Is it wrong to get a tattoo? Why so?
June 2, 2006
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Thinking to Believe %d
June 2, 2006 at 9:20 am
Yes. See Lev 19:28.
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June 2, 2006 at 11:12 am
Leviticus 19:28 reads: “You must not slash your body for a dead person or incise a tattoo on yourself. I am the Lord.”
Two questions: (1) What does this mean? (2) Does this command apply to the church?
Regarding (1) the meaning seems pretty straightforward: don’t get tattoos on your body. The question is Why? Based on the immediate context it appears that the slashing and tattooing of the body were connected with pagan idolatrous practices relating to the dead. If so, then the prohibition is context-specific. The real issue is participating in idolatrous practices, not tattoos. If tattooing is not associated with pagan religious practices in our culture, the reason for the command would fizzle out in irrelevance.
Regarding (2) I would argue that the command does not apply to the church. It is contained in the Mosaic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant consisted of moral, ceremonial, and civil laws. The church is only subject to the moral laws. But how do we know which of the laws in the Mosaic Covenant are moral, and which ones are merely ceremonial in nature? We know this by seeing which laws were repeated in the New Covenant. Let me explain further.
The Law stood as a single unit. All 613 laws were part of one single, indivisible covenant. That covenant was superseded by the New Covenant when Jesus died at Calvary. We are no longer subject to any of those 613 laws. Does that mean we are not subject to the moral law? Of course not. God’s moral nature requires that His moral laws be part of every covenant. The way we determine which laws in the Mosaic Covenant were part of God’s moral law and which were not is by looking at the New Covenant. If a law found in the Mosaic Covenant is not repeated in the New Covenant then it is not a moral law. Since the law against tattooing is not repeated in the New Covenant it stands to reason that it was never a moral law to begin with, but rather ceremonial in nature (only being tangential to the real moral issue of idolatrous worship). If that is the case, then getting a tattoo is not a moral wrong.
Even if my argument is correct (which is open to debate) it still does not settle the question of whether it is wrong to get a tattoo because something can be wrong in more ways than one. “Wrong” need not translate into “immoral.”
Jason
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June 2, 2006 at 3:57 pm
“If tattooing is not associated with pagan religious practices in our culture, the reason for the command would fizzle out in irrelevance.”
It’s still a pagan practice. Just individually practiced. Today’s tattoo’s are probably more about worshipping personal idols or attention seeking. All praticed as a group without having a formal structure. I would argue these are worse than a formally accepted (Structured) pagan practice.
“If a law found in the Mosaic Covenant is not repeated in the New Covenant then it is not a moral law.”
Lev 19:29. Where do you see this law repeated in the NT.
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June 3, 2006 at 8:28 am
David,
I agree that 99.9% of people who get tattoos probably get them for sub-Christian reasons, including vanity. In fact, the motivation for getting tattoos is one of the things I consider in my position. Most people get tattoos for vain reasons (or worse, in some cases just to fulfill a desire to feel pain). But to say that this is a worship of personal idols is a stretch of the imagination. For the sake of argument it may be vain and rebellious, but those are not elements of religious worship. No one is worshipping their tattoos, or getting them as part of some religious rite.
And as far as attention seeking goes, a lot of women do the equivalent when it comes to their clothes. Clothes don’t have to be slutty to get attention, so Pentecostal women are included in this as well. Women can buy really nice clothes, partly for themselves because they feel good wearing it, but partly because they want other people to notice them and think they look nice. Men too. While you may consider this wrong, I hope you wouldn’t consider this idolatry. I do not doubt that man is selfish, self-centered, egotistical, rebellious against God, and seeking satisfaction in things other than the true God, but the idea that any personal expression of these sinful characteristics is tantamount to the worship of self stretches the notion of “worship” beyond credulity.
Regarding Leviticus 19:29, there is no command in the NT that singles out this specific sexual sin, but it is covered under the general prohibitions against fornication and adultery (depending on whether or not the prostituting women is single or married).
Jason
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June 3, 2006 at 7:53 pm
It is very easy to consider anything someone else practices that I disagree with an “idol.” Idolatry would seem to be those things which attempt to occupy the place of Ultimate Concern in our lives. When anything conditioned is treated as unconditioned, that is idolatry.
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June 4, 2006 at 5:14 pm
Scott McKnight (jesuscreed.org) has a new poll and post up about this topic.
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June 5, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Thanks for that link Aaron. Here was a good quote in the comments section by McKnight himself: “The Lev passage has to do with the laceration and branding that were practiced by pagan religions. It damaged the Eikon [image] of God by marking the body as dedicated to another god.”
