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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Deon Melchior | Posted under Recreation and Sports
Religious Objections to Tattooing
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“Do not lacerate your bodies for the dead, and do not tattoo yourselves. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28). By this passage, lacerations and tattoos so described were part of non-Jewish mourning rituals, intended to disguise the living from the spirits of the dead. This curious mixture of neo-paganism with orthodox faith is as fascinating to some as disturbing to others. While cultural anthropologists and the religious may wage holy war over the subtext for a tattoo, religious motives seem to weigh very little on choices by those who adorn themselves with ink beneath the skin or piercing it with rings. Some might argue that they should. Vatican II Council's declaration that human beings are called upon to view their bodies “As good and honorable since God created it and will raise it up on the last day" (Gaudium et Spes, #14) lends credence to opinions that some tattoo motifs seek to offend the more religious minded. At least, both secular and religious will agree that most tattoo designs seem less than “good and honorable" and so might seem “inappropriate" decoration for a body created by the divine. The very consideration of religious objection tattoos raises powerful questions of us as a society, and equally interestingly, the degree to which tattoo wearers and objectors view what precisely makes them “human". If we judge body modification to be appropriate, do we need to acknowledge the reasons why others may not share our views? Whether we like it or not our decisions affect our futures. Potential employers look at people differently because of holes in their noses and tattoos on their calves. Forget life-careers for a moment. How we look affects our ability to get a part-time job nowadays. And, if we have a job, it might be wise to check to our employer's unspoken policy on tattoos and body piercing. While “prejudice" is unfair - it is often inevitable. Is it consistent with the values espoused by any civilized religion? Moral arguments won't pay your bills. Staring at our navels won't pay for dinner any more than piercing it will. Choosing between right to self-expression and self-sustenance might seem unfair but it may well be a reality. My friend Lucian got his ear pierced for his 21st birthday. Friends gently ribbed him and his parents accepted it. Yet the law firm he interned at did not. His employer informed him he'd have to remove it during working hours. Since he'd just had the piercing he couldn't take the earring out immediately or the hole would close. He was faced with walking around with a band-aid on his ear for a month and a chip on his shoulder for a lot longer. Some argue tattoos have religious significance and artistic merit. Do they deserve standalone appreciation rather than criticism? No reasonable person openly says that tattoos or body piercing are “bad" or that people who have them avoided. Our love of art or religious significance is valid reason for self-expression. It remains up to the individual to weigh the risks and issues they enjoin. Some gangs choose tattoos with a religious theme and such a tattoo may be misinterpreted. As with all forms of expression, tattoos are no different - they are open to interpretation. Perhaps the tried but true forms remain most valid. After all, you could always demonstrate your faith by wearing a medal or a cross. Shalom. About The Author: Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com |
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