Addictions, bad and good........tattoos of Bible verses; thoughts?

[Marathoner]

My friend, tattoos are a custom of this world. They're commonplace.  Years ago when I lived in Austin, Texas, I stood out in crowds by virtue of the fact that I don't sport tattoos or piercings. I was the odd fellow in that city.

The same is true here in Albuquerque. Indeed, many sport religious imagery upon their bodies... the same who destroy countless lives with deadly narcotics which they proliferate on these streets. Who murder, shower buildings with storms of bullets (an example of that very thing happened last year), and behave like children of the devil. 

Understand what I'm saying by this: not that those who bear tattoos are evil but rather, some who bear markings of scripture verses, fanciful depictions of the Son of God (we don't know what He looked like beyond Isaiah 53), embellished crosses ---and so on --- will assault others because they happen to be in their way. 

Some of the same will even speak of the Lord and their faith in Him, @farouk. It's common in this city. Tattoo artists make a fine living here, especially if and when they gain the favor of street gangs who utilize tattoo art in their culture. For them, a tattoo represents status and accomplishment. Their location on this flesh is important (like the face). 

So, tattoos are a thing and they're very popular with the young. Here's what is not popular:

Walking in the Spirit, farouk. Following the Son of God. Believing the Lord. 

Tattoos are just ink on flesh. What more can be said?

[NConly]

On 2/25/2023 at 6:12 AM, Heleadethme said:

HIS temple, not ours, as we have been bought with a price.

I hear others say this. it sounds wrong but maybe I misunderstand.

If I am bought then I am a slave not and inheritor

[bropro]

On 2/23/2023 at 8:31 PM, farouk said:

@bropro You can maybe see anyway how those who do like the idea of a Bible verse tattoo, etc., as an ongoing witness being there for good would be quite attracted to undergoing the procedure, anyway.

All the young ppl with Bible verses tattooed with whom I have spoken seemed to have received them for witness tool reasons, anyhow.

I worked with a man several years ago that had a tattoo on his arm that displayed a cross with blood dripping from it that said “this bloods for you.” To tell you the truth I kind of liked this tattoo, but when this man opened his mouth around women his words were filled with innuendos towards them that ruined his testimony of Jesus, and angered the women. I also knew of a woman several years ago that had a bumper sticker that said “honk if you love Jesus.” One day she was stopped at a light and someone behind her honked their horn in response to her bumper sticker, and she flipped them off. My point is, a tattoo, or a bumper sticker may be a form of witnessing that can have a negative effect, depending on what mood the person may be in. And we all go through things that can cause our moods to cause us to respond in inappropriate ways (hopefully not as bad as the examples I’ve just shared).

I personally don’t have any problems with tattoos, whether the person is a Christian or a non Christian. The best testimony is to endeavor to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit so that we may by our actions and temperament reflect the one who loved us and died for us.

 

Gary

[bropro]

On 2/23/2023 at 8:50 PM, Sower said:

As did myself and several others in my outfit. But the last two yrs of enlistment I was in the jungles in country, and the last place you want scabs and infection was not there.

Returning back to the world, home of the eternal light bulb and round eye girls, the tattoo took back seat when I found out I was getting an early out with only thirty + days enlistment left. So two weeks on the west coast, then home, sweet blessed home...

I was not a Christian when I was in the Corp, so it is hard to tell what kind of a tattoo I might have gotten. I'm sure that whatever I would have gotten, it would have been in conflict with my testimony as a Christian, but would have been there for good.

I'm sorry brother that you had to spend two years in the jungles of Nam. I got an early out when I got back from my tour, because I didn't want to take a chance of getting sent back again, as many had experienced. Glad you made it back. SEMPER FI!

Gary

[farouk]

7 minutes ago, bropro said:

I worked with a man several years ago that had a tattoo on his arm that displayed a cross with blood dripping from it that said “this bloods for you.” To tell you the truth I kind of liked this tattoo, but when this man opened his mouth around women his words were filled with innuendos towards them that ruined his testimony of Jesus, and angered the women. I also knew of a woman several years ago that had a bumper sticker that said “honk if you love Jesus.” One day she was stopped at a light and someone behind her honked their horn in response to her bumper sticker, and she flipped them off. My point is, a tattoo, or a bumper sticker may be a form of witnessing that can have a negative effect, depending on what mood the person may be in. And we all go through things that can cause our moods to cause us to respond in inappropriate ways (hopefully not as bad as the examples I’ve just shared).

