Faith-based tattoo: as a result of one, did you ever talk with someone? (Poll included)

[soul man]

@soul man Although some ppl might call it a craze, yet for example (see post #548, above) @Pearl 's 56 yr old daughter who just did it might say it's simply a really nice thing to do.

Seems like it's not only the really young ppl that are doing it, anyway, but those who are more mature are liking the idea, showing maybe it's not just a fad that they will soon tire of... (@Pearl maybe agrees? )

Yea I don't really see it as a fad, it seems like it is more than that.

 

[michaelvpardo]

@michaelvpardo So do you think it would be good and useful if more Christians worked in tattoo parlors?

Not really. I grew up being dissatisfied with myself. Other kids some times made fun of me, the way that I looked, and I was extremely self conscious until I was in my teens and discovered that people are prone to meanness out of envy and jealousy. God created us. He made us to be what we are, so in my mind, to alter our appearance is to suggest that God made a mistake. I wouldn't get plastic surgery unless I suffered some disfigurement and I wouldn't choose to be a plastic surgeon despite the lucrative position of profiting on people's vanity. If people want to have tattoos as a part of their witness, that's entirely up to them, but I wouldn't encourage anyone to alter themselves to create an artificial testimony. Life creates our testimony. How we respond to circumstances through faith, that's real testimony. How we face the struggles and trials of life is our testimony. A tattoo is little different than an icthus bumper sticker on your car and is entirely meaningless without a faithful life experience behind it.
People have lots of interesting and innovative ways of trying to reach people for Christ but embracing various forms of carnality to make ourselves more acceptable to the world "for the purposes of evangelism" seems a bit like trying to be friends with the world for the sake of the gospel. It's a kind of distorted thinking which ignores scriptural admonition and actually puts your relationship with God in jeopardy:
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
It's very difficult to be in the world, but not of the world. It's very difficult to be a faithful disciple of the Lord, but there are no short cuts and compromise always has evil consequences. Unfortunately, it seems that most professing Christians these days have "a better idea" and stuffing pews has become more important than obedience to God and faithfulness to Christ.
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Revelation 3:1
Please don't imagine that I'm suggesting that having a Christian tattoo indicates unfaithfulness or lack of a relationship with God, but embracing worldliness in any form is damaging to the body of Christ, regardless of motive.

 

[Naomi25]

@Naomi25 Yes, well, the first tattoo - if it happens - is often preceded by one or two piercings, isn't it.

Well, considering most women have their ears pierced, I suppose that's so.

 

[farouk]

Well, considering most women have their ears pierced, I suppose that's so.

@Naomi25 Since 59%-70% or more of tattoo parlor clients in North America are women, it seems that even ear piercings might in some sense be precursors of later needling with ink.

 

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll!

NB: If you have not yet voted in the poll, please vote now!

 

[farouk]

Yea I don't really see it as a fad, it seems like it is more than that.

@soul man You are quite right; now having it done seems established as more than simply a fad (as the very recent example given by @Pearl's 56 yr old daughter shows).

Further 2c...:

When I was growing up, the guys with tattoos were the rough, rebellious types. Now, it's different.

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

@Prayer Warrior and @GodsGrace are absolutely right in what they said, back a bit. It IS different now; and very conservative wearers receive them — seemingly quietly and naturally (which brings a whole lot of potential for faith based designs and the conversations that will follow).

 

[farouk]

the good stuff is being produced now, not back then.

@CharismaticLady From back, you're exactly right, now the artwork tends to enhance.

 

[CharismaticLady]

@CharismaticLady From back, you're exactly right, now the artwork tends to enhance.

I've seen some gorgeous tats on TV, but never on a live person. The true artists are few and far between.

 

[farouk]

I said ya'll are just a bunch of followers...monkey see...monkey do...haha.

