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Posted on 11/01/2013 8:21:51 AM PDT by DouglasKC
The Truth about Tattoos
I had written a hub earlier on 'The Dangers of Tattoos' - which was from purely a medical point of view. The present article is more comprehensive, and should enlighten the open-minded reader about the 'dark truths' behind tattoos.
Historical Aspect
History shows that tattoos have always been associated with paganism, shamanism, heathen (Baal worship), occult mysticism and demonism. The tattoo has never been associated with Christians, until the present decadent religious times. Wherever the Christian faith made its entrance, the tattoo made its exit.
Tattoos where associated with shamans or magic-men (witch-doctors). A shaman is an intermediary between the natural and the supernatural worlds, who is in direct contact with spirits who are invariably evil. Tattooing was often a magical rite, linked to scarification and blood-letting, and the tattooing process involved complex rituals and taboos, known only to the shaman and his tribe. In tattooing the skin is punctured and the blood is drawn. Licking the blood during tattoo operations is not unknown. The puncturing was considered the ‘opening of inlets for evil to enter’. Tattoos were therefore channels for demonic possession. Even today, certain tattoo artists burn incense and light candles during tattoo operations, while others allow ‘demons to guide the tattoo needle over the client’s body’.
Tattoos have always reflected a note of unabashed rebellion and marked deviancy. Hence tattoos were used to mark criminals, adulterers, traitors, deserters, the deviant and the outcast. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans did not tattoo themselves, but they branded slaves and criminals with tattoos. The Latin word for ‘tattoo’ is ‘stigma’ – which is a distinguishing mark cut into the flesh of a slave or a criminal, and was considered a mark of disgrace or reproach. By the early 1900s public opinion against tattoos was so strong that tattooed persons were considered freaks and found mostly in sideshows and circuses.
The Psychological Aspect
It has been observed that criminals, drug addicts, sex perverts and social outlaws are the overwhelming majority of the tattooed. Hard rock bands sport sick and lewd tattoos. Gangs encourage tattoos to instill a sense of ‘belonging’. Tattoos carry a streak of aggression and anti-establishmentarianism and are subversive of morality. Death (inclusive of skulls, snakes, demons, flames) and pornography (lewd pictures, nude figures) are popular themes of tattoos. Psychologists have considered tattoos to be marks of personality disorder which is manifested later in criminal behavior. Low self-esteem, lack of self-control, sadomasochism, bondage, fetishism, bisexuality, antisocial personality, mania and bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia – are reflected in self-inflicted multiple tattoos. Studies have linked tattoos to homosexuality, lesbianism and gross sexual perversion.
Tattooed youth are more likely to engage in sexual intercourse, take to alcohol and drugs, and exhibit violent behavior, and drop out of high school – by as much as 4 times compared to non-tattooed youth.
The Christian Aspect
Carnal Christians side-step the injuction in Leviticus 19;28 by arguing that the commandment is for Old Testament Israel and not for New Testament Christians. Does that mean that bestiality and child sacrifice which are forbidden in Leviticus are for Old Testament Israel and not for New Testament Christians? The New Testament does not have to spell out all sins. Smoking, for instance, is not mentioned in the Bible anywhere; but does it mean that smoking is not a vice or sin?
Reputed Bible scholars and commentators have made in clear that the moral commandments in Leviticus are for all time and not just for Israel in the Old Testament age. Leviticus 19:28 says, ‘You shall not make any cutting in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you. I am the LORD.’ On this Matthew Henry, Merrill Unger and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown have made it amply clear that tattoos are forbidden by God. It is to be noted that while ‘cuttings’ are qualified by the phrase ‘for the dead’, ‘marks’ (or tattoos) have no such qualification. Which means that all tattoos (Christian and otherwise) are evil in God’s eyes.
