What Does The Bible Say About Tattoo?

Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing.

Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves. ” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.

But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitz argue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times. Huehnergard and Liebowitz note that the appearance of the ban on incisions—or tattoos—comes right after words clearly related to mourning, perhaps confirming the original theory.

And yet, looking at what’s known about death rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, and Egypt, they find no references to marking the skin as a sign of mourning. They also note that there are other examples in Leviticus and Exodus where two halves of a verse address different issues.

So that could be the case here, too. What tattoos were apparently often used for in ancient Mesopotamia was marking enslaved people (and, in Egypt, as decorations for women of all social classes). Egyptian captives were branded with the name of a god, marking them as belongings of the priests or pharaoh.

But devotees might also be branded with the name of the god they worshiped;
Huehnergard and Liebowitz suggest that, given the key role of the escape from Egyptian bondage in ancient Jewish law, the Torah originally banned tattooing because it was “the symbol of servitude;

” Interestingly, though, they write that there’s one other apparent reference to tattooing in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah 44:5 describes the children of Jacob committing themselves to God: “One shall say, ‘I am the LORD’s’… Another shall mark his arm ‘of the LORD.

‘” Here a tattoo appears to be allowable as a sign of submission, not to a human master but to God;
Ancient rabbinic debates produced a variety of different theories about the meaning of the prohibition on tattooing;

Some authorities believed that tattoos were only disallowed if they had certain messages, such as the name of God, the phrase “I am the Lord,” or the name of a pagan deity. Talmudic law developed around 200 CE says that a tattoo is only disallowed if it is done “for the purpose of idolatry”—but not if it’s intended to mark a person’s enslaved status.

Contents

1 Is tattoo forbidden in the Bible?
2 Is a Belly piercing a sin?
- - 2.0.1 Is it a sin to have a nose piercing?

Is tattoo forbidden in the Bible?

The Bible warns against tattoos in Leviticus 19:28 (Amplified) which says, ‘Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord. ‘ However, just because society approves of something does not make it right in the eyes of God.

Are tattoos a sin?

Sunni Islam [ edit ] – The majority of Sunni Muslims believe tattooing is a sin, because it involves changing the natural creation of God, inflicting unnecessary pain in the process. Tattoos are classified as dirty things, which is prohibited in Islam.

They believe that a dirty body will directly lead to a dirty mind and will destroy their wudhu, ritual ablution. [24] Some Shafi’i scholars such as Amjad Rasheed argue that tattooing causes impurity and that tattoos were prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad.

They also claim that those who are decorated with tattoos are contaminated with najas , [25] due to potential mixture of blood and coloured pigment that remains upon the surface of the skin. [26] Blood is viewed as an impure substance, so a person with a tattoo cannot engage in several religious practices.

[27] However, in the present day, it is possible to get a tattoo without mixing dye with blood after it exits onto the outer surface of the body, leaving a possibility for a Muslim to wear a tattoo and perform a valid prayer.

Scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi states that tattoos are sinful because they are an expression of vanity and they alter the physical creation of God. [28] According to the online South African Deobandi fatwa service called Ask-the-Imam , Muslims should remove any tattoos they have if possible or cover them in some way.

What does God have to say about tattoos?

What are the most important things to have in mind when tattooing as a Christian? – At the end of the day the decision to get a tattoo should be your decision and only yours. If you find that it is not desirable to you or goes against your beliefs then by all means do not get one! There is no need to make a rash decision about a tattoo and it is okay to change your mind along the way.

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If you are still unsure then it is always a great idea to discuss it with other people who share similar values. Also, maybe more importantly, talk to God. The most important thing is that you are at peace with your choice on whether to get a tattoo or not.

? Does the Bible say anything at all about tattoos? If you take the Bible word for word, in Leviticus 19:28, its exact translation is: “And a cutting for the dead you will not make in your flesh; and writing marks you will not make on you; I am the Lord.

” That is the only explicit mention of body modifications written in the Bible;
Since the word tattoo did not come into the English language until the 18th century, the literal translation of the Bible does not write tattoo at any point;

? Is getting a tattoo a sin? Some Christians believe that since the only possible mention of tattoos was written in the Old Testament the law no longer applies to Christians. There is no mention of body modifications or tattoos written in the New Testament at all.

