Cover up tattoo a sin?

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I have a confederate flag on my arm from a long time ago and I’m getting baptized Sunday … but I want to get the chi Rho symbol tattooed over top of it to cover it up because I wanna prevent the problems the tattoo might cause in the future … and it’s too expensive and even more painful to get it removed with a laser … but I don think I’ll be able to cover it up in time before my baptism… is it a sin for me to get a new tattoo over top of it after baptism ? Meaning if I do cover it up later then I’ll have to go to confession for getting a new tattoo … and would it mean that I’m getting baptized while still intending to sin , this making my baptism not sincere ?
 
Jshy said:
Meaning if I do cover it up later then I’ll have to go to confession for getting a new tattoo
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Your question seems to be based on the assumption that getting a tattoo is sinful. It’s not. There’s nothing that says a Catholic can’t get a tattoo.
 
Even though your putting a needles in your skin causing pain ? Wouldn’t that be considered hurting yourself … I can understand someone getting their blood taken and using needles for good reasons that are necessary , that’s different though… and I already know that the ink and all isn’t sinful , as long as your not getting something satanic or evil morally .
 
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Jshy said:
Even though your putting a needles in your skin causing pain ? Wouldn’t that be considered hurting yourself
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Lots of morally licit things involve discomfort as an unintended side effect. If I do a hard workout, I’m going to winded and sore. But no one is going to tell you that exercise is sinful.

As long as you’re not doing something intentionally to cause pain, there’s no moral issue here. I think you’re overthinking this a bit.
 
Ok I see what your saying now … covering up a tattoo that might cause controversy with a tattoo that represents Christ , would be a good thing sort of like working out , regardless of the pain that is effect that comes with it … at first I just couldn’t see how getting a tattoo was beneficial as excercise , so I wasn’t seeing the connection there . But in my case i should get the tattoo covered for my own protection … for example like when I’m at hospitals and doctors see it and might treat me badly because it’s a confederate flag and they don’t give me proper treatment like they should because they might have inner hatred towards me for having it, thinking I’m some kind of white supremacist when I’m not … and I have kids I need to protect. That’s the only reason I rather get it covered up with something more saint like .
 
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OP, you’ve said you struggle with scruples in previous posts. This question (and any others you may have about whether or not something is a sin) needs to be taken to your Priest. Trying to get advice from well-intentioned strangers online isn’t going to do anything than provide your scruples with a temporary relief. In order to overcome your scruples, you need to get help from your Priest, someone who is knowledgeable about these matters and who can guide you.
 
Again, you’re overthinking it. Getting a tattoo is not immoral in the first place. You could get a tattoo of your favorite sport team’s logo for no other reason than you thought it was cool. The Church does not condemn tattoos. As long as we’re not talking about something satanic or obscene, it’s really up to you.
 
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I have but he didn’t really say much other than cover it before you get baptized, he was telling me to just leave it at first but I explained that I no longer want the controversy it causes me so I rather other priest on here give there opinion also. Because I can’t get it done before baptism . And the more priest and people who give there opinion the better . I’m not dumb , I know when someone gives good evidence and when they don’t. I follow the majority of people’s evidence or opinion that seems reasonable . It honestly doesn’t make my scruples worse like you think. Even if someone does give a negative opinion . I just take it into consideration. I don’t go off panicking about it or anything. Everyone have there own opinions . I am just curious… I still have to learn even with scruples … I need to look at evidence I can’t just listen to one person and live in a box you know . Treat me normal please
 
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I know several priests with tattoos. Yours is a flag of a government that doesn’t exist anymore. Dumb? Maybe. Sinful? Probably not.
 
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I didn’t realize you were scrupulous, but it does explain why you seem to be over analyzing this. The best thing you can do as someone dealing with scruples is avoid the temptation to get reassurance from strangers on the internet and seek the advice of a priest.
 
Jshy said:
And the more priest and people who give there opinion the better
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No, if you suffer with scruples, this is not true. You need to listen to one Priest, preferably the one at your parish, and you need to listen to what he tells you. Don’t go online to solicit more opinions because they could very well be wrong and make your scruples worse. If you told your Priest you wanted to get a cover-up tattoo and he didn’t say “no, that’s a sin”, I don’t think you need to worry.

