Tattooing and the Christian Faith

Clockwork Owl

So I spotted this link posted by a tattooed friend of mine the other day, and decided to give it a read for myself. A lot of the document can be skim-read, most of which repeats very selective extracts from sources that appear to confirm the poster's position - carefully boldfaced for emphasis, of course.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/91295899/2/TATTOO-The-Cup-of-Devils

To summarise:

• As tattoos were historically used for spiritual purposes in some cultures, they are inextricably linked to 'pagan demonism... Baal worship and occult mysticism' and are repeatedly associated with devil worship throughout the post.
• The spread of Christianity and the word of the Holy Spirit compelled the converted to cease tattooing, solely because they recognised it as ungodly. The Spaniards, 'who had never heard of tattooing', immediately branded it 'the work of Satan'.
• Other historical uses of tattooing (branding criminals, deviants and slaves) mean that even now it should be stigmatised. It is also likened to 'filthy pornography'.
• An increase in the popularity of tattooing may well lead to the acceptance of slavery: 'What does that testify of today’s barbaric Christian tattooing craze? Is the next step in Christian depravity – slavery?'
• Tattoos encourage or even CAUSE criminal behaviour: 'a tattoo is linked so strong to criminal behavior and delinquency, that without question, the mere decoration of the tattoo inherently contributes to the criminal behavior pattern'.
• Tattoos are linked to homosexuality, lesbianism and 'gross sexual perversion', as well as mental illness.
• Believing that the tattoo ban stated in Leviticus 19:28 is no longer relevant as it's in the Old Testament is akin to saying that men can have sex with animals or prostitute their daughters, because neither of those behaviours are specifically condemned in the New Testament.
• To conclude, any Christian who has or wants a tattoo is described as 'carnal', 'rebellious', 'disobedient', 'perverted', 'wicked', 'tolerant' (!!!) and 'non-judgemental' (!!!!!), as well as 'spiritually sicko I]sic[/I'.

Now, I presume that this 'zidkiyah' chap is very extreme in his approach of tattooing but would like to see what the beliefs are on this board.

Are there any Christians here who have tattoos, and how would you respond to the accusation that, according to this fella, that makes you less of a Christian? Are your tattoos relevant or irrelevant to your faith? What do you make of accusations of 'defiling the Temple of God' - in this case, interpreted as one's own body? And what of the post as a whole?

PDN

I think the guy you quoted is extremely judgmental - which tends to be be magnified, as in this case, when he is also theologically illiterate.

Puck

I'm not defiling the temple, I'm decorating it.

Run_to_da_hills

Clockwork Owl wrote: »

Are there any Christians here who have tattoos, and how would you respond to the accusation that, according to this fella, that makes you less of a Christian? Are your tattoos relevant or irrelevant to your faith? What do you make of accusations of 'defiling the Temple of God' - in this case, interpreted as one's own body? And what of the post as a whole?

A lot of Christians have tattoos going back before they made the commitment to become one. I still have a large red back spider tattoo on my shoulder, I am not too bothered about it now other than the fact that it is an oversized red back spider which looks stupid as in reality these spiders are quite small.

There are quite a few ex MC /MCC bike club members that have become Christians that still have tats. Met one over the summer that had the grim reaper and Chopper Club logo on his head.

J C

Puck wrote: »

I'm not defiling the temple, I'm decorating it.

What temple are you referring to?

Blinkus

J C wrote: »

What temple are you referring to?

He's referring to his body. He's just messing.

Blinkus

I've always seen tattoos as a vain attempt to glorify the human body.

J C

Blinkus wrote: »

He's referring to his body. He's just messing.

Please let him answer himself ... I'm interested in his answer.

J C

Blinkus wrote: »

I've always seen tattoos as a vain attempt to glorify the human body.

... but that is not always the objective.

Blinkus

J C wrote: »

... but that is not always the objective.

One cannot define an acts goodness solely by intent, but also by outcome. Moral theology teaches us this. For example, if a man wanted to make love to his wife (good intention) but she suffers from a medical condition, where a pregnancy could put her life in danger (bad outcome), then it is deemed wrong.

So although the objective is not to glorify the body, the outcome is glorification of the human body, a vehicle for sin, so is not to be decorated. All glorification goes towards God. One could argue it's a form of idolatry.

Key Concept: the object is the primary determinant of the moral value of an act. If the object is bad, the act is immoral. Bad intent and/or bad circumstances can poison the object but good intent and/or circumstances can never redeem a bad object.

More here: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=209085

Gumbi

The outcome is that one has tattoos on one's body. I don't know where you're getting glorification from, though if that's the case, I have no problem with someone if they want to do that to their body. It's theirs.

It's kind of insulting, too, to hear you insist that all glorification must go to your God, and that it is inherently wrong (sinful) to do so to yourself.

Blinkus

Gumbi wrote: »

The outcome is that one has tattoos on one's body. I don't know where you're getting glorification from, though if that's the case, I have no problem with someone if they want to do that to their body. It's theirs.

It's kind of insulting, too, to hear you insist that all glorification must go to your God, and that it is inherently wrong (sinful) to do so to yourself.

To address your first part. As a Christian, I believe that my body belongs to God, it's not mine, I didn't create it, it was given to me. I am merely a steward - being responsible for it. I have no problem if others get tattoos, but I am not going to encourage it.

Secondly, It is very reasonable for a Christian to say that all glorification should go towards God. I think you find it offensive because you don't believe in God? I'm not going to put aside what I believe to be true, for the sake of not upsetting others. The truth is more important than comfort.

ehcocmeo

Quiet liked Beckhams Jesus tattoo.

See many with Cross tattoos.

No something I would do, but they don't look too bad.

J C

Blinkus wrote: »

To address your first part. As a Christian, I believe that my body belongs to God, it's not mine, I didn't create it, it was given to me. I am merely a steward - being responsible for it. I have no problem if others get tattoos, but I am not going to encourage it.

Secondly, It is very reasonable for a Christian to say that all glorification should go towards God. I think you find it offensive because you don't believe in God? I'm not going to put aside what I believe to be true, for the sake of not upsetting others. The truth is more important than comfort.

The objective of tattooing is often not to glorify the body.

J C

ehcocmeo wrote: »

Quiet liked Beckhams Jesus tattoo.

See many with Cross tattoos.

No something I would do, but they don't look too bad.

Obviously, a scene from before the crucifixion.

sbsquarepants

Blinkus wrote: »

So although the objective is not to glorify the body, the outcome is glorification of the human body, a vehicle for sin, so is not to be decorated. All glorification goes towards God. One could argue it's a form of idolatry.

Wouldn't the same thing apply to jewellery? Nice clothes? Getting your hair cut? Growing a beard? Shaving a beard?

Unless your running around, unkempt in a cave somewhere all your glorification has not gone to god. And your body is hardly just a vehicle for sin, it's a vehicle for living surely.