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

[farouk]

I got my ear pierced when I was 16. My girlfriend wanted me to do it so I did. I'd still wear it if I wanted to...

@Ron Coates It used to be decades back that girls pierced their ears and guys got tattoos; now guys also pierce their ears and girls get tattoos, including a lot of Christian men and women. Ear piercing is no big deal, either; there's even quite a bit in the Bible about it; the bondservant symbolism and Messianic references, etc.

A man doesn't need to pierce his ear(s) but if he does it can look very manly and rugged.

 

[farouk]

I've not... conducted any research!

@Naomi25 Well, anyway it's not just radical or avant garde ppl who check out artwork portfolios at tattoo parlors; you would soon see.

 

[farouk]

PS: @Ron Coates Yes, I can well understand a young man wanting just to make sure he has the holes done in his earlobes in case he ever wants to use them; it can be really manly thing to do. (Going for it is easy, too, isn't it?)

 

[Truman]

PS: @Ron Coates Yes, I can well understand a young man wanting just to make sure he has the holes done in his earlobes in case he ever wants to use them; it can be really manly thing to do. (Going for it is easy, too, isn't it?)

I used to care about those kinda things. I'm nearly 62 and I have some serious afflictions, so I don't date anymore. My last 2 love affairs ended due to a back injury and Lupus. It's hard enough to get through the day.

 

[farouk]

I used to care about those kinda things. I'm nearly 62 and I have some serious afflictions, so I don't date anymore. My last 2 love affairs ended due to a back injury and Lupus. It's hard enough to get through the day.

@Ron Coates Sorry about your health issues. I do love the promise: "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deuteronomy 33.25) As Thy Days, So Shall Thy Strength Be

I wasn't actually thinking of earrings as a dating accessory at all; doing it is just so widespread.

 

[Truman]

@Ron Coates Sorry about your health issues. I do love the promise: "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deuteronomy 33.25) As Thy Days, So Shall Thy Strength Be

I wasn't actually thinking of earrings as a dating accessory at all; doing it is just so widespread.

Like I said, my girlfriend wanted me to get it. Back then a blonde cutie could talk me into doing things. Teenage love is insane. The emotions. The Lord and I go through life together so I'm happy about that. Are you married?

 

[farouk]

Like I said, my girlfriend wanted me to get it. Back then a blonde cutie could talk me into doing things. Teenage love is insane. The emotions. The Lord and I go through life together so I'm happy about that. Are you married?

@Ron Coates My wife and I are so blessed together.

In some ways I suppose, I wish more Christians worked in tattoo parlors. I uploaded a video recently which shows a Christian proprietor and his clients expressing their thoughts.

 

[farouk]

I'd still wear it if I wanted to

@Ron Coates And why not? of course. Depends partly on whether one still has suitable rings/studs to put through the hole, I guess.

 

[Truman]

@Ron Coates And why not? of course. Depends partly on whether one still has suitable rings/studs to put through the hole, I guess.

I used to have a silver cross that I wore all the time. My wife didn't like it so I didn't wear it.

 

[farouk]

I used to have a silver cross that I wore all the time. My wife didn't like it so I didn't wear it.

@Ron Coates If she didn't like it, fair enough. But if it's not disliked in the household, it can be a perfectly good idea to have a ring or stud through.

Sometimes wives are into a range of preferences themselves, of course; some even prefer their earlobes, while others feel they need 2 or 3 rings or studs each side.

 

[Truman]

@Ron Coates If she didn't like it, fair enough. But if it's not disliked in the household, it can be a perfectly good idea to have a ring or stud through.

Sometimes wives are into a range of preferences themselves, of course; some even prefer their earlobes, while others feel they need 2 or 3 rings or studs each side.

I've been single for 16 years. I went underground for several years and when I emerged I found a world I didn't know. Almost like Rip Van Winkle. Lol

 

[farouk]

I've been single for 16 years. I went underground for several years and when I emerged I found a world I didn't know. Almost like Rip Van Winkle. Lol

@Ron Coates Well, first and foremost the fellowship is vertical, right? 1 John 1.3,4: "And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."

Tattoos and jewelry are all superficial, although sometimes tattoos can be effective conversation-starters in witness.

 

[farouk]

Any that represents a Christian lifestyle!

@Heart2Soul For you, those would be the tattoos really to go for, then!

 

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll!

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

 

[farouk]

The young man rolled up his sleeves, revealing a series of tattoos

@michaelvpardo It used to be that men would be the ones to get sleeve tattoos, and the women who did it might get tiny ones on a wrist, or foot area, etc; now it seems many women will do sleeve tattoos also, as well as those placements; as regards a faith based one, if it's a Bible verse, it really depends somewhat on the length of the quote fr the placement.

