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Most of the cultures of that era were barbaric in nature, and the people of Israel formed a new nation. The law that God gave to Moses was the foundation on which this nation was held. The people of Israel were called to live in a completely different system of values, different from the culture of violence, robbery and death inherent in other neighboring peoples. By tattooing their bodies, the Jews would be no different from the pagans, who committed ritual murders, "sacred" violence, mass slaughter and deified passions destructive to the human soul. This is possibly one of the reasons why God gives the commandment against tattoos.
In our culture, tattoos no longer carry the same meaning as in the time of Moses. In the era of grace, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; Christ dwells in it in power. If we look at the motives for which people tattoo themselves, we can see that for the most part they just want to be different from others. But nonconformism, following fashion trends, the desire to shock - all this is alien to the law of love of Christ, Crucified and Risen from the dead.
Some believe that. This speaks of their desire to improve what was done by God (cf. Psalm 139: 14). Or indicates an inferiority complex and the fact that they are not satisfied with their bodies, and also indicates the need for a new identity, the search for their other, more interesting “I”, which is typical for a person experiencing a crisis; lacking merit to demonstrate, they try to impress others in this way (and in the original sense of the word too). Meanwhile, the novelty can cause surprise for no more than a second, then to drown in the stream of platitudes, which have already been seen more than once.
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Thus, when tattoos do not indicate faith, they are an unsuccessful substitution of personality, culture, erudition, sense of humor, cheerfulness, openness, faith, and creative uniqueness. They serve only as an indicator of a desperate search for one's own “I”, more and more screaming, searches in those places where it was not and never will be.
The purpose of this article is not to condemn those who have tattoos, but to warn those who are just about to get a tattoo. Guided by the love of the Lord, we strive to help you avoid mistakes you will later regret.
What is a tattoo?
Ozhegov Dictionary: Tattoo - patterns on the body impaled with a special paint.
What is piercing?
Piercing - from the English word “pierce "- to pierce. Piercings are cuts and punctures in the skin, into which various kinds of jewelry are then inserted.
Biblical examples of rifling / tattoos on the body
In Old Testament times, self-harm was traditional among the customs and rituals of pagans and pagan religions.
1 Kings 18: 21-29 describes one such tradition based on the behavior and actions of the prophets of Baal, a pagan deity whose worshipers practiced the occult. The prophets of Baal in this story raged in order to plead with Baal to manifest himself in such a way that he was stronger and more powerful than the living God. To enter a trance, they stabbed and cut themselves with knives and spears: 1 Kings 18:28 « And they began to shout in a loud voice, and stabbed themselves as usual with knives and spears, so that blood poured over them.».
I. WHY DOES NOT THE BIBLE APPROVE PIRSING AND TATTOOS?
(or Why shouldn't you get tattoos or other injections on the body?)
1. Because it is contrary to God (God forbids doing this).
The Lord in His Word - the Bible - warns His people not to make any cuts and tattoos on their bodies: Leviticus 19:28 « For the deceased do not groove on your body and do not write on yourself... I am lord". Also Deuteronomy 14: 1 « You are the sons of the Lord your God; ».
2. Because this practice is associated with idolatry.
This is evidenced by the above passage from 1 Samuel 18: 22-29.
Also note the relationship between pagan idolatry and earrings:
Genesis 35: 2-4 « And Jacob said to his house and to all that were with him: Cast away the foreign gods that are with you, and purify yourself, and change your clothes; let us rise and go to Bethel; there I will build an altar to God, who heard me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I walked. And they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands, and earrings that were in their ears And Jacob buried them under the oak that was near Shechem».
3. Because this practice is associated with the occult.
Leviticus 19:28 « For the deceased do not make cuts on your body and do not inject letters on yourself... I am lord". Also Deuteronomy 14: 1 « You are the sons of the Lord your God; do not groove your body and do not cut the hair above your eyes after the deceased».
According to pagan customs, tattoos and cuts on the body were made either in honor of the dead (as a memory or reminder of the dead), or in order to enter a trance during occult sessions and enter into communication with the dead (invoking spirits). The Lord God warned His chosen people not to engage in occultism in any form, calling occultism "an abomination":
A. The reason many people are mistaken about this issue is a lack of knowledge.
It is about knowing God and Divine truth: Hosea 4: 6a « My people will be destroyed for lack of reference
". Most people are not taught the beginnings of the teaching of God. They do not know God's relationship to body cuts; they do not know that their bodies are to be the temple of the Holy Spirit; they do not know that the Lord created them to glorify their Creator.
