Are tattoos a sin? ?

Question

In a Catholic's perspective, are tattoos sins?

The reason I ask is because I was thinking about getting one my back when I'm older.

Answer 1

I don't believe so. I don't know of any verses against it, but again I'm not Catholic either. Just don't represent evil icons.  

Answer 2

No.  Personally, I don't approve of tattoos, but my opinion is not binding on you.

Answer 3

In the bible it says to not mark upon the body.

Answer 4

No I don't believe they are a sin.. In the Old Testament there was a law not to tatoo the body, but there was a reason for it (back then).... In that time, Pagans (or those who didn't claim the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob as their own) marked thier bodies with cutting and tatoos to symbolize that they followed other gods (or idols - things created by man).  The Law was put their so that those who believed would be distinctly different from those who followed after idols (other gods).

Answer 5

yes it is a sin Leviticus 19:28 is where you can find it but on the bright side Catholics got the whole confession thing going so I would think you could get by with it if you are Catholic.  

Answer 6

i don't think so

Answer 7

Yeah! bigger the tattoo bigger the sin!...lol!

Answer 8

yes, but only a sin against yourself

everyone regrets it eventually

Answer 9

Yes......

And a waste of a nice back, a stain that last forever.

Answer 10

is consider as a sin because neither the disciples nor jesus did one and it's viewed as telling god that you're not happy with the way your body looks like.

Answer 11

What Jake said...

It's Leviticus 19:28 "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD."

The verse's around it talk about not shaving the edges of your beard or the sides of your head. And it talks about divination and soothsaying... In context the verse seems to talk about not getting tattoos because they were symbols of other religions.

  

Answer 12

Try reading this article about tattoos:

http://www.gotquestions.org/tattoos-sin....

The premise is that we should do all things to the glory of God and that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit - can you in all honesty to yourself say that your tattoo would be there for the glory of God or would it be there for your own glory/vanity/rebelious streak etc?

Whilst the OT says we shouldn't get a tattoo, this is directly after a verse we definitely consider cultural - don't clip the edges of your beard... However, the verse against tattoos includes warnings not to self-mutilate in mourning for the dead - that isn't cultural...

We should always be careful not to dismiss something as only culturally relevant when it might be universally relevant. Just because the verse is included within references regarding the imitation of other religions doesn't mean we would assume that today it is no longer culturally relevant to abstain from self-multilation in mourning for the dead...

There are no instructions regarding sin offerings or sacrifices that must be made as a result of doing any of these things in Leviticus 19 but they do follow the command to 'be Holy as He is Holy'. Following this there is then an admonition to: "Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out." (Leviticus 20:22). If we are living for the hope of the New Earth, the true Promised Land where there will always be rest, we must be careful to live in a way that will not cause us to be excluded from the land for the sake of justifying something here - that is the very thing that will harden our hearts. What I think matters not but only Jesus and God - I must decrease so He can increase!

Remeber - nothing can separate you from the love of God found in Christ Jesus and that includes a tattoo. But if we love him then we should obey his commands... Knowing or even thinking a tattoo is against His commands and doing it anyway evidences a hardness of heart.

My final advice - just consider it carefully, then work out your own faith with fear and trembling before a Holy and Righteous God. And remember, without faith it is impossible to please God.

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:28).