Since there is not an explicit command against the modern-day concept of tattoos, it would mean that it is not a sin to get one;
? What are the common Christian inspired tattoos? Many Christians love to get their favorite Bible verse or Bible story tattooed;

There are also plenty of symbols that represent Christ such as a cross, doves, the Jesus fish, an angel, praying hands, or even a picture of Jesus himself..

Is it bad having a tattoo?

Tattoos can potentially lead to a number of risks, including skin infections, allergic reactions, and scarring. Such risks may increase if you don’t see a licensed tattoo artist or if the wound itself heals improperly. Aside from these risks, do you have to worry about the potential of cancer from getting new ink? Read on to learn what the science says, and how you can best guard yourself against common side effects associated with tattooing.

What does the Bible say about showing off your body?

1 Samuel 16:7 – ‘For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. ” Genesis 1:26-27 – ‘Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Is getting a piercing a sin?

Is Body Piercing a Sin? – Body piercing and modification, in general, is a topic of contention even in modern-day society due to religious and/or conservative beliefs. Christianity In the context of Christianity, many people believe that body piercing is sinful, whereas others believe it is allowed in their religion.

Within the Christian community, there are debates around interpreting passages of the Bible to either allow or forbid body piercing;
Some Christians who are against body piercing use the “Book of Leviticus” to support the view that body piercing is a sin, arguing that you “should never mark your body”;

While others read the same Book and interpret the marking of the body as more figurative than literal. In a similar vein, there is much debate around the Christian concept of seeing “our bodies as a Temple” to be treated with respect and kindness. Some, again, interpret this as not marking or changing your body with modifications such as piercings.

Whereas many Christians don’t see piercings as “disruptive” or negative to the body, but rather as something that adds to the body’s beauty. There is a Christian belief that partaking in activities or a lifestyle that one believes to be a sin indeed makes the act a sin, even if it’s not objectively clear or “fact” than the act is a sin.

Believing body piercing is a sin and doing it anyway, makes it a sin – essentially, a self-fulfilling prophecy. This highlights the subjectiveness of piercing attitudes in a religious context. Ultimately, much of the Christian debate around body piercing, tattoos, and other modifications boils down to personal interpretation of scripture and concepts.

Some see piercings as self-expression and not “marking your body,” whereas others see piercing as a sin that goes against the Bible’s teachings. Neither opinion can be right or wrong, merely personal preference and interpretation.

Cultural Stigma That said, views of piercing as “sinful” can have a knock-on cultural effect in the West and lead to discrimination against those with tattoos and piercings. Even non-religious anti-piercing opinions are popular in modern-day UK, particularly in professional and business contexts.

According to Salary;
com in 2019 , 76% of survey respondents felt that piercings and tattoos can/will hurt a job applicant’s chances of being hired, with 55% of respondents reporting that visible body piercings are always inappropriate at work;

The same survey concluded that older age correlates with intolerance of body modification, with the younger generation more likely to have piercings and be more tolerant of colleagues with piercings and tattoos. With more young people getting body piercings, especially with celebrities getting in on the trends, the taboo is starting to break.

Non-Western Views It’s important to note that this is an extremely Westernised view of piercing taboo;
In many cultures, piercing is part of traditions dating hundreds or thousands of years back, and not taboo at all;

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Ear and nose piercings are the most globally popular piercings, even dating back 5,000 years with mummified remains found to have ear piercings. Tongue and lip piercings are growing in popularity in the modern day, but did you know that African and Native American tribal cultures have incorporated these piercings into their cultural practices for many years? Is Body Piercing a Sin? The most accurate answer to “is body piercing a sin?” is perhaps “it depends on who you ask.

What verse in the Bible says do not tattoo yourself?

Biblical Translations of Leviticus 19:28 – NIV “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. ” NLT “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord. ” ESV “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord. ” Author Bio Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master’s Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years..

Is it a sin to have your ears pierced?

The debate over tattoos and body piercings continues in the Christian community. Some people don’t believe body piercing is a sin at all, that God allowed it, so it’s okay. Others believe the Bible makes it quite clear that we need to treat our bodies as temples and not do anything to damage it.