 

[Rita]

I actually posted much of the results of my early study of Jesus in the books of the law and the prophets in a series of posts meant to be a faith building endeavor, that I called "seeing Jesus Christ". That was quite a while ago and the posts were by no means comprehensive, but you can still locate them by search engine on this web page. The book of Joshua is one of the books with rough passages about the conquest of Canaan and yet Joshua was a biblical type of Jesus Christ. Although Joshua was Jesus' actual name in the Hebrew, Joshua's real name was actually Oshea or Hoshea, but Moses called him Joshua. Passages about Joshua in Deuteronomy are somewhat revealing. I don't really think that this thread is a particularly good place to dive into the law of Moses and I'm not a teacher of the law, but use law to understand the holiness of God. The book of Hebrews is the most comprehensive instruction on the law in the purpose of revealing Jesus Christ, though it isn't really comprehensive either. We could start a thread for the purpose of examining law in regard to the New Covenant, but I guarantee that such a thread will lead to very heated argument, finger pointing, heresy hunting, and all forms of less than edifying comments. It would seem counterintuitive to pursue. I don't apply law to Christians and Christian living beyond the means of examining what is pleasing to God. If God commanded something, I'm sure that He expected obedience, but being omniscient always knew the outcome. If scripture calls a behavior an abomination to God, I except the notion that He really doesn't approve.
In the book of Deuteronomy we find instructions about the law, the blessings and the cursings upon Israel for obedience or disobedience, and the prophetic word of Israel's failure, banishment and restoration. In scripture God rarely gives a full explanation for what He says and does, and if we try to understand His reasons, we are left with speculation and educated guesses based upon His revealed character and what is explicitly stated. Its helpful to speculate from an informed opinion when attempting to reconcile scripture that seems contradictory to itself, but the speculation is not inspired. I've participated in discussion about the disposition of souls that never saw the light of day, but we have no clear teaching in scripture on the topic and speculation has given us such peculiar ideas as "limbo". When discussing the subject with someone that has experienced such loss (and my wife and I did) you can only refer to the character of God and place your hopes upon Him (and maybe refer to David's comments about the loss of his child by Bath Sheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.)
Thank you for your comments. Being retired and partially disabled, I don't need to rush anywhere, but I do need to get off my couch and at least get a little exercise in. I hope that your day was blessed, but life is rough in a secular world. And so we "endeavor to persevere" in the patience of the saints. He has made us witnesses to stand in these times and when we fall, He picks us up. I can't rely on my own faithfulness because the flesh is such a frail thing and subject to its nature, but I can rely of God's faithfulness. It took Him all the way to the cross on our behalf and for His glory (in all things, for His glory). Its a long walk home.

I will look at your study when I have a day off , it not really keen on starting another thread about it as I have seen how they can go. I would rather look at studies, pray and reflect for myself. I do not see me not taking cultural context into account because I do feel a deep conviction that it is relevant , but it may be that there is a counter balance to the laws that I need to consider.
Many thanks
Rita

 

[farouk]

I will look at your study when I have a day off , it not really keen on starting another thread about it as I have seen how they can go. I would rather look at studies, pray and reflect for myself. I do not see me not taking cultural context into account because I do feel a deep conviction that it is relevant , but it may be that there is a counter balance to the laws that I need to consider.
Many thanks
Rita

@Rita I know my OP started at a rather pragmatic premise. I can see that you are wanting to look at the whole framework from a more theoretical and doctrinal perspective.

In terms of OT and NT orders of things, I guess that my mind keeps going back to the Epistle to the Hebrews, where wonderfully all the types and shadows of the OT are fulfilled in Christ, not just that up to the point of the Epistle's writing He was superior so far, but that He is 'better' a key word to Hebrews, than anything that ever could be.

And so when Hebrews 7.12 tells me that the law was changed....and when Hebrews 7.19 tells me that what we now have is better than the law, then I would find it incongruous for someone to try to hit a young person — who in simplicity is trying to witness for Christ with a faith based tattoo — with the law, especially when the same passage in Leviticus seems to be about Jews with bushy beards. I know a lot of churches in Britain tend to be Reformed in outlook - i.e., little corporate difference made between Israel and the church - but the hermeneutic I am accustomed to and convicted by is to see that rather than the law it is the Gospel - with its attendant aims and means - which is properly the New Testament believer's rule of life. I read about LBC when the in many ways admirable Dr Kevan was there; he wrote a book called 'The Grace of Law': frankly, I struggle with the title, because it seems to suggest something less than the considerable dispensational shift that the Epistle to the Hebrews denotes. And so by extension, if the law has been changed anyway and what we now have is better than the law, then someone for whom the Gospel is the rule of his or her life, who chooses to try to witness with ink should be regarded as exercising reasonable Romans 14 Christian liberty.

I don't know if any of the 10 out of 13 nurses referred to in the following quote are Christians:

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. My hospital does not even have a policy on tattoos any longer; it's a total nonissue.
...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

source: allnurses dot com

But if any of them are Christian and s/he got inked up with a clear conscience with a particular purpose before the Lord, I would not find it problematic.

After all, it's manifestly part of the culture now; for each of the 10 out of the 13, in the culture it's what is done now.

(If any of this makes sense?)

 

[farouk]

My Daughter had Psalms23 tattooed in Choctaw language

@soul man From back; so do you know if any more faith ink designs are planned in your household?

 

[farouk]

I'm sorry Rita, I certainly did not mean to offend you. I too have a tattoo. I'm not judging anybody who has one. It just seems that some take it too far. Forgive me, I'm sorry. I think I should just shut up on some things, lol. Love you sister.

@Nancy Yr contributions always appreciated....

 

[Naomi25]

@Naomi25 Well, anyway it's not just radical or avant garde ppl who check out artwork portfolios at tattoo parlors; you would soon see.

I don't suppose it is. I'm not sure if I've previously mentioned this to you or not (forgive me if I have), but my older sister was considering a small, tasteful, faith-based tattoo. She didn't go through with it, however, as her husband (not a Christian) wasn't a fan of the idea. I don't think he objected to the idea it would have been a Christian tatt, he just thought getting something inked in permanently was foolish. He doesn't really share his 'deep' thoughts, so it was a bit hard to know his real objection, and my sister didn't want the tatt enough to upset him, so the idea just died. But she was certainly not 'avant garde or radical'!