I would like to hear from you guys/gals about Christians having a lot of body piercings and tattoos.
I went to my Taebo class this morning and was surprised to see a lady who claims to be a Christian,got a tattoo and had her bb pierced. Personally I don't like tattoos. It's a turn off to me.It would be ok if she had it before getting saved because as we believe,accept Jesus as Lord and savior the old is gone and the new us has come.
I read that bit about kethobeth/kathab earlier too. BUT, it is distinguished from all of the other words used in the OT that describe writing, inscribing, or marking on something.
To me, this is a little something like yoga... With yoga, there are 2 components that can be practiced: spiritual stuff and physical stuff. If someone truly had a problem with the physical aspects of yoga, then it would not suffice to say, "Don't practice yoga," because some of the movements and poses in yoga are also the same as you would see in basic aerobic warm up exercises or just basic things you do to stretch before running. Rather, someone would need to state some specifics there: It's not okay to move your arms above your head with your palms facing each other... and things like that. So, when someone says that they're against yoga, I rather doubt that they mean that the physical aspects of it are wrong. Rather, they think that the practice of those movements within a certain context are wrong.
So, I think that the instruction in Leviticus isn't prohibiting tattoos in any and all contexts. If it was, I really think that another word would have been used. The Greek word grapho/graphein is used all over the NT to refer to writing on both objects and people and is the language equivalent to the word used to describe writing on stone tablets and whatnot in the OT. And, that same Hebrew word is the one used in Proverbs when it talks about writing stuff on your heart. So, it's not like it's some exclusive word that couldn't have been used to describe what not to do to your skin. If God really meant something purely physical, then I think He would have used the word that was used in reference to writing the stone tablets, or one of the other words that was used similarly in the OT. It seems plain to me that kethobeth is more than just the physical aspect of doing some specific thing to one's kin. I really think that it encompasses some kind of ritual and that the ritual is what is being spoken against there.
The principle was for the Hebrews to live a set-apart life, in which they did not imitate the pagans all around them. God said in essence, "Don't do what the pagans are doing" -- isn't that the point here? And what were the pagans doing? They were branding themselves in ways that apparently were connected with their ritual worship.
In the reading I've done on this topic, I have seen that passage construed to indicate that the tattoos were for the dead. As Pixy has pointed out, this was a very specific kind of marking of the skin. I agree that we may not even be able to do this today, as we don't know for sure what was done.
Now, I ask you this: given that we can't say for sure what was being done, does it even make sense to issue "thou shalt nots" about it? Aren't our principles "to the pure, all things are pure" and "the reality, however, is in Christ" and not in observing certain days or following certain rituals? What did Paul say about not eating meat around people it causes to stumble? Isn't that the principle behind covering up your tattoos at work? The living of love is our call.
Furthermore, the early history of the church shows us what happened when Gentiles became Christians -- they were not required to be circumsized. So, that means that OT Levitical law was not held to be binding upon 1st century Christians. What did Paul say about the Judiazers? He wanted them to emasculate themselves. That's harsh -- and I think that's a lesson there for us, too. Folks who want to go back under law are missing out on grace. Paul talks a bit about that, too.
Fair enough. If we carry this line of thought to a logical conclusion it might look something like this:
God called Israel to be separate from the rest of the Nations and not to indulge in the same pratices (ritualistic or not). God calls us as Christians to be in the world but not of the world. So one would next need to determine it getting tattos is identifying with being a Christian or being of the world. How does one determine such a thing? >By comparing worldly practices to the New Testament Church practices one I think one can safely conclude from history which are the practices of the world and which are the practices of the Christian.
That said I still see in my strongs concordance the defination of the word that comes from my hebrew Bible that implies writing on the skin. If I understand you correctly you are stating since the most common word for ingraving is not used it must mean something else. That's fine but that is to much conjecture for me.
What i wll say to everyone here is this- If someone who has a tattoo on their back & you are a person who don't like tattoos & you did'nt kow this & you still end up marring them & then later found out what would you do would file for a divorce for that?I honestly dont like these things myself nor i have any on me of course but your not Superman who has x-ray vision! When we speak about topics like this,we must be very careful not to sound like we're offending anyone here.I once had a discussion with a friend at work and i've said this "we as christians must be very careful about certain things we say to people.If i met someone & talked to them about tattoos & piercing& they have some tattoos or has a belly ring,how bad they would they feel & would then think that we're "judging" people like them"!I sometimes cannot stand to see many gospel singers like the men with the earrings & tattoos,but i'm sometimes even reminded by God that they've later after "accepted Jesus"in their lives & know they can't "erase" or "fill the hole" that's left there. REMEMBER to SHOW LOVE to them- just like Jesus did!!!
That reiminds me by the way.Remember when Jesus went on the cross,He was then pierced to that very cross in order to die for our sins & later showed himself that HE"S ALIVE & Thomas had doubted that JESUS has RISEN from THE DEAD & the only way that JESUS STOPPED his DOUBTING was to SHOW THOMAS HIS PIERCED WOUNDED HANDS? Just a thought.
LOVED what you said!!!!!!!! My kids have tattoos. I'm not real happy about it, but oh well. I kinda want one too, an angel fish, because we are fishers of men!!!
One of my very dear young friend's entire back and arms are tattooed, and he is one of the best Christians I know!
Twosparows, Tattoo was the little guy on Fantasy Island, I forget the big guy's name!
Well, I stayed out of this as long as I could. I've practically bitten my lip off a time or two, but here's my two cents:
While I don't condemn anyone with tatoos, and realize everyone had a past, and really don't think having a tattoo or bb ring will prevent anyone from getting into Heaven, and mind you--I'm no Bible scholar, but I Cor 6:19-20 tells us
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; (20 )you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,"
Therefore, to me, a tattoo on somebody is likin' to spray-painting grafitti on the side of a church. They really make me cringe. My dad got a lot of tattoos as a GI in Korea and really regretted them after he got older. My son got a lot of really loud tattoos as a sign of rebellion after he "grew up" because he knew I disapproved of them. A lot of folks get them to draw attention to themselves. Some get them to express their "uniqueness." (How can they be unique if all their other friends have tattoos as well?) Everyone has their own reasons and their own justificatons. (Like everything else these days.) I've been to New York, Chicago, etc. and seen a lot of grafitti. To me it looked more like vandalism than art.
As far as Jesus having a tattoo, He is our Lord and Savior, He can do whatever He wants.
Like I said, I don't condemn those that have them, but I have my reasons for not wanting one myself.
My planned tattoo of a verse in Micah, reminding us of God's instructions. . . . in my book, it's not unlike a church having a sign outside with a scripture on it.
I think body art can draw the wrong kind of attention, and it can be defacing/graffiti, but it can also be tasteful. And a conversation starter.
