Tattoos

Got a question? We may have some answers!
Forum rules

1) This is a Christian site, respect our beliefs and we will respect yours.

2) This is a family friendly site, no swearing or posting offensive links, pictures, or signatures.

3) Please be respectful of others.

4) Trolls are not welcome and will be dealt with accordingly.

5) No racial comments, jokes or images

6) If you see a dead thread over 6 months old, let it rest in peace

7) No Duplicate posts
User avatar
ScotchRobbins
VIP Member
VIP Member
Posts: 893
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:45 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Somewhere in the wilderness of Michigan.
Contact:
Lazarus wrote:Something slightly tragic about American Christians is that they often seem to be less informed about what the Bible says than the average atheist.
True that. Curiously enough, it's usually the uninformed ones who are vehement about matters. My priest knows the Good Book like the back of his hand, and he's the least argumentative guy you could meet. All smiles.
[Insert witty afterthought here]
User avatar
ArcticFox
CCGR addict
Posts: 3502
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:00 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Contact:
ScotchRobbins wrote:My priest knows the Good Book like the back of his hand, and he's the least argumentative guy you could meet. All smiles.
That comes from confidence in one's beliefs, and the security of knowing where they come from. The most combative people from any belief tend to be the ones who are the least secure, and they tend to seek validation by "winning" arguments.
"He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool."
—Brigham Young

"Don't take refuge in the false security of consensus."
—Christopher Hitchens
User avatar
ChickenSoup
CCGR addict
Posts: 3289
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:00 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: the doomed ship HMS Sinkytowne
Contact:
Incognitus wrote: I don't know the whole Bible off by heart, and I didn't do the research at the moment.

If you think about the origins of tattoos it came from heathens. Why should we practice a heathen/ pagan ritual?
Because tattoos aren't a pagan ritual, I guess?

They also sang songs during pagan rituals. Should we not sing songs?
My name is ChickenSoup and I have several flavors in which you may be interested
User avatar
Bruce_Campbell
Master Gamer
Master Gamer
Posts: 572
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:00 am
Contact:
I'm a heathen, and I probably won't ever get a tattoo. So you should probably go get one ASAP.
A vegan atheist walks into a bar. Bartender says "Hey, are you a vegan atheist? Just kidding, you've mentioned it like eight times already."
User avatar
ScotchRobbins
VIP Member
VIP Member
Posts: 893
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:45 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Somewhere in the wilderness of Michigan.
Contact:
ChickenSoup wrote:
Incognitus wrote: I don't know the whole Bible off by heart, and I didn't do the research at the moment.

If you think about the origins of tattoos it came from heathens. Why should we practice a heathen/ pagan ritual?
Because tattoos aren't a pagan ritual, I guess?

They also sang songs during pagan rituals. Should we not sing songs?
Uh... perhaps not Germanic Yuletide carols, perhaps? Can't think of anything else to sing at a "pagan celebration".

This is the part where somebody else says something sharp completely embodying the point I attempted to make while simultaneously diverting the conversation in a slightly different direction.
[Insert witty afterthought here]
User avatar
Bruce_Campbell
Master Gamer
Master Gamer
Posts: 572
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:00 am
Contact:
When I get together with my heathen buddies, we hang out, sit around a campfire, talk, dance, play games, watch movies, and have the occasional adult beverage and/or cigar. I guess all those things are off the table? Oh, and I like to play video games too. Better not do that anymore just to be safe.
A vegan atheist walks into a bar. Bartender says "Hey, are you a vegan atheist? Just kidding, you've mentioned it like eight times already."
cjv
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:22 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: On a lake reeling in a nice eight pound bass.
Contact:
Incognitus wrote:
Lazarus wrote:
Incognitus wrote: On a side note: Why would anybody want to get a tattoo in the first place? Is it because it is "cool" or something to take pride in? If that's the case, that's a great reason to steer CLEAR of them. To answer (whoever asked's) your question... I'm sure there are other scriptures out there that can be used against tattoos. Can you quote verses FOR tattoos is the question? If we are followers of Christ, we should walk as he walked. I don't recall reading anywhere in which he got a tattoo, but then again, there are a lot of things we do today in our modern society that Jesus probably didn't do. Obviously they didn't have computers and stuff like that.