One of the links provided on that page is to a succinct and informative page written by a pastor in Santa Cruz dealing with the morality of tattoos. It’s worth checking out: http://www.sacredink.net/tattoo_and_the_bible/ On this page there is a link to a pdf document with a much more in-depth treatment of the issue (http://www.sacredink.net/pdf/tattoo_research.pdf). While I don’t find it’s pro-tattooing arguments persuasive, it has good information on the Biblical and historical perspective.
Jason
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June 5, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Does the content of the tattoo matter? Does it matter if it is of a skull and bones or a picture of the cross of Christ?
Does the permanence matter? Would it be ok if it could be easily undone like a temporary tattoo?
What about the motive? Why does someone get a tattoo? Vanity? Pride? Rebellion? Is getting a tatoo wrong only if it is done out of an unchristian motive?
Jason
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June 8, 2006 at 6:48 am
Unless others wish to carry this conversation on further this will be my last post on the matter.
I would argue that aesthetically speaking tattoos detract from the beauty of the human body. It’s no coincidence that people typically get tattoos in conspicuous places that can be easily concealed from public eye. I think this also explains why people typically hide tattoos when they dress up. They recognize that the tattoo detracts from the beauty of the body that can be seen, particularly when contrasted by beautiful clothing. While tattoos may be “neat,” they are not “beautiful” like the human body.
Of course just because tattoos may detract aesthetically from the body does not make it wrong to get them. While aesthetical considerations may be instructive, they are not decisive. If aesthetics are not decisive, and theology is indeterminate, how do we answer our question? Teleology (teleology is the study of design and ultimate purpose, exploring the purposeful end of some X). Teleologically speaking, are tattoos in line with the ultimate purpose of our bodies as created by God?
We need to ask ourselves, What is the body intended for? Is it intended to be a billboard for artwork? Do tattoos align themselves with the body’s purpose or not?
I would argue that each question should be answered in the negative. Tattooing the body is not in line with our body’s ultimate purpose. Tattooing is a defacing and devaluing of the body, treating that which is holy like something fit to display artwork on. As such, tattoos are wrong.
By “wrong” I am not necessarily referring to a moral wrong, but a teleological wrong. While I oppose the practice of Christians getting tattoos, I have no theological reason to believe they have committed a moral wrong for which they must repent. It is in their Christian liberty to get a tattoo so long as the content of the tattoo is not immoral, and their motives are right, but I am persuaded that such a person has a low, sub-Christian view of their body that needs to be addressed and corrected.
Jason
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June 12, 2006 at 7:32 pm
I’ve got a question regarding the body and alterations thereof. I know of someone who is involved in the ministry(female) who has recently had a breast augmentation. Apparently for no other reason than possibly needing back up floatation devices if they were on a sinking ship. LOL !!! just kidding ! Actually there was no cosmetic neccessity for this procedure. (i/e cancer etc.)
Would this type of thing be considered morally wrong ?
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June 13, 2006 at 10:30 am
Anything I say on this one is liable to get me in trouble! This is all off-the-cuff so don’t hold me to anything I say on this. 🙂
I am not necessarily opposed to it on moral grounds, but I do not support it either. My main concern is the motivation. Why does a woman feel she has to have bigger breasts? Is it because she is trying to attract men? If so, she’ll probably end up attracting the wrong men. Is it because she does not feel good about herself? Is it because her husband is not satisfied with her breasts? If either of the latter I think breast augmentation is a symptom of a bigger issues: self-esteem, sexual. If someone was to seek my advice on the issue I would try to dissuade them from doing it by helping them think through the real motivations for why they want to do it.
Having said that, I understand that for many women their breasts define their womanhood in part. I remember when my mother had her breasts removed due to breast cancer she asked my sister, “Am I even a woman anymore?” A flat-chested woman may feel very non-womanlike, and may want to augment her breasts so she can feel more like a woman. Again, this may just be a symptom of a deeper underlying issue, but maybe not.
I cannot argue against augmenting one’s breasts on teleological grounds because God makes plenty of women with full breasts; i.e. it is part of the teleology of many women. Now, if a woman who is already a D wants to become a DDD there is something wrong! They are going beyond what nature typically endows, trying to enhance the body beyond its natural and normal limits.
Jason
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July 13, 2010 at 1:36 pm
I made a video about tattoos on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpSj9Osx-B0) and have always been against them but now im not sure anymore. I don’t have any tattoos and as the video says “The Holy Spirit is my Tattoo”. I admit, it is tempting to get one but the motive will be wrong because the only reason i would get one is to show it off so therefore i will not get one.
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