I personally don’t have any problems with tattoos, whether the person is a Christian or a non Christian. The best testimony is to endeavor to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit so that we may by our actions and temperament reflect the one who loved us and died for us.

 

Gary

@bropro Yes, indeed; for the believer that gets tattooed with a witness design it certain should have the effect of keeping him or her accountable in testimony.

I agree.

The young lady I mentioned that my wife and I talked to (actually I have talked to a number of young ppl with Bible verses tattooed) seemed to have a quiet joy in the content of her favorite Bible verse, John 3.16, injected in full. My impression was that she would have gone into the tattoo parlor with determination and joy at witnessing in future with the inking that she was about to receive; it would also certainly have been the catalyst for a daily accountability challenge to stay consistent in her testimony.

You raise an important point there, indeed.

[farouk]

4 minutes ago, bropro said:

I was not a Christian when I was in the Corp, so it is hard to tell what kind of a tattoo I might have gotten. I'm sure that whatever I would have gotten, it would have been in conflict with my testimony as a Christian, but would have been there for good.

I'm sorry brother that you had to spend two years in the jungles of Nam. I got an early out when I got back from my tour, because I didn't want to take a chance of getting sent back again, as many had experienced. Glad you made it back. SEMPER FI!

Gary

Hi @bropro You and Sower must have some deep and memorable things in common as per the Marines; SEMPER FI indeed (and I'm not an American citizen).

Sometimes tattoos gotten before conversion can be changed. For example, a guy with a nude pin up tattoo who is converted and does not want this to be seen any more might want to go back to a tattoo parlor and have a bikini tattooed onto the figure or even a dress or pantsuit. Again, for example, a soundly converted woman with a tattoo of the name of an unbelieving ex-bf (e.g., BILL) might want to have a tattoo artist change the wording to something that reflects her new convictions (e.g., BILL to BIBLE, etc.). It's often amazing what can be done by a talented tattoo artists if he or she is asked to modify an existing tattoo.

[Marathoner]

1 hour ago, NConly said:

I hear others say this. it sounds wrong but maybe I misunderstand.

If I am bought then I am a slave not and inheritor

Our sister refers to a passage from 1 Corinthians 6, concerning sexual immorality:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (verses 19 and 20 NASB)

Also, from 1 Peter:

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. (1 Peter 1:17-19 NASB)

We belong to the Lord. Jesus Christ purchased us with His shed blood. 

[farouk]

On 2/24/2023 at 5:03 PM, NConly said:

I have the Bald eagle for love of my country

@NConly So is it quite big? depending on the scale of the eagle motif, there can be quite some design scope for a lot of detail in a Bald eagle tattoo.

[NConly]

48 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

Our sister refers to a passage from 1 Corinthians 6, concerning sexual immorality:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (verses 19 and 20 NASB)

Also, from 1 Peter:

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. (1 Peter 1:17-19 NASB)

We belong to the Lord. Jesus Christ purchased us with His shed blood. 

Thanks I wondered about that use.

[Sower]

3 hours ago, bropro said:

I was not a Christian when I was in the Corp, so it is hard to tell what kind of a tattoo I might have gotten. I'm sure that whatever I would have gotten, it would have been in conflict with my testimony as a Christian, but would have been there for good.

I'm sorry brother that you had to spend two years in the jungles of Nam. I got an early out when I got back from my tour, because I didn't want to take a chance of getting sent back again, as many had experienced. Glad you made it back. SEMPER FI!

Gary

You were smart! I was stupid in that I extended for the second tour when they gave me some more stripes, which meant my pay went up to a whopping $96.00 month.  Seemed a lot back then,  playing poker and then in one hand losing a month's pay. 
You remember that funny little play money, monopoly MPC.

Back then I was also RCC religious and lost. In stateside duty, the few times my buddies went for tats was when we were half drunk building up the courage to go. And the tats they got looked like something from a prison artist spaced out, pretty crude.   
Which I think they preferred anyway, to be different. Young and dumb, yet we thought we knew it all. Can only imagine what they look like today, a half century later....    Never regretted not having one back stateside. It was time to put it all behind me.    
I became a PFC again, if you know what I mean. And yrs later, reborn......