B. Many people get tattoos because they have no idea about the occult and idolatrous roots of tattoos and cuts on the body.
Many people get tattoos on their bodies because they are under the influence of the occult, perhaps without knowing it. In doing this, they are unaware of the dangerous path they are embarking on by opening the door to demonization.
What is the spiritual danger of such a practice? People do not understand that by displaying satanic markings on their bodies, they open the doors of their lives to the attacks of Satan. Most tattoos look sinister: skulls and bones, inverted stars, goat heads, snakes and dragons, demons, vulgar images, etc. But the point is not even the pinned image itself, but the sin behind this image. Also of great importance is where on the body people make tattoos or cuts.
2. Tattoos as a sign of belonging to a certain group
In the old days, criminals and prostitutes were branded with tattoos. In a similar way, adherents of certain religions gouged out the symbols of their religions and images of their gods. Today, with their tattoos, people proclaim their belonging to one or another group of people (pirates, prisoners, sailors, soldiers, Satanists).
3. Tattoos are made under the influence of pressure from public opinion and fashion
Many will find it difficult to accept the Bible's teaching on tattoos, as tattoos and piercings are so common in our society. However, the popularity of a particular practice in society does not justify this practice in the eyes of God. Much of what is fashionable and generally accepted in our world is sin: for example, abortion, cohabitation, gambling, etc.
The Lord calls us to hold on to that, " what is only true, what is honest, what is just, what is pure, what is kind, what is glorious, what is only virtue and praise» ( Philippians 4: 8). The Lord also encourages us not to follow the crowd in evil: Exodus 23: 2 « Don't follow the majority to evil».
Today, many parents, under the influence of public opinion, not only make their own tattoos, but also allow their children to make tattoos and cuts on their bodies. Parents buy temporary tattoo stickers or stamps for babies. At first glance, it looks like a harmless toy. But in fact, such toys prepare the child's mind to acquire a permanent tattoo in the future.
Today, teenagers and young people do not realize that later they will regret that they once made a tattoo on their bodies. Many of those disillusioned with tattoos believe that they have done a great stupidity in their youth, and now they must live their whole lives with a reminder of this stupidity. It is no secret that only a few have funds for laser tattoo removal.
4. Tattoos are done under the influence of the spirit of resistance
They resist parents and To the Lord.
Many teenagers today get tattoos as a sign of opposition to their parents. Many young men wear earrings in their ears as evidence of their sexual orientation. This is not only opposition to parents, but also to God, who commanded children to honor their parents: Exodus 20:12 « Honor your father and your mother" and Colossians 3:20 « Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord».
5. Tattoos are made under the influence of sin
Many people justify the practice of tattoos and piercings by the fact that today almost all women wear earrings, and this is not considered a sin. They forget that the Lord God judges us not according to our appearance, but according to the motives of our hearts. The Lord looks into our hearts and judges our actions by what motives we are guided in our actions. It's one thing for a woman to wear earrings as part of her clothing. And it is quite another matter when a person makes tattoos or cuts on the body as a sign of protest or in order to stand out or seem special and “cool”.
Sin acts in a person in the following way: Sin is accompanied by feelings of guilt and dissatisfaction. A person thinks that by changing his appearance, he will free himself from feelings of guilt and will be able to achieve what will become desirable and loved in society; that he will achieve the desired attention and respect of others, assert himself and receive that moral satisfaction and peace in the heart, to which he strives. In fact, people cover their spiritual emptiness with tinsel, just as Adam and Eve tried to cover up their sinful nature with fig leaves. For a while, it seems to a person that he has achieved the desired result, but later he realizes that this was only temporary satisfaction.
True beauty comes from within. Only the blood of Jesus is able to wash away and cover up our sins and restore in us the image of God, in the image and likeness of whom we were created.
The Lord frees us from sin and frees us from guilt. We begin to understand that we are loved by the Lord and valuable in His eyes. With the realization of this truth, we begin to understand that we do not need to do something with our body in order to earn the love and understanding of this world.
III. CHRISTIANS AND TATTOOS
1. Can Christians get Christian tattoos on their bodies?
Some Christians believe that there is nothing wrong with tattooing Christian symbols or the words "Jesus", "God", "Salvation", etc. They justify this by saying that such tattoos are a testimony for sinners. However, they forget that our life should be a testimony to a sinful world, not our tattoos. What will please the Lord more: if we stick the word "Jesus" on our bodies, or if we show the character of Jesus Christ in our lives? Of course, the second.
