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Why are Christians are getting TATTOOED?

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by Gavin, Feb 8, 2003.

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  1. Gavin

    Gavin New Member

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    Dear Saints,

    In these days of waning devotion to Christ one troubling sign is the number of Christian young people getting tattooed. Why is this? Are they just trying to be popular with the crowd? Or are they expressing some deeper need that the church today is not meeting?

    A tattoo is a tribal marking signifying an intiation into a blood covenant relationship.

    But isn't our walk with Jesus a blood covenant relationship? If so, then why haven't our young people heard of this? Have we watered down the Gospel so much that it is no longer evident? Our Chinese Christian brothers and sisters overseas understand. Why do we in the comfortable west not understand?

    When a Christian gets tattooed and pierced with rings and studs might he or she be indicating a deep seated desire to enter into a deeper blood covenant commitment to someone? If so, then why is Blood Covenant Christianity, i.e. faith in Jesus unto death being neglected in our ministry? Why is it being watered down to a "deal with" Jesus for a ticket to heaven?. Why is the blood covenant aspect being carefully avoided by the church? Do they think it is too "extreme". Does it fall outside the "positive thinking" box? In these days of "positive confession" are we too ashamed of the sufferings of Christ to address these matters?

    Here is an article on the issue of ""Blood Covenant Christianity". It is the only one on the net. No one else is speaking of these things yet. But this might prove to be essential information for Christians who think (and will probably soon travel), "outside of the religious box".
    http://endtimepilgrim.org/bloodcove.htm

    Grace and peace to all who love His appearing,

    Gavin
     
    #1 Gavin, Feb 8, 2003
  2. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Gavin, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
     
    #2 Mike McK, Feb 8, 2003
  3. Gavin

    Gavin New Member

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    Dear Mike,

    Perhaps you are right. It might just be simple matter of a neat image on the skin. This tattoo business might be just be a simple matter of being "cool, man!"

    On the other hand it might be a deeper matter. Perhaps a more sinister one.
    God has sent a woman to us.
    Shall we listen to her?

    Proverbs 1:20
    'Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square.
    1:21
    She calls out to the crowds along the main street, and to those in front of city hall.
    1:22
    "You simpletons!" she cries. "How long will you go on being simpleminded? '

    Blessings to those who love His appearing,
    Gavin
    http://endtimepilgrim.org
     
    #3 Gavin, Feb 8, 2003
  4. Acts 1:8

    Acts 1:8 New Member

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    The Bible teaches our bodies are temples of the holy Spirit and when addressing women it says

    1 Peter 3
    3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.


    I see tattoos as just another form of vanity.
     
    #4 Acts 1:8, Feb 8, 2003
  5. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    Because they are vain. Did you ever see these big macho men walking around in the dead of winter with shorts and tee-shirts on to show off their tattoos? Pagan vanity. NOw if someone gets tattooed before they are saved then thats a different story. But Christians? No excuse.
     
    #5 Ps104_33, Feb 8, 2003
  6. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Yes, it is.

    ...and black UN helpcopters might be hovering outside your house...and the pyramid on the back of the dollar might be a sign that thr Trilateral Commission is running our country...and JFK might secretly be alive and living on a Greek Island...

    Funny, I hear the conspiracy theories being floated around here and wonder the same thing, myself.
     
    #6 Mike McK, Feb 8, 2003
  7. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    As far back as the 2nd World War, Korea and other conflicts, men came home bearing tattoos. I have one on my right arm,,,,,a patriotic tattoo of the Union Jacks crossed with clasped hands below. I was a chaplain at the time. Why? To be honest, it was a dare by the men that a chaplain would never get a tattoo. It became a bond to those men. I was one with them....just maybe,,,,,maybe,,it opened doors of ministry in that bond.

    The reason doesn't even come close to the reason for the tattoos mentioned in the Old Testament. Do I wish it wasn't there? Sometimes. I always wore long sleeves to cover it, but I never denied it, nor made excuses for it and it certainly wasn't anything to do with religion or covenants,,,,,,but it did create a human bond with deperate men who already feared for their lives in combat.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #7 Jim1999, Feb 8, 2003
  8. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Tattoos can be gotten for a number of reasons, all of them seem to be wrong. The vast majority, at least in the last few years, have been because it is "cool". Sometimes they get them because of peer pressure, sometimes because they are drunken sailors (my father, for instance), sometimes because they have a mindset that views them as "artistic expression"
    Lev 19:28 doesn't use the word "tattoo" but it is the same idea. I klnow it is not specifically saying that all tattoos are always wrong but it is talking about the same idea in a negative way.
     
    #8 Artimaeus, Feb 8, 2003
  9. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    Lev 19:28 was the verse to which I was making reference.....it was making a marking for the dead:
    "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh (this means tattoo) for the dead; nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."

