Should Catholics Get Tattooed?

[MarysLittleFlower]

Oh OK I see! I wear ordinary clothes and I don't think people stare at me. I wear only long skirts but they are ordinary long skirts not.costumey. I guess it looks different but not the style,just the coverage. Hopefully that's different than drawing attention to self. I've had strangers appreciate my skirts though  

[Gabriela]

I volunteer with sexual abuse victims, and some of them gave up make up, nice clothes, hair products, etc... anything that make them beautiful, after their abuse. When they began to come back to make-up, nice clothes, hair products, we know it's not because of a "I want to be beautiful" state-of-mind, but because they feel like their body belong to them, and that they can take care of him, and that they can make it pretty, because it's their, and because it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's really interesting to have the explanation of psychiatrist about it, and I think that to reconcile with your body, is a way to reconcile with God. I don't do make-up because I neved had the occasion to begin with it, but if I was too do it, I see this as a way to "enfance" (french : mettre en valeur) the body that God gave to me. I think there's also a lot of vanity in some extreme modesty clothing, too. 
I am tattooed with the name of some death family members in my back, I have it because I wanted to have "for ever" in me, people who were for ever killed by hate and then forgotten. Often, tattoes have a meaning for the person who get it, and I don't see why it's vain and how you can make generalization about it. 

Great post. I'm out of props.

[Norseman82]

Michael Voris has a tattoo of the word "Catholic" in Greek on his left shoulder, because the Roman legionnaires would get "SPQR" tattooed on their left shoulder. Matt Fradd has one of the reverse side of the Miraculous Medal on the underside of his left forearm. Finally, there is a sect of Christians in the Middle East who brand themselves with a tattoo cross on their arm.

The reason why Leviticus condemned tattoos was because in that time, people would get tattoos of gods to worship them. God wanted nothing of the sort with the Israelites because they had proved they were in no way trustworthy in terms of their loyalty. There were many laws which were very odd, and God made it so in order to separate the Jews from assimilating into other societies, as every time they had done so they would end up doing something stupid like worshiping a golden calf or worshiping Ba'al in prostitution rituals.

Congratulations - you've just won the "mixing bleach and ammonia" award for linking tattoos and Michael Voris together in the same thread!

[HisChildForever]

As long as the tattoos are tasteful I see no issue. Whether you have one, two, or your back is entirely covered. I also feel the majority of people with tattoos have selected pieces that carry deep meaning for them, like a tribute to a deceased loved one. Also, maybe it's just me, but I think less about my appearance when I'm wearing makeup. Especially if I had a break out or if my face looks splotchy. Foundation evens out the complexion. And just to throw this out there, a lot of foundation on the market has SPF or ingredients that promote healthy skin.

[Guest]

[Gabriela]

True.

That being said, being nice isn't the most important thing in life. Although being non-judgmental (in the charitable, "leave it to God to judge" kind of way) is very important.

[Lilllabettt]

I wonder if people know how expensive tattoos are. 

Did this man have a family to support? Wife, children, elderly parents? Did he tithe? Was something like this - dozens of cosmetic procedures - very high quality it looks like, too - a righteous use of resources?  Who knows. God is his judge. 

As Christians we will answer to God for the times we lived ostentatiously. Ostentatious clothes. Ostentatious tattoos, body modifications. Having a big house, big car, big hair... all this when some among us are starving to death.

This thought troubles me a great deal.

Surely its not wrong for Christians to have a nice car, a nice house,  a nice hair do. But is it right for us to have very nice things? When I spend money on something extra "lux" I ask myself, can I justify it before God, my buying this for myself instead using the money to clothe and feed His poor?

Often the answer is no, but I usually buy it anyway. It troubles me a great deal.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2015 by Lilllabettt

[Peace]

Not a big fan of tattoos. But if any of y'all single ladies is inclined to tattoo "Peace" onto your shoulder there shall be no complaints.

[Gabriela]

Not a big fan of tattoos. But if any of y'all single ladies is inclined to tattoo "Peace" onto your shoulder there shall be no complaints.