To witness about Christ and to attract sinners to God, we do not need to use worldly, pagan methods, imitating this sinful world. Jesus promised that His disciples would become His witnesses when the Holy Spirit descended on them: Acts 1: 8 « You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth". He did not say that we would need tattoos to testify of Christ.
Also, as Christians, we should often ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do in my place?" I do not think that for a testimony of the Kingdom of Heaven, of the Father, of the Judgment and of the salvation of sinners, He would testify with the help of religious tattoos. The scars on the Savior's body were from lashes and from the nails with which He was nailed to the cross.
2. How should we treat Christians with tattoo designs?
Among Christians, there are many people with tattoos that were made by them before they became Christians. They should not be treated as second-class people. The Lord uses them, like other Christians, for His glory.
In addition, we should not dismiss and condemn the tattooed people who seek God. We must, with love and patience, instruct them in the foundations of Christ's teaching, pray for them and help them find and know God.
3. Biblical tattoo
So, we looked at the topic of tattoos and cuts on the body and found out that this is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. However, the Word of God mentions a type of tattoo that is not an abomination in the eyes of our Creator.
This is not about writing or images imprinted on the body, but about the Law of God imprinted on our hearts: 2 Corinthians 3: 2-3 « You are our letter, written in our hearts, recognizable and readable by all people; you show yourself that you are the letter of Christ through our ministry not written in ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the flesh tablets of the heart
». Hebrews 8:10 « This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their thoughts, and I will write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they will be my people». Hebrews 10: 16-17 « This is the covenant which I will bequeath to them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their thoughts I will write them, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more».
We differ from the world in that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit living in our hearts: Ephesians 1: 13-14 « In Him you also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and having believed in Him, sealed by the promised Holy Spirit Which is the pledge of our inheritance, for the redemption of His inheritance, to the praise of His glory». Ephesians 4:30 « And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, With which you are imprinted on the day of atonement».
Today's active promotion of tattoos in society and the craze for tattoos among different segments of the population is nothing more than brainwashing and nothing more than preparing the world community for the mark of the Beast, described in the 13th chapter of the Revelation of John the Theologian.
A tattoo, which depicts a church with large domes, rarely catches the eye of an ordinary man in the street. Unless on the beach you can meet the owner of such an unusual pattern. What is the reason for such a rarity, when the word "dome" is heard by millions? The fact is that this drawing is impaled exclusively in prisons. The presence of domes indicates the number of years spent behind bars, or the number of walkers. It is categorically excluded to pierce a tattoo in the form of a church with domes for the sake of beauty or pleasure, since this sign refers only to prison tattoos.
What does a dome tattoo mean
About a hundred years ago, criminals, as well as persons posing a threat to the Bolshevik system, were sent to the Solovetsky Islands ("Solovki"). These included a group of priests who did not want to have common affairs with the newly arrived power. It was they who created their own movement in prison, propagandizing the struggle against atheism.
The authorities at that time forbade wearing church symbols like crosses on the body. That is why the priests came up with the idea to make a tattoo in the form of a church with domes. Having enlisted the support of criminal authorities, they successfully began to translate their idea into reality.
Modern interpretation of the symbol
In the 21st century, domes impaled on the back or chest have the same meaning as a hundred years earlier.... Cathedrals are applied to the previously mentioned parts of the body, and churches are also applied to the legs. Looking at the tattoo, you can get the following information about its owner:
- number of domes - term of punishment (in years);
- the number of crosses - how many convictions there are;
- sometimes the number of windows on the depicted building tells about the term of imprisonment;
- the existing church with domes can be supplemented as new atrocities are condemned;
- the temple on the palms of the shackled hands means protest.
By the way, domed churches have different meanings for men and women. The former can provide comprehensive information about a person; it's easier with women. Temples with domes are sometimes found among women; in their case, a tattoo usually means a conviction for theft in a small or large size.
If a person has nothing to do with crime or the criminal world, he should refrain from drawing such sketches on his body parts. Of course, the presence of a tattoo in the form of churches is just a stereotype, firmly entrenched in the understanding of the layman, however, because of him, a negative attitude towards the owner of the tattoo can develop for no other reason.
Religious tattoos are perceived rather ambiguously by the Holy Scriptures, as well as by believers. However, you can often find images that are directly related to Christianity. For example, the face of Jesus Christ, crosses, prayers, references to the Bible. Moreover, this kind of tattoos are not always done by religiously inclined people. Often they can be found on the skin of prisoners, and, moreover, they are not always impaled in tribute.