    This is talking specifically about the heathen surrounding the camps of Israel and whom the Israelites were copying.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #9 Jim1999, Feb 8, 2003
  10. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    I can understand were you are coming from. My father got one in WWII, he wasn't saved then but later became the finest Christian I have ever known. He wasn't proud of his but, also wasn't humiliated either. The reasons for getting one can range from the profoundly foolish to somewhat less than wise. My reaction to them is generally based on the reasons for it and yours would not evoke a strong reaction at all
     
    #10 Artimaeus, Feb 8, 2003
  11. Gavin

    Gavin New Member

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    Dear Jim,

    You have brought just the post I was hoping someone would bring, that is, the connection of tattoos with blood covenant commitment unto death. There is more to be discussed here than the admonition, "don't get a tattoo".

    The subject also embraces aspects of initiation and the making of of memories when the lives of men and their comrades are on the line.

    Our Apostle Paul spoke of the marks in his body left by his blood covenant encounters. They were not put in by him of course. But they were marks nevertheless. Marks that he remembered.

    "From henceforth let no man trouble me. For I bear in my body the marks of Christ. -Gal.6:17

    Blessings in Christ,

    Gavin
    http://endtimepilgrim.org/bloodcove.htm
     
    #11 Gavin, Feb 8, 2003
  12. HeDied4U

    HeDied4U Well-Known Member
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    #12 HeDied4U, Feb 8, 2003
  13. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    Exodus 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself a graven (carved) image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth".

    So is a Tattoo a Carved / Graven image?

    It would not be unreasonable to think that a tattoo is carved onto the flesh. You are fashioning the flesh to an image.

    So if we have an image of an Eagle that is a likeness of something from the Earth, a Shark, Something from the sea, an empty cross something from Heaven.

    Many Tattoos definatley appear to be designs relating to asia, and foriegn Gods.

    If somebody has a tattoo and is converted, that is a different thing to a Christian going out and getting an image on them. I often used to think that Tattoos would be the mark of the Anti Christ, in the same way that the nazis marked the Jews. Yet it would appear that a microchip is a possibility.

    I would consider carefully what image it is you want to bear, why do you want it. I think there is no such thing as a Christian tattoo?
     
    #13 Ben W, Feb 8, 2003
  14. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Tattoos on people of dark skin are made by scarring the skin. Ancient records show such for decorative purposes in Nubia centuries before Abraham.

    Of course for us Anglos, dyes must be injected for the patterns of scarring to show up.

    Sailors, who feared being washing overboard and half eaten, or blown apart by cannonball, used tattooing for identification of body parts!

    Today, it is still a mark of identification. My SS Superintendent had some pretty gross tattoos and in recent years (since his conversion) has likewise converted many to symbols such as a cross.

    Marks of identification. Sounds like a sermon coming on . . [​IMG]
     
    #14 Dr. Bob, Feb 9, 2003
  15. InHim2002

    InHim2002 New Member

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    lol - i agree
     
    #15 InHim2002, Feb 9, 2003
  16. Gavin

    Gavin New Member

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    Gentlemen,

    Blood covenant issues as they relate to Jesus Christ are not a laughing matter.

    500 of our brothers and sisters in the faith died for Christ yesterday.

    500 will die today.

    And 500 Christian believers will die tomorrow for the faith in our Lord Jesus.

    Their blood is being spilled on the ground.

    And their angels minister before the throne of God Almighty.

    Gavin
     
    #16 Gavin, Feb 9, 2003
  17. Terry_Herrington

    Terry_Herrington New Member

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    It's pretty tough to take anything from that website to serious. Maybe a tattoo is simply a tattoo without any conspiracy theories.
     
    #17 Terry_Herrington, Feb 9, 2003
  18. John Wells

    John Wells New Member

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    It would be very questionable for a Christian to get a tattoo depicting "worldly" images or things (examples: un-Christlike musical groups, satanic images, etc.). As to something like a cross, a rose, their spouse's name, etc., it would be legalistic at best to argue against that.

    I do think that by and large, young Christians are seeking to fit in by getting tattooed. If tattooes sudenly fell out of vogue, I'm certain young Christians would abandon the fad as well. A little more "be not conformed but be transformed" would make them much more effective witnesses to their lost peers!

    IMHO, God created my body the way He wanted it to be. He's numbered the hairs on my head and the days of my life. I'm not going to mark His creation up, cover the ageing, graying hair with dye, or any other cosmetic coverups (not condemning makeup for women at all, nor skin cremes to slow down the wrinkling process). I'm happy to let God be God and accept me the way He wanted me! [​IMG]

    [ February 09, 2003, 01:30 PM: Message edited by: John Wells ]
     
    #18 John Wells, Feb 9, 2003
  19. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Whatever tattos were, today they are used by this generation to mark significant moments in ones life, a birth, death or significant accomplishment. The whole idea of making a tattoo into something more then that today is a lot like making the Christmas tree into a.... oh wait don't go there!
     
    #19 go2church, Feb 9, 2003
  20. John Wells

    John Wells New Member

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    Based on that then, a lot of people are having some pretty wicked "significant moments!" :eek:
     
    #20 John Wells, Feb 9, 2003
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