I don’t mean to sound as though I’m calling you dumb, or not normal, anything else. This is standard advice that CAF gives us when users who are scrupulous post, which has been developed on the recommendation of Priests.

Here is a post from a Priest, Fr @edward_george1:
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How to overcome severe scrupulosity? Moral Theology
First off, know of my prayers. This is indeed a terrible cross to bear, but know that the grace of God helps us to bear it. I would advise you to do three things: First, find a priest whom you trust and seek his direction, especially in terms of guidance on how to go to confession and how often. If confession becomes compulsive, he can help you set good boundaries regarding frequency and manner of confessing. Second, make sure you’re seeking help from a mental health professional regarding th…
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Oh ok. Well thank you for the advice. I just don’t see how it’s bad for me to do that… I mean don’t you want To known what other people think?? And see the reasons they give … and yes I’ve talked to Father Edward. He is a awesome priest …I think he told me the same thing you just did… but hey if you guys all say it’s not a sin , and the point you made was a good one. My priest never said no don’t do it … then I guess it’s not big deal… I just didn’t want to go to the baptismal font knowing I was gonna get tattooed afterward if it was sinful … but I’ll just stick with my own priest from now on like you said I should . Just because so many people seem to agree that’s what I should do… and now I’m seeing it’s not just one persons opinion but actually good advice that I maybe should have listened to from the beginning…I just bought a bunch of books on scruples also… pray for me and wish me luck after my baptism . Thank you all.
 
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nobody is saying you’re dumb, but with scruples (which I have), you usually will be tempted to give a sympathetic hearing to the most extreme opinion in the room, and a person with an unbalanced opinion can be very consistent and very logical (but usually lacks the benefit of humility, a sense of humor and common sense).
Nobody thinks you’re foolish or fragile, they just think this isn’t the best avenue to get opinions if you struggle with moral scrupulosity. It has been the prescription of every spiritual master I can think of to submit your moral and spiritual reasoning to the judgement of one person who knows you well and loves you. It is an act of both humility and intellectual obedience, and the result is often a much healthier intellect
 
right on, man! Believe me, what you are doing is humble, sound, and intelligent.
 
Alright . Thank you . Man I’ve never had this much support and understanding … and people who can relate … You guys are great people thanks . I’ll deff take your advice
 
Jshy said:
I have a confederate flag on my arm from a long time ago and I’m getting baptized Sunday /… / but I don think I’ll be able to cover it up in time before my baptism
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I am just asking a practical question. I presume you are going to be baptised in the normal Catholic fashion…water poured across your forehead? If you want the tattoo covered up for the baptism, couldn’t you just wear a long sleeve shirt and it would be unseen?

It seems to me, it would better to take your time and be sure you come up with is really and truly something that achieves well the objective of making what you want to be covered up to be covered up.

My mother did a lot of sewing across her life and I can still hear her saying “always measure twice and cut once.” The advice served me well in more than sewing!
 
Yes of course … but what I mean by covering up is tattooing over it . Because I’m tired of wearing long sleeves all the time and it slipping up and showing . Because sometimes even with short sleeves it will show and when I’m at the doctors and get a EKG done or something like my blood pressure checked and it’s a Black doctor or tech doing it , I don’t want them thinking some type of way about me or it causing a negative image … or raise tensions . It’s best to just get it fixed for good. Especially with all this black lives matter stuff going on and people attacking people over this stuff . Times are changing and I just want peace and safety and Jesus for my family to be number 1 .
 
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Ahh! I understand now. I am a priest from Europe and I know some Catholic Churches in the United States have these baptismal fonts where babies can be fully immersed and adults can stand in a pool of water as water is poured over them – I saw some of these when I have visited. They even have recirculating pumps in them. I am so grateful I never had to do a baptism at one of them. I’d deathly afraid of accidentally drowning the baby!

Sorry I misunderstood your circumstance. (If you were having to bare your arms, I was going to suggest an ACE bandage or wrapping the arm with a gauze bandage…but clearly now, you don’t need the suggestion. That’s the only reason, though, that I asked.)

Best wishes! I hope you find an affordable solution that you can also be very happy with.
 
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