Should a Christian get tattoos

[Amy.G]

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

The only time I can recall Jesus saying something of this nature was in reference to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees.


If He had used outside appearance as the indicator of what's on the inside, He wouldn't have allowed the prostitute to wash His feet with her tears.

 

[Amy.G]

Tattoos may not be something you like, but they are no more sinful than piercing your ears or coloring your hair. (Would that be a hair tattoo?)

 

[Scarlett O.]

I disagree.

So......you believe that a woman with a butterfly tattoed on her ankle is a whore? And you believe that a woman with her husband's initials inside of a heart tattooed on the back of her neck underneath her hair is sleeping with every man in town?

You and I are just going have to part ways on this one.

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.

I don't why you interjected non-Biblical ideas. I said was talking about Biblical things. The Bible says that (A) there are certain marks not to put on one's body and it gives the reason why. And (B) The Bible also defines what makes a woman a harlot. I merely explained that there is no connection between (A) and (B) in the Bible.

You are one who is asserting that there IS a connection.

I don't know why you brought up football.

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

No, brother, He said just the opposite. He said that the outside is not necessarily an indicator of the inside.

Matthew 23:27
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and everything impure."

Mark 1:14-15
"Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, 'Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"

Even God, Himself, said the following about the inside vs. the outside.

1 Samuel 16:7 - “Don’t be impressed with Saul’s handsome face or tall stature, because I have rejected him. You don’t look at people the way that I do. Mankind looks at the outward appearance, but God looks into the heart.”

It's people like you and like me who make judgments about people's character and moral behavior based on their outward appearances.

One cannot look at a tattoo a woman and automatically assume that she has many, many sex partners and is a harlot.....

....just like one cannot look at a clean-shaven, sharply dressed preacher behind the pulpit and assume that he has no sin in his life.

 

[paul wassona]

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.

The moral law hasn't changed. Tattoos are a matter of immorality by association in any aspect.

There's no need for a tattoo to cover anything that cosmetic surgery can't change that appearance so that is a very poor excuse.

We are of the Levitical priesthood spiritually and from the human aspect. Our part in the priesthood after the order of Melchisadec is only in Christ and has NOTHING to dio with any of our ability to maintain it.

The Levitical order is in effect morally, not ceremonially. It all has to do with sanctification by obedience to the commands found in the bible, not in our ability to keep those commandments perfectly, (which is an impossibility anyway).

God told Israel not to do it, we are the spiritual Israel and God hasn't changed.

 

[paul wassona]

Tattoos may not be something you like, but they are no more sinful than piercing your ears or coloring your hair. (Would that be a hair tattoo?)

Do you think tattoos beautify the body?:smilewinkgrin:

 

[paul wassona]

The only time I can recall Jesus saying something of this nature was in reference to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees.


If He had used outside appearance as the indicator of what's on the inside, He wouldn't have allowed the prostitute to wash His feet with her tears.

I believe that prostitue was a former one and her appearance had definitely changed else Jesus would not have allowed her to be adorned as the former prostitute to wash his feet. Why not? Because those onlookers knew her and DID see the outward and could not see the change in her heart that Jesus did see. She wasn't showing just remorse but total repentence and worship. There's a HUGE difference.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

So......you believe that a woman with a butterfly tattoed on her ankle is a whore?

No, I just believe that it looks trashy and that there is a reason women choose to get tattooed when they know it looks trashy.

I don't why you interjected non-Biblical ideas.

To illustrate that just because something isn't found in scripture doesn't mean it's not true.

No, brother, He said just the opposite.

Really? He said "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth doesn't speak"?

"Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, 'Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'

Agreed. I'm not talking about being clean or unclean.

[/U][/B] - “Don’t be impressed with Saul’s handsome face or tall stature, because I have rejected him. You don’t look at people the way that I do. Mankind looks at the outward appearance, but God looks into the heart.”

Irrelevant to this conversation.

It's people like you and like me who make judgments about people's character and moral behavior based on their outward appearances.

Yep.

If a guy shows up at my door when a t-shirt that says "NAMBLA Convention, 1988" and says, "Kim couldn't make it tonight so it looks like I'm going to be watching your kids", he's going to meet my two friends, Mr. Sig and Mr. Saur.

 

[Scarlett O.]

JDF,

The way that I read the verse you cited, Luke 6:45, is not about outward appearance that come from the outside.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

This is referring one's speech. The words the come from inside you....the flow from the heart to the mouth to the outside world....is either good or evil.

This isn't about things from the outside coming to you, such as clothes, make-up, slogans on tee shirts, length of one's hair.

