Is there a relation between the ritual tattoos of ancient times and the "body art" of today? What biblical principles apply to deciding whether to get a tattoo or not?
Answer:
Tattooing has been around for centuries and this practice has enjoyed a popular resurgence, especially among young people, in recent years. The reasons vary. Some get tattoos to show independence and rejection of parental values. Others get them because of peer pressure or because they believe they are stylish—a type of body adornment and beautification.
As for God's instruction regarding tattoos, the Bible does not specifically address the modern practice of tattooing as body adornment. While Leviticus 19:28 says, "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord," most scholars believe these practices were related to mourning for the dead. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary's article on tattoos says, "Any kind of self-laceration or marking of the body was prohibited among the Hebrew people. Such cuttings were associated with pagan cults that tattooed their followers while they mourned the dead" (1986).
Apparently, these people cut themselves and disfigured their bodies as a way of appeasing the anger of their gods and hoping to find some help for the deceased. God did not want His people getting involved in these pagan rituals because these practices led people away from Him. While death is always a sad time, God's people are not to "sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
While it is unlikely that people today get tattoos to mourn the dead, there are other biblical principles that indicate that getting a tattoo is inappropriate for Christians.
Several scriptures instruct Christians to take special care of their bodies. For example, 1 Corinthians 3:17 says, "If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." Also, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 adds that our bodies belong to God, and that we are to glorify Him in body and spirit.
Unfortunately, dangerous diseases have been transmitted by improper sanitation of the needles used in tattooing. An article in the USA Weekend magazine of Aug. 5, 2001, quotes a study by the University of Texas showing that those who have been tattooed are nine times more likely to be infected with hepatitis C, a dangerous virus. The study urged those who have been tattooed in the last 10 years to be checked for the disease because it is often dormant for years before being detected. The dyes used in the tattooing process may also be detrimental to one's health (Andrew Osborn, "Health Risks Warning on Body Art Dyes," The Guardian, July 18, 2003).
King Solomon provides an additional lesson to be considered before making an important decision, saying, "The end of a thing is better than its beginning" (Ecclesiastes 7:8). In other words, consider how you will feel about the decision years later.
For people who get tattoos when they are young, many later regret their decision. It is "estimated that between 17-50% eventually regret having their body tattoo" (www.tattooremovalinstitute.com/index.html ). Many of these people eventually undergo operations to have their tattoos removed, but these procedures are not always successful. Scarring and skin variations commonly remain.
Finally, we should bear in mind that God wants Christians to come out of and be separate from the world around us (2 Corinthians 6:17; Revelation 18:4). We are to reflect God's values and His thinking. Because of these reasons, we strongly advise that people do not get tattoos. If a person already has a tattoo before becoming a Christian, he or she is not required to have it removed.
Besides the health risks of getting a tattoo, and for religious reasons not to get them, having a tattoo is just disgusting. The idea that someone would be willing to permanently scar themselves with these eyesores is beyond me.
I think people still get them to mourn the dead. My friend who lost her husband several years ago got a tattoo to mourn him. She picked out a picture that best described him and had it stuck on her then put the day she lost him under it. If this is what you mean by mourning the dead then they still do it today cause there are lots more that I know that do this to mourn someone.
Yeah, it's pretty common for people to get tattoos in honor of close friends or relatives that have died. Also, many people get "Christian" tattoos to honor God, but this is also misguided and directly contrary to Deuteronomy 12:30, which says not to worship God in the way that pagans worship their gods.
As this article points out though, there are reasons why a Christian should not get a tattoo under any circumstances, even if they are planning to do it for purely aesthetic reasons.
THE WORD OF GOD SAYS THAT WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST AND WE ARE NOT TO DEFILE THE TEMPLE IN ANYWAY.........READ LEVITICUS 19:28.
I have a tattoo of an eagle flying down with a rose in it's claws. It is a sort of memorial to my ex-wife, because I had her nickname put with it. Is this wrong? I hope the Lord will not be offended by my doing this to my body. I don't plan on getting any more.
hanko1959 if you got the tattoo before you understood why it is wrong to do so. God will not be offended.
I got one unfortunately when I was 16yrs old. I did not know it was in the Bible, I am sure I would not have done so if I had. I wasn't really raised in a Christian home. My Mom had a bible, but we rarely went to church and when we did it was on Christmas and Easter. It didn't seem much like church.....I wish I could remove the thing now.
I can attest that people still use tatoos to mark themselves for the dead. My brother got a tattoo after out Mother passed away six years ago, and was angry that I didn't do something similar to honor her.
I just want to thank katbird_27 for her kind reply to my concern of getting a tattoo. I was not aware of this being in scriptures and I don't feel bad about it. In fact, I am proud to be a person who still has deep love for another who hurt them in the past, but still honors them in this way. My ex-wife is still alive, but after our difficult divorce, I got the tattoo to show my love and respect for her and for her to move on with a more fulfilling, happy life, even if it is not with me. So, the tattoo is from love, which our Lord demands we all practice every day, Love thy neighbor as yourself. Our Lord is Love and I am sure He will understand why I did this to my body. Praise our Lord!
We are all born into darkness. It is a loving and merciful God Who illuminates with the Light of His Word those things which we may have done in our lives out of ignorance or pride or foolishness.
With respect to tattoos, clearly God has revealed that He does not want us to mark our bodies in that way. However, if we did so before coming to an understanding of this truth, God does not expect us to lop off the offending arm or leg or other such parts of our body. What God does expect, however, is that we repent of the attitude which led us to get the tattoo in the first place. The spiritual intent. Was it from rebellion to parental authority? Or pride? Or simply self-justification?
Whatever the attitude, that is what God expects us to bring before Him. Is our understanding now complete? Is our attitude of repentance sincere (and all self-justification put away)? Do we accept the forgiveness which God offers?
Is so ... then move on ... and don't look back!
I personally do not think that young people know that it is a sin,or that they should not do this tatooing.Most of them are not even aware that it is described in the Bible for that matter!!I think that if they are made aware(Which is what I am going to do)that most of them would want to have it removed!!
I am tattooed and a minister. I was tattooed while I was a youth minister. My tattoo is on my forearm facing me, it is a cross made of twisted thorns and says true love true freedom. I got this when I was going through a very tuff time in my life to always remind me that I can only have true love and true freedom when I stay focused on the cross and thorns. I think the meaning and the reason for a tattoo is what decides if it is a sin, like many other things in this world. My tattoo catches the interest of lots of people and leads to lots of conversation that sometimes bring people to Christ. Most of these people are people that I might not have ever spoke with but they came to me because they saw my tattoo while I was standing in line at the store or something like that. With that said I am not saying go get a random tattoo, I'm just saying if it brings others to Christ don't call it a sin. Be thoughtfull and remember anything we do that does not glorify Christ is a sin.