"At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women"

[abide]

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

It's a GOOD thing. It's good to be naive. I'm complimenting you in a back handed sort of way. You come across to me as being naive about the world of tattooing. I'm a father of four kids. So to me naive is GOOD! God bless you for it!

This subject reminds of when my wonderfully naive older brother became a 'biker'. To him it was kind of a walk on the darker (or other) side. But his girl friend hardly went around riding on his bike with with her shirt up (as far as I know, lol). They've been to Sturgis. They participate in the community biking outings. They have fun with it. But the truth is they probably didn't have a clue what the biking world (in the world) was really all about...or maybe they did, but probably not.

I'm confident that those who knew what it was really all about could see them as naively playing around with it for whatever the reason they were doing that. I know about it because I used to develop photos in a photo shop and know with my own eyes what being a biker is all about (and my brother-in-law confirmed a lot about it too). But the trend in the '90's for educated, professional people to dabble around in it seemed to make it out to be so much less than it really was. I see the same thing happening with this tattooing trend.

Posting as I have time.

Blessing.

(Just so you know. Sturgis, South Dakota is kind of the Vegas for hard core bikers.)

I am not sure why farouk is so obsessed with tattoos...why can't a Christian woman show sinners the word of God, and let them see how it has changed her life. A tattoo cannot be a substitute for Jesus. What if the person who got the tattoo got infected...would that be good. Despite your arguments for tattoos I believe that it is really not for believers...why mark one's skin...to prove what.

 

[Grazer]

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

Posted it before but going to again

[video=youtube;rN3voADV14Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN3voADV14Y&feature=g-user-u[/video]

 

[farouk]

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

I am not sure why farouk is so obsessed with tattoos...why can't a Christian woman show sinners the word of God, and let them see how it has changed her life. A tattoo cannot be a substitute for Jesus. What if the person who got the tattoo got infected...would that be good. Despite your arguments for tattoos I believe that it is really not for believers...why mark one's skin...to prove what.

Hi abide; good to see you here again; haven't seen you in a while.

Re. 'obsessed', first of all, I'd rather use the term 'acknowledging their contemporary relevance': lots of Christians have them, including in faith based designs.

I come back to the idea that if a Christian woman decides to have a wrist tattoo with a Bible reference (a placement where many women wear a bracelet), it may lead to witness conversations. This is undeniable.

(Re. infections, problems, etc., a good tattooist and a careful wearer can often take steps to prevent this happening, if proper advice is followed.)

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

From Corey, back a bit:

..
I believe it comes down to the intentions and use of the tattoos.

Gettinga tatoo to fit in, or be "cool" is different that using them to spread the word of Jesus.

Corey:

Yes; for example, in the instance mentioned in my past post, the wrist is a recognized place for a woman to wear a bracelet: if she deliberately chooses it as a placement where, e.g., a Bible verse will speak to people in testimony, this is worthy of respect, I reckon.

 

[farouk]

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

...taking the time to get to know the inkee (if that's a word).

Paul: Not heard it before, but it sounds a good word, doesn't it?

The term 'tattooee' is sometimes used as a corollary to 'tattooist'. (In French, the double 'ee' would indicate that it's a woman being inked.)

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

This is a bit old, but I saw a quote that may be definitely relevant to this thread:

I'm 68 and at one time was opposed to tattooing, even at my husband’s teasing of my getting one. Now I'm contemplating a tattoo on my 70th birthday. Need to do some research on design and location. (source: huffingtonpost.com )

I think it's undeniable that many of the more mature generation are doing it; and it's probably not unconnected with the fact that tattoo equality has become well established between the genders.

And so it won't be surprising also if we see an increase in faith based designs.

Blessings.

 

[tandemcpl]

This is a bit old, but I saw a quote that may be definitely relevant to this thread:



I think it's undeniable that many of the more mature generation are doing it; and it's probably not unconnected with the fact that tattoo equality has become well established between the genders.

And so it won't be surprising also if we see an increase in faith based designs.

Blessings.