Nevertheless...

Still, I definitely would not recommend a tattoo. If I got one, I would be ashamed of myself.
The fact that you're "sure there are other scriptures" but can't think of any indicates that you don't know of any, and I don't either, so I guess we'll agree that there's not much scriptural backing for the tattoo ban.

As to your second question, there are several kinds of tattoos I can see Biblical support for. Tattoos of evangelistic Bible verses, Christian symbols that declare our faith, or even something as simple as the common "I <heart> Mom" tattoo. The Bible tells us to spread the Gospel and show respect for our parents, and those tattoos do that.



And when you say you would be ashamed if you had a tattoo, despite not providing any legitimate reason to be ashamed, I feel you're encouraging the massive guilt complex mentality that is all too common among Christians.

Don't you believe that God wants us to be rejoicing that Jesus saved us from sin and death, not searching for the tiniest thing we can find in our lives to prove that we're horrible and should feel guilty all the time?

I don't know the whole Bible off by heart, and I didn't do the research at the moment.


If you think about the origins of tattoos it came from heathens. Why should we practice a heathen/ pagan ritual?

So are Christmas trees and Easter.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain
User avatar
ohnolookout
VIP Member
VIP Member
Posts: 815
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:00 am
Location: On the dark side of the moon.
Contact:
Incognitus wrote: Therefore we should not take pride in our bodies,
But what about my massive gains?

EDIT: My old college pastor had tattoos. About 7 of them actually. He had various Scripture in Hebrew and Greek. He also had the trinity knot with Scripture in Gaelic (or maybe it was Old English) around it. It was pretty awesome.

He takes pride in them, as he believes they are nothing more than an expression of what is important to that person. He'd probably say tattoos aren't worldly at all, and his actually are helpful to his ministry. To me, it doesn't make sense to think that tattoos are a result of being worldly or straying from God. If that were the case, he probably wouldn't have sold his house to move out of the country and plant churches.
Si ergo Filius vos liberaverit vere liberi eritis
User avatar
ArcticFox
CCGR addict
Posts: 3502
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:00 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Contact:
You know, I think a scripture passagee prettymuch sums up the best take-away I can think of for this thread...


Matthew 7:1-3
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

or

John 8:7
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

So before anyone starts slinging around terms like "excommunication" or suggesting that people should be ashamed of themselves for choosing something like a tattoo, be careful of hypocrisy or vanity, because surely when one casts judgments upon another, he's either ignoring is own flaws, or asserting that he is flawless.
"He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool."
—Brigham Young

"Don't take refuge in the false security of consensus."
—Christopher Hitchens
User avatar
ScotchRobbins
VIP Member
VIP Member
Posts: 893
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:45 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Location: Somewhere in the wilderness of Michigan.
Contact:
ArcticFox wrote:You know, I think a scripture passagee prettymuch sums up the best take-away I can think of for this thread...


Matthew 7:1-3
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

or

John 8:7
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

So before anyone starts slinging around terms like "excommunication" or suggesting that people should be ashamed of themselves for choosing something like a tattoo, be careful of hypocrisy or vanity, because surely when one casts judgments upon another, he's either ignoring is own flaws, or asserting that he is flawless.
^ This
[Insert witty afterthought here]
User avatar
Lazarus
CCGR addict
Posts: 2169
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:00 am
Contact:
If the Bible comes right out and says "Don't get tattoos" and yet Christians think they're fine, they should take the "homosexuality is bad" nonsense and stick it, in my view.
N1ghtBreak3r
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 387
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:52 pm
Are you human?: Yes!
Contact:
Lazarus wrote:If the Bible comes right out and says "Don't get tattoos" and yet Christians think they're fine, they should take the "homosexuality is bad" nonsense and stick it, in my view.
I don't think that's the right approach either. If it were than we can throw murder, adultery, and other such things out the window. If you don't follow one the rest should be ignored too, right?

That's a pretty dangerous way of thinking and is focusing in the letter of the law and not the heart of the law.

