Before being certain that the Bible prohibits tattoos, consider
the context of the Leviticus passages. Just like many other laws God
gave to Israel, they seemed "arbitrary" in nature but were done so to
make them stand out amongst the pagan nations. It'd be like saying that
we in America in 2008 are not to "boil a goat in its mother's milk." Is
that a law given to all people at all times or just the ancient
theocracy of Israel to set them apart? I think there may be sin in
getting a tattoo if a Christian were to do so to find their identity
outside of Christ, but I don't think the command given in Leviticus is
in reference to tattoos as they're given nowadays, but to keep Israel
from participating in pagan practices, just like boiling a goat in its
mother's milk was likely some sort of pagan ritual in that day.
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Why Christians should not get tattoos or body piercing.
Phil 1:10
That ye may approve things that are excellent;
Until very recently a tattoo was a fashion statement endorsed by those who were criminals, bikers, soldiers, and heavy metal rockers.
We are now in a culture where there are tattoos on professional athletes, movie stars, etc…
A poll showed that 22% of 18 to 25 year olds have at least one tattoo and 60% of those were women.
1 in 10 teens have a tattoo and 50% are planning on getting one.
The average age of getting a tattoo is now 16.
US News reports that tattooing is the 6th fastest growing business.
1997 AP Poll stated that 35% of NBA players have at least one tattoo.
National Geographic reports that 15% of all Americans are tattooed.
39 million Americans have at least one tattoo.
Even Barbie now has a tattoo.
The word ‘tattoo’ is a Polynesian word which comes from Tahiti which means to ‘mark’.
Over the past few centuries scars and tattoos have been forced upon men and women as a sign of slavery or reproach. (Lest we forget the Holocaust!)
Respectable Greeks and Romans did not have decorative tattooing, because they associated it with barbarianism.
The Greeks learned the technique from the Persians and used it to mark slaves and criminals.
Tattooing was also used to mark prostitutes.
A tattoo or cutting of the flesh was also a ritualistic sign tied to many pagan and barbaric worship services.
Many tattoos have roots in witchcraft and many are overtly satanic. But obviously not all tattoos are satanic.
But in many areas of the world today as the influence of Satan increases in the world so will the signs of his influence. And historically tattooing has pagan and ritualistic backgrounds.
By just using secular sources they show us that historically a tattoo is a sign of overt rebellion. And rebellion is as witchcraft.
1 Sam 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,…
When we enter into a culture of tattooing and body piercing we enter into a symbol of cultural rebellion.
“The world would say having marks on our body that you put there on purpose shows the world your rebellious and unconventional nature.”
Jean-Chris Miller- Body Art Book
“In this culture a tattooed person is still looked upon as a rebel, someone who has very visibly stepped out of the bounds of normal society.”
Michelle Delio- Tattoo the Exotic Art
“In addition to being a form of self destruction the tattoo seals the wearer off from the rest of normal society forever.”
Danny Sugarman- Appetite for Destruction in America
“Unquestionably tattoos are socially unacceptable”
Ronald Scott- Sex and Symbols
Dr. Timothy Roberts a pediatrician @ University of Rochester Children’s Hospital conducted a detailed analysis of 6,072 young adults from all parts of the U.S. ranging in age from 11 to 21.
Their Conclusion-
“When you look at a young person who is tattooed you are looking a young person who is at risk. They are 4 times more likely to engage in sexually and immoral behavior.
2 times more likely to experience alcohol related problems,
2 times more likely to drop out of school,
2 times more likely to use drugs,
2 times more likely to be more violent.”
“…permanent tattoos have strong association with high risk behaviors in adolescents. The presence of a tattoo during an examination of an adolescent should prompt in depth assessment of high risk behavior.”
Dr. Robert Raspa- Psychiatric implications of Tattoos with the American Family Physician
A Believer must consider, is that how I want to identify myself? Even if we had no Scripture, after what we have just come to understand historically and sociologically regarding the pagan and barbaric roots regarding the overt symbolism of rebellion and the at risk behavior, I would hope you would come to the conclusion this is not where I need to be.
But there is Scripture that needs to be considered.
Hos 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee,
Before we do anything we must search the scriptures and make sure what we do will not transgress any Biblical principles.
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.
In this chapter there are some ceremonial precepts but most are moral.
The New Testament Christian has a higher reason for exercising care over his body than an Old Testament believer ever understood.
1 Kings 18:28
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
Is it not interesting that when Elijah was mocking the prophets of Baal they starting cutting themselves?
Deut 14:1
Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
God is telling His people not to be like the pagans.
And more along the same line we have this verse of the demon processed man.
Mark 5:5
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Usually someone will use the argument that God only looks on the inside. But that is not true.
Man looks on the outward appearance and God looks on the heart.
