Is getting a tattoo a sin?

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GEddie said:
The natural human skin radiates the life of the body. Why would one want to obscure that for an artistic expression?

But it is, OP, entirely your call. Frankly, asking on here is somewhat of a waste of time.

ICXC NIKA.
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So I take it you’re also opposed to wearing makeup and covering more skin than is necessary for modesty and warmth? Those also obscure the natural human skin.
 
Well, I wonder if people get tattoos to look good for themselves…what are the motives invovled?

I can only speak for myself, I see pretty girls that I find attractive, but tattoos sure don’t help, and I usually think, she would be way more appealing without that one tattoo or multiple tattoos.

I still maintain that it could be construed as mutilation, but mutilation is a cultural construct, so it can be defined differently depending on one’s world view, it seems. 🤷

Let me just google it:: mutilation-

***: to cause severe damage to (the body of a person or animal)

: to ruin the beauty of (something) : to severely damage or spoil (something)***

courtesy of Merriam-Webster.
 
I’m not dead set against them, mind you. 🙂

It would not be a deal breaker, if my bride to be had one or two.

However, I would say that if one is convicted in their heart that it is a sin, then that is not good if the person gets one anyways , but I know many people do not intend to offend God by doing this, so there’s a lot worse things.
 
DarkLight said:
So I take it you’re also opposed to wearing makeup and covering more skin than is necessary for modesty and warmth? Those also obscure the natural human skin.
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I have no opinion on makeup, as that is a wholly female practice except in show business, and in any case is fully removable and temporary.

And I am fully opposed to the self-commissioned modesty police who want to see every square inch of everybody’s skin covered from upper neck to hands and feet. Skin is not something shameful!

ICXC NIKA.
 
GEddie said:
I have no opinion on makeup, as that is a wholly female practice except in show business, and in any case is fully removable and temporary.

And I am fully opposed to the self-commissioned modesty police who want to see every square inch of everybody’s skin covered from upper neck to hands and feet. Skin is not something shameful!

ICXC NIKA.
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My point is that people suddenly freak out and start glorifying natural skin and acting like it’s some terrible offense against “natural beauty” when someone gets a tattoo. Even if that person wears makeup every day and covers their skin in lace and pretty fabrics even in summer. It doesn’t make any sense - I don’t get why people’s dislike of tattoos suddenly seems to be such a huge issue that they have to tell people how much less pretty they’ll be and how they’re damaging their natural beauty. Things that on any other subject people would clearly recognize as rude and inappropriate things to say.
 
This is a forum. People are free to speak their mind here. The truth is that if a woman wants to marry a virtuous devout Catholic it’s going to be a liability for her to get a tattoo. If you don’t like my view or opinion. That’s fine.

The fact is that the jury seems to be out on whether it’s a sin or not. I think there are a lot worse sins out there.

But if you want to say I’m rude because I’ll tell a woman what I think about her getting a tattoo, so be it.

I’m not saying that if a woman has a tattoo she is disfigured necessarily, but I’m not going to lie to the women reading this thread and say it doesn’t matter at all.
 
JamalChristophr said:
This is a forum. People are free to speak their mind here. The truth is that if a woman wants to marry a virtuous devout Catholic it’s going to be a liability for her to get a tattoo. If you don’t like my view or opinion. That’s fine.

The fact is that the jury seems to be out on whether it’s a sin or not. I think there are a lot worse sins out there.

But if you want to say I’m rude because I’ll tell a woman what I think about her getting a tattoo, so be it.
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It’s been pretty clearly determined that it’s not a sin. A tattoo no more counts as a mutilation than my ear piercing does - yet I have never ever seen anyone say that was a sin. Every ask an apologist link has said it’s not a sin. And the passage in the catechism is about things like torture, not ink!

Telling a woman she’s ugly or unmarriageable or whatever because she makes a choice that you personally don’t like is uncharitable and rude, especially when the question is about the morality and not whether or not you like it. And I would think that someone who wouldn’t marry a woman just because she has a tattoo, well, I would seriously doubt that person could possibly a “virtuous devout Catholic” if they’re so very shallow.
 
Thank you DL for clearly expressing your view on the matter. I always appreciate straightforward souls. I find it unfortunate however that you did not listen a little more carefully to the things I said.

God Bless You.
 
JamalChristophr said:
Thank you DL for clearly expressing your view on the matter. I always appreciate straightforward souls. I find it unfortunate however that you did not listen a little more carefully to the things I said.

God Bless You.
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Oh I read it - I just think it’s wrong and getting very close to spiritually dangerous.
 
DarkLight said:
It’s been pretty clearly determined that it’s not a sin. A tattoo no more counts as a mutilation than my ear piercing does - yet I have never ever seen anyone say that was a sin. Every ask an apologist link has said it’s not a sin. And the passage in the catechism is about things like torture, not ink!

Telling a woman she’s ugly or unmarriageable or whatever because she makes a choice that you personally don’t like is uncharitable and rude, especially when the question is about the morality and not whether or not you like it. And I would think that someone who wouldn’t marry a woman just because she has a tattoo, well, I would seriously doubt that person could possibly a “virtuous devout Catholic” if they’re so very shallow.
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DarkLight, you have articulated exactly what I was thinking. Unfortunately, some people hear what they want to hear. Their mind is made up, and even facts won’t change anything. Judging someone because they don’t personally find tattoos attractive or desirable is as shallow as judging them on their hair length, or the color of their shirt or the kind of car they drive. A beautiful, faithful person is not made ugly by a tattoo.
 
I may just be getting old, but I think tattoos, especially having a lot of them or very large and visible ones, can show short-sightedness and immaturity. I also don’t find them attractive, and generally they’re going to look their best shortly after getting them when the person is likely in their best shape. When skin starts sagging and the tattoo starts fading, it looks bad. They can also be expensive 🤷 That doesn’t make them sinful, of course.

They may be regarded as only “semi-permanent” now that there are ways to remove them, but it’s my understanding that they are rather painful (and expensive, again) to remove. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that posters on this thread have admitted that they don’t think tattoos aren’t attractive and would make them think twice about dating someone.

I wanted a tattoo when I was in college. Lots of girls were getting - as they call them - “tramp stamps” and butterflies on the hip, etc. 10 years later, I’m glad I never did. I’ve heard they can be “addicting” and I’ve got a fair number of friends and relatives who have to be rather creative about their attire and makeup application for job interviews, etc. It’s nice that I can just use completely temporary methods of self-expression like clothing and hairstyle and not have to worry that someone might see something silly I did when I was 20 and get the wrong idea about me. Almost everyone I know - even the really secular folks - wouldn’t get them now, but they’re still stuck with them until they have the money to get them removed.

Some of these folks are lovely and great friends. I just think they made a poor decision to mark their bodies this way, because I think the desire for the marking wanes in the years after and there’s not much that can be done about it. There’s lots of ways to “express yourself” without it.
 
pensmama87 said:
I may just be getting old, but I think tattoos, especially having a lot of them or very large and visible ones, can show short-sightedness and immaturity. I also don’t find them attractive, and generally they’re going to look their best shortly after getting them when the person is likely in their best shape. When skin starts sagging and the tattoo starts fading, it looks bad. They can also be expensive 🤷 That doesn’t make them sinful, of course.

They may be regarded as only “semi-permanent” now that there are ways to remove them, but it’s my understanding that they are rather painful (and expensive, again) to remove. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that posters on this thread have admitted that they don’t think tattoos aren’t attractive and would make them think twice about dating someone.

I wanted a tattoo when I was in college. Lots of girls were getting - as they call them - “tramp stamps” and butterflies on the hip, etc. 10 years later, I’m glad I never did. I’ve heard they can be “addicting” and I’ve got a fair number of friends and relatives who have to be rather creative about their attire and makeup application for job interviews, etc. It’s nice that I can just use completely temporary methods of self-expression like clothing and hairstyle and not have to worry that someone might see something silly I did when I was 20 and get the wrong idea about me. Almost everyone I know - even the really secular folks - wouldn’t get them now, but they’re still stuck with them until they have the money to get them removed.

Some of these folks are lovely and great friends. I just think they made a poor decision to mark their bodies this way, because I think the desire for the marking wanes in the years after and there’s not much that can be done about it. There’s lots of ways to “express yourself” without it.
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Well stated.
Thanks!
 
What I find offensive is twisting a persons words to say something that they did not say at all…

***Telling a woman she’s ugly or unmarriageable or whatever because she makes a choice that you personally don’t like i
 
pensmama87 said:
I may just be getting old, but I think tattoos, especially having a lot of them or very large and visible ones, can show short-sightedness and immaturity. I also don’t find them attractive, and generally they’re going to look their best shortly after getting them when the person is likely in their best shape. When skin starts sagging and the tattoo starts fading, it looks bad. They can also be expensive 🤷 That doesn’t make them sinful, of course.

They may be regarded as only “semi-permanent” now that there are ways to remove them, but it’s my understanding that they are rather painful (and expensive, again) to remove. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that posters on this thread have admitted that they don’t think tattoos aren’t attractive and would make them think twice about dating someone.

I wanted a tattoo when I was in college. Lots of girls were getting - as they call them - “tramp stamps” and butterflies on the hip, etc. 10 years later, I’m glad I never did. I’ve heard they can be “addicting” and I’ve got a fair number of friends and relatives who have to be rather creative about their attire and makeup application for job interviews, etc. It’s nice that I can just use completely temporary methods of self-expression like clothing and hairstyle and not have to worry that someone might see something silly I did when I was 20 and get the wrong idea about me. Almost everyone I know - even the really secular folks - wouldn’t get them now, but they’re still stuck with them until they have the money to get them removed.

Some of these folks are lovely and great friends. I just think they made a poor decision to mark their bodies this way, because I think the desire for the marking wanes in the years after and there’s not much that can be done about it. There’s lots of ways to “express yourself” without it.
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Well said, I think, even though I disagree.

Maintenance money should be considered part of getting a tattoo. You can expect, depending on the location, that a tattoo will need touching up every 5-10 years. The ink does fade and it will look bad if it isn’t properly cared for.

That said…I worry about a lot of the attitudes I see, that deciding to get a tattoo automatically makes someone immature, or worse marks them as less spiritual than someone else. Way I figure there are lots of things I could potentially regret - a tattoo, especially one that can be covered without too much effort, is probably pretty low down on the list. (I don’t have one because of finances but I’ve wanted one for several years.)

I think there’s a real spiritual danger though of trying to spiritualize things that we just dislike. This sort of thing is where “don’t judge” really becomes an issue - it’s not a spiritual matter and it’s not necessarily a matter of maturity.

That said…it appears that I failed pretty badly at the charity I’m trying to tell people to do here. Mea culpa.
 
DarkLight said:
Well said, I think, even though I disagree.

Maintenance money should be considered part of getting a tattoo. You can expect, depending on the location, that a tattoo will need touching up every 5-10 years. The ink does fade and it will look bad if it isn’t properly cared for.

That said…I worry about a lot of the attitudes I see, that deciding to get a tattoo automatically makes someone immature, or worse marks them as less spiritual than someone else. Way I figure there are lots of things I could potentially regret - a tattoo, especially one that can be covered without too much effort, is probably pretty low down on the list. (I don’t have one because of finances but I’ve wanted one for several years.)

I think there’s a real spiritual danger though of trying to spiritualize things that we just dislike. This sort of thing is where “don’t judge” really becomes an issue - it’s not a spiritual matter and it’s not necessarily a matter of maturity.

That said…it appears that I failed pretty badly at the charity I’m trying to tell people to do here. Mea culpa.
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I can understand this.

For the record, it would also signal “caution” to me if I saw evidence of extravagant spending. Not necessarily a “red light” but at least a “investigate before proceeding further.” It’s not a spiritual matter for me (and doesn’t matter anyway because I married a guy who really doesn’t like needles so a tattoo is never going to be an issue for us) but more about interests and priorities. To me, tattoos are not an attractive hobby and would probably signal that we just wouldn’t be compatible. The same goes for spending money on other things I don’t think are attractive, although in those cases those things can (usually) be resold if they are maintained well.
 
The Torah verses do not really apply. These rules were against body markings taken infor pagan religions, something that doesn’t happen anymore.
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The philosophies of paganism are still very much alive in our modern day culture. While I respect the Catholic author’s opinion, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the admonition in the Book of Leviticus against tattoos (Lev. 19:28):

“You shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead, and a tattoo shall you not place upon yourselves - I am the Lord.”

After all, this was a direct command, and had nothing whatsoever to do with ceremony. It had to do with teaching the Jewish people to be holy. The core concept was all about growing in holiness.

As Catholics, tattoos are part of a subculture in this country that is very much opposed to holiness and very much opposed to walking with the Lord. We are called to be a holy people. Before we throw out the Lord’s rules with the bath water, we might take a step back and carefully listen to His Word.

If a person won’t listen to Holy Writ, a good barometer is to look at the holiest saints in the Church, and asking yourself if they would participate in this activity. Would Mother Teresa have been inclined to wear a tattoo? How about Padre Pio?

As Catholics, I think we are sometimes too quick to dismiss the rules in the Torah, either because we don’t understand them, or we don’t think they are relevant to us. Some of the rules in the Torah are truly baffling - such as not mixing wool and linen in clothing, or some of the rules regarding keeping kosher. Interestingly enough, as science has advanced, we find that many of the rules in the Torah have a sound, rational basis to protect adherents.

Perhaps the Creator has a better plan for you instead of defacing one’s skin with tattoos, and we should all listen to Him.
 
DarkLight said:
Well said, I think, even though I disagree.

Maintenance money should be considered part of getting a tattoo. You can expect, depending on the location, that a tattoo will need touching up every 5-10 years. The ink does fade and it will look bad if it isn’t properly cared for.

That said…I worry about a lot of the attitudes I see, that deciding to get a tattoo automatically makes someone immature, or worse marks them as less spiritual than someone else. Way I figure there are lots of things I could potentially regret - a tattoo, especially one that can be covered without too much effort, is probably pretty low down on the list. (I don’t have one because of finances but I’ve wanted one for several years.)

I think there’s a real spiritual danger though of trying to spiritualize things that we just dislike. This sort of thing is where “don’t judge” really becomes an issue - it’s not a spiritual matter and it’s not necessarily a matter of maturity.

That said…it appears that I failed pretty badly at the charity I’m trying to tell people to do here. Mea culpa.
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The problem is, that most people who get tattoos…are young people. People who have no clue about “maintenance” or touch-ups or anything of the sort. They do it on e a whim, as a way to seem “cool”. A bad reason to do anything.
An adult wouldn’t ask if anyone on the internet thinks it’s a good idea or a sin. An adult makes up their mind. If a person is bent on getting one and is an adult, then they go for it. I think what people here are trying to say is…that likely ( in many cases) a youthful decision could be sorely regretted one day, and we’d rather not see anyone go through that, if it can be avoided by selecting some other form of personal expression. 🤷
 
Tattoos come down to a matter of preference. I love mine, me and a Brother in my parish who bonded had a great conversation about our tattoos. I do suggest being very sure of your design and seeking out a top notch artist and shop. If you are unsure of what to ask for and about a google search will give you a good set of questions. Never compromise on safety and never go against your gut when choosing who will do your tattoo. Mine are all places where they can be easily covered for work or formal events. Unfortunately some people are judgmental and can’t get past their personal opinions of what your ink means for them.
 
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