I, for one, don't care for tattoos myself. But unless a person has a tattoo of Satan, or demons, or naked people on his or her body, I try very hard not to make judgments about their salvation, their worth to the Lord, or how many sexual partners they have.

I've come to learn that the heart is deceptively wicked and many, many people out there who give the outward impression of being saintly are anything but that. And unfortunately, I have learned it the hard and painful way.

 

[JMSR]

Tattoos are a matter of immorality by association in any aspect.

changed.

That's ridiculous, and it wasn't a moral law then either. It was separation from pagan practice. Are you saying I'm immoral until I have my tatoo removed?

 

[Scarlett O.]

That's ridiculous, and it wasn't a moral law then either. It was separation from pagan practice. Are you saying I'm immoral until I have my tatoo removed?

JMSR, you are correct and just let comments like that pass.

My grandfather had a tattoo and he was probably, even moreso than my own father, the most Godliest man I ever knew. Not because of his tattoo, not inspite of his tattoo....

....but because of his heart for God.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

JDF,

The way that I read the verse you cited, Luke 6:45, is not about outward appearance that come from the outside.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

This is referring one's speech. The words the come from inside you....the flow from the heart to the mouth to the outside world....is either good or evil.

This isn't about things from the outside coming to you, such as clothes, make-up, slogans on tee shirts, length of one's hair.

I, for one, don't care for tattoos myself. But unless a person has a tattoo of Satan, or demons, or naked people on his or her body, I try very hard not to make judgments about their salvation, their worth to the Lord, or how many sexual partners they have.

I've come to learn that the heart is deceptively wicked and many, many people out there who give the outward impression of being saintly are anything but that. And unfortunately, I have learned it the hard and painful way.

First of all, will you please stop with the crazy fonts and colors? It makes it next to impossible to quote you.

Second, I stand by the verse I quoted and believe that others will understand the point.

 

[Scarlett O.]

First of all, will you please stop with the crazy fonts and colors? It makes it next to impossible to quote you.

Second, I stand by the verse I quoted and believe that others will understand the point.

Well, I wasn't worried about what others thought, I was having a conversation with you. :type:

Consider me hereby ceased and desisted. :laugh:

 

[menageriekeeper]

The moral law hasn't changed. Tattoos are a matter of immorality by association in any aspect.

Prove it from scripture, Paul, that tatoos are part of the "moral" law. Show me from scripture how having a tatoo keeps me from "love God with all thy heart and love thy neighbor as thyself, for on these commandments rest the law and the prophets" (Cindi paraphrase of Mt 22: 37-40). That is the moral laws that we are to keep. The Jewish Laws are passed away. The only prohibition against tatoos is the scripture of the OP that clearly relates why behind the tatoo, to the prohibiton. (that of not tatooing for worship purposes)

I believe that prostitue was a former one and her appearance had definitely changed else Jesus would not have allowed her to be adorned as the former prostitute to wash his feet.

I don't know why you believe this, but you need to study your Roman history for a while longer. There was NO overcoming the title of prostitute. Once in the business there was NO getting out. Cruel but true. You can't assume that this prostitute was a former one, because she would have had no way then of making a living. NO one would hire a woman, much less one who had been a prostitute.

I believe Christ comes to us just as we are and this whole episode was to prove His love for those who couldn't possibly get out of the life they were stuck in. Remember, or learn, that prostitutes were most often SLAVES who had no say in their own destiny. Bible times and cultures are NOT our own.

but liberty in Christ does not give you license to disobey Scripture!!!!

Bro. Blackbird you are better than this. You have yet to prove that getting a tatoo in this day and age, one that is NOT associated with pagan worship, is disobedience to scripture.

JDF, you may hold the opinion that women with tatoos are trashy, but your opinion is just that. An opinion. And since we are giving opinions, right now, I don't have a very high one of a man who would judge anyone, much less a woman, on the basis of a tatoo to be "trashy". You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. You change hearts with scripture not opinion.


On another note: when you reply to this post realize that I will working until well after 5 o'clock this evening. I will return to this thread sometime after that, maybe waaay after that.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

JDF, you may hold the opinion that women with tatoos are trashy, but your opinion is just that. An opinion. And since we are giving opinions, right now, I don't have a very high one of a man who would judge anyone, much less a woman, on the basis of a tatoo to be "trashy".

I don't care. They still look trashy.