We can only see the outer man therefore we should not make any distractions to the message God would want us to give.
God dressed Adam… Gen 3, and God gave the directive of how to dress etc…1 Tim 2
We are called upon to glorify God with our Bodies.
And as Christians we are not to be identified with the world in appetite, or appearance.
2 Cor 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
There are 3 primary reasons for practicing body piercing and tattooing-
1. esthetics
2. sadomasochism
3. group identity
In which all contradict scripture.
Dermatologists report that tattooing carries the risk of being infected by HIV, Hepatitis B, C and tetanus, as well as allergic reactions.
Risk of identification:
A news paper interview of various recruitment companies in 2001 found that when there is a choice between an applicant with a tattoo and without, 70% of employers will chose the applicant without tattoos.
It can cause the loss of:
-jobs
-dates
-leadership
-and most importantly, your testimony
From just a little history of tattooing and body piercing it would cause a serious person to conclude that its roots do not enhance the testimony of the Christian lifestyle.
1 Cor 3:16-19
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.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
As one tattooed new believer related-
“WE SHOULD NOT DO GRAFFITI ON GOD’S BODY”
1 Thess 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.
In the Creators Service,
Kent
**I am reposting this in the tattoo discussion so that it will be here for future reference. The original post is included in Lloyd's response to calvinism**
Let me say a couple of things before I start and one being I agree with Haze on the tattoo issue as well. It appears that this prohibition was for the sake of not being associated with the pagans. Also, Haze I loved the quote “Next to Jesus, context is king!” I emphatically agree. Here’s the verse that most people go to when referencing tattoos. (Unless otherwise noted or quoted all Scripture references are from the NASB).
28 You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:28
That does appear to be a slam-dunk argument but the context of these verses is God forbidding things that the Israel was not to do to associate themselves with the pagans. However let’s examine the verse before also.
27 You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.
Leviticus 19:27
So by what this verse is telling us you should not shave around your beard. You are to let just the beard grow….which would mean no goatees. I feel like everyone agrees that a goatee is ok. So Zai, you’re safe buddy. This verse doesn’t really apply to me at all because, I can’t really grow facial hair.
First of all I would like to say that I do not have a tattoo, I do not endorse getting them, nor do I ever plan to get one. I am more interested in fleshing out this discussion and bringing in another view to spur on further debate. I personally do not have a problem with Christians getting tattooed, so I guess that is how I should start.
If I make a reference to a portion of the initial post I will place that portion in bold so as to delineate my thoughts from original thoughts.
I have somewhat of a problem with the presentation of the history of the tattoo…not that it is incorrect, but that we should apply the same meaning today. To me, the logic just does not flow correctly (I’m not trying to pick on Big Dog, just stating the way that I felt after reading it). The first statement is that Until very recently a tattoo was a fashion statement endorsed by those who were criminals, bikers, soldiers, and heavy metal rockers. which makes me think that the argument is that we shouldn’t have tattoes because then we will be grouped with these types of people…but then the next statement We are now in a culture where there are tattoos on professional athletes, movie stars, etc… seems to contradict that by saying that these days everyone gets tattoos, so it should no longer be associated with only the “criminal-type” people.
I do not see the relevance of applying what a tattoo used to mean in past centuries ( Respectable Greeks and Romans did not have decorative tattooing, because they associated it with barbarianism…) to what it means today when obviously today it no longer carries the same connotation (I know that my last statement sounded like I was being a jerk…trust me, that is not how I mean to sound…so for the rest of this analysis assume that if I sound like a jerk that is not my intention…unless otherwise noted ;) ).
By just using secular sources they show us that historically a tattoo is a sign of overt rebellion. And rebellion is as witchcraft.
1 Sam 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,…
Again, the historical context no longer applies to us.
“In addition to being a form of self destruction the tattoo seals the wearer off from the rest of normal society forever.”
Danny Sugarman- Appetite for Destruction in America
“Unquestionably tattoos are socially unacceptable”
Ronald Scott- Sex and Symbols
I think that both of these statements are a bit of a stretch and do not fit in with the statistics presented at the top. How are you sealed off from normal society forever when 33 million Americans have tattoos? If it is unquestionably that tattoos are socially unacceptable there would be no point in having this discussion.
“When you look at a young person who is tattooed you are looking a young person who is at risk. They are 4 times more likely to engage in sexually and immoral behavior.
2 times more likely to experience alcohol related problems,
2 times more likely to drop out of school,
2 times more likely to use drugs,
2 times more likely to be more violent.”
“…permanent tattoos have strong association with high risk behaviors in adolescents. The presence of a tattoo during an examination of an adolescent should prompt in depth assessment of high risk behavior.”
