Poll re. good tattoo artist career for a Christian woman

[farouk]

Yeah, I guess that's a possibility.

questdriven:

I guess, though, that receiving or the hypothetical giving of tattoos would be an idea that's way beyond your current interest, though.

My whole thing is not, Go get a tattoo.

No way as straightforward as this.

But rather, given that they are so widespread, and since many Christians get them, it's maybe at least worthwhile folk considering whether one that is of some practical use for a Christian — i.e., a tasteful, faith based design — would be appropriate in some cases.

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

..
I live in WA state, for instance, and recently a change was made to the law regarding marijuana (so that it is legal for recreational use now). Sure, this may be a big deal to those who actually use the stuff, but not so much for me. Same goes for being a tattoo artist. It doesn't effect me. I would be concerned with the types of people these groups seem to hang out with, but you've already covered that in your conversation with others. I've read it, but merely skimmed those parts, sorry.

Sparrowhawke:

I see; you're simply giving marijuana as an example of something hypothetical; well, okay. I don't see a notional link between working with tattoos and marijuana, but I take your point about both being hypothetical activities you're not involved with.

I think the whole parlor scene has changed a lot, actually, with some tattoo parlors resembling bright, clean salons & spas. So for young people to explore the possibility of working there wouldn't be surprising in some ways, though (like you say) to some extent hypothetical for others.

Blessings.

 

[Sparkey]

Thank you for taking what I said with grace. You're right, I wasn't not trying to make a direct association between various activities. Still, there remains a certain stigma in the eyes of many. I applaud your efforts while attempting to correct the views that could be termed prejudice. It's working for me.

Still, I do remember a certain tattoo artist that I worked with at a Marine Electronics manufacturing plant. It's just one example and, of course, is merely anecdotal (a story, not an evidence), but it formed an impression that is hard to shake. I don't even need to go into detail for you to take my meaning; this illustrates how pervasive such things are.

 

[farouk]

Thank you for taking what I said with grace. You're right, I wasn't not trying to make a direct association between various activities. Still, there remains a certain stigma in the eyes of many. I applaud your efforts while attempting to correct the views that could be termed prejudice. It's working for me.

Still, I do remember a certain tattoo artist that I worked with at a Marine Electronics manufacturing plant. It's just one example and, of course, is merely anecdotal (a story, not an evidence), but it formed an impression that is hard to shake. I don't even need to go into detail for you to take my meaning; this illustrates how pervasive such things are.

Sparrowhawke: YW, and I never noticed anything unusual about your earlier post, either.

There are two images really.

The old is of an industrial section, badly lit, with a parlor on the fringes of legality, open late at night and frequented by gang members.

The new is of a bright salon, maybe with glossy magazines and comfortable armchairs, with cleanliness being a watchword and the management welcoming further regulation: the sort of place where everyone's grandmother can — and does — go get, say, a small butterfly design done, interwoven with her grandchildren's initials.

The old image is still there as a latent presence.

The new one relates to the fact that 60 - 70 % of parlor clients in North America are now reckoned to be women: hard to figure with the old image.

I think it was Deborah13, above, who with some guarded provisos indicated she wouldn't particularly mind if a daughter of hers worked in such an environment - with the new image, of course.

Blessings.

 

[Sparkey]

Makes sense to me. The old man in me remembers the stigma of the "pool hall" back in the 60's and 70's. It was seen as a place for hooligans to hang out.

Today's billiards parlors bear no resemblance to such dark places of the past. I imagine that I could find a couple that remain to transport me back toward the wild-and-woolly days of yesteryear.

 

[farouk]

Makes sense to me. The old man in me remembers the stigma of the "pool hall" back in the 60's and 70's. It was seen as a place for hooligans to hang out.

Today's billiards parlors bear no resemblance to such dark places of the past. I imagine that I could find a couple that remain to transport me back toward the wild-and-woolly days of yesteryear.

Sparrowhawke:

Oh 30 years ago I went to one of those billiard places looking for a guy that had been attending church. I know exactly what you mean.