Farouk,

You wrote, “And so it won't be surprising also if we see an increase in faith based designs.”

Sadly you are correct. It is not a surprise that the worldly/pagan practice of tattooing is being brought into the church.

Even though we are admonished to be not of this world, it will happen because “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” 2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV

Be blessed.

Toby

 

[farouk]

Farouk,

tandemcpl: You wrote, “And so it won't be surprising also if we see an increase in faith based designs.”

Sadly you are correct. It is not a surprise that the worldly/pagan practice of tattooing is being brought into the church.

Even though we are admonished to be not of this world, it will happen because “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” 2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV

Be blessed.

Toby

I can appreciate your own personal journey on this subject and so you may feel strongly the way you do, and feel it's for Christian reasons.

What I don't necessarily see is the assumption that those Christians that do decide to do it are supposedly doing it for pagan reasons.

With regard to this thread in general and my previous post also, it seems undeniable that because of the tattoo equality that women now exercise, many women of more mature years who might not have had the idea or the confidence to do it some decades back, have now found this a means of expression which motivates them. This will doubtless include Godly, Christian women of more mature years also, whose motivation may well be for testimony reasons.

I don't think that Christians will all have the same view on this (and this is maybe a healthy thing in itself); but maybe this can also be carried forward to saying that the motivations for it may in fact vary widely, and need not be pagan at all but rather as a wish to be God honoring in a way that they might not have considered decades back, if this makes sense?

Blessings.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

If you want to honor God in a special way, do it the Bible way.
Numbers Chapter 6.

 

[farouk]

If you want to honor God in a special way, do it the Bible way.
Numbers Chapter 6.

Yes, well, if churches today were to practise the Nazarite vow, we would see women shaving themselves bald, etc. (The Nazarite vow was practised by both men and women, according to Numbers 6.)

Some Godly Christian women might find this a tad drastic, especially if the passage is interpreted as being part of an Old Testament order of things; they might even prefer the idea of discreet and tasteful ink in a small faith based design.

Blessings.

 

[tandemcpl]

What I don't necessarily see is the assumption that those Christians that do decide to do it are supposedly doing it for pagan reasons.

Blessings.

I never said Christians that decide to do it are doing it for pagan reasons. However, I did say that I believe the practice of tattooing is a worldly/pagan practice and as such, Christians should avoid getting them.

Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.Rom. 12:2

Be blessed.

Toby

 

[farouk]

I never said Christians that decide to do it are doing it for pagan reasons. However, I did say that I believe the practice of tattooing is a worldly/pagan practice and as such, Christians should avoid getting them.

Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.Rom. 12:2

Be blessed.

Toby

It's a matter of perspective, isn't it? Like, as allenwynne says, in Numbers 6 there was the Nazarite vow. This was practised by both men and women. Today, some people might well be motivated to shave their heads for a widely differing variety of reasons. I guess the same could be said for discreet and tasteful tattoos. A lot of Christians might in fact find the idea of a discreet, faith related design such as a Christian fish sign <>< on a Christian lady's wrist or arm, etc., conscientiously entered into, to be less radical and drastic than for her to shave her head, for example.

My two cents' would be that motives play a signficant part in this kind of issue, don't you think?

Blessings.

 

[tandemcpl]

My two cents' would be that motives play a signficant part in this kind of issue, don't you think?

Blessings.

Yes I do; however, the question should be asked, “Is one following worldly motives or Godly motives when he or she gets a tattoo?”

I’ll refer back to post #347.

Be blessed.

Toby

 

[farouk]

Yes I do; however, the question should be asked, “Is one following worldly motives or Godly motives when he or she gets a tattoo?”

I’ll refer back to post #347.

Be blessed.

Toby

Well, I guess some Godly Christian women would definitely say that, their Christian fish sign <><, for example, tattooed on a wrist, would have been done with motives that they believed to be Godly.

Especially since the effectiveness of such designs as conversation starters is well proven.

Now that tattoo equality for women has definitely and conclusively been established, it's probable that the large numbers of more mature women that are expressing themselves in this way, which they might not have felt open to do in their youth, will include Godly Christian women who want to use this as a discreet yet highly meaningful mode of witness, especially among other women.

Blessings.

 

[tandemcpl]

Farouk,

Please don’t think I’m trying to argue with you. I’m just trying to give the young Christian who might be thinking about getting a tattoo an alternate path to consider. To this end, I will post in this thread, the same testimony I posted in the other two tattoo threads you keep reviving.

I disagree that tattoos can be a good witness tool. All of mine have been nothing but a hindrance to me. Following is why I feel this way.

Imagine if you will that each one of us is a large window made up of many smaller panes of glass. On one side of the window are Jesus and His glorious light and on the other side the darkness of the world. I would like to believe that all my panes are crystal clear and the light of God shining through is blindingly strong; however, unfortunately that is not the case. At times I struggle in my walk and that clouds some of the smaller pieces of glass and blocks some of God’s light. However, I know that as God sanctifies me my window will grow cleaner.

There are, however, several small panes that will never be completely clear, and those are the panes that have been painted over with tattoos. Tattoos are of the world and will always be seen that way. Non-believers that see my tattoos automatically think I am one of them and act accordingly around me. The same thing happens with fellow Christians. They see my tattoos and think I am of the world. With both groups I have to scrape away at the paint to let God’s light shine through to reveal the new creation I have become. This is an ongoing process because once I encounter new individuals; I have to start scraping all over again.

In my opinion, any tattoo, no matter the reason, will permanently paint over part of one’s window, blocking God’s light, and to effectively witness to others we need as much of God’s light shining as possible.

If you don’t feel you have the ability to witness to others, please don’t use worldly practices to help you. Don’t paint over your glass, instead, fall on your knees and pray to God for the strength and courage to approach others boldly in His Name.

Be blessed.

Toby

 

[reba]

Wondering if as much time and energy is spent 'defending' the Scriptures?

 

[farouk]

Wondering if as much time and energy is spent 'defending' the Scriptures?

Hi reba. You make an interesting point. I remember learning a quote from C H Spurgeon who was asked about defending the Bible. And he replied? Defend? it would be like trying to defend a lion.

tandemcpl: Thanks for your comments; they are very thoughtful, in relation to a stained glass window. I can see how your own personal journey has led you in a certain direction.

I guess that the same comparison with a stained glass window could also be used differently: just as a stained glass window, with its patterns and representations can be and is sometimes used to reflect and project a message about a Bible scene, for the interest and instruction of those who admire it, so also a tattoo could be, and often is, when in a faith based design. I guess my basic impression is that, now that women exercise complete tattoo equality, this has brought a very significant portion of the more mature generation of women into participation in this medium of expression (59%-70% of parlor clients in North America now are women), and we are now likely to see much more of faith based ink worn - often modestly and discreetly - by more mature, as well as younger, women: think this is undeniable, really.

Blessings.

 

[reba]

OK i will change the verbiage.. Wondering if as much time and energy is spent 'supporting, sharing, discussing, etc.' the Scriptures?

 

[farouk]

OK i will change the verbiage.. Wondering if as much time and energy is spent 'supporting, sharing, discussing, etc.' the Scriptures?

I guess this is the whole point of a faith based ink: and they are actually proven very effective indeed as conversation-starters. Blessings.

 

[farouk]

from back a bit:

Re: "At our church, there are several with tatts, including several middle aged women

...Most people who I have met that have gotten a faith based tattoo, do so not for simply the act of getting a tattoo, but as a reminder for something significant to them. I was blessed enough to meet a couple volunteer workers at the youth center I work at and one of them was quite "tatted up" He noted that he had tattoos from his youth (assuming before he became a Christian), but the ones that were faith based...you could tell....he had a special connection to.

Hi Navigator: While some Christians feel strongly against tattoos, others evidently feel strongly in favor, right? and want to use meaningful faith based ink as a testimony. (They certainly work, too, as conversation-starters.) Blessings.