Are Tattoos OK for Christians?

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Are Tattoos OK for Christians?
October 2010
Linda Mintle, Ph.D.
CBN.com

What do you do when your teen or young adult sports the latest naval design or ankle creation? Faint, yell, or try to rub it off (Trust me, it doesn’t work. They are permanent). Let’s face it. When we were kids, the only guys who had tattoos drove Harleys, spit nails, and didn’t shower for days.

Personally, I don’t understand wanting anything that invites pain. Yes, I had my ears pierced at 17, but I begged the man to stop after the first one was punctured. After I regained consciousness, I was perfectly content to stop the madness. Unfortunately, the single-pierced ear had yet to come to the fashion forefront.

My problem is I don’t find tattoos attractive. Who wants to wear blue all the time or have the same picture on their skin every day? Even I change the art in my house after so many years.

And help me with this: What happens when you tattoo “Ricky” on your ankle and marry Jim? Or what do you do at 65 when Mickey Mouse is no longer your hero?

All that aside, many parents have asked how to respond to the popularity of piercing and tattoos without alienating their kids. The scripture often quoted is Leviticus 19:28, “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord.” So what does this mean?

In Leviticus, God was talking to His people, telling them not to tattoo as a way of separating them from the larger culture. The entire chapter is a filled with moral and ceremonial laws. Everything from shaving around your head to when you can eat fruit is mentioned in that list of being set apart. The theme is to live a lifestyle of holiness that honors God. Tattoos and piercings were used to mark the dead for pagan burial.

But what about Christian tattoos? Aren’t they a witnessing tool? For many kids who come out of a life of sin and are radically saved, a Christian tattoo such as “Blood Bought” is a counter message to their previous life of sin. If we focus on the legalism of the issue, we lose the bigger issue of radical surrender to Jesus.

In the New Testament, Jesus always brought the issue of the law down to a matter of the heart. As Paul says in I Corinthians 6:12, “I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is good for you.” The point then in dealing with our kids isn’t should we or shouldn’t we, but what is in the heart.

Christians need to consider their motivation for wanting a tattoo. If the motivation to get a tattoo is to conform to this world and fit in better, bring attention to self versus glorify God, disobey parents and cause the people around them to stumble, then it is not a good idea. For those who are radically saved and new in Christ, the motivation may be to witness to those who are lost. The bottom line is you have to judge your heart against the Word. God knows your heart and your motives, so an appraisal of motivation is needed.

Parents, don’t make tattoos a reason to alienate your children. God’s love is unconditional. We need to love everyone regardless of how they look. But we also need to teach our kids about the Word and encourage them to do all things to please God. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should glorify God. This includes a host of lifestyle behaviors, not just tattoos.

Bottom line, quoting a verse in Leviticus does not cut it because that same chapter talks about eating fruit in only the fifth year, cutting the edges of a beard, shaving your hair, etc. These verses are meant to separate God’s people from pagan worship. Talk to your kids. Review the medical issues involved, such as the permanency of the decision (removal is possible, but expensive, painful, and does not always work). Ask if they would want this years from now, if it would be an issue in getting the job they want, and what is motivating the decision. Getting a tattoo is one of many acts that need clear a discussion of heart issues, not legalism.

For more medical information and concerns about tattoos, see Dr. Linda’s blog “Do Your Homework on Teens and Tattoos and Piercing” at www.drlindahelps.com. Click on Parenting Help, Older Entries until you find the blog post.