About my tattoos

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Blue_Rose

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Prior to becoming Catholic or even Christian I got 3 tattoos as a teenager. I regret them but Tattoo removal is expensive (at least $1000) and takes a long time so I’m not sure if I want that. Another option, if it’s not sinful to, I would rather get my tattoos covered to be more Christian - for example I have a star and could get it changed to a cross.

Do you think it would be ok to do this? Or should I just leave them there to remind myself of my mistakes?
 
If you like the designs, and there’s nothing obscene or anti-Christian about them, don’t worry about it.
 
I have a couple of old tattoos I regret. I’m hoping to have them removed someday. Have you spoken to a few laser removal tech to get estimates or are you basing your dollar amount on what you’ve heard from people? The cost of removal depends on size, age, ink, skin type and other factors, so if you haven’t gotten a few estimates go get some!

If it turns out removal is too expensive, then I’d just leave them alone or cover them. Of course, if you’re going for a cover make sure your artist is very experienced and skilled in cover ups.
 
Blue_Rose said:
Prior to becoming Catholic or even Christian I got 3 tattoos as a teenager. I regret them but Tattoo removal is expensive (at least $1000) and takes a long time so I’m not sure if I want that. Another option, if it’s not sinful to, I would rather get my tattoos covered to be more Christian - for example I have a star and could get it changed to a cross.

Do you think it would be ok to do this? Or should I just leave them there to remind myself of my mistakes?
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This article explains whether or not it’s okay or sinful for a christian to get a tattoo. gotquestions.org/tattoos-sin.html

I would say be very careful with it, but is it always a sin to get a tattoo? Nope. However, I would argue that having a lot of tattoos is definitley sinful, because if people’s entire arms are full of tattoos, it makes them look very ugly IMO, and it’s definitley not honoring your body which is God’s temple.
 
agnes_therese said:
If you like the designs, and there’s nothing obscene or anti-Christian about them, don’t worry about it.
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Even if they are “obcene” or “anti-Christian” please do not worry yourself.

If you were Catholic at the time, and you haven’t already done so, take these to confession and then forgive yourself.

We have had several individuals come thru our RCIA class with tattoos and these are a part of your past. So just like my saint’s medals, these may very well help to serve you by reminding you from whence you came and where it is that you now desire to be in the eyes of God. Let no-one deride you about these, for God sees into your heart, past the flesh.

These tattoos may also serve as a means to help you spread the Gospel. Someone may feel more at ease around you when discussing your faith. They may even try to point out the errors of your past life via these tattoos, was not the Apostle Matthew a tax collector? Did not several of the other Apostles have a not so clean and sparkling past? So you have a means to show that anyone with the true desire can find the light and the path. You might even get that person to attend an RCIA class, because they feel “safe” due to this communality with you and the tattoos… God can work miracles thru you, just the way you are!

If you can cover these up at another time, and this what you feel called to do, then do so; however, in the meantime - please do not place undue stress upon yourself, nor allow others to do so. If they judge and condemn you, they do so to themselves as well.
 
Sky_River said:
However, I would argue that having a lot of tattoos is definitley sinful, because if people’s entire arms are full of tattoos, it makes them look very ugly IMO, and it’s definitley not honoring your body which is God’s temple.
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Some people honor the body as God’s temple by decorating it!
 
Tattoos are most certaintly not sinful.
Some people label them as sinful but thats some sort of self made justice/ rules.
The church has no official teaching regarding tattooes.
So you may just leave them alone or cover them up, get them removed or whatever.
It’s up to you really:)
Don’t over think it is my advice, I felt guilty over my tattoo when I became catholic (even though I knew it was ok with the church and besides I had already gotten them so it wasn’t like I got them on purpose as catholic).
Again, just leave it and be happy:)

Yours in Jesus and Mary
  • MarianCatholic
 
Sky_River said:
This article explains whether or not it’s okay or sinful for a christian to get a tattoo. gotquestions.org/tattoos-sin.html

I would say be very careful with it, but is it always a sin to get a tattoo? Nope. However, I would argue that having a lot of tattoos is definitley sinful, because if people’s entire arms are full of tattoos, it makes them look very ugly IMO, and it’s definitley not honoring your body which is God’s temple.
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Where do you get that it’s sinful from?!
I prefer to follow the CCC and not some single bible verses as the Cathecism sums up what we should emphasize or not.
If not we may easily end up with the same reasoning as the Protestants.

