Catholic Online Forum

Alright, I'm just curious. I had a nose ring when I was a teen, and I've been told by some that it was very unchristianlike, the Bible said we should never decorate our bodies in that way, it was a sin, our body was a temple, etc.
What are your views on this and how in the world do you respond to someone saying this to you? Does the Bible say anything about this? I read that Jesus has a tattoo on each hand of all of us. Need clarification and thoughts on this.

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Genevieve.L SAHM

"You pray in your distress and in your need; Would that you pray also in your joy and in your days of abundance." Kahlil Gibran

Genevieve,

The Bible I checked had only this:


Now, whether that should be interpreted as a "hygenic" law or more severely, I do not know.

I read that Jesus has a tattoo on each hand of all of us

Jesus bears the marks of our sins in the Nail Wounds in His Hands. They would not be "tattoos".

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Tony Liotta

Jesus is weeping again.
"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Lk 9:62)
"No one can serve two masters; ...... You cannot serve God and mammon", (i.e., money, wealth, prosperity). (Matt. 6:24)

Did any of those same people wear earrings or had anything against earrings?

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Tabitha

Genevieve,
I really don't see what the big deal is. I've had my ears pierced for years and got my belly button pierced for my birthday this year. Sure heaps of tatoos and piercings looks a little gross... and some of the place ergh! But just a couple of little things I really can't understand what could be wrong about that.

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Kirsty

I agree with you Kirsty, I really don't mind tattoos and piercings, although I wouldn't get a tattoo. These people said I was not a good Christian because I didn't follow the teachings of the Bible. I realize that some people when they read the Bible they take it literally, ex; some say they would even be able to own a slave because the Bible said they could. Oh my. And the people who commented on my nose ring did not have earrings TabithatK, they didn't even have their earrings pierced because they followed this "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (Lev.19:28)" Thanks Tony for finding it for me. So yes I was a bit hurt by that comment of me not being a good Christian, but oh well, I realize different faiths have different view on the Bible.

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Genevieve.L SAHM

"You pray in your distress and in your need; Would that you pray also in your joy and in your days of abundance." Kahlil Gibran

I don't know if anyone can answer this but...
Since it says in Leviticus not to cut or tattoo "on account of the dead" does that mean you can do it for other reasons??

~Aly

Ther isn't much point in getting a belly peircing because as long as one is modest, no one is ever gonna see the peircing. Also, nose peircings just look kind of thuggish, but it doesn't really bother me.

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Yours in Christ,
Gee Whizz (Rubin Carter)

My history teacher on medieval england:
'Protestants worshipped God in their way, while the Catholics worshipped God in his'

Genevieve,

I'm guessing it's not the tattoo or piercing itself so much as it is a matter of what it might seem to mean to people.

At one time, people were being cremated as an act of defiance so as to say that the resurrection of the body is not possible. At that time, Catholics were advised by the church not to be cremated.

Rubin,

That WAS the point. I wanted something that didn't have to be on show all the time because it doesn't for instance look very good in a job interview and if I get married I would rather not have heaps of body peircing all over the place in my wedding photos. It was for me, I get jewlerry that I like and it's private a little bit of specialness about me, on me, for me. That may seem selfish but the point was that I wanted it so it was going to be kept private.

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Kirsty

I suppose that isn't as bad (bar selfishness, but I won't comment there).

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Yours in Christ,
Gee Whizz (Rubin Carter)

My history teacher on medieval england:
'Protestants worshipped God in their way, while the Catholics worshipped God in his'

I think this is correct.

You're not doing it on account of the dead, thus: I see no wrong in it.

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James W.

"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off." - St. Thomas

It is important to distinguish between what is "wrong" or sinful, and what is a path to holiness. As Christians, we do not follow Christ as a rulegiver, one who set out a series of "Thou Shalt Nots". Our Father has, from the beginning commanded us primarily to love him and one another. The rest flows from that.

So when considering such cultural behaviors as tatoos, piercings, language, modesty, and the like, let us not merely seek to avoid what is wrong, let us seek that which is good, right, and holy.

Further, we must also look not merely at the actions themselves, but the atttiudes they indicate. You will notice that none of the Seven Deadly sins are actions per se; they are attitudes. Lust, Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Anger, Pride, and Sloth. So it is clear from this, and directly from Scripture, that God is primarily concerned with the disposition of the heart, not the decoration of the body or words we say.

What kind of attitude are we showing when we pierce our body? When we permanently alter it for the sake of its appearance? When we wear clothes that show off our bodies? When we say words that, in our culture, invoke images or feelings of anger, pride, or lust? Are these things that bring us closer to the Lord, or do they draw us away?

I am inclined, though I generally do not take pains to proclaim it from the rooftops, to believe that piercings and tatoos, in our culture, are generally disrespectful of the body God has given us. Why do we feel the need to enhance what God has already made for us? How can we improve the beauty and appearance of that which is created by God? (Thinking of this, we do it all the time in gardens...) Why are we not content with maximizing the body he has given us by taking good care of it, that we feel we must make permanent changes to it?

I also tend to think it's very unwise to permanently change one's body. When one's body changes, the tatoos will look very different. When one changes one's perspective on life (and at age 31, relatively young, I know mine has changed greatly in my life), the old tatoos won't mean what they once did.

But, then, probably due to all of the above, I find tatoos and piercings very unattractive. I try very hard to understand where someone is coming from when they disagree with me, but I truly do not understand why someone would want one. That doesn't mean there isn't a really great reason, just that I am too limited to think of one.

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Jeff Stevens

In my opinion, those who pierce their bodies and get tattoos, are just rebelling against society. Just trying to show disrespect for decent people. I consider these actions as paganistic.

well my question is this, since I have a few tattoo's will that prevent me from entering the church as I am now going through rcia?

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Kris

Having tattoos is not an impediment to becoming Catholic.

I'm planning on getting my first tattoo soon. Ain't nuttin wrong with being a bit rebellious.

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squirt
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Jamais le mal n’aura le dernier mot. La foi et l’amour déplacent les montagnes de la haine.
- Marguerite (Maggy) Barankitse

Depends where you come from, Indian and African communities get piercings at different times in their lives and society accepts it.

My mother had my ears pierced when i was 6, so she is fine with that, then i got my nose pierced last June she is not too happy about that (and my belly, but she does not know that yet coz I don't show it, I'm not an exhibisionist, I just like knowing i have it.) especially now that my 13 year old sister also wants ear piercings; my mom thinks she'll graduate to other piercings (I won't allow her though). My 17 year old sister says it's not christian like to get piercings. Se says that we have 'spiritual doors' which we open to either good or evil. Piercings she says, just like yoga, are opening our doors to evil on subconcious level that is. She says if you are not sure if it's bad or not, why do it, coz if it is then you in trouble...

Is there any truth to the 'spiritual doors' and what we let into our lives, how does that affect our own spiritual beings?

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ciao and God Bless
diana tsitsi gracia

True freedom does not rest in being able to do whatever you want, but in being able to do whatever lifts you up towards God! AMDG