POLL: In 2011 are you likely to visit a tattoo parlor?

[farouk]

I'm a "no, never" on tattoos, but that is because of who I am. I don't have anything against tattoos per se, and liken a faith based tattoo pretty much the same as faith jewelry, something that can get a conversational ball rolling.

My brother-in-law is part of a motorcycle gang. No, I don't mean club, I mean gang. There is a member of the gang whom they call Preacher who is a born again Christian ministering to those within the gang. He has many tattoos, as do my b-i-l and the rest of the gang.

Tattoos are just something that can work against you depending upon where you are at in life. If God places you on the corporate ladder and your primary "field" of witness is up and coming yuppie types, a tattoo might hinder that. But, if God places you as a minister to a motorcycle gang, or maybe on a pro-Basketball team, or some other place where tattoos are the norm, then I don't see a problem with it.

For me, going to 4 H and PTA meetings with all the Mormon moms, all tatted out? That would be more of an hindrance.

handy:

Thanks for your comments. I see that you voted 'no, never' as far as even visiting a parlor with someone else, without a purchase commitment (there are multiple votes possible); I know that some ppl won't even feel comfortable going through the door with someone else. But I think also that the underlying logic of your comments indicate that you are quite positive to the idea of witness tattoos in some circumstances, and would be (guardedly?) supportive of someone in those circumstances who has decided to go under the needle...but I certainly don't want to put words in your mouth...

I guess, too, that moms who don't have tattoos themselves would likely want to be sure that even Christian kids over 18 who wanted faith designs, knew their own minds thoroughly before being prepared to go with them to the parlor if they wanted to go under the needle.

(If any of this makes sense...?)

Thanks again.

 

[handy]

You know, even though 18 is considered legally adult, I think it's still a bit too young for something as permenent as a tattoo. Many 18 year old's aren't sure what the future holds for them, and at this point in society, tattoo's can still work against someone. However, once someone is pretty sure where life is taking them, if they still want a tattoo, then I see no problem.

I've checked out the text in Leviticus about tattoos and given the context, cannot see that it applies to Christians today. Unless we are going to teach that we cannot cross-breed Angus cattle with Herefords, or wear cotton jeans and a linen shirt, or eat rare meat or that guys cannot shave their sideburns and beards, then we really cannot apply the old Israeli law against tattoos to Christians. Unless we want to go back under the law, but I'd advise against that.

However, Christians do need to think of their witness for the Lord. And, in this a tattoo could be either a help (like a motorcycle gang member) or a hinderance (a mom in a conservative area).

farouk, may I ask why this subject is so important to you?

 

[farouk]

You know, even though 18 is considered legally adult, I think it's still a bit too young for something as permenent as a tattoo. Many 18 year old's aren't sure what the future holds for them, and at this point in society, tattoo's can still work against someone. However, once someone is pretty sure where life is taking them, if they still want a tattoo, then I see no problem.

I've checked out the text in Leviticus about tattoos and given the context, cannot see that it applies to Christians today. Unless we are going to teach that we cannot cross-breed Angus cattle with Herefords, or wear cotton jeans and a linen shirt, or eat rare meat or that guys cannot shave their sideburns and beards, then we really cannot apply the old Israeli law against tattoos to Christians. Unless we want to go back under the law, but I'd advise against that.

However, Christians do need to think of their witness for the Lord. And, in this a tattoo could be either a help (like a motorcycle gang member) or a hinderance (a mom in a conservative area).

farouk, may I ask why this subject is so important to you?

handy:

Again, thanks very much for your thoughtful comments.

I take it then re the 18 thing that even if Christian young ppl turning 18 seemed sure they wanted a faith related tattoo for witness purposes, you'd advise them to wait a while, then?

Why the subject? it's quite topical, isn't it? I don't know if any of your immediate family members have ever raised the subject, but so many younger ppl and older ones are going under the needle: some get beautiful ones, NON-beautiful ones(!), some are faith related and - like you said - they can be useful in communicating in faith related conversations.

We have a parlor just along the road from us.

There's a whole generation out there that is hard to reach, isn't there?

 

[handy]

Yes, I think I'd advise someone to wait.

My best friend's daughter's boyfriend is 19 and is in the Army, just recently returned stateside from Afghanistan. He is getting yet another tattoo. He just about has a sleeve now. Now, a sleeve isn't going to hurt the witness of a guy in the Army, the military culture being pretty tatt oriented. But, he isn't planning making the Army a career. He's should be able to get out in about a 1.5 years. After that? He's not so sure what he will be doing. The sleeve might become much more a hindrance that he might now realize. Then again, it might not. He is talking about settling in the Seattle area, and I don't think tattoos would be too out of line up there. But, where I live, a guy competing for jobs that had a sleeve could find that he could be looked over in favor of a "nice clean-cut church boy" and "church" would mean LDS.

When you say you have a parlor just along the road from you, do you mean that you live by the parlor or that you own it?

 

[Bazz1040]

B:

I agree with you in your use of the word 'all'. The inner reality is what counts.

At the same time, the inner reality for a faith related tattoo may be a motivation for some ppl.

For example, if a Christian lady's ex-bf was not a Christian, and her tattoo is of his name, 'Bill', she may be motivated to modify the tattoo to say, 'Bible' or something similar.