The subject has been up for discussion a numerous of times here at CAF and the answers from the apologists are all the same, tattooes are NOT sinful in it self.
Please do not make people feel bad about things they shouldn’t!
 
MarianCatholic said:
Where do you get that it’s sinful from?!
The subject has been up for discussion a numerous of times here at CAF and the answers from the apologists are all the same, tattooes are NOT sinful in it self.
Please do not make people feel bad about things they shouldn’t!
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👍
(and the Bold is mine has a 👍👍)

MarianCatholic
SkyRiver linked to a Protestant website and the opinion that SkyRiver expresses is very symptomatic of Protestant teachings.
:: From the About us section of the site that SkyRiver linked to:​

About GotQuestions.org
Mission Statement of Got Questions Ministries:
(…)We are Christian, Protestant, conservative, evangelical, fundamental, and non-denominational. We view ourselves as a para-church ministry, coming alongside the church to help people find answers to their spiritually related questions.(…)
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Mind you, I only provide this to give context to SkyRiver’s link, and from this, I surmise the position held.

Blue_Rose: Please be ever so careful about what you read and where you read it so that you always get the context or basis for the statements, be it books, website, tv, even here CAF. Whenever in doubt, go directly to a Priest, the CCC (cheap book, order it online or go to the Vatican web site http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc/ (although the book has a better index! 😃 )
Be very careful here at CAF, there are alot of Protestants that masquerade as “Catholics”
As for myself, I am a convert, formally an Agnostic although my family had very deep Baptist roots (grandfathers and great-grandfathers were elders in their Churches and often also members of the Masonic Lodge) so I have fairly in-depth knowledge of the text within the Bible (sola scriptura) that I am now relearning the meaning behind that text. I am a core member of our parish RCIA team, a mandated Lector, voting member of our Pastorial Council, Catechist for our 3rd year PRE/CCD students. And although I may occasionally be off-the-mark, it’s by pure accident or mus-understanding.
 
Be very careful here at CAF, there are alot of Protestants that masquerade as “Catholics”
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Interesting theory. I just find a lot of Catholics who, well, don’t like following all of Catholic teaching for various selfish reasons.

What’s actually quite harmful for the eternal soul is when they are called out on it and then try and rationalize it with the expectation that we’re going to buy into it, especially “we don’t know them”. :rolleyes:
 
Blue_Rose said:
Prior to becoming Catholic or even Christian I got 3 tattoos as a teenager. I regret them but Tattoo removal is expensive (at least $1000) and takes a long time so I’m not sure if I want that. Another option, if it’s not sinful to, I would rather get my tattoos covered to be more Christian - for example I have a star and could get it changed to a cross.

Do you think it would be ok to do this? Or should I just leave them there to remind myself of my mistakes?
Click to expand...
Just leave them. They are not a sin unless you
got them deliberately to offend God or
something. And if you did go to confession and
move on as you are not offending Him now 🙂

If you really can’t move past them take the removal
money and donate it to a good Catholic charity instead.
More bang for your buck!

My daughter attended Catholic school and she and
her friends snuck off to get tattoos one day. Her teacher
at the time was a Protestant convert who had a fit over
the little butterfly tattoo my daughter got on her ankle. Sent
her to the Sisters for discipline who spent a few minutes
examine the artistry, admired the skill of the tattoo artist
and sent her back to class.
 
Since God created the stars, I wouldn’t worry about that one
 
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