tattoos of Catholic images: sin?

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“If it doesn’t harm, why not.” is an old saying. Expanding on that logic, here’s a quote “If it can harm, don’t.”

In the case of a “Sacred” tattoo, it can certainly harm depending on the size and placement of it. Aside from placing it on obvious areas on the body which is shameful to even mention, what if you placed the Holy Family on your face, with Joseph and Mary. one on each cheek and the Christ Child on your forehead. That would be insane, wouldn’t it?

Scripture clearly indicates that God does not like one to tattoo himself or herself, so why would one take a chance and say, just a little one won’t hurt? It might, so my advice is to stay away from tattooing. Father Echert in one of the quotes used for proponents for tattooing indicates that it CAN be a mortal sin so why take the chance.

The Jewish stance prohibiting tattooing is not so much ritual because their reasoning is based on moral principles. The Catholic position also follows this same reasoning except that it does equivocate a bit…just a little bit.
 
My sister just got a celtic tat on her calf.

I don’t think I could ever get a tatoo. That needle is huge! :eek:
 
We need to remember that our bodies don’t belong to us; rather they belong to God, whose temples they are.

If a tattoo is just going to be some kind of vanity thing, or a deliberate disfigurement of your body, then don’t get a tattoo. If you honestly feel that God will be given glory by it, then get a tattoo. This is the sort of thing that’s usually left to our own prudential judgment.
 
Mintaka said:
We need to remember that our bodies don’t belong to us; rather they belong to God, whose temples they are.

If a tattoo is just going to be some kind of vanity thing, or a deliberate disfigurement of your body, then don’t get a tattoo. If you honestly feel that God will be given glory by it, then get a tattoo. This is the sort of thing that’s usually left to our own prudential judgment.
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Tattooing is self-mutilation. To the degree that you mutilate yourself, to that degree you sin. That sin may be mortal, and the sign of it is difficult to erase, and will be a detrimental sign to others of faith.
 
catholic2 said:
Tattooing is self-mutilation. To the degree that you mutilate yourself, to that degree you sin. That sin may be mortal, and the sign of it is difficult to erase, and will be a detrimental sign to others of faith.
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Quite true thank you.
 
catholic2 said:
Tattooing is self-mutilation. To the degree that you mutilate yourself, to that degree you sin. That sin may be mortal, and the sign of it is difficult to erase, and will be a detrimental sign to others of faith.
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What of the Saints who scourged themselves?

I’ve read mulitple booklets/books with a detailed Examination of Conscience…whenever tattoos is brought up it is as “excessive tattooing,” and this seems to be what is condemned by the Church.

With the reasoning that it’s only self-mutilation, you have to oppose women getting their ears pierced also. Piercings are strictly for vanity, while tattooing a picture of the Virgin is not, necesarily.
 
latinmasslover said:
What of the Saints who scourged themselves?

I’ve read mulitple booklets/books with a detailed Examination of Conscience…whenever tattoos is brought up it is as “excessive tattooing,” and this seems to be what is condemned by the Church.

With the reasoning that it’s only self-mutilation, you have to oppose women getting their ears pierced also. Piercings are strictly for vanity, while tattooing a picture of the Virgin is not, necesarily.
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Tattooing a Holy Image is a sin. Sorry.
 
There is no direct specific teaching of the Church about this matter as far as I know. However, there may be some general moral principles which could apply. For instance, a minor child (in the U.S.A. any one under 18) would be morally obliged to obey his or her parents when they forbid a tattoo. Also unnecessary bodily mutilation is forbidden by the fifth commandment. If a tattoo or body piercing or other practices done for aesthetic reasons were to entail what most people would call mutilation, these things could be sinful. If a tattoo were particularly repulsive to most people, obtaining it could also be a violation of Christian charity.
-taken from the webpage of Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, a shepherd who isn’t going to water down the Faith.

I think it is important, considering a tattoo’s permanent implications, to exercise extreme prudence on 1.) the motivation of having one 2.) the subject matter 3.) the part of the body where the tatttoo is desired.
 