Like you say, it's the inner reality that counts.

<O:p</O:p
Maybe…….. I guess that could get the person talking about people that have tattoo that they cannot change or alter to look or say something different.....the conversation could go in any direction. But anyway, to each his own as long as one does not get caught up in appearance with little to no substance.

 

[glorydaz]

I went with a friend (unsaved) who was interesting in getting one.
I won't go back because there were books with all the "options" and many of them were simply porno.

Happy New Year to you, Farouk.

 

[WIP]

I voted Never but not with the intensity as how the answer was offered. I just don't have any desire to get a tattoo or visit a parlor. I have nothing against tattoos so long as they are tasteful. Of course, my definition of tasteful may differ from someone else's.

 

[farouk]

I voted Never but not with the intensity as how the answer was offered. I just don't have any desire to get a tattoo or visit a parlor. I have nothing against tattoos so long as they are tasteful. Of course, my definition of tasteful may differ from someone else's.

Hi WIP:

Thanks for your vote and comment.

Do you think that if a tattoo's design — tasteful, of course, as you say — is faith related with potential for communicating to people, then it can become inherently more desirable for some ppl?

 

[farouk]

I went with a friend (unsaved) who was interesting in getting one.
I won't go back because there were books with all the "options" and many of them were simply porno.

Happy New Year to you, Farouk.

glorydaz:

So do you think there is a place for Christian tattoo businesses? i.e., where the environment is free from the sort of things that you saw?

Happy New Year to you too!

 

[Curcumin]

It's not on my resolution list for the year.

 

[glorydaz]

glorydaz:

So do you think there is a place for Christian tattoo businesses? i.e., where the environment is free from the sort of things that you saw?

Happy New Year to you too!

I'm sorry, Farouk, I don't believe I can even given an opinion on the subject. I have never sought the Lord's guidance concerning tatoos, nor would I want to judge someone's wanting to get one. Not much help, am I?

 

[farouk]

Yes, I think I'd advise someone to wait.

My best friend's daughter's boyfriend is 19 and is in the Army, just recently returned stateside from Afghanistan. He is getting yet another tattoo. He just about has a sleeve now. Now, a sleeve isn't going to hurt the witness of a guy in the Army, the military culture being pretty tatt oriented. But, he isn't planning making the Army a career. He's should be able to get out in about a 1.5 years. After that? He's not so sure what he will be doing. The sleeve might become much more a hindrance that he might now realize. Then again, it might not. He is talking about settling in the Seattle area, and I don't think tattoos would be too out of line up there. But, where I live, a guy competing for jobs that had a sleeve could find that he could be looked over in favor of a "nice clean-cut church boy" and "church" would mean LDS.

When you say you have a parlor just along the road from you, do you mean that you live by the parlor or that you own it?

handy:

(I don't own the parlor, BTW, to answer your question.)

I can see the value of waiting until a young person knows his or her mind. Sometimes their minds have been made up for a long time, of course.

In the military it used to be that in some platoons, on some ships, etc., a tattoo was more or less 'obligatory'. With more women serving in the military, it's possible that this relates at least indirectly to the widespread psychological suggestion that young ladies should avail themselves of the tattooist's needle, too (without overstating this aspect).

You mentioned sleeves: traditionally the sleeve was a preferred male placement, and often it still is.

But as you may be aware the sleeve has expanded to explosive proportions as a preferred female tattoo placement too. (So don't be surprised if your friend's daughter eventually considers a sleeve, too, as well as her bf.)

I still think that there is a lot of potential for faith related ink designs.

God bless your family in this new year.

 

[farouk]

No tattoo...never.

Alabaster:

Like, never, as in 'never'?

I know some ppl think all tattoos are ugly, but anyhow.

 

[westtexas]

I voted yes cuz it was 0-13 for the no's.

Westtexas

 

[Alabaster]

Alabaster:

Like, never, as in 'never'?

I know some ppl think all tattoos are ugly, but anyhow.

Yeah, never...I do think they are ugly. They are too vivid and too black. If there was a tattoo that could be just slightly darker than flesh tones in a lace pattern, I would probably like the look of that, but not get one.

 

[farouk]

Yeah, never...I do think they are ugly. They are too vivid and too black. If there was a tattoo that could be just slightly darker than flesh tones in a lace pattern, I would probably like the look of that, but not get one.

Alabaster:

Well, some of the 'tribal' designs are sort of in a lacy looking design, though you are right: they often are in darker ink than you would probably like.

I guess it depends on the placement, too, right?

 

[Alabaster]

Alabaster:

Well, some of the 'tribal' designs are sort of in a lacy looking design, though you are right: they often are in darker ink than you would probably like.

I guess it depends on the placement, too, right?

Real tatted lace is what I envision, and yes, placement is important.

 

[farouk]

Real tatted lace is what I envision, and yes, placement is important.

Alabaster:

Well, I agree, it would look quite pretty, yes (I guess the gender of the tattooee might be a bit significant, too, for a pattern of that nature). I think that a professional tattoist would be able to figure something out, if the person liked the pattern enough, right?

People have their preferred placements, of course; it differs quite a bit from one person to another.

 

[farouk]

PS: Alabaster:

Did you ever visit a tattoo parlor? (i.e., not to GET a tattoo but to look at the artwork files.)