 

[paul wassona]

Prove it from scripture, Paul, that tatoos are part of the "moral" law. Show me from scripture how having a tatoo keeps me from "love God with all thy heart and love thy neighbor as thyself, for on these commandments rest the law and the prophets" (Cindi paraphrase of Mt 22: 37-40). That is the moral laws that we are to keep. The Jewish Laws are passed away. The only prohibition against tatoos is the scripture of the OP that clearly relates why behind the tatoo, to the prohibiton. (that of not tatooing for worship purposes)

You would just deny it again.

I don't know why you believe this, but you need to study your Roman history for a while longer. There was NO overcoming the title of prostitute. Once in the business there was NO getting out. Cruel but true. You can't assume that this prostitute was a former one, because she would have had no way then of making a living. NO one would hire a woman, much less one who had been a prostitute.

Should i now call you a pharisee?

I see people who come out of sin alot and i don't hold them to a higher standard than God like you say here.

I believe Christ comes to us just as we are and this whole episode was to prove His love for those who couldn't possibly get out of the life they were stuck in. Remember, or learn, that prostitutes were most often SLAVES who had no say in their own destiny. Bible times and cultures are NOT our own.

Huh? you mean the demoniac of Gedera was stuck with the swine and some imposter took his place following Jesus!!! You mean Mary Magdalene was stuck and she never quit being a prostitute!!!

Bro. Blackbird you are better than this. You have yet to prove that getting a tatoo in this day and age, one that is NOT associated with pagan worship, is disobedience to scripture.

JDF, you may hold the opinion that women with tatoos are trashy, but your opinion is just that. An opinion. And since we are giving opinions, right now, I don't have a very high one of a man who would judge anyone, much less a woman, on the basis of a tatoo to be "trashy". You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. You change hearts with scripture not opinion.


On another note: when you reply to this post realize that I will working until well after 5 o'clock this evening. I will return to this thread sometime after that, maybe waaay after that.

It's guilt by association.

If I have a gun and a dead body in my trunk and get searched, I may not be guilty of anything, but one thing for certain, I am going to jail!

If a person has a tattoo it proves they were willing to be associated with others who have them. Not only that, but it is a pagan practice to stick or be stuck with needles repeatedly to alter the skin.

It's called being "Emo" now.

 

[JMSR]

:laugh::laugh: So now I'm emo too? I'll remember that when I'm penning cows this afternoon.

 

[annsni]

I wonder if the following was Bic, Sharpie or maybe a tattoo:

Rev. 19:16 "And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.""

 

[Theopolis]

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

I hear ya, but would interject the following thought. I can change what clothes I am wearing, it only takes a minute to change them. I can grow my hair long or cut it short, it will shortly grow back again. But when I get a tattoo it's pretty much there forever.
I had plenty of opportunities in my youthful days before becoming a Christian while I was sitting in tattoo parlors in an drunken state to get a tattoo, just like all my drunken friends did. Even back then I felt a tug on my heart saying "don't do it"
Thirdly, why would someone want a tattoo to begin with? Here are a few possibilities.
1. They want to draw attention to themselves
2. They believe it makes their bare flesh look more appealing
3. They believe it fashionable (and it is in a worldly way)
4. They believe it projects a manly imagine (men)
5. For woman it portrays the bad girl image, and some women enjoy that projection

I'm sure there are other reasons as well. Maybe you folks with tattoos could fill the rest of us in on what reason or purpose you decided to get tattooed

 

[paul wassona]

I wonder if the following was Bic, Sharpie or maybe a tattoo:

Rev. 19:16 "And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.""

I can't understand why some don't understand.

The same Lord of all has a tattoo that said make no markings upon your flesh???

That's a S----T----R----E----T----C----H!

 

[paul wassona]

I hear ya, but would interject the following thought. I can change what clothes I am wearing, it only takes a minute to change them. I can grow my hair long or cut it short, it will shortly grow back again. But when I get a tattoo it's pretty much there forever.
I had plenty of opportunities in my youthful days before becoming a Christian while I was sitting in tattoo parlors in an drunken state to get a tattoo, just like all my drunken friends did. Even back then I felt a tug on my heart saying "don't do it"
Thirdly, why would someone want a tattoo to begin with? Here are a few possibilities.
1. They want to draw attention to themselves
2. They believe it makes their bare flesh look more appealing
3. They believe it fashionable (and it is in a worldly way)
4. They believe it projects a manly imagine (men)
5. For woman it portrays the bad girl image, and some women enjoy that projection

I'm sure there are other reasons as well. Maybe you folks with tattoos could fill the rest of us in on what reason or purpose you decided to get tattooed

Good pojnts, yet some will say they just wanted to without falling under any the catagories above:smilewinkgrin: