How would God feel about this tattoo?

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saintlouisblues19

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So in the next year or so I am seriously considering getting a tattoo. I have read some tattoos are okay while others are not. I am planning on getting Jesus and Mary on both sides of my chest, and either a cross or the Holy Spirit in the middle. This tattoo would cover my entire chest, is this something that God would disapprove of?
 
saintlouisblues19 said:
So in the next year or so I am seriously considering getting a tattoo. I have read some tattoos are okay while others are not. I am planning on getting Jesus and Mary on both sides of my chest, and either a cross or the Holy Spirit in the middle. This tattoo would cover my entire chest, is this something that God would disapprove of?
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I don’t see why not, your getting a Tattoo that proclaims your faith. It would only be an issue if you were to get something offensive to God and yourself
 
You may also want to consider a blessed sacramental such as a crucifix or miraculous medal instead.
 
I have considered a St Benedict Medal on the inside of my right wrist.

Probably won’t do it, but if I were going to get a tattoo, it would be something like that.
 
There is nothing intrinsically bad about having a tattoo.

I don’t know if I’ll ever do it but I’ve occasionally pondered the idea of getting a small & discrete tattoo, like a medal of St Benedict or the Tau cross. Your tattoo sounds pretty big and on-the-nose, just so long as you’re okay with that.
 
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IMO a tattoo of any sort is a display of vanity, and intuition tells me that our Creator probably isn’t overly keen on them. I’d say an exception would be in the old days when (so I heard) they could help identify a sailor if his body were to ever be recovered from the sea.
 
. . . . I would put the money into an artist who can do a painting for you. Then when you get tired of the painting, you can sell it.
 
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Your body will one day be resurrected. I can’t imagine God would be pleased, for he gave you this body. We are stewards, not owners.
 
Lara said:
? For instance, Catholic women who are high risk of breast cancer shouldn’t amputate their breasts.
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Really? I had no idea that wasn’t allowed. Surely it would be considered therapeutic as there are some women who would almost certainly develop breast cancer if their breasts were not removed? For instance I know a young woman who is going to get a double mastectomy soon because she has the gene that means she will get it. She’s had family members die of it.
 
I’ve got tattoos from when I was much younger, a big one on my back that I’ve thought of trying to cover with Catholic symbolism, as if God will be pleased with me if I cover the profane symbol on my back with a crucifix or something. But nah. Would that really please Him? I don’t believe so. When he raises me in his glory then I will be transformed, a glorified body, and thankfully then without any tattoos at all.

OP,
Will Jesus and Mary be pleased that you tattooed their likenesses onto your pecks?
I really don’t think so.
Are you doing this to please God or to please yourself? Partially to impress others, possibly?
Anyhow, I suggest you reconsider.
 
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I don’t know if you have discerned your vocation yet, but I can think of some romantic reasons not to put the images of them on your chest. Wife snuggled up, kisses you, is kissing Mary. Certain marital behaviors that could lead to her making eye contact with the portraiture of your tattoos could be pretty awkward for her. Maybe other Catholic symbols instead?
 
Lara said:
For instance, Catholic women who are high risk of breast cancer shouldn’t amputate their breasts.
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Where are you getting that idea from? If a woman is at high risk of breast cancer, she can choose to have the at-risk tissue removed and reconstructed. It’s not mutilation, it’s a medical treatment that many people would consider a perfectly sensible precaution. It’s a personal choice, based on calculation of risk and assessment of the costs and benefits. By spreading disinformation, you are only making an agonizing decision even harder for those affected.

Back on the subject of tattoos, they are not a mutilation, the subject has been debated to death and the overwhelming consensus is that tattoos are permissible.

As for this specific tattoo, if that’s what you want, do it. If you’re asking whether I personally would like it, I probably wouldn’t, but the only person who has to like it is you.
 
saintlouisblues19 said:
So in the next year or so I am seriously considering getting a tattoo. I have read some tattoos are okay while others are not. I am planning on getting Jesus and Mary on both sides of my chest, and either a cross or the Holy Spirit in the middle. This tattoo would cover my entire chest, is this something that God would disapprove of?
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A few thoughts;

Seen a lot of people change their minds about a lot of things over the years. Maye you’d like to do something smaller so the initial cost and the cost of a possible later cover-up will be lower?

Also, tats smudge over time. Intricate lines and shading are all the rage now, but the more detailed the ink in, the faster it will blob. My late grandfather’s tattoo that he got in the service 50 years earlier was still somewhat discernible, but it was fairly large with simple, thick lines.

Not saying “don’t get it”. I’d just be a little less “headlong” about it. It lasts a very long time.
 
Are you married? If you are, make sure your wife is comfortable with these holy images in your most intimate moments before you spend all of that $$. If not married, maybe consider waiting until after marriage. Start with something tiny when you are young.

I have tattoos, and IMHO no one under 30 is ready to make that sort of life long decision.
 
CatholicLeanne said:
Really? I had no idea that wasn’t allowed. Surely it would be considered therapeutic as there are some women who would almost certainly develop breast cancer if their breasts were not removed? For instance I know a young woman who is going to get a double mastectomy soon because she has the gene that means she will get it. She’s had family members die of it.
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Removal of breasts or any other body part for medical reasons is allowed. It is not considered self-mutilation. The person who said it was, was mistaken.
 
Lara said:
Isn’t a tattoo like other forms of self-mutilation? For instance, Catholic women who are high risk of breast cancer shouldn’t amputate their breasts.
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Please do not propagate misinformation on the forum. First of all, a tattoo is not considered self-mutilation, the Church does not forbid tattoos (unless the subject matter is obscene, blasphemous or otherwise sinful, which a sincere religious tattoo is not) and many Catholics including myself have them. We have been over this topic on the forum many, many, many, many times. I got mine in the Holy Land while on pilgrimage tour with a priest; the tradition of pilgrimage tattoos for Christians visiting the Holy Land goes back hundreds of years .

In addition, as I and others have said, there is no prohibition on a Catholic woman having a breast removed for a medical reason, which would include a high cancer risk. That is not self-mutilation either.
 
**your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…you are not your own…so glorify God in your body…that which is Holy must be used for righteousness sake…

I am not fond of Tattoos…One is making a “statement” using a tattoo. Just like wearing a t-shirt with a sign or phrase. However…I have my ears pierced…twice per ear and wear small earrings in them…

People like to expose their tattoos…but you never see people in the professional world with them…it is not acceptable by everyone. I simply don’t like them!
 
saintlouisblues19 said:
I am planning on getting Jesus and Mary on both sides of my chest, and either a cross or the Holy Spirit in the middle. This tattoo would cover my entire chest, is this something that God would disapprove of?
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There are several questions to consider here.
  1. Why do you want to get this tattoo? Is it because of a profound spiritual experience you had, or because you want to use it as witnessing, or because you’d like a tattoo and you think this would look cool? The first reason is probably okay, the second one might be okay, the third reason is questionable.
  2. Can you afford the tattoo? A tattoo that big is likely to cost a good bit of money. Also, if this tattoo is going to be on you for decades, it might require later “improvement” to keep it from looking a mess 40 years down the road, especially if you are going to be exposing it to the sun.
  3. If you are not married and planning to be, consider the fact that some women aren’t big on tattoos, or would not care for one that’s so big and covering so much flesh. This might not be a problem if you are so into tattoos that your future wife is going to have to accept them or you will not marry her, however. We all have deal breakers.
  4. If you have all these holy art works on your body, you will have to live up to that. You can’t be running around committing grave sins while having Jesus and Mary tattooed on your chest. That would be hypocritical of you and, if people were seeing you sin with such a tattoo, would set a horrible example. Are you willing and able to live according to God’s law?
If, after considering all this, you still feel like you want to get the tattoo, then do so. Just don’t go taking a lot of pride in it after you get it because God wants us to avoid pride.
 
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For myself, I would rather have that money spent on icons I can venerate and have in my home.
As a person who loves icons, it would be very weird to me to see someone on the beach with Jesus tattooed onto his chest.
 
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