I would like to highly recommend the articles,"To Tattoo or not Tattoo" you can find them on the website, av1611.org. When you go on this site scroll the "articles" section to this title. I would really like to hear from all on what you think of these articles. Thanks and God bless
I'm not a huge fan of tatoos... but if we are to forbid tatoos based on scripture, then we need to look at the context. The scripture most Christians use to condemn tatoos is:
Lev 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
However... they ignore the pervious verse which says:
Lev 19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
So if you're rounding the corners of your head, or your marring the corners of your beard... you are sinning just as much as if you get a tattoo.
I will not judge any believer who gets a tattoo. I feel this falls under Christianity liberty, and only God can judge their motives for getting one.
I have a friend who got a lot of tattoos before he was saved... and after he was saved he got some that had Christians symbols in them, and one that has King of Kings written in greek. His stated motives was to show that he has been branded for Christ, and is living for Him now.
I personally dont have a problem with his reasoning...
Krispy
Well though it depends on why the person is getting the tattoo. Is it to be "rebellious"? Or is it to glorify God? Most tattoos, I would say, are gotten for self-adoration, self-glorification, and outright rebellion.
As Christians, I don't see why we should even be concerned with getting body art of this nature. However, I will not judge a person just because they have tattoos, or are getting one. If someone ever tells me their getting a tattoo, and they are a Christian, I will advise against it, unless it is the will of the Father.
Tattooing is synonomous in this culture with rebellion, and we should steer away from things that are so equated and known for rebellion like that.
So I will let people do as they choose, but as for me, I will not tattoo my body. :-)
Jordan
Is it to be "rebellious"? Or is it to glorify God? Most tattoos, I would say, are gotten for self-adoration, self-glorification, and outright rebellion.
I agree with both statements here... it's the motive I think that matters most, but at the same time I think the very nature of tattoos is to draw attention to ourselves. However, we cant rule out that some people who come out of that culture and get saved may get a tattoo of a "christian" nature in order to witness to others in that culture that they have found Christ.
So lets leave this particular issue up to God.
Krispy
Hello...
There is also this verse in I Corinthians 3:16-17:
In my
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
I would not put a tattoo on my body. But on the other hand, I wouldn't judge the heart or motivation of the people that do. We have all made mistakes. The only unfortunate thing is that tattoos are permanent mistakes (because even a tattoo that has been removed leaves scars).
:-)
To krispy and everyone else. The scriptures say to be slow to speak quick to hear. I would say be slow to post. I don't think you took the time to read the articles that I asked. One of the challenges posters seem to face is staying on track with the original post. If you are not going to read the articles and then comment on the articles then you are ignoring the best part of the original post. I'm sorry if this seems harsh but it's not the first time this has happened.It kinda puts a damper on the whole thing and frankly makes me not want to post anymore. God bless, John
Hi thingsabove...
I searched that website, but I couldn't seem to find the article that you recommended. I went to the "Articles" page and performed a "Edit>Find" on the page, but nothing with the word "tattoo" came up. I also used the search feature on the site (looking for "tattoo"), but it came back with a list of a lot of other articles, but I couldn't find the article that you suggested.
Perhaps next time you could leave a specific link to the article, and thus avoid any sort of problem as such.
Thanks for the suggestion, though.
:-)
Here is the link to that article. It also has other articles concerning tattoo's.
Link: http://www.av1611.org/tattoos/intro.html
God Bless
Hi thingsabove...
After having read the article, I think that the discussion (as began by Krispy and continued by others) is just as relevant. I agree with some of the statements made in the articles about the holiness of the body, but I believe that this website often states facts based upon presumption (such as automatically concluding that anyone with a tattoo has drank "the cup of devils").
thingsabove wrote:
To krispy and everyone else. The scriptures say to be slow to speak quick to hear. I would say be slow to post. I don't think you took the time to read the articles that I asked. One of the challenges posters seem to face is staying on track with the original post. If you are not going to read the articles and then comment on the articles then you are ignoring the best part of the original post. I'm sorry if this seems harsh but it's not the first time this has happened.It kinda puts a damper on the whole thing and frankly makes me not want to post anymore. God bless, John
I had a professor in grad school that assigned two books about a particular topic. When he asked questions, he wanted to know which author we agreed with. Unfortunately, I often agreed with elements of both authors (or neither). This professor would grow frustrated with answers that weren't completely in agreement with the statements of one of the authors. In this article (and subsequent links), there are some elements of what is stated that I agree with -- but a lot which seems to be based upon premature or circular reasoning.
However, this does open the door to discuss the topic. And on that, I agree with much of what was posted by Krispy and Jordanamo.
:-)
I was remiss in pointing out in my original post that I was not able to find the article either, so I posted my thoughts on it.
I dont think it's necessary to chastise people who wanted to post something relevant to the topic... save that for the moderators. :-)
I will read the article (now that we have a direct link...) and then comment as necessary. Okey doke?
