More Christian tattoo artists a positive development?

[farouk]

The Apostles and men like Saint Patrick were Counter Cultural. They went into a foreign land and worked to spread the Gospel. Over the process of that, they changed the culture of the nations.

In 1960, someone may say that there was Christian Culture in the US. Americans had prayer in school, and they were brought up singing Christmas songs and celebrating Easter. The Counter Culture of the 1960's was a rebellion. It was a rebellion of wives from husbands. Children from parents. Men from God to other spiritualism and gurus. The Counter Culture was influenced by Marx and Crowley. The Counter Culture was known for a sexual revolution and debauchery. In the 1970's, the Counter Culture running counter to God and Christianity, was mainstreamed. It became part of mainstream culture. Has that been what someone was participating in?

In the 1960's, only Sailors had tattoos? Sailors known for going shore to shore and joining themselves with prostitutes. Is there something spiritual to that in retrospect?

@Man on Fire
My wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area; it was her favorite Bible verse, and mine also; and I'm sure other conversations have arisen as a result of her willingness to be injected with ink in this design.

(So her ink was frankly nothing to do with prostitution.)

 

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll!

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

 

[Man on Fire]

@Man on Fire
My wife and I talked to a young lady with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area; it was her favorite Bible verse, and mine also; and I'm sure other conversations have arisen as a result of her willingness to be injected with ink in this design.

(So her ink was frankly nothing to do with prostitution.)

I was more talking about culture, and societies shift to where tattoos suddenly became cool or accepted, and some people have seemed to have something in their psyche where they are addicted to having them, and those type of people, at times, also have drifted into trans-humanism, like having technological upgrades implanted. That shows a spirit or spirits.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Matthew 6:5)

Someone fasting on the side of the road may have wanted attention for their fasting. They received their reward? Don't do things to be seen. Christians should be as plain as John the Baptist.

Some men go to the gym to be seen. They would like to be seen there working out thinking it gets them attention, and makes them look better in the eyes of their peers. Some men go to the gym because they need to get a work out in, and they are intrinsically motivated. They do not need outside approval. They are not working to please man. In being at the gym, they may be stoic looking, and impressive, and they tend to inspire others.

At the least, an 18 year old, or so girl, looking to get a tattoo, may have been looking for attention in the wrong ways.

 

[Sabertooth]

At the very conservative, small local church where my wife and wife go...!?

It can't be all that conservative, then...

 

[farouk]

It can't be all that conservative, then...

@Sabertooth Oh it's doctrinally conservative all right; it's just that I guess those things are so much part of the culture now that to give them a hard time about it would be senseless.

 

[Sabertooth]

Oh it's doctrinally conservative all right;...

I was referring to "your wife and wife..." (unless that wasn't a typo... ).

 

[farouk]

I was referring to...

Where my wife and I go.

 

[farouk]

I'm pretty sure a lot of Christian islanders such as Samoans, Tongans, etc. and there are a lot of devoted Christians from those races and parts of the world and a lot of them get tattoos, and I think if those people get Christian tattoos, they are the more likely the type of people that would take it pretty seriously.

@Josho Yes, it's good to take getting seriously tattooed with Christian designs. You're right.

Do you know ppl who have evidently gotten it done seriously with Christian designs?

 

[farouk]

I am skeptical about many forms of piercing, but since ears & noses have an acceptable context, I cannot write it off altogether.

@Sabertooth As with tattoos, I guess believing piercers and artist would each have his or her zones of comfort, so to speak, right?

 

[Sabertooth]

As with tattoos, I guess believing piercers and artist would each have his or her zones of comfort, so to speak, right?

They should. It needs to be part of their business setup, too, or their scruples will be "thrown under a bus" along the way.

 

[farouk]

They should. It needs to be part of their business setup, too, or their scruples will be "thrown under a bus" along the way.

I guess it also depends on the level of training and certification by APP - the Association of Professional Piercers. A piercing option can enhance a tattoo parlor's business, without doubt.

 

[farouk]

I find that to be a little idealistic for a "working" tattoo parlor.

@Sabertooth Do you think the symbolism of your trumpeter picture in your media section has its idealistic side?

I do retain the sense in which the Christian receiver or giver of tattoos might be motivated by idealism to some extent.

 

[Sabertooth]

Do you think the symbolism of your trumpeter picture in your media section has its idealistic side?

You are taking the concept of "idealism" in a different direction than what I meant. All fictional superheroes are idealized forms. When real people engage in idealism, their expectations don't always mesh with their reality. That is important for real people. Fictional characters live in fictional contexts.

 

[farouk]

You are taking the concept of "idealism" in a different direction than what I meant. All fictional superheroes are idealized forms. When real people engage in idealism, their expectations don't always mesh with their reality. That is important for real people. Fictional characters live in fictional contexts.

@Sabertooth I do take your point, yes; the term idealism can be used in very different ways.

When my wife and I talked to the young lady with the whole of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area, I guess I retained as sense of her idealism having likely driven her inking - however exactly her idealism might be defined; I do take your point about it having various definitions.

 

[farouk]

I’m gonna call her tomorrow morning and ask if she’d be interested.

@Waiting on him Hoping what's best for her works out well, anyway. The willingness to receive - and the willingness to give - ink can for many ppl ultimately be part of the same continuum, can't it?

 

[farouk]

Yep. She is working at a shop, right now

@aspen Sounds like your niece has become rather dedicated to the artform and to the profession. Tattoo parlors are really opening up for women now.

 

[farouk]

I thought of adding specifics, but it really does look complete just like I have it.

@Mayflower There is a time in the design and the subsequent process of being pumped with ink when a strong and wholesome sense of completeness, of wholeness, emerges. A design can progressively unfold in one's mind in stages for the future; there does come a time when there is that 100% - done it - really is me - moment.

For artist and client there is a very meaningful partnership in reaching the vantage point of that moment, isn't there?

 

[farouk]

My son has a big cross on his chest. My wife has none.

@jshiii So has she gotten accustomed to your son's ink yet...?

 

[farouk]

These were just tats about the size of a golf ball on their ankles.

@shnarkle Anyway what you describe would these days probably be regarded as fairly unobtrusive, mainstream, womanly acquisitions for them to have, don't you think?

 

[shnarkle]

@shnarkle Anyway what you describe would these days probably be regarded as fairly unobtrusive, mainstream, womanly acquisitions for them to have, don't you think?

I guess so. Tattoos are becoming ubiquitous. I've seen teenage girls with sleeves, and that was almost twenty years ago.