My sister is considering getting one. I told her that she should really think about it for like a year or two before jumping into a decision like this..What do you think?

It sounds like she just on impulse said she was getting one?

I agree, waiting a year or two would be wise.

yep, she needs to put some real thought into it....

I personally don't have a problem with people getting tattoo's (depending on the "theme" of 'em)....myself? I would NOT do it simply because I'm a wimp when it comes to pain.... B)

She said she's been thinking about it for a while, but I think sahe needs to think about it for a while longer. She's only 21 and will most certainly change a lot over the next decade. I'd hate for her to regret something she did while she was young..The theme she wants is a christian one, but still to mar the perfectly clear skin with ink and words--I think that when she is older she might regret branding herself in that way...

Yeah, I've always thought of them as "branding", too. Personally, I don't like 'em. If other folks wanna mark themselves up like that, by all means...go for it. I too, am a wimp of pain.:P Why go looking for it?

I don't like tattoos and think anyone who does should get their head read but that's just my personal opinion :P

I saw a girl yesterday that had one of those lower back tattoos...It was a flower or something. It peeked out the top of her jeans and I thought that it looked like she had tucked a flower down her crack! :rolf:

okay ladies....enough bashing in here! j/k

i have a tattoo and i personally love it. it's a sunflower that has absolutely no christian meaning at all, but to me it's a wonderful reminder of my missionary work in mexico (did an 8 month internship there) because that's where i got it. the color has faded a little, but that doesn't bother me. i would actually love to add to it and make it look like an ankle bracelet....we'll see though....it's a little costly :(
i think that tattoos can be either a beautiful thing or an ugly thing. just depends on where it is placed and what the tat is exactly. if your sis wants one, maybe she should think about a smaller one in an area that can easily be hidden if she decides later on that it's not-so-cool. i love that mine is on the ankle....not as noticable to most people, and i can always hide it w/ jeans or socks.

myself i wouldn't get a tatoo because i have no tolerence for pain. but if i could stand the pain, i would get something tastefully done and meant something to me, like a small ladybug to wish me luck, since ladybugs are lucky anyway. you can over do them tho. this chick at work has like 7 or 8 and the theme is star wars!! not cool :boo:

And everyone....I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my sister!!

:thanks:


Sis, be sure to start an intro thread so these yahoos can get to know ya....if you dare... B)

OK....back on topic....

Now as to the Star Wars themed tattoos....yeah, I can't imagine somebody's entire body covered in tattoos, that's a little extreme to me...

Let's reference the Bible a little bit....are there scriptures that talk about this? Good, bad, or indifferent?

I was thiking about it too. I want one on my foot, like in the inside bottom arch, With a cross and the word beautiful. (From the scripture that says how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news).
I'm just not sure. Thanks for starting the topic String.
I'd really like all your opinions. Can't promise I'll listen, but i'd like to hear them.

Now, see, that kinda stuff I like....I like the thought that goes into it & the meaning behind it....

But doing tattoos just for "body art"....stuff that has no meaning...that I don't understand...

If I think about it, I'll try to look up some scripture tonight & see what I can find out...

OK....I found this online (link):

And this as well (link):

Hi to Debby's sister! You poor dear....I mean, you lucky duck to have Debby as a sibling! Good to see you here and look forward to getting to know you and please share some stories about having DEBBY as a sister! :haha:

:offtopic: and :banned:

:P

okay....here are my two cents on this stuff....

if you look at the corinthians scripture....it falls under the SEXUAL IMMORALITY SECTION. it is about context and looking into the whole section of scripture. we can't read it and make it something else. it is talking about sexual sin. it even says there that "other sins are outside the body, but he who sins sexually are committing sins against his own body"---talking about SEX. it frustrates me when we look at scripture and get what WE WANT IT TO SAY instead of WHAT GOD SAYS IN IT. did i make sense there?? hope i'm not coming across nasty.....that's NOT my intention at all. just wanted to make sure that we clarify what the scripture is truly saying there.

Also, the O.T. verse is talking about tattooing because back then it was used as a way to mark your body as a rememberance for loved ones who died. it was in THEIR honor. and it was thought by the people that if they honored their dead in such a way, then they could earn their place in the heavens. This is not what we believe obviously, so i think we are talking about something totally different.