Do tattoos shorten your life?

the MPR take: – Having a tattoo may mean an earlier death, says a new report in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Investigators compared the deaths of people with and without tattoos and found that people with tattoos appeared to die earlier than people without (mean age of death: tattooed: 39yrs; nontattooed: 53yrs).

Who shouldn’t tattoo?

If you’re not disclosing your medical conditions to your tattoo artist prior to your session, what your tattoo artist doesn’t know could seriously harm you. And, unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the artist’s fault. If you have a medical condition or are on any kind of prescription medication, it is crucial that you disclose it to your artist before any tattoo or piercing procedure.

Now, you’re probably thinking it might not matter—plus, it’s your personal information, why do they need to know? While we understand if you’re not 100% comfortable disclosing medical information to your tattoo artist, you should know why it matters in the first place.

Keep scrolling to learn why it’s necessary, what conditions and medications you need to mention, and what happens if they turn you away. What to Mention Affected conditions include, but are not limited to:

A Heart Condition
Diabetes
Hemophilia
HIV
Hepatitis
Severe Allergies
Epilepsy
Pregnant or Nursing
6 Months or Less Postpartum or Post-Weaning

Where should you not get tattoos?

Tattoos are a great way to express yourself. Aside from the endless designs to choose from, tattoos are also placed on different parts of the body. But it’s important to remember that they are a lifelong commitment which is why you should carefully consider their placement.

What verse in the Bible says do not tattoo yourself?

Is it a sin to get a tattoo Catholic?

Right or Wrong? – The primary argument opponents of tattoos cite is the Levitical law prohibiting them. Leviticus 19:28 says, “Do not lacerate your bodies for the dead, and do not tattoo yourselves. I am the LORD. ” While this sounds like a fairly clear condemnation of tattoos, we have to keep in mind the context of the Old Testament law.

It’s fairly obvious to me that the prohibition against tattoos was directly related to pagan worship, just as the prohibition against graven images was;
But regardless of the original intent, it is Catholic teaching that the old covenant ceremonial law no longer applies to us as new covenant faithful, and to say otherwise is contrary to the whole message of the New Testament;

For example, immediately preceding and following that verse are prohibitions against trimming one’s beard and eating red meat. Now, I recently ate a medium rare steak, and I’m pretty confident I didn’t sin. I also regularly trim my beard, which also isn’t a sin (though some might think it is!).

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There are literally hundreds of old covenant laws that no longer apply to us as Christians. We can’t cherry pick laws from the Old Testament to use as ammunition for our personal preferences. Either we follow them all, or we don’t—and St.

Paul makes it perfectly clear that the ceremonial law is no longer binding. I’ll cut to the chase: There is nothing immoral about tattoos. Mother Church has never condemned them, and neither can I. It is one of those areas where a Catholic must follow his or her conscience.

Is a Belly piercing a sin?

Our Bodies as a Temple – What the New Testament does discuss is taking care of our bodies. Seeing our bodies as a temple means to some that we should not mark it up with body piercings or tattoos. To others, though, those body piercings are something that beautifies the body, so they don’t see it as a sin.

They don’t see it as something destructive;
Each side has a strong opinion on how body piercings impact the body;
However, if you do decide you believe body piercing is a sin, you should make sure you heed Corinthians and have it done professionally in a place that sanitizes everything to avoid infections or diseases that can be passed on in unsterile environments;

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 10:3: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Is it a sin to have a nose piercing?

Within the Christian community, there are debates around interpreting passages of the Bible to either allow or forbid body piercing. Some Christians who are against body piercing use the “Book of Leviticus” to support the view that body piercing is a sin, arguing that you “should never mark your body”.

According to Salary. com in 2019 , 76% of survey respondents felt that piercings and tattoos can/will hurt a job applicant’s chances of being hired, with 55% of respondents reporting that visible body piercings are always inappropriate at work.

Non-Western Views It’s important to note that this is an extremely Westernised view of piercing taboo. In many cultures, piercing is part of traditions dating hundreds or thousands of years back, and not taboo at all.

Julia