happen.

I disagree that the ban on tatoos applies to us (us as in Christians living in 2010) because we don't mark our bodies in worship of the dead. God was making a point about worshipping ONLY Him, in a list of points that He wanted the Jewish people to follow in order to have them better associated with Him. I'm neither Jewish, nor under the law. However:

The New Testament proclaims our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit and tells us that we should take care of them as such. In line with those scriptures, I can't see any reason why I would need a tatoo to decorate my temple with. Others may feel differently. Such is the nature of having liberty in Christ.

Liberty is not license

We have liberty "for all" here in the United States---but liberty does not mean I can play my radio to my neighbor's dislikeing---a la--disturbing the peace---the law is a license to put a cap on my liberty

See what I mean???

If I find out you are gonna get a tatoo----I'm gonna try to talk you out of it----I'm gonna try to talk you "into" NOT getting one---of course, anything I talk you INTO---somebody else can come along and talk you OUT of

And of course-----there is the liberty in Christ----but liberty in Christ does not give you license to disobey Scripture!!!!

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Umm, JDF, you do realize that a "tramp stamp" is a tatoo in a particular part of a woman's anatomy right. And that part ain't a shoulder or an ankle. It is called what it is because it is meant to attract male attention where a male's attention shouldn't be drawn too. (that's as polite as I can make it, folks!)

Yes, I do, but that doesn't change the fact that women with tattoos look trashy.

 

[blackbird]

I have a more purtinant question. Do tatoos come with our resurrected bodies? In otherwords if I get a tatoo now and my body is raised will it come along with the resurrection or will it not?

Nothing that defiles the body will enter in---IOW---no tatoos on our resurrected body---which is the same body "changed"----fit for eternity!!

 

[JMSR]

I've got a tattoo. I wish I didn't. Especially now that I've got kids. While I think that as Christians we have the liberty to make that decision, I still think it's a stupid decision. Levitical law should not have anything to do with it.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I have to be honest and say that I'm less likely to hire someone with a tattoo and, frankly, I've never seen a woman with a tattoo that didn't look trashy. After all, they don't call it a "tramp stamp" for nothing.

A tramp stamp is not tattoo on a woman.

A tramp stamp is a tattoo placed just above the rear end of a woman so that when she wears ultra-low riding jeans that expose her rear end, one can see the entire tramp stamp which usually entails a lot of small lettering that one has to get close to in order to read, therefore, one has to also stare at her "cleavage".

A woman with a tatto is not a tramp. There is nowhere in the Bible where is states that a woman with a tattoo is sexually immoral and sleeps with many, many men.

You make not like it. I personally don't like a lot of tattooing on anyone - men or women. But it doesn't make a woman a tramp.

 

[blackbird]

I don't know. For me personally, I would error on the side of caution. If God says not to get tattoos (Lev. 19:28), then why would I want to test Him? I always figured if God wanted me to have a tattoo, then He would have created me with one. Wait, I think He did, it's called my birth mark. Secondly, if I had a disfigurement in my flesh, such as a scar, I don't think I would personally have it tattooed over. I just am not the type of person who would pay someone, however many dollars it costs to have a needle rapidly pierce my flesh to inject various colors of ink under my skin. I can think of a hundred or so better more glorifying things to do with my time and money than to lay on a cot for four hours or so having art work performed on my body. Besides, my wife and doctor is the only one who would ever see it. My wife thinks tattoos are gross, and my doctor wouldn't give me a discount because of one.
I once knew a young man from Arkansas, whom I served with in the military. I was with him in a tattoo shop in Hong Kong, when he got a tattoo on his arm of a KKK guy with a sheet over his head. One day this young man visited several taverns, and ran across several black men who noticed the KKK tattoo on his arm and they took him and literally beat the tar out of this young man. After the man recovered from his whipping, he then went to another tattoo shop and had a black panther tattooed over top the KKK tattoo. TRUE STORY, I kid you not.

During WW2---the Germans took the Jews---and did several things to them in insult

1. They took away their name--& 2. gave them a number----which is an insult to them---The Germans would insult the Jew this way---in the Bible the Jews were always associated with their various names-----"Thou shalt no more be called Abram---but AbraHAM!!!!! "Call His NAME Jesus"

Theres always been something about a Jew and his/her name---but the Germans assigned each Jew a number-----what a coincidence---because the Bible says that in the time of Jacob's Trouble(the Great Tribulation)---each person will receive a NUMBER

The Germans insulted the Jews this way

Then 3. The Germans tatooed the assigned number upon the arm(flesh) of the Jew----------adding yet another insult in the tatooing which runs against the holiness of Scripture

When you mark your flesh----you are marking the property of the Holy Spirit

 

[Joman]

is there any difference between a woman making a hole in her ear to put an earing and a tatoo?

