1689 Hand Tattoo?

[faroukfarouk]

abacabb3: The Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of the feast of firstfruits, which corresponds with the Resurrection and I don't want to go back to the shadow and the law when its glorious fulfillment is manifest.

I thought this thread was about tattoos rather than the Sabbath, in any case.

 

[abacabb3]

You brought up Rom 14, I thought this thread was about tattoos...

 

[faroukfarouk]

You brought up Rom 14, I thought this thread was about tattoos...

I brought up Romans 14 in connection with tattoos. If a Christian is convicted to use a faith based tattoo in witness, the least we can do is respect it.

 

[faroukfarouk]

checkoutmyink dot com

 

[abacabb3]

I brought up Romans 14 in connection with tattoos. If a Christian is convicted to use a faith based tattoo in witness, the least we can do is respect it.

And I brought up the Sabbath in connection to Rom 14, which is fitting, being that Paul actually refers to the Sabbath and not tattoos in the passage.

It appears you failed to understand my point. Paul said not to judge people if they wanted to uphold the Sabbath, even though he specifically taught against it. Therefore, I am in my right to not judge those with tattoos but say on the other hand I believe the Scripture would be against the practice.

 

[faroukfarouk]

And I brought up the Sabbath in connection to Rom 14, which is fitting, being that Paul actually refers to the Sabbath and not tattoos in the passage.

It appears you failed to understand my point. Paul said not to judge people if they wanted to uphold the Sabbath, even though he specifically taught against it. Therefore, I am in my right to not judge those with tattoos but say on the other hand I believe the Scripture would be against the practice.

And Scripture would presumably also teach us to respect each other's consciences if a Christian felt convicted to use this proven effective means in witness.

 

[abacabb3]

And Scripture would presumably also teach us to respect each other's consciences if a Christian felt convicted to use this proven effective means in witness.

I would disagree with that. For example, the Scripture teaches for men not to wear head coverings in worship. So, while a man can cover his head and have something really nifty written on it, I would argue against the practice for it would have us do something clearly against God's will on one hand, when the other is supposedly His will.

Again, the issue has to do with what the Scripture teaches about modesty, not how much tattoos could be practical evangelism tools.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I would disagree with that. For example, the Scripture teaches for men not to wear head coverings in worship. So, while a man can cover his head and have something really nifty written on it, I would argue against the practice for it would have us do something clearly against God's will on one hand, when the other is supposedly His will.

Again, the issue has to do with what the Scripture teaches about modesty, not how much tattoos could be practical evangelism tools.

I don't agree that trying to make an absolute about modesty - say, even a small tattoo on a wrist proven effective in witness - outweighs every other consideration. (I strongly identify with the principle of modesty, but I would not make a legalistic assumption that if I somehow decide something is not modest, then this outweighs everyone else's perspective.)

 

[JM]

Fifteen years ago I got the following tattoos...

Right shoulder which means Lord Jesus Christ:

Between shoulder blades Yahweh:

Left peck Judo:

Right calf karate:

I can't say I regret them but I don't see how they helped me evangelize or anything like that. At least I didn't get a pot leaf holding hands with a beer can while dancing...my buddy did. lol

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[abacabb3]

I don't agree that trying to make an absolute about modesty - say, even a small tattoo on a wrist proven effective in witness - outweighs every other consideration. (I strongly identify with the principle of modesty, but I would not make a legalistic assumption that if I somehow decide something is not modest, then this outweighs everyone else's perspective.)

The error you make s again taking practical considerations over Biblical ones. I have faith that God can bring people to know Christ without the use of outward adornment that is seen as trendy and cool, but obviously worldly and in opposition to true Godliness. If you think that God needs the little extra help that your tat' may offer Him, I am sorry but I don't buy that.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The error you make s again taking practical considerations over Biblical ones. I have faith that God can bring people to know Christ without the use of outward adornment that is seen as trendy and cool, but obviously worldly and in opposition to true Godliness. If you think that God needs the little extra help that your tat' may offer Him, I am sorry but I don't buy that.

If someone's motive is to be God honoring in getting a faith based tattoo, then I would not tell them it is worldly, whatever my private preference would be.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Fifteen years ago I got the following tattoos...

