Boanerges

I am no fan of needles.

BreathOfGod

My husband had to get some of his tattoos removed, and I'll tell you that the pain and time involved in getting them removed is much worse than ever having them on to begin with. Plus, now he has scars from it, and some of the ink still never came out. He went back several times, and each time it wasn't working, so they had to keep cranking up the intensity of the laser even higher and higher. Then the burn from the laser would leave huge fluid filled welts over the area, and then those would break and the wound would be open, then it would heal and scar.

Not to gross anyone out....but just something to think about prior to ever getting a tattoo. My husband and I are not against tattoo's, and he even wants another one. People just need to think about what they are getting and where they are getting them and if one day they might be required to have them removed such as for a job position or something.

dannyb785

Just know that since the tatoo issue is either hit or miss with christians, you'd sure hate to meet mr or mrs wonderful and find out that they have a personal thing against tatoos say, 6 months down the road. I personally hate tatoos unless they're smll and tasteful. Even then, I'll never get one. But if a girl has a big one on her lower back, or all over her shoulder/arms/neck/legs, it just grosses me out.

JeremiahD84

My church (Wildwind of Grand Blanc, Michigan) holds an annual tattoo event. We call it Tattoo U. This coming saturday, the 22nd, just so happens to be Tattoo U 3.
We contact a local tattoo shop and rent out the entire shop. Lots of memebers from the church show up and get tattoos, and we invite friends and we have pizza and pop and lots of other good food and we hang out at the tattoo shop.
We find that it's an awesome evangelizing tool, because it really catches the tattoo artists off guard to have a church come in with that type of event. We also make sure we feed the tattoo artists and involve them with our church family.
It's really awesome!
I have 4 tattoos by the way. My very first is a tattoo of Jesus on the Cross, with the verse John 3:16 beneath it. It covers the majority of my right upper arm and shoulder.
I have a tribal band around my left arm, a chinese symbol on my forearm and a black dragon on my calve.

The law against tattoos is found in the book of Leviticus along with many other ceremonial laws (such as not eating pork).
As we all know, Jesus has set us free from those things!

It's basically a matter of preference and pain tolerance.
Then again, you do want to consider the message that the tattoo will convey. Example: Don't have Nazi 666 with a bunch of swastikas tattooed on your forehead! (or anywhere else on you!)

Banarenth

I get the art (Have 2 tattoos btw that are pretty big), but I find it funny when people have Kanji (Chinese symbols) and tribal tattoos, because I get this image of Chinese Native American Indians. That, and I've seen a LOT of prank kanji. Seriously, if you don't intimately KNOW the Kanji, DON'T DO IT!!! I have read some pretty silly things on people's backs and arms. You'd be surprised what a stray line or a slight slant can do to change the meaning.

As for tribals, I just see too many posers get those to take them seriously anymore.

But I guess I prolly shouldn't see it like that really. I mean, if you like it, then that's really all that matters.

Mopom

You won't go to Hell for getting a tattoo... get one if you like. :P I think all of the verses in the bible that have to do with being against body art were aimed at specific people in a specific time era...

There are plenty of Christians today who have tattoos... theres nothing wrong with it unless you use it to glorify ungodly things. O_o

Get one if it makes you happy.

hoppers

i got a tattoo on my 18th birthday. it was before i was a christian but my tattoo has meaning. its a memorial tattoo with their initial and angel wings ... i loved it when i got it but i got it on my hip right where the rise of my pants wold be and 6 months later i got pregnant so now it is well.. not so beautiful.. now that i am a christian i want a new tattoo i want doves with scripture.. i want mine on my left inside wrist to cover up scars that i have. not out of shame but because where once attention was drawn because of self destruction people will see and ask questions possibly so that i can witness and possibly share my story in hopes that they want and hunger for the same jesus that i know :-).

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Rumely

This^^^^^!

Leaving personal feelings aside, I think it is worth asking, will this make me a more effective Christian? The decision to get a tattoo or not does go beyond personal considerations. How will people react to your tattoo? On balance, is it more likely to cause negative reactions or positive? how will it affect your interaction with the "weaker brethren?" The more visible the tattoo is, the more important it is to consider these and similar issues.
No offense or rebuke intended for anyone, but I think that a Christian, whether on this issue or any other not specifically addressed in scripture, has to consider more than whether or not his or her personal choice makes him or her happy. All things are lawful, not all things are profitable.

None of this is to say whether or not you should get a tattoo. Just throw these considerations into the equation, that's all.

Banarenth

From my experience, it has opened up a lot of lines of communication with people, and made me more accessible to some. Of course, it has also closed some lines, but there are millions of others that can reach those people (and the people offended by tattoos are prolly not going to like my piercings, clothes, and hair anyway...and are mostly already super-conservative "Christians"). That's not saying it's for everyone, just that I'm comfortable in my own skin.

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Beloved

What does everyone think about make-up tatooing... I used to have very dark and thick eyebrows ...

Now the brows are very thin, and the few hairs I have are thin and or gray, If I don't apply makeup it looks like I have no brows...

Has anyone had their lips, and eyeliner done?

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Shalom

( SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. )

Beloved
1 Corinthians 14:1 Let Love be your highest goal.