Krispy
if our body was created by god... dident he do it just right? what are we saying to god when we "change" "improve" "paint over" or what ever one would like to call it... if god wanted us to have a picture or something on our body i belive we would have it, but if tattos is ok is cosmetic surgery ok to? or where do we draw the line? can a girl go get her breast fixed just to look a little nicer or improve on gods original work.
I think and belive that we should accept what god has given us...
gods peace to you all
christian
Thanks for posting a better link to the articles. The article on Tattoos & the Bible will be helpful concerning the standard Hair and beard argument. God bless, John
Boy, this all makes me just want to go out and get another tattoo...lol. I find it fascinating that tattooing has been around since BC and we still talk about, and many times judge and condemn those that have them. (By the way, I'm not saying that any of you have judged another, but it is only bound to happen eventually from someone.) I'm a tattoed PK. Did I do it out of rebellion? No. When I pierced my own ear at the age of 17, because my parents wouldn't let me, now that was done out of rebellion. I love tattoos. I decided once I started getting them that the tattoos would only represent Christ and my walk with him.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, AND, our bodies are a shell because we are aliens in this land.
I doubt this tattoo discussion will never end, because there will always be someone on each side of the fence, but I do have to say that it is getting a little old!
Thingsabove,
where in Iraq are you?
just curious.
God Bless
I'm in Baghdad. Ben, I hope you'll take the time to look at the article Tattoo's and the Bible. Take a look at what it has to say. It also has "scholars" quoted as well. Also do you know the names of the scholars who say the Leviticus prohibition on tattoo's no longer apply? For what it worth I have a tattoo on my chest. God bless,John
I doubt this tattoo discussion will never end, because there will always be someone on each side of the fence, but I do have to say that it is getting a little old!
Yea... kinda like the age old debates over Christian rock. It gets a little ho-hum.
Krispy
thingsabove wrote:
I'm in Baghdad. Ben, I hope you'll take the time to look at the article Tattoo's and the Bible. Take a look at what it has to say. It also has "scholars" quoted as well. Also do you know the names of the scholars who say the Leviticus prohibition on tattoo's no longer apply? For what it worth I have a tattoo on my chest. God bless,John
As you see, I edited what I wrote. I realized finally that it was a common arguement, unbenounced to me, until I read that one article. So, I digressed, and edited what I originally wrote. I don't remember the scholars names, as it was so long ago. All, I've got to say is that there are great arguments on both sides of the fence, but we Christians spend soooo much time discussing and even arguing our points to the point that it is really pointless anymore. None of us will truly really ever know until we meet before our loving heavenly Father, Judge, Creator, and Friend.
I just can't picture being one of Jesus disciples, and Him looking at us and saying, "Tommorrow, we go into town because I want to get a tattoo." lol. Can you picture our Lord saying that? This body of his was so temporary it would be worthless to get one.
Plus, why would he do that to himself?! Why would God get a tattoo? For what purpose? Faith is not in seeing something.
you have a point there...anoyher might be that who are you to deside that you should have a tatto? dident christ buy you? dident you give him your body to? then he should decide who gets tattod or not... but my rule is if you cant really prove something ...i meen if im not really sure if it is sin or not... then its not worth the risk...
but maybe some of you feel this is no serius matter...
major ian thomas said
there is going to be a lot of suprises in the day the dust settles....
gods peace to you all
hmmhmm wrote:
you have a point there...anoyher might be that who are you to deside that you should have a tatto? dident christ buy you? dident you give him your body to? then he should decide who gets tattod or not... but my rule is if you cant really prove something ...i meen if im not really sure if it is sin or not... then its not worth the risk...
but maybe some of you feel this is no serius matter...
major ian thomas said
there is going to be a lot of suprises in the day the dust settles....
So, since Jesus bought me, I guess I shouldn't have caffeine, because it stimulates my mind outside of the ordinairy. Maybe I shouldn't have my hair completely shaved off because He, after all, gave me hair and I should have it grow. In fact, I should never cut my hair, because God never actually told me that I could. My body is a skinny type, so, since God never said that I'm allowed to lift weights, then I guess it would be a sin to exercise to get bigger...
I can go on and on...
Why do we get so caught up in this stuff sometimes? I agree that God purchased us with the blood of His Son, but that doesn't mean that we have to live a zombie life!
To an extent, Jesus involved Himself in the culture. It is speculated that He had long hair and a beard because that was the culture, and he even drank wine. What are everyone's thoughts on that, since the Bible says to be in the world, but not of it? We always put stuff like drinking, and piercing and so on as "of the world," and yet Christ himself did some of these things (not the piercing of course).
We are supposed to be representations of Christ, right? We're supposed to "look like Christ," right? Well, what about African tribes that for thousands of years have had like negative 10 gauge piercings, paintings on their face and body and rings around their neck. What if that is the only culture they know. Are you saying that God would not come to this earth to be like one of them? What about the Indians? Same thing. Would not God come to this earth and be like one of them? We get so caught up in what Jesus looked like that we don't take into consideration that he lived in THAT culture.
I love Todd Agnew's song called My Jesus. It fits in with this idea.
This discussion is locked.
