Poll: Tattoo art - Christian perspectives: Fight it? Ignore it? appreciate/embrace it?

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Poll: Tattoo art - Christian perspectives: Fight it? Ignore it? appreciate/embrace it?


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farouk

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Tattoos, I've heard it. There was an older gentleman who talked about Leviticus and that it was sinful as well as ear piercings and any other sort of piercing. I do not believe all of the OT Jewish laws are applicable for today. What applies is caring for your temple, and sometimes a tattoo can be caring for your temple. .. If you put something beautiful on your body in order to witness to the kingdom of God, that is using your body for God's glory. Now I have an anklet type tattoo that has a cross, treble clef, and heart- my three loves: music, my family, and Jesus Christ. .. It really has opened discussions a couple of times about God/church.

@Mayflower While it's rather baffling that someone would even voice objection to simple earrings, it's inevitable I guess that different Christians will have varying outlooks about getting tattooed.

Someone said:

Laish said:
Personally I don’t like tattoos. I have one. I got it before I was called to believe. .. nothing to be proud of .

But for you and many others, clearly the tattoo parlor offers opportunities to express something really meaningful which you see as positive as an inked up witnessing Christian woman.

Your view of it as something positive seems to be shared by many others:

Rita said:
I have never regretted my tattoo.. I love the tattoo..the tattoo was not liberating - the tattoo represented the liberation and freedom that the Lord had brought me through..The tattoo in of itself was merely the means of expression and the reminder.

Acolyte said:
My son had 7 or 8 tattoos before I even thought about it. ... Those who get scripture must be overjoyed. The money and pain are outweighed by the message they witness to... No more ink for me. ... I do think they are fine for whoever wants one. It's just not something I would do again.:)

And the fact is now that it's a lot of conservative ppl that view positively tattoo parlor services on offer, isn't it?

juliannenw said:
I am a nurse in a cardiac ICU. I am also pretty heavily tattooed. I am a well educated, well rounded nurse, and was raised with strong morals and manners. .. I am an extremely traditional person. I've always worn long sleeves .. I love having a professional persona as well as a unique one while I'm not working
allnurses dot com

GodsGrace said:
almost every young girl I know has some sort of tatoo.
Even those very conservative types.

What you say about it opening discussions is something that health professionals also report:

BluegrassRN said:
More of the nurses that I work with have tattoos than do not. On my shift, only three don't have them (of 13 nurses). We have several nurses (including myself) who have visible tattoos; one gal has them on her wrists. .. I get the most heartfelt compliments.... I've had a few wives tell me of their husbands' tattoos after seeing mine. It's such a sweet, intimate, bonding moment, and I feel so privileged to be told a story that may have only been related to close friends and relatives.
allnurses dot com

Heart2Soul said:
I have no problems with others choices to get a tattoo....I really like some of them. .. it is becoming a norm with health professionals.

So there are some ppl who feel they have strong reasons for not doing it.

Others, like yourself, feel they have indeed strong reasons for doing it.

(Does any of this make sense?)
 
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David in NJ

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@Mayflower While it's rather baffling that someone would even voice objection to simple earrings, it's inevitable I guess that different Christians will have varying outlooks about getting tattooed.

Someone said:

Laish said:


But for you and many others, clearly the tattoo parlor offers opportunities to express something really meaningful which you see as positive as an inked up witnessing Christian woman.

Your view of it as something positive seems to be shared by many others:

Rita said:


Acolyte said:


And the fact is now that it's a lot of conservative ppl that view positively tattoo parlor services on offer, isn't it?

juliannenw said:

allnurses dot com

GodsGrace said:


What you say about it opening discussions is something that health professionals also report:

BluegrassRN said:

allnurses dot com

Heart2Soul said:


So there are some ppl who feel they have strong reasons for not doing it.

Others, like yourself, feel they have indeed strong reasons for doing it.

(Does any of this make sense?)

People getting tattoos never bothered me since I do not judge them for it. However, if someone in Christ was considering getting one, I would point them to the scriptures.
I have heard christians say: 'It does matter what you believe, one way or the other."

This concept of picking and choosing from the Bible what to believe didn't go very well for the Nation of Israel.
 

Truman

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I have no problems with tattoos. Externals are nothing! Do you know Jesus? If so, everything else is between you and Him. Don't like my attitude? Talk to Him about it. I'm not responsible for the world. God is. I'm just part of it.
My God has become my sole passion and desire. I know how much He cares for others, so I care...but not as much, I admit! Maybe I should wear my earring. Maybe I couldn't care less! Biding my time, knowing that I am on the road to my home...
 

David in NJ

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I have no problems with tattoos. Externals are nothing! Do you know Jesus? If so, everything else is between you and Him. Don't like my attitude? Talk to Him about it. I'm not responsible for the world. God is. I'm just part of it.
My God has become my sole passion and desire. I know how much He cares for others, so I care...but not as much, I admit! Maybe I should wear my earring. Maybe I couldn't care less! Biding my time, knowing that I am on the road to my home...

