Can a Christian Get a Tattoo? What Does the Bible say?

[Deeje]

It seems to me that every second person who goes by these days is sporting tattoos. Men and women with varying degrees of coverage...some people don't seem to know when to stop.

When I looked up the word tattoo and found that God's law prohibited his people from getting tattooed, I got to wondering what do people really think about this practice if they identify as Christians?

Lev 19:28:
"You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." (NIV)

"Don’t cut gashes in your flesh when someone dies or tattoo yourselves; I am Adonai." (CJB)

Since God's law specifically told his people NOT to tattoo themselves, do any of you think that he has changed his mind on this issue?

Would it be OK for Christians to get tattooed and turn up to worship God like that? Is it a desecration of the body?

If we were to use a building to worship God and someone put graffiti all over the outside, would we want to use that building for worship as it is, or would we want to remove that defacement as soon as possible?

 

[Tumah]

Jesus completed/fulfilled/ended the Law. The Mosaic Law doesn't apply anymore.
That was just to show how evil man is. Or something.
Now all anyone needs to do is allow people to hit them on both sides of the face.

 

[Riverwolf]

It seems to me that every second person who goes by these days is sporting tattoos. Men and women with varying degrees of coverage...some people don't seem to know when to stop.

Of course. It's a long, proud tradition in Northern European cultures.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It's fine. That verse is referring to the mourning rituals of the surrounding culture. They would rub the ashes of the dead into their skin and make quite a scene with their mourning and wailing. It would leave marks in their skin. Has nothing to do with the modern or indigenous practice of tattooing with ink. The word "tattoo" isn't even in the Bible, since it comes from Polynesian languages.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It seems to me that every second person who goes by these days is sporting tattoos. Men and women with varying degrees of coverage...some people don't seem to know when to stop.

When I looked up the word tattoo and found that God's law prohibited his people from getting tattooed, I got to wondering what do people really think about this practice if they identify as Christians?

Lev 19:28:
"You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." (NIV)

"Don’t cut gashes in your flesh when someone dies or tattoo yourselves; I am Adonai." (CJB)

Since God's law specifically told his people NOT to tattoo themselves, do any of you think that he has changed his mind on this issue?

Would it be OK for Christians to get tattooed and turn up to worship God like that? Is it a desecration of the body?

If we were to use a building to worship God and someone put graffiti all over the outside, would we want to use that building for worship as it is, or would we want to remove that defacement as soon as possible?

That says "for the dead". Are there any context verses that prohibit decorative art knedded on the skin surface? Anything that relays the context that people who tatoo themselves are by the same means cuting themselves for the dead?

 

[Tumah]

It's fine. That verse is referring to the mourning rituals of the surrounding culture. They would rub the ashes of the dead into their skin and make quite a scene with their mourning and wailing. It would leave marks in their skin. Has nothing to do with the modern or indigenous practice of tattooing with ink. The word "tattoo" isn't even in the Bible, since it comes from Polynesian languages.

The verse in Hebrew reads exactly like this:

And [a] laceration for the dead, [do] not put in your flesh. And writing of [a] tattoo, do not put in yourselves. I am G-d.

The first half seems to be talking about mourning rituals, that I agree with you. But the second half calls it "writing a tattoo", not lacerating ash into your skin.
The Biblical Hebrew word for tattoo is ka'ka' (קעקע) found in the verse quoted above.

 

[Deeje]

It's fine. That verse is referring to the mourning rituals of the surrounding culture. They would rub the ashes of the dead into their skin and make quite a scene with their mourning and wailing. It would leave marks in their skin. Has nothing to do with the modern or indigenous practice of tattooing with ink. The word "tattoo" isn't even in the Bible, since it comes from Polynesian languages.

That is why I quoted from the Jewish Bible. It uses the word tattoo.

 

[Tumah]

That is why I quoted from the Jewish Bible. It uses the word tattoo.

You understand of course, that a real Jewish Bible translation wouldn't come with a copy of the NT, right?

 

[OneThatGotAway]

You are correct that Yahweh God Almighty forbids his holy people to have tattoos. The Laws of Yahweh are perfect and Jesus fulfilled them but he did not do away with them. Fulfilling the law is teaching and obeying the true meaning of the parts of the laws that have been neglected, ignore, misunderstood, forbidden, or twisted. Jesus Christ himself said:
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." -- Matthew 5:17 (NASB) The holy apostle Paul (Shaul) said: For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14; NASB)
The holy men of the Holy Bible held this understanding for thousands of years to forbid ALL body marks for any purpose. There is no reason for Jews and Christians to accept these marks in these last days now.

 

[Deeje]

That says "for the dead". Are there any context verses that prohibit decorative art knedded on the skin surface? Anything that relays the context that people who tatoo themselves are by the same means cuting themselves for the dead?

Perhaps the tattooing and scarring of the flesh were tied to pagan rituals that God told his people NOT to follow. (Deut 18:9-12)

Since Jesus was Jewish, would he advocate the practice? Would God consider it like graffiti?

 

[Deeje]

You understand of course, that a real Jewish Bible translation wouldn't come with a copy of the NT, right?

Point taken...but it still says tattoo? Correct?

 

[Tumah]

Point taken...but it still says tattoo? Correct?

yessir

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The verse in Hebrew reads exactly like this:

And [a] laceration for the dead, [do] not put in your flesh. And writing of [a] tattoo, do not put in yourselves. I am G-d.

The first half seems to be talking about mourning rituals, that I agree with you. But the second half calls it "writing a tattoo", not lacerating ash into your skin.
The Biblical Hebrew word for tattoo is ka'ka' (קעקע) found in the verse quoted above.

Thanks for the info. I'm not an Orthodox Jew so it's whatever.

 

[Deeje]

yessir

Do you think that God changes his mind on these things? If he didn't want his people doing that back then, would he approve now, do you think?

 

[Tumah]

Do you think that God changes his mind on these things? If he didn't want his people doing that back then, would he approve now, do you think?

That seems like it would be a more general question about Christianity. You'd have to ask them about it.

 

[Deeje]

That seems like it would be a more general question about Christianity. You'd have to ask them about it.

What is the Jewish position? Does it depend on the form of Judaism?

 

[Tumah]

What is the Jewish position? Does it depend on the form of Judaism?

I guess. I don't really know much about the position of the other Jewish sects.

 

[Deeje]

I guess. I don't really know much about the position of the other Jewish sects.

Based on that scripture, would you personally get a tattoo if you found them aesthetically pleasing? Would your Rabbi approve?

 

[Tumah]

Based on that scripture, would you personally get a tattoo if you found them aesthetically pleasing? Would your Rabbi approve?

Getting tattoos are not permitted by Jewish Law (as you quoted in the OP). So no, I would not.

 

[Deeje]

Getting tattoos are not permitted by Jewish Law (as you quoted in the OP).

Thank you, that really affirms the position that Jesus would have taken then. So Christians would have to think long and hard before indulging in something they cannot remove.
I see so many tattoos with satanic motifs as well....not very savory association for a worshipper of the true God.