All in All....God knows our motives and intentions...that's all that really matters when it comes to this subject....atleast in my opinion :)

that cracks me up!!! i'll tell you stories about Gutter if you'll tell me stories about Debby!!! :rolf: :tease:
by the way...nice to "meet" you!! :wave:

Hey....YOU started it! :cheeky:

thx for the warm welcome, i will surely trade stories with anyone!! :D

back to tatoo's, i went and read leviticus 19:28 and it's talking about the commandments. when i read 28, it doesn't refer to religious rituals, only "not make an;y cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you". if you read the previous verses it still just talks about honoring the 10 commandments. so i, personnall will have to disagree (my own opinioin) about that verse referring to religous rituals for honoring the dead. so i'm going to have to say that the Lord would not want us to make any cuts or marks on our body.

somewhere else i the bible, i'm sure it does refer to religious rituals about honoring the dead, but i don't think (once again, my opinion) leviticus 19 is referring to that topic. but everyone can take what they want out of a verse, and it's cool to see how people take a certain topic.

Well, one thing to remember is that the rules & regs they followed in the OT were washed clean by Jesus' sacrifice, and there's nothing in the NT that talks about tattoos, piercings, etc...

...right.... :dunno: ??

Anyhow, from what I was reading is that nowhere is the Bible exclusively specific about tattoos....basically I think it's just something that each person has to pray about & see what God is telling them is right for them....

If you're gonna do that, why stop there? You could get "Righteousness" pinned across your breasts, and "Turth" around your bellybutton, Shave your head and get "Salvation" across your scalp.... :D :rolf:

That doesn't make all OT rules null and void. IF it did, we'd be able to run wild like the beasts...

I can't imagine God telling the Jews not to mark up their bodies and then turning around and changing his mind and saying that it is okay to mark yourselves up now.

When we look at our children we see them as beautiful. When they get a msrker or pen and write on themselves, we don't like it. I imagine it is similar with God. He sees us a beautiful creation, and when we start altering and marring His creation, I cannot imagine him to be pleased with us, even if our human minds see it as pretty....

PLEASE DON'T THINK OF ME AS A "LITTLE MISS THINKS-SHE-KNOWS-IT-ALL"...CUZ THAT COULDN'T BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH!! JUST TRYING TO STRETCH YOUR THOUGHTS A LITTLE HERE......

I AM CURRENTLY A FULL TIME STUDENT AT A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE WHERE HISTORY IS A HUGE PART OF MY STUDIES. LAST SEMESTER, WE STUDIES QUITE A BIT OUT OF THE O.T. AND THE LAWS. IN A BOOK WRITTEN BY J/ SCOTT DUVALL CALLED "GRASPING GODS WORD" THERE IS AN EXCELLENT CHAPTER DEALING WITH ISSUES SUCH AS THIS ONE. HE EXPLAINS IT SO MUCH MORE CLEARLY THAN I CAN. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK THAT UP (CHAPTER 19) IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT, I'LL BE GLAD TO COPY IT FOR ANYONE.

ALSO, THE MAIN POINT OF ANY CHRISTIANS LIFE SHOULD BE (IN MY OPINION) "WILL THIS EFFECT MY SALVATION? AND WILL IT KEEP SOMEONE ELSE FROM BEING SAVED?" IN TAKING THOSE QUESTIONS TO HEART...I REALLY FEEL THAT I AM OKAY W/ HAVING A TATTOO. DON'T FEEL OBLIGATED TO EXPLAIN IT TO MY DADDY IN HEAVEN. I THINK HE KNOWS MY HEART. JUST LIKE I KNOW THE HEART OF MY THREE YEAR OLD WHEN SHE DRAWS A "PRETTY PICTURE" ON HER BODY. IT'S OUT OF INNOCENSE...NOT MISCHIEF. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?? :dunno:
:) BUT LIKE SOMEONE ALREADY POINTED OUT....THIS IS BETWEEN THAT PERSON AND GOD. WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT IT, FOR SURE!LOL THAT'S THE FREEDOM IN CHRIST THAT WE SHARE....WHICH I THINK IS AWESOME!

ALL IN ALL....IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY OUR BEST TO BE CONSISTANT IN WHATEVER WE BELIEVE. AS THE AUTHOR POINTS OUT....

"MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE BAFFLED BY THE INTERPRETIVE PROBLEM OF THE LAW. SOME OF US TAKE THE APPROACH OF SIMPLY SKIMMING THROUGH THE LEGAL TEXTS, SKIPPING OVER ALL OF THE LAWS THAT DO NOT SEEM TO APPLY TO US. THEN WHEN WE COME ACROSS ONE THAT MAKES SENSE IN OUR TODAY'S SOCIETY, WE GRAB HOLD OF IT AND BEGIN PREACHING IT WITH FULL FORCE..." HE GOES ON TO MENTION THE RISK IN TAKING ONE LAW AS TRUTH OVER ANOTHER ONE. LEVITICUS 19:32 TELLS US TO RISE UP WHEN THE ELDERLY COME AROUND. LEVITICUS 19:19 SAYS THAT WE AREN'T TO WEAR CLOTHING THAT USES MORE THAN ONE KIND OF MATERIAL. ETC. ETC. IF WE LOOK AT CONTEXT, THE O.T. IS PART OF A STORY.....IT ALL FITS TOGETHER.....OF COURSE, IT'S TRUTH. I DON'T DOUBT THAT ONE BIT. I BELIEVE IN GODS WORD. BUT AS DEBBY MENTIONED, THE NEW TEST. IS A NEW BEGINNING FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE. JESUS WIPED THE SLATE CLEAN AND GAVE US NEW LAWS TO GO BY. THEY DIDN'T HAVE JESUS IN THE PICTURE BACK IN THE O.T. THEY ONLY HAD THE LAWS OF MOSES.......OKAY.....GOING ON A RAMPAGE HERE....SORRY!!! I'LL STOP NOW. BUT ANYWAY.....IT'S WORTH STUDYING AS A WHOLE TOPIC....LOOKING AT THE O.T. LAWS VS. NEW TEST. RATHER THAN AT ONE INDIVIDUAL VERSE.

OK...THAT'S THE LAST OF MY TWO CENTS. SORRY I GET SO WINDED!! :D AGAIN, I'M REALLY NOT TRYING TO DEBATE OR SOUND SNOBBISH HERE. IT'S JUST THAT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN STUDYING A LOT ON TOPICS SUCH AS THIS AND MY WHOLE VIEWS ARE BEGINNING TO GROW AND CHANGE. SO JUST WANTED TO CHALLENGE THE MIND A LITTLE. :thumbsup:

**side note*** Actually, I'm finding our friendly debate (for lack of a better word) really interesting.... :thumbsup:

:) ME TOO, ACTUALLY. MAKES ME THINK A LITTLE TODAY, WHICH IS NICE!

same here. it does make me think twice about if i should get a tatoo or not. i even talked about this topic at work last night to see what everyone else thought. well, only talked to 1 person but we had good conversations

:D THAT'S SO NICE WHEN YOU CAN TAKE WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT ON HERE AND BRING IT IN TO YOUR EVERY DAY CONVERSATIONS IN "THE REAL WORLD". I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!! THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY THINGS ON HERE THAT DREW AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE GOING TO BED AT NIGHT. LOVE THAT!!

To tell the truth, axehead is my little sister and I think she should really think long and hard for at least a year and then after that, if she still wants it then she could come talk to me again.. ;) Then I'll help her reason it out a bit more.. :lena:

JUST REMEMBER STRING...YOUR JOB AS A SISTER IS TO SUPPORT AND NOT JUDGE. I HAVE A BABY SIS FIVE YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME. SHE HAS three TAT'S AND I THINK THAT IS WAAAAYYY TOO MANY. I'M OKAY W/ ONE CUTE ONE....BUT HERS ARE THREE BIG ONES. BUT I NEVER SAID A JUDGEMENTAL WORD TO HER ABOUT IT. IT'S HER BODY AND I LOVE HER NO MATTER WHAT. SO JUST BE CAREFUL CUZ SOMETIMES OUR WORDS CAN BE SHARP, EVEN WHEN WE DON'T REALIZE IT. I KNOW YOU HAVE HER BEST INTENTIONS AT HEART. I CAN FEEL THAT IN YOUR WORDS. I'M SURE YOU'LL BE CAREFUL ABOUT IT :D :hug:

Today she's like "I'm 21. I'm alright. Life is good! Tats are cool!"

I just don't want her to suddenly be 48 and be like "Why did I do that to my foot?" :doh:

Yanno, my youngest sil got a tattoo on her upper back, my hubby noticed it when it was "supposed to be" covered...he passed a little comment about it like Oh, you got a tattoo. She went RED and embarrassed. In-laws are anti-tattoo, but they haven't said anything to her yet, that I'm aware. Tattoos are definitely NOT for me. I'd be rubbing at it forever to get it off! :P