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Mock brunch menu:
Moist banana bread with walnuts
Cold, creamy milk
Soft scrambled eggs seasoned with salt and pepper
Scrapple
Hot coffee with cream and sugar
Do you think it’s wrong for Christians to wear tattoos?
I came up with the subject for today’s Sunday Brunch while I was out on Friday evening. I passed a tattoo shop and this scripture came to my mind:
Leviticus 19:28 28“ ‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
This scripture is taken from the Old Testament, and far as I know, the New Testament does not mention this rule. I’ve seen some cool tattoos on folks, but, I’ve never been of the mind-set to get one. The thought of being pricked by that painful needle…and making that permanent mark on my skin has never appealed to me. Plus, as you get older, the tattoos don’t look as fresh and vibrant, they fade. I definitely wouldn’t want my skin crowded with faded tattoos!
However, I honestly don’t think that getting a tattoo is necessarily “wrong”. I tend to think more of daily-life Christian laws as being taken from the New Testament, moreso than the Old Testament. However, people may disagree with me about tattoos and I’d like to get a discussion going about this subject. I know I was raised to believe that tattoos were wrong and this scripture was used to back up that “rule.” However, as I got older and more exposed to the world, my thinking has changed.
Although I don’t think getting a tattoo is wrong, it’s not something that I would encourage someone to do. Why? Well, like I’ve already said, the idea has just never appealed to me, and if my son were older (like a teenager) and wanted my permission to get a tattoo, I’d tell him NO!
So, do you think it’s wrong for Christians to get tattoos? Leave your response in the comments!
I definitely think it is one of those OT things that doesn’t apply under grace. If it did we could not cut our hair either.
Today it has become part of fashion and I don’t think it has the same stigma )as in ‘bad boy/girl) that it used to.
In a similar vein, I remember many years ago a certain denomination would not allow camp counselors to have their ears pierced. I also know of one church that asked a very devout and anointed worship leader to step down because she had a nose earring.
These kinds of things are not eternal, and taking a hard line on them just alienates people.
Just my thoughts. I’m sure their will be those that disagree. I doubt that the younger generation of Christians (under 30) even consider any of these things an issue.
Let’s love people and focus on eternal things, not temporal. 🙂
Cecelia,
Interesting that you mention tatoos as some of us in our church choir were discussing this today. One member mentioned a verse but I can’t remember where she said it was located, but it mentioned not piercing or tatooing our bodies. I am with you in that I’ve never considered it. But I do have this concern; any thing that mars our bodies is not a good thing. Anything that draws attention to US and away from God is not a good thing. Anything that can potentially harm one of us or cause harm to another by our example is not a good thing. So, I would say no, it is not good or right for a Christian to have a tatoo. Just my 2c. 🙂 Thanks and God bless. Mary
@Tracy, I agree with you. Tattoos will not affect your salvation. I notice lots of people have them. I know it might look a bit weird if you have a high-level white-collar job, though.
@Mary, thanks for commenting. Interesting about not marring our bodies. However, does NOT marring our bodies include body piercings? Like, I believe it’s fairly safe to say that a greater majority of women (and lots of men) in the US (and perhaps other countries?) have their ears pierced – myself included. I wonder if God frowns upon that?
Some body piercings do look weird to me, however, if we say that body piercings are “bad” then, it should be inclusive of all piercings, including ears? Just my opinion…
As a fairly heavily tattooed Christian, I’d have to say no, its not wrong for me to have them. I have 19 tattoos, most of which are covered in everyday clothing. I can even wear a short sleeve shirt and a knee length skirt without exposing any of them.
The only visible tattoo is on my wrist, in flesh colored ink, and its the book, chapter and verse of my favorite Bible verse. Its not very noticeable but its only there for me anyways.
Hi Cecelia,
My concern with tattoos is that many people are getting them because of fashion and style. What hsppens when the fad changes? Or perhaps a young person desires a certsin job but can not obtain it because they have their first boyfriend’s name on her neck? Or if they want to get married and the one you love has someone else name on their body. I think tattoos are too permanent to be taken lightly.
I’ve always been interested in the fire bible global study edition. Maybe you’ll like it to. Take a look at it.
@Jennilee – I agree with you.
@Wanza – Yes, I agree that getting a tattoo should not be taken lightly. I think when young people get them, they don’t think about what it’s gonna be like, decades later, to have that tattoo. It won’t look as nice by then.
BTW, I believe that it’s possible to get a tattoo removed? I’m assuming a doctor would somehow remove it surgically?
Cecelia, there is laser tattoo removal that is improving all the time.
Personally, I thought the majority of my tattoos through to make sure that they were things I’d still like a few years down the road. Even as someone with tattoos, I don’t like neck or hand tattoos, mainly for the reasons Wanza mentioned.
There are so many Bible texts from the OT and NT that come to mind when this question is asked.
First of all, our bodies are not our own. Christ bought us when He paid for our sins. Second, our bodies are the temple of God and should be treated as such. Third, we are cautioned about adornment—to be modest so that our beauty from within shines through to others.Fourth, whether it is considered to apply under grace, do we have the right or ability to determine if what God has written to us in His Word is of importance or not?
God did give us free choice and it is not for me to judge a person because of tattoos or piercing except by His Word. I’m no better than anyone as I have my humanity. But this is my thought(s) on this question. Thank you for the question.
@Judi, thanks for responding. We should be modest in our dress, but as far as adornment…what’s considered adornment? Is makeup considered adornment? Earrings? Jewelry?
It’s such a vague term, but, we should be modest about how we physically present ourselves, yes.
If the Holy Spirit leads a person to put a cross or scripture on yourself for a special ministry..(example)..Hells Angels or mission..street ministry..very rare but it does happen..for God’s purposes only Nancy Louise Babcock
Thanks for commenting, Nancy. I agree.