@Heart2Soul Well... I suppose for example that when no one else in a family has yet gotten a tattoo, in some circumstances the first person to have it done may need a bit more confidence to go ahead, but if this is viewed at all as a 'hurdle', then it might become easier for the second tattoo or for other family members also to follow afterwards.

 

[farouk]

If people want to have tattoos as a part of their witness, that's entirely up to them, but I wouldn't encourage anyone to alter themselves to create an artificial testimony.

@michaelvpardo Thanks for your comment; and I guess among Christians how 'artificial' would exactly be defined would vary somewhat, I suppose; for many Christians the bottom line might be that as a conversation-starting tool they are very effective indeed.

 

[farouk]

I've seen some gorgeous tats on TV...

@CharismaticLady Because I suppose ppl though TV and the computer are a lot more aware of some of the outstanding artwork that is now done, they are I guess generally more willing to have it done, even if like you say some artists are more skillful than others.

There seems a huge potential also for faith based artwork now.

 

[farouk]

I do not like a lot of tattoo that seem to be placed with the only purpose of filling space whether it is on a man or women

@aspen From back: Yes, with tattoos, "less is more", right?

 

[farouk]

Yes, my girls love the ink -

@soul man It's just undeniable that it's what women do now (even more so than men).

 

[farouk]

Now some get tattoos by unlicensed people and are taking a risk and the unlicensed artist doesn't follow the age of consent laws.

@Heart2Soul This is why a tattoo voucher for the 18th b-day — and the waiting for it — can make for a good 18th b-day gift for those who are likely to get ink; it can have a restraining effect on those who might be tempted to go to an unlicensed tattoo artist. It can be a common sense gift, really, in many families.

 

[farouk]

I guess we'll see. Lol
I don't think she regrets getting it

@TLHKAJ Doing it without regret seems to be so widespread now...(like your daughter).

 

[TLHKAJ]

@TLHKAJ Doing it without regret seems to be so widespread now...(like your daughter).

She just got married this past weekend. Her tattoo showed just a little. Her dad (my husband) only just noticed it. (Lol) She didn't tell him and I wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. He didn't say anything ...other than that he noticed it and he thought it was a snake. (He only saw the tip top of it above her dress sleeve. It is a dove ...lol ....not a snake. She's had it for over 2 years and he only realized it this past weekend. We kinda had a laugh about it.

 

[TLHKAJ]

Also ...I have another daughter with a tattoo. She is the oldest. She had the name of her daughter (who was stolen) tattooed over her heart.❤

 

[farouk]

She just got married this past weekend. Her tattoo showed just a little. Her dad (my husband) only just noticed it. (Lol) She didn't tell him and I wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. He didn't say anything ...other than that he noticed it and he thought it was a snake. (He only saw the tip top of it above her dress sleeve. It is a dove ...lol ....not a snake. She's had it for over 2 years and he only realized it this past weekend. We kinda had a laugh about it.

@TLHKAJ Oh congrats to her and your new son-in-law! May they enjoy God's richest blessing!

(Seems like in the end by last weekend you were almost enjoying empathizing with your daughter's tattoo secret... )

 

[farouk]

Also ...I have another daughter with a tattoo. She is the oldest. She had the name of her daughter (who was stolen) tattooed over her heart.❤

@TLHKAJ So sorry for her loss.

Yes, well clearly you are someone with a contemporary family that is pretty comfortable with getting tattooed, and it's clear that your oldest daughter would feel more than most women that she had an especially strong reason to receive the inking machine.

 

[TLHKAJ]

@TLHKAJ So sorry for her loss.

Yes, well clearly you are someone with a contemporary family that is pretty comfortable with getting tattooed, and it's clear that your oldest daughter would feel more than most women that she had an especially strong reason to receive the inking machine.

Yes, and honestly, my oldest was away from God when she got it, but I don't think her decision would've been different. She did it as a way to feel closer to her child. She also had several face piercings and purple hair. (Lol) But today, she doesn't use those piercings so much. She also has gone back to her natural hair color.