A Sea Of Red

I know it's been discussed on here before, but I didn't feel like randomly bumping a thread from 5 years ago.

Anyways, probably one of the most hotly debated issues in the Christian Church today is over tattoos. As has been argued before, the Old Testament forbids them, however supports argue the New Covenant, and that we are no longer under the Law.

I'll admit I'm of the old school that a Christian should not get them. HOWEVER, I don't believe that if you have them, you're not a Christian, because your relationship with God is ultimately what matters, and not my own opinion. I bring this up because with a lot of friends in college, I've scratched my head as to all of the teenagers that have tattoos nowdays. This issue comes up in personal issues for me as well, such as dating, and etc.

So, now that I've said my piece, I'd be interested to hear what others have to say, for or against them.

mine represents a close family member. Most people I know that have them are emotionally attached to theirs as well.

It's personal- and significant to me, and thats what's important. In summation: I have no problem with them whatsoever.

(big shock there, right?)

I know of four people right away on our church staff that have tattoos.

No one cares. It's not a big deal. Shoot, our student ministries worship leader has his ears gaged and a nose ring.

My question would be, although a bit off topic from the theological discussion, does it seem strange at all that you have something permanantly on your skin the rest of your life? Or does it just with time seem normal?

Sorry if that question sounded like a 4 year old lol

Nothing wrong with them. I don't think it's a hill worth dying on when it comes to relationships with others, but to each his own.

I'm not one to judge people as sinful over it, but I have no problem calling people stupid if they get a meaningless tattoo or a gague.....especially if they dont have a job.

I've been thinking of getting one for years, but can't get myself to pull the trigger. Something very meaningful in memory of my dad.

Schfourteenteen wrote:I'm not one to judge people as sinful over it, but I have no problem calling people stupid if they get a meaningless tattoo or a gague.....especially if they dont have a job.

Yeah, tattoos and piercings can be easily hidden (for the most part), but I've heard that plastic surgeons are doing big business removing people's flappy earlobes because they can't get a job looking like that.

Tattoos have always been a cultural thing for thousands of years, and now they just happen to be the cool thing to do. They are the Christmas tree of hipsters and wannabe's. I want one.

If you believe Christians should not get tattoos please provide scripture to back it up then a real conversation can be had, until then its just opinion based and that won't get us anywhere

thepostman wrote:If you believe Christians should not get tattoos please provide scripture to back it up then a real conversation can be had, until then its just opinion based and that won't get us anywhere

You don't have to read the article but here's the verse in Leviticus. Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord - Leviticus 19:28 (NIV)

http://www.thepointradio.org/point-blog/entry/37/16703

It does a fair job representing both sides.

Let me be clear I'm not here to change anybody's mind. I was just curious as to what others thought about it. Not here to condemn anyone who has them.

OK good, I knew that is where you would go. That is part of the law, we are no longer under the law. Jesus did a great job at explaining how we should live as Christians but the law is dead. We are Christians, not Jews. With that said I was often curious about that verse and the reference of the dead and tattoos in the same verse. Did they mean man was not to tattoo them to glorify the dead? Maybe I am reading more into it then I should.

Of course if you feel tattoos would cause you to stumble in your walk with God or you feel it is wrong then don't do it, but we aren't under the law anymore. Jesus and the new testament as a whole is clear of that...

I am not trying to be mean spirited, but the tattoo thing and other issues that weren't ever addressed in the new testament are what I think is a grey area and if you believe tattoos would somehow cause you to stumble or you glorify man through tattoos then I understand the mindset of tattoos being wrong in that sense...but getting a tattoo in of itself is not a sin we are under the grace, not the law...Romans 6:14

thepostman wrote:OK good, I knew that is where you would go. That is part of the law, we are no longer under the law. Jesus did a great job at explaining how we should live as Christians but the law is dead. We are Christians, not Jews. With that said I was often curious about that verse and the reference of the dead and tattoos in the same verse. Did they mean man was not to tattoo them to glorify the dead? Maybe I am reading more into it then I should.

Of course if you feel tattoos would cause you to stumble in your walk with God or you feel it is wrong then don't do it, but we aren't under the law anymore. Jesus and the new testament as a whole is clear of that...

I am not trying to be mean spirited, but the tattoo thing and other issues that weren't ever addressed in the new testament are what I think is a grey area and if you believe tattoos would somehow cause you to stumble or you glorify man through tattoos then I understand the mindset of tattoos being wrong in that sense...but getting a tattoo in of itself is not a sin we are under the grace, not the law...Romans 6:14

I can agree with what you've said here. Obviously it's not my decision to make. I just wanted to see how other theological perspectives would view the issue.

Probably would have done better by not giving my own personal position right off the bat, but then I didn't want to seem like I was picking a fight or anything.

I also figured you were waiting for me to drop the "Leviticus card"

But, what you have said I believe is theological sound.

This seems like a well-written article about the Bible and tattoos: http://www.religioustattoos.net/Bible_Support/index.php

Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died.

I hate tattoos. That's my preference. Having said that, I won't condemn anyone for getting one, all I ask is what is your motive? In the NT women were told not to adorn themselves with lavish jewelry because that brings attention to the person and not to Christ. If you want a conversation starter, go for it. If you want to remind yourself to look to Him every time you glance at your hand, arm, whatever, that's cool. But please don't ever tell me a tramp stamp will bring Him glory!
That's all.

Green Monkey wrote:Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods.

Sadly, the bane of a lot baptist churches in the South, especially when I was growing up, has been preaching scripture, but not understanding the context in which they were written. They sent quite a few people down some wrong paths.

Green Monkey wrote:This seems like a well-written article about the Bible and tattoos: http://www.religioustattoos.net/Bible_Support/index.php

Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died.

Thanks for posting this. My wife and I were discussing this not so long ago and were curious about the mention of death in this passage and how it must have something to do with why it was mentioned in the law. This makes a lot of sense.