I’m sorry. I seem to be confused.

Either there is more than one Jesus Christ, or we have people judging that have no place to judge.

Maybe it’s time to agree to disagree.

Tattooing is not wrong, nor has it ever been.

I love to see who Christian people like catholic2 and holdencaulfield who seem to think that it is fine to take half of the bible literal (the half that agrees with their thinking) and assume that other half isn’t needed (the half that they do not agree with).

Time to come to grips with truth.👍
 
RodneyJ said:
I’m sorry. I seem to be confused.

Either there is more than one Jesus Christ, or we have people judging that have no place to judge.

Maybe it’s time to agree to disagree.

Tattooing is not wrong, nor has it ever been.

I love to see who Christian people like catholic2 and holdencaulfield who seem to think that it is fine to take half of the bible literal (the half that agrees with their thinking) and assume that other half isn’t needed (the half that they do not agree with).

Time to come to grips with truth.👍
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This is the typical response from those who defend their position, untenable as it is, by attacking the messenger, but completely disregard the message. “Tattooing is not wrong, nor has it ever been”? Puleeze!
 
catholic2 said:
There are two types of law in the old testament. One is ritual law, and the other is moral law. While the ritual laws applied to the Israelites, the moral laws apply for all forever. The ten commandments are moral laws; they are not the ten suggestions.
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And what, exactly, do you have to support your claim that tattooing belongs under the moral law, while the vast majority of everything else in Leviticus clearly falls under the ritual laws?

Or is it just your own personal decision to put it in that category?
 
catholic2 said:
Tattooing is self-mutilation.
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I suppose you’re one of those people who would also include ear piercing, smoking cigarettes, and listening to rock music under that same category of self-mutilation… am I right?
 
masterjedi747 said:
And what, exactly, do you have to support your claim that tattooing belongs under the moral law, while the vast majority of everything else in Leviticus clearly falls under the ritual laws?

Or is it just your own personal decision to put it in that category?
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repeating my previous post: (#12)
This is from a Jewish source. Judaism today prohibits tattooing.

we are created b’tzelem Elokim (in the image of God) and that our bodies are to be viewed as a precious gift on loan from God, to be entrusted into our care and [are] not our personal property to do with as we choose. Voluntary tattooing even if not done for idolatrous purposes expresses a negation of this fundamental Jewish perspective.forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cad/quote.gif

The Catholic position is very close to this position as well.
 
masterjedi747 said:
I suppose you’re one of those people who would also include ear piercing, smoking cigarettes, and listening to rock music under that same category of self-mutilation… am I right?
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You really don’t expect an answer…you are just venting. So vent away, or get serious.
 
I agree with 100% of the Holy Scripture. It is important to know what to take literally and what figuratively. Sorry the Holy Book of Leviticus was all literal. The New Covenant made much of it no longer pertinent. However self-mutilation is always a sin. It’s interesting how tattooing and self-mutilation are paired together in Leviticus. Guess they are the same thing.
 
Apologies for venting.
It’s just that, if you are coming at this as strongly as I think you might be, our disagreements are going to run much deeper than this one issue, and we’d probably be better off tackling the root of our disagreement than sitting here, making pointless arguments, and getting nowhere.
catholic2 said:
repeating my previous post: (#12)
This is from a Jewish source. Judaism today prohibits tattooing.
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…of course they do. They’re still following the Old Law, right?

Yes, the Catholic position is close. But not exact. And I think there’s a reason. Most of the Jewish law – the vast, vast majority – was ritual law that ceased to exist with the New Covenant. I think it’s clear that the law against tattooing was part of this ritual law.

However, the Church understands that we are made in the image of God, and that our bodies must be respected, just the same as the Jews did and still do. And that’s why the Church would say that excessive tattooing and earrings (etc) can be sinful.

Unless done on an unhealthy scale or for immoral purposes, the act of tattooing itself is not severe enough to count as self-mutilation, and therefore not sinful. Like drinking alcohol, it can be a sin if not kept within reasonable guidelines.
 
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