A lot of today's clients at tattoo parlors weren't born then, of course. Young people born in 1995 and turning 18, now counted as adults, might be more familiar with a more sanitized image of a parlor: a benign sort of place where for a daughter's 18th birthday mom and daughter can confidently have a fun trip out to.

(Further two cents'.)

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

I can certainly see her point of view and yes sympathize with her and I would feel the same way.
... If a woman just did decent designs and only for women I would have no problem with it, even if one of my daughters were to do them.

Deborah13:

PS: Further to what we discussed previously, as well as the tattoo equality aspect that's been achieved, if you happen to read the recent posts, above, the fact that the whole parlor scene and environment has changed in recent years is talked about.

For some people it's still somewhat hypothetical, though. But I guess it can also still be useful to be aware of, if or when the next generation sees a parlor trip as a natural turn of events, I guess.

Blessings.

 

[Deborah13]

I haven't ever been in or seen a parlor except on tv so I have no basis for a judgement on all parlor, some may be Ok.
If one of my daughters were to decide to do tat's I would not want her in someone else's establishment where she did not have full control of the clientele and as I said before no men allowed.
I would also hope that all my children would aspire to be more as they thankfully have.

But I will not judge others by my conscious.

 

[farouk]

I haven't ever been in or seen a parlor except on tv so I have no basis for a judgement on all parlor, some may be Ok.
If one of my daughters were to decide to do tat's I would not want her in someone else's establishment where she did not have full control of the clientele and as I said before no men allowed.
I would also hope that all my children would aspire to be more as they thankfully have.

But I will not judge others by my conscious.

Deborah13:

Ty for your further comments. Yes, I can see that from some perspectives it could seem a reasonable idea and at other times a less reasonable one. The thing is for the person to be sure beforehand, of course. I guess where I am basically coming from as well is that with all the folk with tattoos and with the potential for faith related designs to stimulate witness conversations, the whole scene has greatly changed anyway, if this makes any sense.

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

I can appreciate your desire to consider the thoughts of others, but really? I don't think about it much.

PS: Sparrowhawke: I know a lot of moms and dads would prefer to (and indeed are even likely to) wait until the big 18th b-day arrives before they even face their son or daughter making the tattoo request. It's natural, anyway, to put off even thinking about it. (Those sons and daughters with an art flair might take a special interest, of course; enough to want to pursue it further, even.)

On the other hand, 'forewarned is forearmed', I guess. Since they in theory don't have to ask permission, some kind of strategy would need to be put in place, either pronto or in advance, I guess.

But to some extent hypothetical, anyway.

Blessings.

 

[Sparkey]

I haven't had much need to consider man's law, except as a rough (and potentially hostile) guide. My youngest son just didn't want to drive, for instance. My older son waited too. I eventually taught him how to ride a motorcycle first and then to drive. The subject of "I'm 18 now, I can do what I want," spoken in opposition, was seldom (I can't remember it), if ever, brought up.

What I do remember is being much in prayer (because the job of being a single dad was too much for me). There was a time when they were young when they were asked to look at their friends and how they got along with their parents. After they came back to me, I asked them to speak to their friends and find out how they knew that their parents loved them. Some stories about abusive relationships were told, other stories about healthier relationships were discussed. This led us toward the subject of discipline as an expression of caring. The twenty years and more of our family times and trials and blessing is more than I can relay. For the most part, there was no breaking, no stopping or discontinuance of the care that united our hearts together and so well during those times.

I distinctly hear echoes of the last verses of the Old Testament when I consider relationships between fathers and sons (children) these days. Malachi 4:5-6

 

[Deborah13]

Deborah13:

Ty for your further comments. Yes, I can see that from some perspectives it could seem a reasonable idea and at other times a less reasonable one. The thing is for the person to be sure beforehand, of course. I guess where I am basically coming from as well is that with all the folk with tattoos and with the potential for faith related designs to stimulate witness conversations, the whole scene has greatly changed anyway, if this makes any sense.Blessings.

I don't mean to be indecisive it's just that I really think it is a matter of one's concious. Yes, I think that a Christian tatoo in some situations could be a witness and give rise to an opportunity to witness.

