133 replies to this topic

[Amanda A. Randolph]

Is there a Christadelphian opinion on body piercings and tattoos?

[Amanda A. Randolph]

steveyb3, on May 27 2009, 10:28 PM, said:

There's something in the Law of Moses about not piercing and tatooing I believe.

Where?

And don't Christadelphians believe this: "We reject the doctrine - that the Law of Moses is binding on believers of the Gospel."

[Evangelion]

There's no official position. People are free to make up their own minds.

[Evangelion]

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 27 2009, 10:35 PM, said:

steveyb3, on May 27 2009, 10:28 PM, said:

There's something in the Law of Moses about not piercing and tatooing I believe.

Where?

[indent]
Leviticus 19:28
You must not slash your body for a dead person or incise a tattoo on yourself. I am the LORD.
[/indent]

Most likely prohibited because it was a pagan practice.

Quote

And don't Christadelphians believe this: "We reject the doctrine - that the Law of Moses is binding on believers of the Gospel."

Correct.

[Jeremy]

Welcome to the forum, Amanda.

My own personal take on this is along the lines of what would Jesus do? It's hard to imagine the Lord walking round with a collection of cutlery fastened to his face, as I often see these days (comment not intended disrepectfully).

As Christian disciples, I believe we should conduct ourselves in ways which most help us to see Christ in each other. Only this will help us on the walk to salvation. For me, therefore, I see no place for tattoos or piercings - they are part of a world which is passing away, and which I hope to see replaced when Jesus is here again.

Hope that helps.

[R2D2]

We don't have an official position on it but in terms of my personal position I agree with Jeremy. I don't particularly like tattoos with the exception of NZ Maori traditional art on their faces and arms, I think that is quite well done even if really ostentatious. Other than that tatts don't look attractive.

[Richie]

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

As for piercings a I personally like earrings (on women! before anyone asks) and a nose stud can look very attractive too. But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

I am a Christadelphian but none of that is any official position.

[Fortigurn]

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 05:24 AM, said:

Is there a Christadelphian opinion on body piercings and tattoos?

No. Feel free to cut and scribble.

[daysha]

Fortigurn, on May 28 2009, 04:12 AM, said:

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 05:24 AM, said:

Is there a Christadelphian opinion on body piercings and tattoos?

No. Feel free to cut and scribble.

[daysha]

Richie, on May 28 2009, 04:07 AM, said:

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

 piercings_ugly_very.jpg   24.25K   38 downloads

[Fortigurn]

Richie, on May 28 2009, 11:07 AM, said:

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

Quote

But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

Amanda, please understand that many Christadelphians in good standing hold a very different view to this.

[janice]

My father always used to object to earrings as a piercing and when we were young he used to say in response to our wish to have pierced ears "As long as you get your nose done too" He stopped saying that when my youngest sister grew up as noses were a fashionable piercing by then.
I'm a consistency person - if you allow ear piercing then any piercing is permissible.
The Israelites coming from Egypt pillaged various rings.
I think the tattooing and piercing the law forbad was as an association with idolatrous worship - the bondservant had his ear pierced to signify his bondage.
I think the important thing is the looking after your body( apart from the "temple" aspect abusing your body is ungrateful) - parts of the body with glandular tissue or muscle are a massive infection and blood loss risk and tattoos have to be done very carefully.

[daysha]

There are such things as a medical tattoo.

It is the tattoo version of a medic alert bracelet. It's a tattoo a person can get that's used to show the illnesses or allergetic reactions that person has.

If a person suffers from a chronic disease or life-threatening condition that can exacerbate suddenly and that will require immediate specialist treatment, they can get a tattoo that outlines it and medical emergency staff can be alerted.

[IDF]

dayshakiwi, on May 28 2009, 10:39 PM, said:

There are such things as a medical tattoo.

It is the tattoo version of a medic alert bracelet. It's a tattoo a person can get that's used to show the illnesses or allergetic reactions that person has.

If a person suffers from a chronic disease or life-threatening condition that can exacerbate suddenly and that will require immediate specialist treatment, they can get a tattoo that outlines it and medical emergency staff can be alerted.

Lets just hope they're not allergic to tattoo's too

[Deborah]

I decided to get my ears pierced at age 27. Boy, did it hurt!

[janice]

dayshakiwi, on May 28 2009, 01:39 PM, said:

There are such things as a medical tattoo.

It is the tattoo version of a medic alert bracelet. It's a tattoo a person can get that's used to show the illnesses or allergetic reactions that person has.

If a person suffers from a chronic disease or life-threatening condition that can exacerbate suddenly and that will require immediate specialist treatment, they can get a tattoo that outlines it and medical emergency staff can be alerted.

I have a tattoo in fact two - they're two tiny little dots that helped the radiotherapists locate the exact position I needed radiation for cancer recurrence prevention.
In some cases they are essential. Mine were done with sterile equipment in a hospital . Even then there was a known risk of infection - someone sticks a needle into you, you can get an infection. I just think people should think about the risk of complications and whether they are caring for their body before getting one.

[Amanda A. Randolph]

Jeremy, on May 27 2009, 10:51 PM, said:

Welcome to the forum, Amanda.

My own personal take on this is along the lines of what would Jesus do? It's hard to imagine the Lord walking round with a collection of cutlery fastened to his face, as I often see these days (comment not intended disrepectfully).

As Christian disciples, I believe we should conduct ourselves in ways which most help us to see Christ in each other. Only this will help us on the walk to salvation. For me, therefore, I see no place for tattoos or piercings - they are part of a world which is passing away, and which I hope to see replaced when Jesus is here again.

Hope that helps.

I find it quite hard to imagine Jesus walking round a supermarket doing his shopping. Doesn't mean I see anything wrong with doing my own shopping in a supermarket. I don't think limiting myself to doing the things I can imagine Jesus doing is very helpful. It seems to me to be a way of encouraging "fleshly" thinking.

Piercings and tattoos are part of a world that is passing away. So are suits and ties. But do you see a place for them? I have genuine respect for you if you do see both suits and ties and piercings and tattoos in the same way.

Time for a little self disclosure. I have several body piercings, but unless you know me very well, you'd think I had only one or two. All of them have some degree of spiritual meaning to me, and one has an explicitly religious meaning.

[Amanda A. Randolph]

Fortigurn, on May 28 2009, 04:12 AM, said:

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 05:24 AM, said:

Is there a Christadelphian opinion on body piercings and tattoos?

No. Feel free to cut and scribble.

[Amanda A. Randolph]

dayshakiwi, on May 28 2009, 04:21 AM, said:

Richie, on May 28 2009, 04:07 AM, said:

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

 piercings_ugly_very.jpg   24.25K   38 downloads

I hope if she was to turn up at a Christadelphian service she would be made welcome.

[Amanda A. Randolph]

steveyb3, on May 27 2009, 10:28 PM, said:

Lot's of Christadelphian women have their ears pierced. Not sure about tatoos though...

Do any Christadelphian men have their ears pierced?

[Jeremy]

Very few.

[Corky]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me, earrings look good on women and funny on men.

Tattoos may look good (or not, depending) on a young person but young is not forever and tattoos are usually regretted somewhere down the road.

Cutting one's self for the dead is still done today by some tribes. It was/is a way of relieving grief by physical pain and also for tribal/manhood recognition. If you feel the need to cut on yourself, please seek psychological help immediately. There is a name for that condition but it slips my mind for the moment.

[Amy Parkin]

I think it's also important to try not to offend older members of the ecclesia who might still view tatoos (and perhaps piercings to some extent) as deliberately rebellious. Of course, piercing is so normal these days that no one would get their ears pierced to rebel against God's or parental authority, but they don't know that. Intrinsically I don't think we can say there's anything wrong with piercings and it comes down to personal conscience and common sense (i.e. seriously thinking about implications later in life and health risks, as already mentioned).

I don't think cutting comes under the same category as piercing and tatooing at all, as it's something people hide rather than display as a fashion statement (usually).

[freckle]

Amy Parkin, on May 28 2009, 09:46 PM, said:

I don't think cutting comes under the same category as piercing and tatooing at all, as it's something people hide rather than display as a fashion statement (usually).

I was watching a program about some pacific islanders the other day and they made cuts in their skins so it would scar to look like crocodile skin. It was like a colourless tattoo.

Edited by freckle, 28 May 2009 - 08:53 PM.

[freckle]

Personally I'm not keen on piercings and tattoos because of the infection risk but I'm not averse to a bit of self adornment with jewelery that doesn't require holes and make up etc. It is all fairly meaningless though.

[twoofseven]

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 12:32 PM, said:

steveyb3, on May 27 2009, 10:28 PM, said:

Lot's of Christadelphian women have their ears pierced. Not sure about tatoos though...

Do any Christadelphian men have their ears pierced?

There is a young brother in my ecclesia with one ear pierced, and the cartilage top part of his ear too, which I noticed because I have the top of my ear pierced the same way and double pierced earlobes. There is a young sister at my ecclesia with a tiny stud in her nose, which I really like and always wanted to have as well.

I like the Mehndi/Henna tattoos, I do it quite a bit, especially on my hands, and I think it is very beautiful. It's also really nice, because it fades away so you can just put it on when it is appropriate.  wedding_picture_photo_henna_mehndi_Riffat.jpg   406.85K   13 downloads

[Richie]

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 12:30 PM, said:

dayshakiwi, on May 28 2009, 04:21 AM, said:

Richie, on May 28 2009, 04:07 AM, said:

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

 piercings_ugly_very.jpg   24.25K   38 downloads

I hope if she was to turn up at a Christadelphian service she would be made welcome.

Well hopefully but to be honest anyone religious or not would be scared off.

[Rebel]

Amy Parkin, on May 28 2009, 08:46 PM, said:

Of course, piercing is so normal these days that no one would get their ears pierced to rebel against God's or parental authority

My mother was bothering me for years to get my ears pierced. I 'rebelled' against parental authority and never had them done, i can't stand jewelry on myself. I wear engagement and wedding rings though.

I reckon lots of parents still don't like piercing, so i'd say (as one of the reasons) it could be used to go against the authority of parents.

[janice]

Richie, on May 28 2009, 11:15 PM, said:

Amanda A. Randolph, on May 28 2009, 12:30 PM, said:

dayshakiwi, on May 28 2009, 04:21 AM, said:

Richie, on May 28 2009, 04:07 AM, said:

Tattoos are just about the most ugly thing going in any case.

But multiple piercings, and piercings in strange places like your eyebrow are just bizarre.

 piercings_ugly_very.jpg   24.25K   38 downloads

I hope if she was to turn up at a Christadelphian service she would be made welcome.

Well hopefully but to be honest anyone religious or not would be scared off.

I wouldn't be scared off I would just not know whether to look her (?) in the eye or not. I have found many people who do things to be different are offended if you observe the difference.