Why so normal perforate the temple of the Holly Spirit and big caution to paint it?

Sorry for my english.

 

[Jim1999]

I have a tattoo on my right forearm. It is crossed national flags and hands shaking in friendship. It is long faded now, but still discernable. I got it as a dare from fellow soldiers, that "a padre would never get a tattoo." I did, spent my four dollars and then said, "I expect to see all you men at chapel on Sunday." They did!

Would I get one to-day? Not very likely. I spent a lifetime covering it up with long sleeves. My choice has nothing to do with scripture, but everything to do with common sense and personal choice.

My tattoo was never a conflict in ministry. The most common comment I received was if I had been in the military. Tattoos in the early days were directly connected with military service. No harm done.

On the resurrected body, none of us has a clue what the resurrection body will look like. There are some discussions about this body, but nothing concrete. There is a lot of imaginative talk, but beyond that and perfection, I haven't a clue.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[JohnDeereFan]

A woman with a tatto is not a tramp.

I disagree.

There is nowhere in the Bible where is states that a woman with a tattoo is sexually immoral and sleeps with many, many men.

There's nothing in the Bible that says an onside kick has to go ten yards or be touched by a member of the receiving team before it can be recovered, either.

Even Jesus said that what's on the outside is an indication of what's on the inside.

 

[annsni]

I believe modern tatooing is a fad----worldly minded Christians follow these fads despite what Scripture teaches we should obstain from

When a Believer obtains a tatoo---he at that point has defiled his body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit---nonetheless---there are Christians who choose to deliberately disobey the point blank teaching of Scripture in securing said tatoo---which is not the will of the Lord Jesus taught in His word

It is a travisty to take what is written in the OT and then say there is no application to today---friend---you are lieing to yourself----Lev 19:28 applies to today just like Exodus 20:13 does-----go out and disobey OT law of Ex 20:13 and you'll find yourself in a world of trouble!!!!

Take Leviticus 19:28 point blank---and make application

Here's a c&p from what I said on another board (it's easier to copy than to retype it all since I need to get going anyway). It was a young girl asking if it was OK for a Christian to get a tattoo since she wanted one.

I know many use the Leviticus verse but when we look at the verse before it, it says "'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." Unless we want to follow ALL of the law - that was given to the Israelites (which most Christians are not), we don't need to use that as a hard rule for us. I DO think that there are things to learn from the levitical law but we are not bound to them.

Tattoos are not a sin to get. Many strong Christians I know have them. However, some wisdom is important when getting one because it's a permanent mark on your body. Think through the future about how your spouse would look at it, would it deter an employer from hiring you because of it and how will it look when your skin is no longer it's youthful self (which totally happens - trust this middle aged lady). Additionally, think about the purpose in getting one. Think thoroughly about the "why" you are getting one. Is it because you want to be like your friends? Do you think it would be "cool"? Finally think about what you will have on you for the rest of your life. If it's a boyfriend's name - skip it. LOL Even if you marry him, if you were to ever divorce or lose him to death, you'll have that name forever on your body.

So those are my thoughts on tattoos.

 

[webdog]

I don't know. For me personally, I would error on the side of caution. If God says not to get tattoos (Lev. 19:28), then why would I want to test Him? I always figured if God wanted me to have a tattoo, then He would have created me with one. Wait, I think He did, it's called my birth mark. Secondly, if I had a disfigurement in my flesh, such as a scar, I don't think I would personally have it tattooed over. I just am not the type of person who would pay someone, however many dollars it costs to have a needle rapidly pierce my flesh to inject various colors of ink under my skin. I can think of a hundred or so better more glorifying things to do with my time and money than to lay on a cot for four hours or so having art work performed on my body. Besides, my wife and doctor is the only one who would ever see it. My wife thinks tattoos are gross, and my doctor wouldn't give me a discount because of one.
I once knew a young man from Arkansas, whom I served with in the military. I was with him in a tattoo shop in Hong Kong, when he got a tattoo on his arm of a KKK guy with a sheet over his head. One day this young man visited several taverns, and ran across several black men who noticed the KKK tattoo on his arm and they took him and literally beat the tar out of this young man. After the man recovered from his whipping, he then went to another tattoo shop and had a black panther tattooed over top the KKK tattoo. TRUE STORY, I kid you not.

You cannot pick and choose. If you want to err on the side of caution, do you leave your hair long at the temples and keep your mixed fabrics from touching?

I should have scrolled down...I see Ann already touched on this