Dr. Robert Raspa- Psychiatric implications of Tattoos with the American Family Physician
And how does a tattoo have anything to do with any of this stuff? I’m pretty certain that the tattoo didn’t cause it.
A Believer must consider, is that how I want to identify myself? Even if we had no Scripture, after what we have just come to understand historically and sociologically regarding the pagan and barbaric roots regarding the overt symbolism of rebellion and the at risk behavior, I would hope you would come to the conclusion this is not where I need to be.
Historically women were not allowed to wear pants. Historically women were not allowed to vote. Historically women were not allowed to work. Jews are not allowed to eat pig, but I bet the barbarians did. Sometimes the historical context just doesn’t make sense in trying to justify the same meaning in modern times.
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.
Jeremy has already responded to this verse with the previous verse.:
27 You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.
Leviticus 19:27
Are we supposed to pick and choose the things that apply to us from the old testament and the things that do not?
1 Kings 18:28
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
I have a hard time connecting this to getting a tattoo.
Deut 14:1
Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
God is telling His people not to be like the pagans.
What is “baldness between your eyes for the dead?” I seriously do not know what that means…to me it means do not shave your uni-brow. I’m guessing that in the rest of the context God is telling his people not to be like the pagans, but following through on my previous arguments, I don’t see how getting a tattoo in modern time is being like a pagan.
Mark 5:5
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Self-mutilating behavior (like kids cutting themselves with razor blades because they want to see themselves bleed and put themselves in pain) is not the same thing as getting a tattoo (in my opinion).
I skipped a big portion because I believe previous arguments cover those…
There are 3 primary reasons for practicing body piercing and tattooing-
1. esthetics
2. sadomasochism
3. group identity
In which all contradict scripture.
Here is a web definition for sadomasochism: The consensual use of domination or pain for sexual arousal and stimulation; fantasizing or playing out dominant and submissive roles. The “sadist” is the partner who dominates or inflicts pain, and the “masochist” is the partner who is dominated or receives pain.
I know plenty of people that would take issue with this being the reason they got a tattoo.
I would like some scriptural reference to why it is contrary to scripture to get something for aesthetics…because that would also mean it would be a sin for women to wear makeup. Also, why would it be a bad thing to get a tattoo for group identity, and why would that be contrary to scripture? Many people in the military get tattoos to identify with their combat battalion or their branch…is there something wrong with identifying with that group? Obviously if you get a satanic tattoo that is wrong…but I don’t think anyone would agree that every tattoo is acceptable. What about people that get a tattoo of a cross? Same argument just mentioned
Dermatologists report that tattooing carries the risk of being infected by HIV, Hepatitis B, C and tetanus, as well as allergic reactions. Risk of identification:
A news paper interview of various recruitment companies in 2001 found that when there is a choice between an applicant with a tattoo and without, 70% of employers will chose the applicant without tattoos.
It can cause the loss of:
-jobs
-dates
-leadership
All of which are great reasons not to get one…but not biblical reasons not to get one.
-and most importantly, your testimony
Obviously from previous argument I do not agree.
1 Cor 3:16-19
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.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
As one tattooed new believer related-
“WE SHOULD NOT DO GRAFFITI ON GOD’S BODY”
Neither should we eat McDonald’s, or fried food, or drink sodas, or not exercise…but none of these things are a problem with the average American Christian. This is an excellent scripture to show that you should not get a tattoo, but I believe that first you would have to convince a person that getting a tattoo defiles their body.
1 Thess 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Impossible. Here’s a good article on this verse though (Again, I make no claim to the credentials of the author because I did not research them, but his argument is sound):
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1478
From a personal standpoint I do not advocate getting a tattoo, but I find it hard to justify telling someone that they shouldn’t because it is a sin. I hope my analysis leads to more discussion on this topic because I think it’s one that lies heavy on the hearts of young Christians (as is presented by the statistics that there are tons of people in America that either have a tattoo or are thinking of getting one).
Again, I hope that my words come out in good spirit. It’s almost impossible to analyze an argument without sounding negative or perhaps even condescending. I TOTALLY do not mean it to come out either of those ways, nor will I take offence if someone analyzes my arguments and proves me wrong on everything that I have said…that is what we need here on this blog. If we agreed on everything, then the blog would not be as strong because it would be each of us writing analyses and everyone else patting them on the back (though that is not a bad thing…this blog is to be a source of information)
You made some excellent points. I apologize for seemingly rambling in my posts. That is kind of how my puny brain works.
Let me try and explain a little clearer. I usually do a poor job of that.
The point I was trying to make was that something that is historically pagan etc… just because it is accepted today does not mean we should be associated with it. That is part of the problem, the world is getting worse and worse and we all, in some way, have been or are being influenced by the secular world.
