Tattoos???

[smoke king]

My wife and I recently celebrated our anniversary, and she got me what I thought was a very imaginative and cool gift-a gift certificate from a tattoo parlor!! (I didn't see that comin'!)

I'll be 50 years old next year, and I've made it this long without any "body art", or piercings etc. I think the gift stems from me over the years, whenever I had a couple of beers, threaten to get a tattoo of this or that-you know, whatever struck my fancy that day. Of course, the next day, that idea was the furthest thing from my mind.

Now, I'm pretty indifferent about them. Some I've seen are really cool, while some were obviously just flat out bad ideas. And I've actually got a couple of designs in mind-nothing big, and definitely under the shirt sleeve, but something occured to me and now I'm like a deer in the headlights-

Would a tattoo be considered "desecrating" ones body-that is to say, from a religious point of view? I'm not a devout Christian, but I most certainly believe, and especially at my age, one starts to come to grips with their own mortality, and how they will spend the hereafter.

I know the question is a very subjective one, but I thought I'd throw it out to the smartest people I know-I do value your thoughts, opinions etc. Thanks!!

[Mama]

WOW! Now that's a question. I think that is really between you and God. I would suggest you pray about it and if He gives you peace about it then go for it, if not, then don't do it. Any answers that you get here are going to be personal opinions and in the end the only opinion that matters is His!

[Barbara L]

I wouldn't choose to have a tattoo, but I am a devout Christian, and I do not believe it would be desecrating your body, from a religious standpoint. That is my personal opinion, of course.

Barbara

[RoseGetzCookn]

Dearest Smoke king if I may also throw my opinion in on tattoos. It boils down to personal choice. Tattoos, display a statement permanently immbedded into one's outer layers, christianity is within one's sole, heart and mind. Personally I would wince at the thought of so many needles peircing my skin but then again I'm a big sook to pain. I would think tattoos or no tattoos would get an entry into the hereafter and like you said it's below the shirt sleeve so just pray St Peter does'nt request a strip search on TATTOOS the day you enter..... only kidding!!!

[GhettoRacingKid]

Im not very religous but am a christian and I have my beliefs. As one of the above posters said it is all in your heart mind and soul (faith).

God isnt going not let you in becuase of some ink.

From a spiritual tattoo standpoint (kinda like surfing people)

A tattoo should have meaning. A deeper meanign then that is jsut on the surface (no pun intended) Tattooing in the original cultures that developed it had siritual meanings to it. Now a days people are tattooing the stupidest things on there body and not thinking about the future they are getting tattoos just to get a tattoo.

My tattoos all have meaning same with my freind who has full sleeves.

So IMO its all a personal preference

sidenote. My freind was getting his back done and 2 girls maybe 18 come walking in and are like I want to get a tattoo, Im bored. She had woken up her other freind dragged her out of the house and made her get a tattoo also. and they paid for it with mommy and daddys credit card.

Bobby the tattoo artist hates doing that but he needs to pay the bills other wise he would have said no to them.

[VeraBlue]

If it's religious law your concerned about, why not ask your priest?

[middie]

You could get some kind of religious tattoo if you want.
Like a cross but it seems almost everyone has that.
My dad liked the idea of getting the praying hands
tattooed but he died before he had it done. Just a thought.

[smoke king]

Thanks everyone. I guess I just needed to hear it. And I agree with GTK 100%-it needs to have personal meaning-given the "permanence" (is that a word?) of a tattoo, I don't think it should be taken lightly.

As far as consulting with a priest, they too, are human, and while he could probably provide some guidance and insight, the bottom line is that it would still only be one mans opinion. You could ask 10 priests and get 10 answers.

So thanks again everybody. I've narrowed it down to 3 choices, so I'll have to give it some more thought, but I do feel better about it now.

[GhettoRacingKid]

pics when your done.

I still have to post pics of mine when I get around to it.

[jabbur]

Tattoos are no more a desecration of the body than smoking, obesity, drugs, alcohol etc. We all do things to our body that may from some spiritual perspective be desecration. I agree with the idea about praying about it first and to get something that means something to you. I don't know if you watched the Olympics but Misty May-Treanor has a tattoo on her shoulder of her mom's initials with angelwings and a halo that she got after her mom died. That is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the relationship she had with her mom. Good luck and yes please show us pics!