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Mailbag-as Tattoos #11 - Keith's comments |
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Ref: Tattoos I am very familiar with tattoos and their meanings. I can often identify gang affiliations, drug preferences, psychological attributes etc... simply by looking at a patient's tattoos. I am aware of the origins of tattoos and the almost complete LACK of medical reasons NOT to get one. Throughout your discussion, many people embark on a tangential wandering of opinions, sociology and history. In my humble opinion, the first responder (Jeffrey) has the approach correct. Instead of presuming to know the writer's motivations (Rich), he addresses the question with direct scripture (Lev 19:28). Many of my patients have Christian tattoos and they have made it easier for me to locate Christians and discuss Christ with them (people like Jeremy, Paul, Seth, Brett etc...). They have given me the opportunity to ask about Jesus without feeling intimidated. Now I want a tattoo. I designed it myself. It has an American flag with an eagle landing on a cross. To the
right are the Chinese characters for God and Country, and family. To the left are written the Chinese characters
for Loyalty, Honor, Humility.
2. If Lev 19:28 does not apply, then why not? |
| I am a Christian tattoo artist and member of the Christian Tattoo Artists Association. Obviously, I have dealt
with the question of tattooing on many occasions. First of all, the passage from Leviticus DOES NOT APPLY. If you read the chapter of Leviticus (particularly the part where tattooing is discussed) you can clearly see that it was directed only to the Levites (the priests of God) because God called them to separate themselves and laid heavier expectations upon them. In addition to not tattooing themselves Levites were also instructed not to marry any woman who was not a virgin, to never taste wine (not even a drop), to never wear clothing that was a mix of fabric types (such as cotton & wool blends), to never eat pigs or rabbits or anything from the sea without scales or fins (so lobster, crabs, and clams are out), to never touch a dead body or dead animal unless it was in the course of a sacrifice ritual in the temple, never shave any spot on their head to baldness, nor trim their beards, nor shave any area on the sides of the head, never uncover their head, nor touch a women who is menstruating - ultra-orthodox Jewish rabbis adhere to many of these rules. It is unfortunate that, of all the taboo items listed, it is primarily tattooing that is singled out and taken out of context because it is such a "hot" issue. Additionally, need I remind you that Jesus freed us from the law and instead gave us the Holy Spirit to guide our actions. Paul said it best when he claimed that it was wrong to lay the heavy yoke of the law on gentiles when even the devoutest Pharisees were not capable of upholding it. As with anything else of this world, it is the how and why of the heart that matters. |
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Biblebell's response to the anonymous comments #12 above- I hesitate to publish the above comments because -- unlike all the others who have commented on this topic -- this writer chose not to sign his {or her} remarks. In the interest of balance, however, I shall do so. The writer says that God's command against tattoos {Lev 19.28} was only applicable to Levitical priests. He is wrong. The Bible's introduction to Leviticus chapter 19 says...
Therefore the command against tattoos was NOT only applicable to priests. The writer further states that Jesus "freed us from the law." Here is what Jesus ACTUALLY said on this matter...
It is true that Christians are not under law, but under grace {Rom 6.14}. Thus, Christians do not obey God IN ORDER to go to Heaven. Rather, they obey God because they ARE going to Heaven. Christians obey God as an act of love and respect and gratitude. Read what Jesus taught...
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| Matt writes - Hello, My name Is Matt and I have been a Christian for 13 years and
have served as children's pastor & youth pastor. I would like to comment on the issue of tattoos. When I was 18 I got my first tattoo. I became a Christian at the age of 24. I have tattoos on both arms, legs, chest etc. I've struggled with the "tattoo lifestyle" for the past ten years. As to whether God approved or not, yes we can refer to Levitical Law in referring to the subject of tattoos. I would like to give my input if I may. The fact that I go into a Christian Bookstore (many in fact) and I get the usual looks, people following me etc. tells me that we all should look into the life of Jesus and reflect it in our lives rather than pre-judging people based upon their looks. I have realized in my life that I have to live the rest of my life with my tattoos. So why not embrace it and use it for the glory of God. I have skulls snakes gargoyles etc. My plan is to cover them with new tattoos that will witness to God's glory. If we look at Leviticus 19:28 and base our lives around Levitical law then we need to rip the book of Galatians out of our Bibles. Gal. 5:1 says it is for freedom that Christ has made us free. Stand firm, then, and don't let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Read on in Galatians and you will see that Paul was teaching us that if you are bound by one part of the law you must be bound by it all. If you declare that Christians should not get tattoos because of the "Law" then we must go to every church in the world, rip the pants off of every man and make sure that they are circumcised. I will glorify God in my body and decorate my temple for the furthering of the kingdom. By the way I am also a tattoo artist. And regulations that have come about show that you have more of a chance of getting disease from a public toilet. In Christ, Matt |
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Biblebell's response to Matt's comments #13 above- If Christians feel that they have NO responsibility to obey God's law, then we are free to lie, murder, steal, practice idolatry, commit adultery, and so forth. To totally ignore obedience to the Law, as some have advocated, is to practice LICENSE not liberty. A licentious person is not showing forth Jesus but is instead showing forth worldliness. In the Old Covenant, people obeyed the law in the erroneous belief that doing so would earn them their entrance to God's kingdom. Christians should obey the Law, not in order to BECOME SAVED, but as an act of gratitude and love toward God because WE ARE SAVED. The New Testament clearly teaches that righteousness cannot be attained by seeking to obey the law (Rom 3.28 et al). However, the New Testament books do not advocate thumbing one's nose at the Law. Instead, they teach that obedience should be done as acts of love and gratitude to God for our salvation, and as acts of love toward both the saved and unsaved who observe our manner of living. I need not elaborate further upon these principles. All I need to do is quote the Bible, and ask you to meditate carefully upon the following verses . . .
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Deann writes - I have a comment on all the tattoo replies. There are so many different point of views and disagreeing on what is right.
Deann |
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Biblebell's response to Deann's comments #14 above- Dear Deann, I basically agree with what you have said. It is especially true that there is *no room for give-&-take
opinions* concerning those doctrines which are foundational to the Bible-based Christian faith -- such as the deity
and sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Jonathan writes - To add
to comments regarding Levitical Law located on the Tattoo issue pages, I wanted to point out these verses... it
is important to me that people understand, also, that we are all Kings and Priests, and all called to In fact, I think we are all called to something so much higher than we ever thought possible, when in reality we can't follow even the least list of standards... without Jesus. Anyway, read below -- these verses are among the most important of Jesus' words that reference the "old" Covenant. The New Covenant does not remove the old, rather it is the perfect fit to the Old and you cannot have one without the other. The Old was incomplete, now it is complete, but not abolished.
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| Ted writes - Our bodies are the temple of God and the way we present ourselves
reflects a bit of what is in our hearts. Our Christian conduct should be expressed with our everything, our voices,
our actions, our lifestyle in Him. If wearing a tattoo to show someone you're Christian is all you have, then what do you have? The Bible says not to be a stumbling block to others and Tattoos, like it or not, do carry a stereotype. Yes, there are those who have not come to know Christ and do have marks on their bodies which are permanent from their prior life experience. But when you're a young Christian person who knows what it means to be Christian you realize that Christianity is not a fad or a genre like things of this world. Christianity is a total surrender to Christ. And that means being in the world and not being of it. God your creator is like the Mercedes Benz Company who has taken the best of the best to engineer and design beautiful cars that don't need alterations. Would you think it wise to spray paint your Benz with a picture of any type thing or logo on it? Why then do it to your body? Your life from head to toe, from inside out, was paid for by an awesome God who could have destroyed us all. Wear and Express His reality by your every word, your every action, your every breath, your every waking moment of your life as this will speak greater than any tattoo that covers your beautiful pure skin God has created you in. I say this not to offend, but to express concern for our Youth. Grace to you all, Ted P.S. There's a physician in LA who has a ministry that removes Tattoos from those who know the burden they've been in their lives and he's doing it for free. |
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