Tattoos and God

What Do You Think?
How do you feel about the subject?
What's in your heart and mind?

I have a question to those Bible goers out there. So I've been doing some research to see if there is any truth to what you say about teh bible verus saying yoiu shall not tattoo yourself. Could someone explain to me how the word "Tattoo" could be a part of the bible if it didn't come into play until 1769? Because I've looked an the only bibles that says tattoo is that of those after that date. Funny huh? Further more, I looked at the older versions too, I read an read just to realise that Constanie the king of Romans had a debate on what would actually be apart of the bible. Oh my right? The Bible is supposed to be pure right? How can it be pure when it was made by man? I'm Christian well Prodostant the oldest of old. I'm just cursious how to take the Bible seriously if it's man made.

I am a christian myself I have read the bible and I have tattoos. Most of which point out parts of my faith. Showing my faith has made me strong helped me survive the things that would have killed any person. Yes Ive had other so called christians put me down for getting them and judge me. But as I have said before and I will keep saying in refence to the body being the temple of God. They paint churches dont they?

god or no god. people can do what they want. free-will. and if there is a god he should be able to forgive us for putting art on our body.end of story. and people have been tattooing themselves for thousands of years. years before the bible was ever created mind you........and @someone whos opinion counts......wow. just wow. u need to keep your fingertips off the keyboard. TATTOOS ARE THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. why dont you complain about something that really matters people and quit discriminating!!!! GEEZ this is why us humans will never grow, because you wanna spread this kind of thinking around like a disease and infect it in childrens minds thinking that its wrong or trash. I grew up around it, observing it, and i didnt turn into a murderer or anything of the sort. IT IS ART! GROW UP!

i'm sorry to post this but for all those who say tattoos are wrong, you need to fully understand the passage in leviticus...but if you honestly want to it to be taken as literal as you post it then im sorry but did you have any scars? any accidents from you childhood. did you ever get a paper cut? all those are marks placed on your skin, and would classify as "Place No Engraved Image Upon Thyself." well then if you believe that we took the apple and can now think for ourselve then we have to know that even a tiny wound is now classified as against God... so now where do we stand, all we can do is beg for forgiveness, and for all those who say its a comandment it may be but its not Part of the 10 unforgivable commandments.... so im sorry to say but God will forgive you for a tattoo.... AT least if you have a common understanding and some theological mindset you will be able to figure that out

You could likewise argue that same biblical passage--quoted by Terry Castle below--prohibits ear piercings and circumcision. How about Leviticus 21:5? Do you cut your hair? There are other prohibitions throughout the Bible. Do you eat pork?

Just a thought, the Bible says in Leviticus 19:28 that you should not tatoo yourself or make any cuting on yourself for the dead.(NKJV) The thought should be why would God say that? Maybe God changed His mind and said it's now ok to tatoo yourself and if so, please show me where. I think the Christian should ask and research those questions before doing it.

Pre-Christian Germanic, Celtic and other central and northern European tribes were often heavily tattooed, according to surviving accounts. The Picts were famously tattooed (or scarified) with elaborate, war-inspired black or dark blue woad (or possibly copper for the blue tone) designs. Julius Caesar described these tattoos in Book V of his Gallic Wars (54 BC).

Tattoos are considered forbidden in Sunni Islam. According to the book of Sunni traditions, Sahih Bukhari, "The Prophet forbade [...] mutilation (or maiming) of bodies."[30] Sunni Muslims believe tattooing is forbidden and a sin because it involves changing the creation of God (Surah 4 Verse 117-120), and because according to them the Prophet cursed the one who does tattoos and the one for whom that is done.[31] There is, however, difference of scholarly Sunni Muslim opinion as to the reason why tattoos are forbidden.[32]

Tattoos are forbidden in Judaism[33] based on the Torah (Leviticus 19:28): "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord." The prohibition is explained by contemporary rabbis as part of a general prohibition on body modification (with the obvious exception of ritual circumcision) that does not serve a medical purpose (such as to correct a deformity). Maimonides, a leading 12th century scholar of Jewish law and thought, explains the prohibition against tattoos as a Jewish response to paganism.

Christian missionaries from the west attempted to purge tattooing among the Samoans, thinking it barbaric and inhumane. Many young Samoans resisted mission schools since they forbade them to wear tattoos. But over time attitudes relaxed toward this cultural tradition and tattooing began to reemerge in Samoan culture.[citation needed]

Orthodox Jews, in application of Halakha (Jewish Law), reveal Leviticus 19:28 prohibits getting tattoos: Do not make gashes in your skin for the dead. Do not make any marks on your skin. I am God. One reading of Leviticus is to apply it only to the specific ancient practice of rubbing the ashes of the dead into wounds; but modern tattooing is included in other religious interpretations. Orthodox/Traditional Jews also point to Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 180:1, that elucidates the biblical passage above as a prohibition against markings beyond the ancient practice, including tattoos. Maimonides concluded that regardless of intent, the act of tattooing is prohibited (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry 12:11).

Leviticus 19:28 is often cited by Christians as a verse prohibiting tattoos. According to the King James Version of the Bible, the verse states, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am LORD." While it may appear that the passage disallows any markings of the flesh, even applying to the modern-day use of tattoos, it is likely the passage refers specifically to the form of mourning discussed above (see Middle East section). Christians who believe that the religious doctrines of the Old Testament are superseded by the New Testament may still find explicit or implicit directives against tattooing in Christian scripture, in ecclesiastical law, or in church-originated social policy. Others who disapprove or approve of tattoos as a social phenomenon may cite other verses to make their point.