You said, ‘since the tattoo is today accepted in our culture then it is ok for Christians to have one.’ (I was paraphrasing)
Then we have a problem with why we do not celebrate Halloween and whole bunch more.
Abortion. 50 or so years ago it was against the law, but now it has become common place and legal. But since Scripture has always taught against it, we should obey God’s Word on the matter and not the way society is going.
Concerning the example of Elijah and the prophets, and the other passages I noted. This kind of self-laceration or marking of the body was not allowed among the Hebrew people. The reason why, is because it was associated with pagan cults…and something to do with the dead.
That is why in Lev 19:28 God said…do not cut or tattoo your body. Because he did not want His people associated with false gods, witchcraft, etc…
Maybe we are getting hung up on ‘for the dead’.
But actually the phrase-…‘nor print any marks upon you,’ is a stand alone command.
Further instructing the Israelites to have the proper reverence for God in all they do.
Then I knew the argument would come up, well it also says not to cut your hair.
But that is out of context.
Lev 19:26-28….these verses are condemning pagan and witchcraft practices.
In verse 26… He is referring to spells, witchcraft.
In verse 28…it is the pagan demonic practice of cutting your flesh and tattooing.
Then right in the middle of those two verses God put in a verse about cutting your hair. Interesting!
God did that not to condemn hair cuts but was forbidding a pagan practice.
The pagans would cut their hair a certain way in respect or to worship their pagan Gods, which was idolatry.
Up to just a few years ago almost everyone, including Christians, knew that the tattoo was clearly forbidden in scripture. And historically Bible believing Christians have ALWAYS condemned tattooing.
If we were living as a Jew in the O.T. it would be clear that God forbids tattoos.
Even if we do not look at the Old Testament, as I have already mentioned, there is Scripture in the N.T.
1 Cor 6:12-20
-in verse 13 the body is meant for the Lord.
-in verse 19 our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
-in verse 19 we are not our own, we were bought with a price.
-in verse 20 we are to honor God with our bodies.
Good point about eating at McDonalds, same argument from scripture applies, if that is all you eat it will cause serious health issues. And we should not rely on what the “average American Christian” does or thinks anyway.
That is part of my point that as Christians we are being influenced by today’s society.
And yes the health risk factors alone should be enough to abstain from getting a tattoo.
The American Red Cross will not let you donate blood for a period of 12 months after getting a tattoo. And of course all the others I have previously mentioned.
If we then rationalize that it is ok to get a tattoo. We must ask the question- Should a Christian?
1 Cor 10:23
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
You would need to consider your motives for getting a tattoo?
1 Chron 28:9 says that the Lord sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought.
We should evaluate our true intentions for getting one.
Then in Rom 12:2 we are told not to conform to world, but be transformed.
With all the temptations we have in today’s society it is not easy.
Obviously we would not want to get a tattoo just so we could witness to a certain group of people. If that argument stands, then we could smoke pot and hang with the dope heads. You get the idea.
John 13:35
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Maybe- By this shall all men know you are my disciples, if you have a Christian license plate, or wrist band…..etc
Of course I am not against any of these because I have them all, but the point is if that is the extent of our witness we have a problem.
But the world will know we are a Christian, by our love towards one another.
We should just let Jesus put His mark on our life.
2 Cor 1:22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
I read the article you referred.
He did make some good points. And we should not apply a verse out of context to justify what we believe the Bible is teaching when the scriptures never address it.
Just as an aside- It is interesting that he starts off stating that we should not be “Scripture Twisting.” And then in order to make his point he does the same thing by changing the words of the verse so they mean something different. Now to his credit he does go on to say he might be wrong.
And yes Paul and Jesus did spend much time with the unsaved. That goes to reason since Jesus came to save that which was lost.
That would be like Jeremy going to the bar every Tuesday night and standing on the bar and preaching the gospel. Some may say Jeremy is getting drunk on Tuesdays because they see him going into the bar. What a silly conclusion.
In order to win the lost we must go some places where an abundance of lost hang out and preach the gospel to them. For the most part we will not be able to reach the majority of them at our church functions.
“We should therefore abstain from evil, and all appearances of evil, from sin, and that which looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of sin, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to sin, will not long abstain from the actual commission of sin.”
Matthew Henry
We should “…be guided by the question, ‘What’s right and positive about doing this?’ Wrong behavior and behavior which could appear to be wrong should be avoided by the conscientious Christian.” Dr. Henry Morris
“What is found to be ‘good’ is to be wholeheartedly embraced. What is ‘evil’ or unbiblical is to be shunned.” John MacArthur
I hope I have been clearer and not sounded hateful in any way.
Because I know deep down David is trying to justify getting a tattoo of Kyrie on his buttocks. =;-)
In the Creators Service,
Kent
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