People with tattoos has never been a problem or issue in my life since Jesus came to rescue us from sin.
There is a big difference between wearing an earring and a permanent tattoo.

The issue of tattoos and why they became so popular in society was for conditioning purposes. To condition the people to 'marking' their bodies.
This does not agree with the Word of God.
Jesus will not condemn a person for it, but that does not mean He accepts it.

Love not the world neither the things in the world.....1 John 2:15
....do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
 
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Truman

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People with tattoos has never been a problem or issue in my life since Jesus came to rescue us from sin.
There is a big difference between wearing an earring and a permanent tattoo.

The issue of tattoos and why they became so popular in society was for conditioning purposes. To condition the people to 'marking' their bodies.
This does not agree with the Word of God.
Jesus will not condemn a person for it, but that does not mean He accepts it.

Love not the world neither the things in the world.....1 John 2:15
....do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
Love God, and from there, love others. Mark 7:15 says that nothing I put in my body makes me unclean. This, I believe, opens the way to using tats as a way of connecting with them so they may be saved.
In the old testament, people marked their bodies with tattoos as part of their worship of foreign gods. No other gods!!!
Jesus died to save today's lost. Lord, help us to see them through Your eyes. Amen.
 

farouk

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Love God, and from there, love others. Mark 7:15 says that nothing I put in my body makes me unclean. This, I believe, opens the way to using tats as a way of connecting with them so they may be saved.
In the old testament, people marked their bodies with tattoos as part of their worship of foreign gods. No other gods!!!
Jesus died to save today's lost. Lord, help us to see them through Your eyes. Amen.
@Truman the Levite My wife and I talked to a young woman with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area; and I'm sure other conversations have resulted from willingness of the witnessing young woman, like @Mayflower/ above, to have the inking. It's certainly not for every Christian, but it's manifestly a means many Christians use.
 

David in NJ

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Love God, and from there, love others. Mark 7:15 says that nothing I put in my body makes me unclean. This, I believe, opens the way to using tats as a way of connecting with them so they may be saved.
In the old testament, people marked their bodies with tattoos as part of their worship of foreign gods. No other gods!!!
Jesus died to save today's lost. Lord, help us to see them through Your eyes. Amen.

You said - "Love God, and from there, love others." - AMEN brother
You also said Mark 7:15 says that nothing I put in my body makes me unclean.

PLEASE know that what Jesus said pertains to food eaten only and that it is disposed of when we have a bowel movement - thus it leaves our body and is not retained/permanent.

Mark 7:15 Does not apply to tattoos. Tattoos are a permanent 'mark' on the outside of our bodies.

Do not be friends with the world(the ways of satan and all things God told us to avoid) - it makes us enemies of God.

Once again, less someone here falsely accuse me, I DO NOT judge or condemn people with tattoos - I receive, embrace and love them in Christ.
 
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David in NJ

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We can agree to disagree. Shalom.

No, we don't agree to disagree. I detest that worldly proud statement.

You added to Jesus's words what He did not say - that I detest.

Mark 7:15 Does not apply to tattoos. Tattoos are a permanent 'mark' on our bodies.
PLEASE know that what Jesus said pertains to food eaten only. The foods we eat are disposed of when we have a bowel movement - thus it leaves our body and is not retained/permanent. Adding anything beyond this to scripture is ignorance and/or arrogance and go against God's Word.

Shalom in Truth - Fellowship in Truth - God's Word is Truth - The Holy Spirit guides us into all Truth.

After Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
 
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Truman

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No, we don't agree to disagree. I detest that worldly proud statement.

You added to Jesus's words what He did not say - that I detest.

Mark 7:15 Does not apply to tattoos. Tattoos are a permanent 'mark' on our bodies.
PLEASE know that what Jesus said pertains to food eaten only. The foods we eat are disposed of when we have a bowel movement - thus it leaves our body and is not retained/permanent. Adding anything beyond this to scripture is ignorance and/or arrogance and go against God's Word.

Shalom in Truth - Fellowship in Truth - God's Word is Truth - The Holy Spirit guides us into all Truth.

After Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
I see you, buddy...now leave me alone.
 
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David in NJ

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“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
2 Timothy 3:16

When deciding whether to get a permanent 'mark' on your body, it is important to seek counsel from the Word, Prayer and from those who have understanding of the scriptures.

Tattoo art - Christian perspectives: Fight it? Ignore it? appreciate/embrace it?