To be honest I don't know where I stand on this while issue of tats. One one hand I don't necessarily see anything wrong with them and have even considered getting one on several occasions. I know what scripture says in the OT but I also know that as a Christian, Christ came to set us free from the Old Testament and we entered into a new chapter of relationship with God. We moved into the grace era and Jesus began refocusing people in the heart of the law instead of the letter of the law.

Is it right to compare getting a tattoo with homosexuality? I think that's like comparing apples and oranges: comparisons could be forced but they are two different things with two totally different types of involvement. Jesus ate and hung out with sinners - he wasn't agreeing with their lifestyle but rather was more interested in their hearts.

All of that to say I think the motivation for getting a tattoo is at the heart of the matter - why are you getting one? I don't believe there is scripture supporting tattoos and I don't buy what someone was trying to sell about tattoos spreading the gospel or honoring your parents and in that manner they have biblical support.

This thread has gone everywhere and it's interesting to read the stories and opinions of all y'all. If I ever did get a tattoo I could see myself going with full sleeves cause almost every time I see someone with them I get a little antsy to get my first. :)

""I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive."
User avatar
Lazarus
CCGR addict
Posts: 2169
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:00 am
Contact:
N1ghtBreak3r wrote: I don't think that's the right approach either. If it were than we can throw murder, adultery, and other such things out the window. If you don't follow one the rest should be ignored too, right?

That's a pretty dangerous way of thinking and is focusing in the letter of the law and not the heart of the law.
I don't think so. "Love God and love your neighbour" sums up the heart of the law and the prophets, according to Jesus.

Murder and adultery both contradict those things, so clearly they are wrong.

Homosexuality actually involves loving your neighbour, just not in a platonic sense, and tattoos can be used to show that you love God.

But I wasn't recommending tossing it all out the window anyway. The way some people play fast and loose with interpreting what the Bible says we can and can't do is a real problem in Christianity.

My own parents have made complete 180s on some very serious doctrine in the past twenty years, and it blows my mind that something as critical as our salvation was written in such a way that this can happen.
If God cared about mistranslations why didn't He include a commentary with the Bible that wasn't written by Jewish people with a completely different religion?
User avatar
ArcticFox
CCGR addict
Posts: 3502
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:00 am
Are you human?: Yes!
Contact:
Lazarus wrote: Homosexuality actually involves loving your neighbour, just not in a platonic sense
So do incest and adultery. I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't cool with those things either.
Lazarus wrote: If God cared about mistranslations why didn't He include a commentary with the Bible that wasn't written by Jewish people with a completely different religion?
Because

1) Judaism isn't a completely different religion. Most of the Christan Bible comes directly from it as do *all* of the prophets (outside Mormonism.)
2) If you want commentary, then read Scripture prayerfully and ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit for understanding.
"He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool."
—Brigham Young

"Don't take refuge in the false security of consensus."
—Christopher Hitchens
User avatar
Lazarus
CCGR addict
Posts: 2169
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:00 am
Contact:
ArcticFox wrote:
Lazarus wrote: Homosexuality actually involves loving your neighbour, just not in a platonic sense
So do incest and adultery. I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't cool with those things either.
Adultery is specifically forbidden by the seventh commandment! Incest is a taboo in ninety-nine point nine percent of all cultures worldwide since the beginning of time!

I'm pretty sure Jesus should have darned well said homosexuality was wrong if He had so much time on His hands he could rattle off speeches about merely wanting to have sex being a massive sin.
ArcticFox wrote: 1) Judaism isn't a completely different religion. Most of the Christan Bible comes directly from it as do *all* of the prophets (outside Mormonism.)
2) If you want commentary, then read Scripture prayerfully and ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit for understanding.
If I wanted a completely biased and totally different from any other Christian's interpretation "commentary", I'd rely on the Holy Spirit's slightly unhelpful guidance.

My own parents, two of the most godly and Christian people I know, who always try to ascertain the correct meaning of God's Word so they can live their lives in accordance with His Will, disagree on dozens of different doctrines and verses.

And to your first point, according to most major denominations of Christianity, all the Jews are going to hell. According to the Jewish religion, all the Christians are going to hell. Two very different religions, and ironically nearly the same Holy Book. The Holy Spirit dropped the ball again, I think.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests