Can Christians Have Tattoos?

 

My Newest Tattoo

I love a good argument. Perhaps that is because I am Italian and we love to animate our talking with our hands.  Or perhaps it is just that I always think I am right.  This topic seems to drive Christians nuts.  Almost every Christian I have discussed this with (with the exception of those in the biker community) will quote certain scripture about God forbidding “marking of the body”.  I have a real problem with anyone quoting Leviticus to me regarding any subject.  That book has over 400 “DO NOTs” in it.  Living in those days, you sinned the minute you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  Everything was a sin and, unless you were a scribe or pharisee, you had no idea what they all were.  Remember, very few written copies of the law were around – and those were hand-written and extremely rare and expensive.

There were laws on how you tied up your oxen and what your wife did “during that time of the month”.  I actually think we should put some of those laws into affect.  Would make going fishing during that time just that much easier!

So what exactly does God say about tattoos?  Heck if I know.  But I do know this: God looks at your heart and ignores the outward appearance.  (Read 1 Samuel 16:7).   If you believe that only “unmarked” people go to heaven, you are reading a comic book and not a Bible.  Perhaps only the beautiful people go to heaven?  Would be a very lonely place up there then huh?

People get tattoos for various reasons.  Mine was simple : I wanted another one and had picked out that design years ago.  It tells me something that is important to me : I am forgiven.  You see, forgiveness is so often misunderstood.  Some believe that only God can forgive.  I don’t.  I believe forgiveness takes on many forms.  Yes, God forgives.  And what He has forgiven me for I can never repay Him.  I accept it as a gift of Grace.  

But I also had to forgive myself.  For the mistakes I have made, for the people I have hurt and for the things I should have done, but didn’t.  I have to forgive myself for divorcing the mother of my children and the grief and pain I caused her and my kids for that.  Not something easy to come to grips with.  

It is hard to forgive yourself.  Perhaps much more harder than forgiving others.  Like Paul I can say that I do the very things I do not want to do.  Sometimes I am selfish, sometimes just plain mean.  Sometimes I know everything, other times I know nothing.  

Sometimes I am smart, other times stupid as a rock.  

Back to the question.  I do not see anything wrong with Christians getting tattoos.  I see no Bible reference to it unless you want to quote Leviticus and then, you best throw your wife out the door when she is on her period.  A peaceful house for a week?  Could I live on cereal and pop tarts instead of Tina’s incredible cooking? Don’t think so.  

If you disagree with me on this, you are probably in the majority.  But I can back it up with scripture, can you?  

Getting ink is a personal choice.  if you want a tattoo, go for it.  (Of course, my children must wait until they are 50 before getting ink.) 

If I didn’t hate needles so much, I would probably have more.  But today, three is enough.  

 

Tina's Lower Back Ink (she designed!)

Tina got this this design late one night – 2 hours in the chair in a very painful location!  Her fortitude and courage in having this done blew me away!  I was dying watching her in pain!  The doves signify the Holy Spirit.  The colors are strikingly vivid.  I do not think she will get another since this one was so painful.  I think I am being a bad influence on this former Catholic schoolgirl!  

RiderforJC – a follower of Jesus Christ forgiven by the Grace of God