Right shoulder which means Lord Jesus Christ:

Between shoulder blades Yahweh:

Left peck Judo:

Right calf karate:

I can't say I regret them but I don't see how they helped me evangelize or anything like that. At least I didn't get a pot leaf holding hands with a beer can while dancing...my buddy did. lol

Yours in the Lord,

jm

jm:

I expect some people do ask you what the significance of your tattoos are.

If you don't regret them, there's no need to feel guilty about them.

 

[JM]

...I don't feel guilt, just don't see a purpose. Whenever someone asks about one of the tats they immediately jump into a convo about what tats they have and where. Or they start talking about tats they want. gord mentioned tats seem egocentric. That's kind of my experience.

To each their own.

 

[faroukfarouk]

...I don't feel guilt, just don't see a purpose. Whenever someone asks about one of the tats they immediately jump into a convo about what tats they have and where. Or they start talking about tats they want. gord mentioned tats seem egocentric. That's kind of my experience.

To each their own.

I guess the trick is to steer the conversation to the faith based references in some of them. This is what motivates a lot of Christians who get them. My wife and I talked to a young lady who had John 3.16 inked in full around here wrist area; it was her favorite verse, and mine, also. I'm sure many more conversations have resulted.

Some Christians have tattoos and regret them; the regret may not necessarily be for 'religious' reasons particularly.

Other Christian men and women have tattoos with no regrets.

 

[abacabb3]

If someone's motive is to be God honoring in getting a faith based tattoo, then I would not tell them it is worldly, whatever my private preference would be.

From the Scripture, when does unnecessarily outwardly adorning oneself glorify God? Can someone sow this? I believe I exhaustively went down the list (other than Lev 19:28, which though it specifically addresses tattoos I don't think gets to the heart of the matter: modesty.)

I'm not saying tattoos are worse than earrings or anything like that. However, anyone who gets a tattoo and claims not to experience a sense of pride in how it looks and how cool it make him/her feel is likely a liar. I cannot prove it, but I sincerely doubt people get these tattoos purely to edify others. God is not deceived and He knows our innermost thoughts.

 

[abacabb3]

...I don't feel guilt, just don't see a purpose. Whenever someone asks about one of the tats they immediately jump into a convo about what tats they have and where. Or they start talking about tats they want. gord mentioned tats seem egocentric. That's kind of my experience.

To each their own.

Isn't the egocentric part at least suggestive that tattooing is not a helpful practice for the Christian?

 

[faroukfarouk]

From the Scripture, when does unnecessarily outwardly adorning oneself glorify God? Can someone sow this? I believe I exhaustively went down the list (other than Lev 19:28, which though it specifically addresses tattoos I don't think gets to the heart of the matter: modesty.)

I'm not saying tattoos are worse than earrings or anything like that. However, anyone who gets a tattoo and claims not to experience a sense of pride in how it looks and how cool it make him/her feel is likely a liar. I cannot prove it, but I sincerely doubt people get these tattoos purely to edify others. God is not deceived and He knows our innermost thoughts.

I agree with your analogy between tattoos and earrings.

How many people, especially women, in Gospel-preaching churches happen to wear a pair or two of studs in their ears? Huge numbers.

(I don't wear any earrings myself any more, though.)

 

[faroukfarouk]

Isn't the egocentric part at least suggestive that tattooing is not a helpful practice for the Christian?

I guess it could be said by some Christians that if the motive is God honoring, then it's the opposite of egocentric.

This is the sort of subject that Christians are likely to have a variety of views about, anyway.

 

[abacabb3]

I agree with your analogy between tattoos and earrings.

How many people, especially women, in Gospel-preaching churches happen to wear a pair or two of studs in their ears? Huge numbers.

(I don't wear any earrings myself any more, though.)

Which is why I don't think tattoos are a huge deal, but if anyone were to ask me what I think of tattoos, wedding rings, dying hair, and the like, I'll pretty much give the same answer. I constantly battle to put to death the lusts of my flesh. I know that they will never be totally quenched, but I wish Christians in general (I'm not speaking of you personally) were more open to assisting one another on how to help one another in this instead of justifying their own behavior and telling others not to judge them.

 

[abacabb3]

I guess it could be said by some Christians that if the motive is God honoring, then it's the opposite of egocentric.

This is the sort of subject that Christians are likely to have a variety of views about, anyway.

I would equate it to a Pastor who dyes his hair thinking it will make him look younger and people will listen to him more. It may be true from a practical standpoint, but I just don't think it should outweigh the the principled one.