Tattooing has seen a significant increase in popularity over the last few decades. In the United States, it has gotten to the point where 36% of people aged 18-29 get at least one tattoo to improve their appearance.Tattoos are fantastic because they allow people to express themselves or uniquely commemorate a special memory. On the other hand, what does religion have to say about tattoos?
Given that Christianity is the most powerful and influential religion on the planet, it should be no surprise that many people inquire whether tattoos are considered a sin in the Christian faith.
We shall address this subject in detail below and provide a full explanation of the history of tattooing in Christianity. It is entirely up to you if the information you will read below will inspire you to take that vital step in life and tattoo a part of your body.
Tattoos are becoming more widely accepted across the world. Many businesses have had significant issues with people who had tattoos in the past, regardless of whether the tattoo was visible or not. Tattoos are becoming more acceptable in today’s society, and employers are less likely to look down on people who have them. However, the rest of the world, particularly religious institutions, must become more accepting of tattoos.
When it comes to Christianity, there is a rift among the population. Most churches and theologians do not support tattooing and believe it to be a sin, yet many Christian specialists are regarded as authorities on the subject. In the section below, the reality lies somewhere in the middle, and we’ll go through all we know about tattoos in Christianity, including whether they’re permitted or not.
Tattoos in Christian and Biblical Traditions
Tattoos are considered to be against the precepts of Christianity, and we will examine one particular piece of evidence that points to this possibility in this section. As you are undoubtedly aware, many distinct types of individuals still worship Jesus and Christianity, each with their own set of interests and traditions.
Some of those folks may have tattoos without thinking or believing that they’ve committed a sin or anything along those lines in terms of Christianity.
After that, let’s have a look at the Bible. The Old Testament and the New Testament are the two testaments of the Holy Bible. When we talk about the Old Testament, we mainly refer to the stories and laws linked to Moses and Judaism. In contrast, the New Testament is concerned with Christianity and the rebellion of Jesus Christ.
The New Testament does not include any verses disparaging tattoos or that ban their use in any way. That being said, there is nothing in the Bible that suggests tattoos are a sin in Christianity or that you should abstain from getting them.
However, the same cannot be said about the Old Testament, but it does rely on how you interpret what it is trying to communicate inside.
There is just one reference to tattooing in the whole Old Testament. However, even that one instance may be sufficient to convey that they are banned and regarded as evil.
But according to DavidServant.com, a Christian blog, the term “tattoo” is only mentioned once in the New American Standard Version of the Bible. The so-called “passage that restricts ink for tattooing” may not be included in previous editions of the book.
But specifically, what the scripture says regarding tattoos is unclear. Let’s have a look at this.
In Leviticus 19, a scripture from the Bible’s Old Testament emphasizes that people should not have tattoos on their bodies. The Law of Moses is the section that has been highlighted. According to Leviticus 19:28, God instructed the Israelites not to make any incisions in their bodies in memory of the deceased.
As you may be aware, the process of tattooing entails tattoo needles piercing through the outer layer of your skin to outline your tattoo, which can be interpreted as cutting the skin in some cases. Furthermore, some people get tattoos to remember a loved one who has died and to keep their memories alive on their skin with ink.
The second half of the stanza may provide more clues as to why such a restriction exists.
That same website stated that this line alluded to the pagan culture followed by the civilization in Canaan’s region. People cut and tattooed their bodies when someone died to commemorate them and revere their memory. It served as a means for individuals who participated in grieving their loved ones and showing their sorrow for them.
However, it is essential to note that the Law of Moses does not bind Christians. These verses are unlikely to apply to them, even though some theologians and other Bible experts may interpret these verses as referring to the inking culture as sinful in Christianity.
It was only during a short period in Israel that people revered the Law of Moses. This was after Jewish exiles had fled the oppression of Ancient Egypt to the “promised land,” which had been granted to them by God.
Even though Christians do not adhere to the Law of Moses, some regulations have survived into Christianity and have been dubbed the Law of Christ. Those are the fundamental regulations that you may have heard of in the church, such as the moral norms that have survived, such as the prohibitions against stealing, adultery, and loving one’s neighbor, among other things.
Is tattooing, then, a sin?
If you’re a frequent visitor to the church and study the Gospels and other Christian literature, there’s no way that any information could imply that tattoos are banned or evil. Nothing concerning cutting and inking your body was mentioned by anybody, not even by the apostles who were tasked with carrying on Christ’s message.
We believe that tattooing is not a sin and that having your body tattooed would in no way hinder you from accessing the gates of Heaven when you die. We believe it also arises because tattooing one’s own body does not cause harm to others or constitute a sinful activity.
Even though Christianity teaches us that stealing, insulting our loved ones, and murdering are all considered crimes, tattooing your body does not imply that you have committed any of the previously described sins.
The Old Testament line most likely refers to avoiding participating in the rituals performed by that group of tribes to commemorate their deceased relative.
Perhaps it was written in such a manner that doing such rites would cause people to feel comparable to that pride and cause them to turn away from the Law of Moses in its current form, elevating their pagan views above their religious beliefs.
However, it is possible that if this notion is misunderstood and misinterpreted, it may lead to the assumption that the tattooing procedure is immoral for Christians and will induce concerns about going to hell after death.
Tattoos are not sinful, although some of the symbols may be.
Something else that should be mentioned is that the symbols that individuals tattoo should be related to their faith. People who tattoo potentially disrespectful or Satanic symbols on their bodies may be deemed immoral since they are marking their bodies with characters that directly oppose Christian beliefs.
Because of this, you should ponder what the sign you’re attempting to ink will mean to you in your life before you do it. Consider the following scenario: you’re planning to get a tattoo of a pagan symbol. In such instances, you are most likely creating a tattoo in opposition to Christianity, and the same is true if you are planning to tattoo a symbol that may allude to witchcraft or celebrate another religion.
At the end of the day, whether you get a tattoo of a Christian sign or any other symbol is a matter of individual taste. If you believe that having a tattoo goes against your moral values about something else, you should consider whether or not you should have one.
Is It Possible That Jesus Had A Tattoo?
According to Revelation 19:16, Jesus has something that resembles a tattoo. However, it is not expressly stated that “on His robe and on His thigh, He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” which is a reference to the title of the book of Revelation. While this does not explicitly state that Jesus has a tattoo on his thigh, it emphasizes that there is something written there, and we all know that it may be symbolically inscribed.
People Also Ask About Tattoos
We discussed the significance of tattoos in Christian culture. While there is no suggestion that Christianity prohibits tattoos, there is no authorization stating that tattoos are acceptable. Ultimately, tattooing is a personal decision for many people who like analyzing Biblical passages and drawing their interpretations from them.
We did, however, answer a few additional questions concerning tattoos and Christianity in the process.
Is Getting a Tattoo Considered a Mortal Sin?
We do not believe that tattoos constitute a fatal sin as long as they do not encourage the practice of some of the deadly sins, such as anger, vanity, or laziness. Tattooing does not cause harm to you or others, and as a result, it is not classified as a deadly sin.
