Being a tattooed Goth and a Christian, I tend to get a lot of questions from both my Non-Christian and my Christian friends about my life and my choices. Most everyone want's to know how I reconcile the "Satanic" images in the Goth scene with the "Morality" and "Religion" of being a Christian.
Once we get past the whole "Isn't worshiping Satan a sin to you" which is effectively retorted with "I don't worship Satan and only a few Goths do", the next question I often am confronted with by both Christians and Non-Christians alike is: "Aren't tattoos a sin?"
The bible verse so often thrown in my face and the face of almost every tattoo artist and tattoo lover I know goes as follows:
Leviticus 19:28
From the New International Version: "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD."
From the King James Version: "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
From the New American Standard Version: "'You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD."
The conventional thinking is that anything you do to your body is mutilation and mutilation of your body is a "Sin".
I've written several magazine articles on this subject, delivered spoken dissertations, and attempted to correct this thinking among many of my Christian friends.
The book of Leviticus first and foremost is a series of laws handed down by God to the Hebrew people calling them to live differently than the tribes that neighbored their lands. As such, it forbids many practices that we modern western minded Americans and Europeans take for granted.
Eating Pork: Leviticus 11:7, means no bacon or sausage folks.
Eating Shellfish: Leviticus 11:12, no crab cakes or shrimp fries folks.
Wearing Mixed Fibers: Leviticus 19:19, No cotton/rayon blends folks. Its a sin!
And this all seems alien to us and yet Americans especially seem content on picking and choosing aspects of Leviticus that we wish to obey. And demand others to obey. Gay rights debate anyone?
Let's address something here. Leviticus was meant as a rule of law for the Hebrew people to live a life differently than the other tribes surrounding them.
The practice of tattooing has been around since before recorded history began. Reasons for their placement have been hotly debated but in archaeological studies, I tend to turn to the Smithsonian.
This practice of tattooing was art of placing ink into the skin by tapping a bronze needle into the skin.
But lets address something else here, the practice Leviticus refers to here is not "tattooing" but instead refers to "Cutting" to print into the flesh.
What this passage is referring to isn't tattooing, its referring to Scarification. More specifically, ancestral worship scarification.
The ancient practice used meant that lines were cut into the flesh and the ashes of past ancestors were rubbed into the flesh to create an irritation and a scar. The premise was that by rubbing or inserting the ashes of the ancestor into the skin, you were inviting the spirit of the ancestor into your body.
The "Sin" wasn't mutilation of the body or adornment, instead it was Necromancy. Inviting the Ghost of your ancestor into you. But how would you know if it was your ancestor, or something more malevolent?
Deuteronomy: 18:9-12
"When you come into the land that the Lord your
God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable
practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone
who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices
divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a
charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,
for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. "
The ritual scarification, in most premises among many tribes, didn't employ the ashes of ancestors. Per the Nat Geo article, it was often a right of passage that tribe members endured to present themselves as strong. The practice, much like ancient tattooing, didn't employ the use of a spirit entering the body. Rather, it was something to be endured.
Scarification, cutting the flesh, alone isn't a sin. Scarification with spiritual invitation would be. Remember, the verse says "Do not cut your flesh as unto the dead."
So, in essence, all body modification we can now cover under the same argument.
And the Bible reveals people who are scarred and tattooed who are redeemed.
Acts 10, the whole chapter, is devoted to the notion that a Roman Centurion, a non Hebrew; Can be redeemed by grace.
Centurions by nature were selected by either the cream of Roman Society to rule over a legion of men, OR they were the best of the best soldiers chosen to rule over a legion of soldiers. In Acts, its not clear which Cornelius the centurion falls under.
What we know about him is that he was Uncircumcised, Peter being called to minister to him made a big deal about that. Prior to the ordeal in Acts 10, it was presumed that only those marked as Abraham's children could follow Christ. The outsiders, uncircumcised and unclean, could not.
Being a Centurion, he was required to be tattooed as a mark to his pledge to Rome and the mark of his legion.
Being a Centurion, he was ritually scarred in honor to the Gods.
Being a Centurion, he was required to give offerings to pagan Gods.
And Peter receives a message that he's being required to minister to this unclean man who by Roman law must kill a political leader who defies Ceasar, that being Peter.
In the end, Cornelius receives Salvation and joins the ranks of the Faithful because Peter is told "Do not call unclean what I have made clean."
Tattoo artists are not committing a sin by applying a tattoo. Body modification artists are not committing a sin by applying a body modification. One could argue visiting a "Scratcher" might be a sin but really to me its just a waste of your money and promoting a change for infection.
A "Scratcher" for education purposes is any unlicensed party giving tattoos, personally I hesitate even calling them an "Artist".
If your still considering a tattoo, my open and honest suggestion is to always consult a licensed artist in your area.
Body modification may not always be up your alley and your cultural aesthetic, but just because you find its not your preference, doesn't make it a "Sin". It means its something that you just aren't interested in.
One of my favorite documentaries on the whole pantheon of body modification is the documentary "Modify".
If you get the chance, watch this graphic and amazing documentary covering the full gamut of every possible body mod, it history and its beauty.
But to bring it back to sharp focus, confessed Born Again Christian and Body Modification artist Bear states emphatically that:
"No one should dictate to me what I can or can not do with my Body"
Folks, lets be real. Tattoos and body modifications have been part of the human equation for as long as humans have existed. We are all trying to feel out who and what we are and what we are doing in this world and we all just want to feel comfortable in our skin.
It is the researched and presented opinion of this author that Body Mods, Tattoos, are not sins. Playing with spirits are sins because you do not know that with which you really play with.
I submit, for an alternate but additional opinion on the subject, Pastor Bob Beeman's dissertation on the subject. Pastor Bob has been a part of the Christian Heavy Metal scene for as long as it has existed. A heavily tattooed but genuinely gentle pastor himself, Pastor Bob delivers a great message as well on the subject.
A Christian Tattoo Shop titled Devoted Ink:
Christian Tattoo Shop and one of the Author's tattoo artists, Positive Ink Tattoos and artist Craig Kennedy in Eugene Oregon:
If you still think tattoos are a sin, or body mods in general, feel free to post a comment below and tell me why. Be sure to back it up with Scripture and something OTHER than Leviticus.
