More Christian tattoo artists a positive development?

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll!

NB: If you have not yet voted in the poll, please vote now! :)

 

[farouk]

Wedding went really well, thanks. There was no time for tats :-( We traveled on to California to visit family.

Glad it all went well. God bless your family.

 

[farouk]

Yes my wife had a nurse that has verses on her arms and it opened up a good conversation and fellowship

@soul man Indeed; now that it's opened up very widely and it's mainstream for women to get tattooed confidently, it has also opened up a lot of opportunities for faith based tattoo designs to stimulate witness conversations. It's now a really womanly thing to do, and Christian empathy and witness can flow from it.

 

[farouk]

My adult grand daughter has 7 now I think...

@Helen So is she still currently at 7, as far as you know? :)

(These days it's become a quite ladylike thing to do, hasn't it?)

 

[farouk]

I don't have a theological problem with a benign or Godly tattoo.

@Sabertooth Anyway, a lot of Christian young ppl seem to do it now, perhaps realizing just how effective a medium it can be as a conversation-starting tool in witness. (Especially since also it's become a very womanly thing to do, that's done confidently, nowadays. A lot of parlors would probably go out of business were it not for their large proportion of female clients.)

 

[Helen]

@Helen So is she still currently at 7, as far as you know? :)

(These days it's become a quite ladylike thing to do, hasn't it?)

Since she married she hasn't added any more....maybe she just grew-up!!
:) :)

 

[amadeus]

Since she married she hasn't added any more....maybe she just grew-up!!
:) :)

Indeed, grew up in the things of God and away from the foolish ways of men.

 

[farouk]

...since I grew up with sooo much criticism from my Dad (which affected me negatively IMO), I decided not to show judgment and just love my son as is. ;)

@jshiii I guess that you can now empathize with Christian young men and women who from 18 onward might want to be inked up, without being given a hard time about it.

(Not that you want to do it; but you can see how them doing it is something that you wouldn't give them a hard time about it, right?)

 

[farouk]

For many, tattoos are a way of projecting one's pain.

@Sabertooth So do you think that @Hidden In Him is indeed accurate when he says that for many, tattoos are a way of projecting one's pain?

 

[Sabertooth]

So do you think that @Hidden In Him is indeed accurate when he says that for many, tattoos are a way of projecting one's pain?

Could be (at least, for a particular genre of tattoos & piercings). In that context, it seems to be related to "cutting." Being autistic, correctly interpreting others' emotions is not a strong suit of mine.

I am skeptical that simple, evangelical tattoos are such an expression.

 

[farouk]

Could be (at least, for a particular genre of tattoos & piercings). In that context, it seems to be related to "cutting." Being autistic, correctly interpreting others' emotions is not a strong suit of mine.

I am skeptical that simple, evangelical tattoos are such an expression.

@Sabertooth I guess on the contrary that a Gospel related tattoo is something that a Christian man or woman can receive wholeheartedly and simply, for witness reasons, right?

 

[Sabertooth]

I guess on the contrary that a Gospel related tattoo is something that a Christian man or woman can receive wholeheartedly and simply, for witness reasons, right?

I would tend to agree with simple designs. Both motives may be present in more elaborate designs.

I am reminded of another verse that speaks to outward adornment,

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV

I think that it would speak to tattoos & piercings as much as it does to makeup, provocative hairdos & other jewelry. I don't hold these to be forbidden altogether, but women (and I believe, men too) are told not to put too much emphasis on them (at the very least).

 

[farouk]

I would tend to agree with simple designs. Both motives may be present in more elaborate designs.

I am reminded of another verse that speaks to outward adornment,

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV

I think that it would speak to tattoos & piercings as much as it does to makeup, provocative hairdos & other jewelry. I don't hold these to be forbidden altogether, but women (and I believe, men too) are told not to put too much emphasis on them (at the very least).

@Sabertooth I think that for young men and women to receive some tattooing or ear piercings can be consistent with general principles of modesty. If doing it in moderation were regarded as fairly benign, natural developments (as long as they don't go 'over the top'), then maybe a lot of unnecessary arguments would not ensue...(if this makes sense?)

 

[Sabertooth]

I think that for young men and women to receive some tattooing or ear piercings can be consistent with general principles of modesty.

It doesn't mean that they are. Tattoos & piercings (beyond ears & nose) are not exempt from that admonition. And I think that sense of self-restraint only improves as we cede more of our heart's territory to the Holy Spirit.

He promised to write His Law on our hearts. I think that as He does that it displaces the recklessness that is currently abiding there.

 

[farouk]

It doesn't mean that they are. Tattoos & piercings (beyond ears & nose) are not exempt to that admonition. And I think that sense of self-restraint only improves as we cede more of our heart's territory to the Holy Spirit.

He promised to write His Law on our hearts. I think that as He does that it displaces the recklessness that is currently abiding there.

@Sabertooth I'm sure this is true, yes.

Though of course the Lord Himself at least figuratively gives Zion a nose ring in Ezekiel 16.12.

These days, anyway, the time to start getting ink (maybe even only one tattoo, ever) is around 18. This is also when young Christian men and women are likely to get theirs, maybe in faith based designs, right?

 

[farouk]

I would tend to agree with simple designs.

PS: @Sabertooth There is of course something nice about the idea of a Christian man or woman getting a wholesome, simple tattoo design that's maybe faith based.

e.g., a Christian fish sign <>< on a wrist, etc.

 

[Sabertooth]

This is also when young Christian men and women are likely to get theirs, maybe in faith based designs, right?

There are too many variables to be certain of that.

 

[Sabertooth]

There is of course something nice about the idea of a Christian man or woman getting a wholesome, simple tattoo design that's maybe faith based.

e.g., a Christian fish sign <>< on a wrist, etc.

"Something nice" is pretty low-bar.

 

[farouk]

"Something nice" is pretty low-bar.

Trying to think of a better term... :)

 

[farouk]

There are too many variables to be certain of that.

Well, I'm sure there are...