Christianity as a world religion
Christianity rightfully belongs to one of the most widespread religions. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are written in Scripture. Moreover, the personality of the author of the Bible is considered historical. By the area of distribution and the number of believers, Christianity is considered the largest world religion. There are three branches: Protestantism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Christianity owes its birth to Palestine. However, for the first time he was officially accepted as the state religion in Greater Armenia.
The face of Jesus in the chest - Christian tattoo
Christianity is a monotheistic religion. It contains the image of the one Creator. At the same time, it is mentioned that there are three hypostases of God: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. Christian tattoos, photos of which are freely available, can depict Jesus Christ. His image is quite popular among Christians who want to get a tattoo.
Christian tattoo: cross inscribed on the forearm
The attitude of the clergy to tattoos
Many religions have an extremely negative attitude towards any tattoos. For a number of reasons, the clergy do not accept decorating their bodies. It should be noted that there are not many references to tattoos in the Bible. This is due to the fact that mainly pagans were engaged in decorating the body with the help of painting. This is the main argument of the clergy.
Christian prayer tattoo on shoulder
Did you know? Muslims are also extremely negative about the appearance of tattoos among believers. One explanation is based on the fact that the image of Allah cannot be mentioned in the restrooms. Therefore, if there are jewelry on the body with the name of the Almighty, it is necessary to remove them. It is clear that it is more difficult to wash off the drawing from the body. Christian tattoos, the meaning of which everyone chooses, are also not particularly encouraged by the church.
Christian tattoo: cross and praying hands
Why doesn't the church welcome tattoos?
There are several reasons why, according to the Bible, Christian tattoos are prohibited. Sketches can be found on the Internet, but first it is better to get acquainted with the opinion of the clergy:
- A reference to the book of Leviticus. To paraphrase it, we can say that God was against decorating his body as a sign of mourning for the lost. The reason for this prohibition may be the time at which the Holy Books were written. For example, many pagan tribes did not hesitate to decorate the body with paint and tattoos. Sometimes, as a sign of grief, barbarians could harm themselves, make cuts, wounds. In order not to become like them in other ways, one cannot follow them in this tradition;
- Decorating oneself is also disgusting for a true Christian. Still, God created man just like that, in his own image and likeness. Therefore, it is sacrilege to try to make changes that are difficult to reverse. At the same time, most people get a tattoo precisely because they are dissatisfied with their appearance. Or the owner of the image wants to attract someone's attention, which also contradicts the very foundations of Christianity.
Patterned cross - Christian tattoo
Tattoo options
The above reasons do not indicate that a person who decided to get a tattoo as a sign of his sincere attitude to faith is a sinner. There are no direct prohibitions on decorating yourself with drawings. Therefore, Christian tattoos are quite popular. All sorts of variations of crosses are considered one of the most common religious-themed tattoos. Moreover, it can carry a number of meanings:
- Designation of attitudes towards a specific religion;
- The desire to always have a cross with you;
- A symbol of goodness and altruism;
- Protection from evil forces. Previously, it was believed that the place on which the cross is located is protected from the wounds of the enemy.
Other options not related to Christianity are quite varied. For example, a cross can indicate the collapse of hopes, or serve as a reminder of a completed business. But the main cross symbol - honor, valor, strength... A person who chooses from a variety of sketches the one in which there is a cross, either has these qualities, or wants to develop them in himself.
Crucified Jesus Christ - Christian tattoo
As a sign of faith, I have a small tattoo in the form of an Orthodox cross on my wrist. I know that I am not quite the standard of religiosity, I often sin, and God is hardly positive about tattoos. But it's easier for me. The tattoo is small, not pretentious, very modest.
Maria, Nizhny Novgorod.
Christian tattoo praying hands and cross
Places of tattooing
This type of tattoo is best applied to the area above the waist. It is also not recommended to fill the image in the intimate area. The image of Jesus, quotes from the Bible, scenes from the Scriptures can take up a lot of space, so they prefer to put them on the back, chest, forearm. Small tattoos can be easily positioned just about anywhere. For example, many girls like to get a tattoo on their wrist or neck.
Did you know? The tattoo with the image of Jesus, crosses is very much loved by prisoners. In a number of cases, this is a reference to the fact that they really embarked on the path of correction, repent of the past, and want to return to the world as new people. However, there is also a category of offensive tattoos. In them, the divine images are what the prisoner makes fun of. This means that God's authority means nothing to him.
Nun with a cross in his hands - Christian tattoo
Tattoos of this kind involve a special manner of sketching. For example, they are made in black and white, or in several dim colors. Laconic sketches are also selected.
I have a cross on my tattoo. Large, massive, antique. It is located directly under the left breast. Average rating: 5 out of 5.