Hey, Theology Nerds*...

[basswhooper]

I'd like some input on tattoos, if you'd be so kind. They're only mentioned once in the Bible that I can recall. It's somewhere in Leviticus, and says "Do not shave the front of your head for the dead or put tattoo marks on your skin." (At least I believe that's it, working from memory

Comments

[blergeatkitty]

I was always under the impression that when early Christians opened up their ranks to non-Jews, they began teaching that you no longer need to follow Levitican law to please God. (A quick search on Bible Gateway shows that this is indeed the only place it's mentioned.) So you can eat shellfish and mix your fibers and get tattoos and it doesn't make you a bad Christian. So unless your spiritual path involves a plan to follow Levitican law to the letter, I wouldn't worry about it.

Personally, I think God cares way more about showing love to your fellow man than He ever did about how you choose to adorn yourself. If you want to tattoo yourself with a design that's meaningful to your faith, I say go for it. How can permanently showing off your beliefs be a bad thing?

The picture in my icon is one of my own tattoos, which I got about 4 years ago. I can't imagine any benevolent God holding that over my head.

I freely admit that I am pretty liberal even for the ELCA, so you can take that with a grain of salt if your beliefs are more conservative.

PS, I always enjoy your posts in this community. Just thought I'd say that.

[basswhooper]

Thank you for the input, as well as the kind words. As far as I know, you are only the second ELCA who doesn't think me to be an LCMS Cro-Magnon. (Or maybe you do, but one who makes pretty cave wall paintings, lol...)