 

[farouk]

I haven't had much need to consider man's law, except as a rough (and potentially hostile) guide. My youngest son just didn't want to drive, for instance. My older son waited too. I eventually taught him how to ride a motorcycle first and then to drive. The subject of "I'm 18 now, I can do what I want," spoken in opposition, was seldom (I can't remember it), if ever, brought up.

What I do remember is being much in prayer (because the job of being a single dad was too much for me). There was a time when they were young when they were asked to look at their friends and how they got along with their parents. After they came back to me, I asked them to speak to their friends and find out how they knew that their parents loved them. Some stories about abusive relationships were told, other stories about healthier relationships were discussed. This led us toward the subject of discipline as an expression of caring. The twenty years and more of our family times and trials and blessing is more than I can relay. For the most part, there was no breaking, no stopping or discontinuance of the care that united our hearts together and so well during those times.

I distinctly hear echoes of the last verses of the Old Testament when I consider relationships between fathers and sons (children) these days. Malachi 4:5-6

Sparrowhawke:

Yes, it's a moving passage in Malachi. And your experiences must have been heartfelt.

I guess these matters are much broader than tattoo aspects, though. Tasteful ink for adults, I guess. And for the Christian, ink with a testimony potential, if they are faith related designs.

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

I don't mean to be indecisive it's just that I really think it is a matter of one's concious. Yes, I think that a Christian tatoo in some situations could be a witness and give rise to an opportunity to witness.

Hey Deborah, I'm sure that with you maybe it's been the case of, if you've never felt the need, then you would definitely not want the inking needle to work on you; and if you 'preferred' that your nearest and dearest thought and did similarly, then it's understandable, too.

On the other hand, like you say, it also can be a witness and give rise to opportunities, and those who want to pursue it for that reason would also definitely feel joy in seeing a Bible ref., or praying hands, etc. needled into one's wrist, foot, or wherever. (Sometimes also together with kids', grandkids' initials, etc.)

So I suppose after all it's not really indecision but rather what particular expression of joy has, or has not, become personalized, right?

Blessings.

 

[Deborah13]

Correct

 

[farouk]

Yeah, I guess that's a possibility.

PS: questdriven: Yes, it would have to be all about your joy in witness opportunities, as Deborah13 and I have just been discussing. Blessings.

 

[farouk]

... And of coarse you would never get a transfusion in surgery as it would have come from the demonic drawing of blood.

Deborah:

PS: Re-reading, I just thought of 'Jehovah's Witnesses', who have a similar argument against blood transfusions. Taken to its logical conclusion it can lead to all sorts of problems if one goes down that road.

Like, Christians in the health sector need to be free to do what they have to do. I think health care would have to be thought through again very thoroughly if the option of blood transfusions were a no-no, supposedly.

Really, it seems to me that in an effort to try to dissuade people from going to the tattoo parlor, there are those who would use an extreme argument that isn't logical, so that people are kind of shocked into not going after all. I reckon this is what it amounts to. I had commented before but not on this aspect, and I don't think Christian nurses, etc. need to be guilt-manipulated into not doing transfusions, and neither do Christian men and women, now enjoying tattoo equality, of course, need to be guilt manipulated in this way, either. (And then of course a lot of witness opportunities would be lost, also.) If they don't want to do it, they don't want to it, and don't need to, but not for this supposed reason.

Blessings.

 

[Deborah13]

I don't know why JWs don't do them. But my posting as to transfusion was to refute what I saw as supersititions related to demons entering the body through blood or open wounds.

 

[farouk]

I don't know why JWs don't do them. But my posting as to transfusion was to refute what I saw as supersititions related to demons entering the body through blood or open wounds.

Deborah: Such arguments used against tattoos, anyway, would also logically make pierced ears a no-no, as well as transfusions, wouldn't they. Blessings.

 

[farouk]

"I'm 18 now, I can do what I want,"
..

Sparrowhawke: It's at least technically true when it comes to the widespread custom of the tattoo parlor visit after the 18th b-day, anyway.