[puellapaschalis]

Not a big fan of tattoos. But if any of y'all single ladies is inclined to tattoo "Peace" onto your shoulder there shall be no complaints.

I feel...um...I don't know how I feel.

[josephine]

very funny, because for a very long time, i wanted a small dove with the word "peace" tattooed on my shoulder.

Mayby i should consider it again

[Kia ora]

I think there's also a lot of vanity in some extreme modesty clothing, too.

what a wonderful way of putting it.

vanity, in the end, is putting self before god. it can appear as 'godliness' and it can appear as 'ungodliness' as well.

[Gabriela]

it can appear as 'godliness' and it can appear as 'ungodliness' as well.

Well said, Kia.

[Peace]

I feel...um...I don't know how I feel.

Less pontificating and more ink please.

[stream26]

There is a tradition of tattoos among some Christians. For example some Coptic Orthodox and Catholics get small tattoos of the cross on their hands or wrists or pictures of praying hands. In a country where you can be persecuted for your faith in Christ such a tattoo can be a profound and brave witness. Also, I live in an area which has many Ethiopian Orthodix immigrants. Older woman sometimes tattoo the cross on their foreheads (the young don’t carry on this tradition it seems). Finally, some Croatian Catholic women would get tattooed with Christian tattoos to deter Muslims from kidnapping them and forcing them into marriage http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_tattooing_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina Personally, I think tattoos are unnecessary because God made us just fine without adornment. Nevertheless, it would seem that there is a diversity of opinion on this issue among Christians.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

On 8/2/2015 at 9:08 PM, little2add said:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

tattoos are very vain

the body is not you it is us. That's my opinion anyway. Paul is talking to a whole not a singular even though he uses the word you. Alone we have not the spirit as Jesus says 'wherever any 2 or more are gathered in my name i shall be there with them.' and through the new testament there are various pointers as to the point i am making that it is never ME it is always US in the sense of the body and as to whom is being addressed. I am truly led to believe if we love Jesus we will love the body particularly 1st and foremost and the world 2nd though the world also, 'If you love me you will love one another' kind of thing and 'if you love one another you will desire to be around one another regularly' and if we are gathered in Jesus name we are worshiping him/inviting him into our lives. Love is true worship, love is the spirit and truth. All religious stuff is essential but without love it profits us nothing for our own salvation and the salvation of the world. And the verse you have pointed out really excentuates this in saying "you are not your own" we belong to each other and the LORD, we are the body, or meant to be anyway.

My arch bishop recently gave me permission to finish my tattoos as i wasn't going to, but he pretty much said that if it is effecting my relationship with the LORD and others leaving them unfinished that yes i can do so, but he also added even if it is a sin it is only a very low class of sin.

I'm still undecided as whether to finish them or not, thoughts have already popped into my head about getting a few more. Give em a yard and they will take a mile, sometimes. Be wise stay alive. Take care be aware.

[polskieserce]

I don't think there is anything explicitly evil about getting tattoos.  But that being said, I wouldn't get one simply because it's not a good idea.

 

1. Society perceives people with tattoos differently.  Guys with tattoos are seen as rebellious and really into the counter-culture.  Girls with tattoos, especially on the lower back, are considered loose.  What comes to mind when you see people with these tattoos?  What do you think a hiring manager or the girlfriend's parents would think of a guy with a sleeve tattoo?  What do you think a guy would think if he saw that tattoo on his girlfriend/fiance?    
2.  Risk of infection, possible skin reactions, etc.
3. What if you change your mind?

 

[little2add]

tattoos are so vain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j13oJajXx0M

 

[PhuturePriest]

On 8/3/2015 at 10:59 PM, Norseman82 said:

Congratulations - you've just won the "mixing bleach and ammonia" award for linking tattoos and Michael Voris together in the same thread!

I get an award for mentioning Michael Voris in a thread and not having it result in an epic flame war.

I am become death, destroyer of battle lines.

[the171]

I'm just going to share the cool tattoo I have on my ribcage. It's this lovely illustration of a forest in the style of old woodcarvings with the words "prone to wander" (from the hymn "come thou font").