Answers:
Fight it? = If you are being tempted to get a tattoo, you fight it - submit unto God resist the devil (temptation) and he will flee from you.
Ignore it? = When in the company of others who have tattoos, do not judge them, Ignore it.
appreciate/embrace it? = Appreciate everyone - 'for God so loved the world....' and Embrace everyone who is in Christ, tattoos or not.

there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
 

Mayflower

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@Truman the Levite My wife and I talked to a young woman with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area; and I'm sure other conversations have resulted from willingness of the witnessing young woman, like @Mayflower/ above, to have the inking. It's certainly not for every Christian, but it's manifestly a means many Christians use.

Actually just tonight farouk, mine provided a good witness. My church had a pool party, and a few noticed my anklet tattoo. They were trying to figure out if it was real or not. So quite a few in my church have faith based tattoos and my friend and I were talking about them.
 
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Mayflower

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@Mayflower While it's rather baffling that someone would even voice objection to simple earrings, it's inevitable I guess that different Christians will have varying outlooks about getting tattooed.

Someone said:

Laish said:


But for you and many others, clearly the tattoo parlor offers opportunities to express something really meaningful which you see as positive as an inked up witnessing Christian woman.

Your view of it as something positive seems to be shared by many others:

Rita said:


Acolyte said:


And the fact is now that it's a lot of conservative ppl that view positively tattoo parlor services on offer, isn't it?

juliannenw said:

allnurses dot com

GodsGrace said:


What you say about it opening discussions is something that health professionals also report:

BluegrassRN said:

allnurses dot com

Heart2Soul said:


So there are some ppl who feel they have strong reasons for not doing it.

Others, like yourself, feel they have indeed strong reasons for doing it.

(Does any of this make sense?)

Yeh it makes sense! I've seen tattoos I dislike, but then I've seen tattoos that have a lot of meaning like mine. I feel mine is special and thankful I got it. I haven't once felt guilty for getting it.
 
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farouk

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Actually just tonight farouk, mine provided a good witness. My church had a pool party, and a few noticed my anklet tattoo. They were trying to figure out if it was real or not. So quite a few in my church have faith based tattoos and my friend and I were talking about them.
Yeh it makes sense! I've seen tattoos I dislike, but then I've seen tattoos that have a lot of meaning like mine. I feel mine is special and thankful I got it. I haven't once felt guilty for getting it.
@Mayflower To a lot of Christians, the specifically witness and faith based tattooing motivation as something wholesome to be pursued with plenty of confidence - as in your local church example - has become something that really seems to make sense, hasn't it?


Naomi25 said:
I think God can take any profession and use it for his glory. And there seems to be, at present, enough young Christians who choose a faith based tattoos to suggest that yes, it might be a valid option for a Christian to look into, career wise, if they like that sort of art.
 
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farouk

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There was an older gentleman who ... as well as ear piercings ...
@Mayflower Well, frankly, this is bizarre (I know he also objected to tattoos) because in so many families it's the young men and boys that get them also - often organized by mom - as well as the young women and girls (which presumably you mean he even objected to).

Toni said:
My son wanted his ear pierced ... all my friends that have boys had their ears done. .. I let him .. so he got it done...
circleofmoms dot com

LM440 said:
My mom took me to get one ear pierced when I was about twelve. .. I didn't even know what was happening when she told me we were going to the mall.
sg dot answers dot yahoo

Years ago, for a sailor to wear an earring was even an oblique deference to Christianity because a sailor's gold earring - worn by a man doing often hazardous work overseas - was supposed to pay for a Christian burial (how ever understood). Whether or not individuals like it or not is perfectly fine, but as a widespread practice and as a historical fact it's unquestionable; so even to object to female earrings is truly strange and in Ezekiel 16.12 the Lord Himself gives earrings and a nose ring to Zion, figuratively, in the context illustrating imputed righteousness.
 

QuickFilly

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The two that are the same: Tattoos and IBM = Yes, you guessed right but here is another SAME for these two = they were both inspired by satan.
King David numbered the people because he was 'incited' by satan

Can you see the difference between being inspired vs incited

Thanks for the fellowship in Christ -
You're welcome.
Didn't God and Satan both incite David to perform a census?

1 Chronicles 21:1"Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. 2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.”

2 Samuel 24:1 "Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people”
 

farouk

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Tattoos are forever.
Hi @QuickFilly I have met young people - male and female - who have actually wanted to have the entire wording of John 3.16 that they have gotten permanently on their arm/wrist area. Whatever individuals may think of the medium, it shows some dedication to witness in a hostile world.
 

Truman

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There was a local guy named Snake who was covered head-to-toe in tattoos. He rode a chopped trike. He actually came to church one day. I heard he was executed. Don't ever turn people away because of how they look.
I don't have a tattoo. Never had the desire to get one. I knew a guy who had 666 tattooed on his knuckles. That was not good. We showed him the love of Christ. The last time I saw him, he was looking to shoot some dope. If we don't show them Jesus, who will?
I so want to get back into street-level ministry.
 
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