A lesser part of a greater humanity.
I have always been intrigued by tattoos. Something about the permanence of something alien grafted into living flesh. Not one to be seduced into having myself marked up, but appreciating the skill and expressiveness of tattooing. I think that I have only recently come to form a solid opinion of tattoos. I would never preach against tattoos or make the effort to take a hard stance against them. But I do have an opinion against them and not for them.
I see tattoos as being a distortion of the beauty that God has inherently created in the body of humans. To look at a body untouched by human trends, culture and man-made manipulations, such as obesity, acne, piercing and the like, is to look at something harmonious, pure and natural. Everyone can appreciate the anatomical complexity and beautiful uniformity of the human body. The female body in particular is one of the most beautiful creations of God, in my humble opinion. This observation does not address the issues of disabilities, genetic quarks or abnormalities that people are born into.
This addresses the conscious decision to mark oneself with a design or graphic symbol that personally communicates something of self-importance: the body as a canvas for personal expression. I think it is very important for me to have a opinion and be able to express it. If anything really matters, than it matters to have an opinion about it. So I will take a stab or poke at this.
Tattoos have been around for centuries and will continue to be a part of humanity. There is something primal and tribal about tattoos. No matter how sophisticated humanity will become, we will always have a tribal heritage in us. Yet like most things in humanity, just because it has been with us for so long, does not mean that it is of God or the best for us. Which is a good starting place for this observation. This is not a discussion about good vs. evil, but God vs. everything else. Tattoos, I feel, will not keep one out of heaven or push one into hell. Tattoos are human and tattoos are such the kind of human invention that will not make it into heaven.
*No one should say that this observation is a statement of condemnation, but one man’s free observation. Therefore you can do with it what you want.
Back to the observation, I feel that when God made us in His image, He did so without the thoughts of marks, graphics, logos and statements of culture. The body being made for eternity, all iconography would come and go, but the template of God’s image on earth would be constant. Ideally bodies would be without blemish, excess weight, wrinkles from wear & tear from overly hard work and various abuses. Historically tattoos have been a way to brand hate, isolation and/or human ownership. Untold numbers of humans have been forced to painfully bear marks and violations upon the human body because of human ignorance. Obviously this is not God’s plan for humanity.
Animals are marked for life and survival. Marked by stripes, opposing colors, textures and designs. Praise God that humanity has different colors in skin, textures in hair and designs of body type and facial features. Yet we are distinct and beautiful in our uniformity. A general black person will have the respective features, colors, and textures of a black man and that is normal for each individual race. Yet it is abnormal to have that black man with the natural hair texture of an Asian or have the blended colors or designs of different races on one body. Sure we have Albinos, but that will be left for another time. Generally speaking humans are free of marks, stripes, multiple colors and designs.
Humans have sophisticated sounds and actions that communicate emotion and information. Animals use visual cues and elementary sounds to do the same. Yet humans are not bound by external markings, we can transcend appearance. Humans are distinct, created in God’s image. We have the ability to create and the duty to steward God’s creation. We are an uniform and pleasing image of diverse uniform color and textures. No logos, faded colors or images of skulls and hearts to break up the uniformity of beauty. So I believe that a Godly respect of the body would say no to tattoos or excessive permanent decoration of the body. Coming from a person who had three pierced holes for his ears, which was risque back then, I say this without hate or malice. I stopped wearing earrings because I kept losing them down the sink when I was cleaning them and also because I wanted a more simplified image for myself.
God vs. everything else. I would never say tattoos are evil or bad, but I would question the motivation behind getting one. Can a statement made of ink and flesh not be said in a poem, on a canvas or in a song? A song will last much longer than any human body and a painted canvas may travel more than any one person can. Why is it a rite of passage? Is character and wisdom not enough to showcase our victories and losses in life?
What really makes a solid point, for me, of not investing in tattoos or that whole subculture, is because it is a subculture. It is a lesser part of a greater humanity. Can we imagine great human contributors with tattoos? Martin Luther King Jr. Abe Lincoln, C.S. Lewis, Rosa Parks, Obama, inspirational teachers and mentors, would they get tattoos? Would they take the time to have dates, events, loved one’s names inscribed into their flesh? I don’t think people intent on doing great things for humanity will invest in the time the subculture demands, but that is not to say that great deeds of sacrifice could not come from people who came out of that subculture or who have tattoos.
Tattoos should never be a mark of negative distinction. We should all look pass the flesh and at the individual. So I would not say that tattoos are of the devil, but they are of a fallen humanity. Just like lawyers or the flu; a lesser part of a greater humanity.
If all that we do is supposed to be for the glory of God, what will ink and flesh say of dedication to God’s will? Is it disrespectful to modify what is really just a temporary gift to us? I imagine adding graffiti to the side of one of God’s beautiful temples, what would that say to God and say of His beautiful children? Will bodies have tattoos in heaven? Questions that need to be answered, I think.
I would really like to see what you have to say on this matter. I see this as a touchy subject for some, even among other Christians. They would see this as another constricting, religious statement of dogma instead of an observation of one that thinks and cares.
From one who thinks and cares - m.