One of the arguments made by carnal Christians is that Lev 19.27 forbids haircuts. What Leviticus 19.27 is talking about is ‘rounding the corners of your head’ and ‘marring the corners of your beard’. These were heathen practices. One such practice was to cut the hair so that the head resembled a celestial globe. It is called a ‘tonsure’, a practice of heathens to honor their gods. The cutting of the flesh was demonstrated by the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It is not to be forgotten that the demon-possessed man in Mark 5 was in the habit of cutting himself with stones. Cutting and masochistic self-flagellation is also practiced by Muslims during their festival of Muharram. In short, the injunctions in Lev 19:26-28 are a strong condemnation of heathen practices – witchcraft, astrology, cutting, tattooing, tonsures, etc.
In 1 Samuel 15:23 we are told that ‘rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft’. Tattoos sported by today’s youth have been the mark of rebellion and hatred of authority (besides, rejection of all moral values). In God’s eyes, the sin of tattooing is like witch-craft. We have already seen the origins of tattoos in witch-craft and shamanism. It remains to be researched whether this ‘witch-craft’ has also led to widespread demon-possession. No, tattoos are not ‘body decoration’; they have nothing to do with fashion and beauty; but rather they are sinister signs of moral decay and infiltration by evil spirits into modern society.
When a writer says “never” and I know otherwise, it falls apart.
Copts in Egypt have a small tattoo of a cross on their hand.
Abuse of smoking might be a sin because the body is God's temple (1 Corinthians 6:19), so a pack a day-er might be indulging in sin. However, smoking does not affect your mental make-up like alcohol, and drugs, and even alcohol, taken in moderation is not harmful to the body. So, I'm giving it a pass, too.
Now I might be wrong, but frankly, I've got much more serious sins to account for. Thankfully, they are under the blood. But I can't worry about those two.
I can't imagine a more stupid argument than the above. First, the author hasn't a clue, apparently, about the New Testament preserving sexual morality instructions. Next, he tries to equate getting a tattoo with bestiality.
Getting a tattoo is no different than eating shrimp.
The dangers of tattoos are medical and cosmetic. They have absolutely nothing to do with sin.
I have heard that pagans and occult practitioners meet in buildings and drive cars.
Plain and simple, I believe that deciding to get a tatoo just shows that you are assigning importance to the wrong things in life.
Old Testament is the Law, New Testament is Grace
A friend of mine is in prison ministry, he is prohibited from bringing a Bible, he can comment on his tattoos if asked.
His tattoos share his walk with Christ and the plan of Salvation.
I know several surfers who have tattoos who use them for witnessing, the tattoos can visually show the plan of Salvation.
I know many people who use their tattoos for witnessing.
None of those are paganism.
Some people are tattoophobic.
I just think tattoos are ugly and stupid and yes, sinful
no phobia in that
People who use this verse to justify their opposition to tattoos always seem to ignore the preceding verse:
"27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard."
Picking and choosing rules from the Old Testament like food at a buffet line is the sign of someone who does not understand Galatians 5:1
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.
“but does it mean that smoking is not a vice or sin?”
Ugh.
...but don’t all person wanting to be youth pastors have to sport tats so the youth can think they are hip.
More than that, it is a self-idolizing call for attention. I've noticed that the people with the most conspicuous tattoos are chronically of this mindset.
I like the Daily Mail myself but someone once pointed out this list “The Daily Mail’s list of things that give you cancer”.
http://cancerbattlefield.com/the-daily-mail-list-of-things-that-give-you-cancer//
Websearch “daily mail things that can give you cancer” and find the list in full.
Thank you laotzu. Semper Fi!
I imagine most any indulgence carried to extreme would be a sin. I won’t be throwing stones anytime soon.
Welcome to my life, tattoo
I’m a man now, thanks to you
I expect I’ll regret you
But the skin graft man won’t get you
You’ll be there when I die
Tattoo
Tattoos and piercings are self-mutilation, nothing more. Ask yourself if a mentally healthy person would mutilate him/herself.
Ethiopian Christians often have religious tattoos, as well. There are several families in my parish.
And some have even posted on Free Republic.
Then don’t get one.
They are used for all sorts of reasons and no they are not sinful.
Sailor Tattoos are legion especially World War II and some time after, anchors and other things have been very popular. That is the one thing the article does not mention.
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