Abstract

Data for this paper was collected as part of an undergraduate research at Saint
Louis University, and then as part of subsequent independent research. Data was
collected by qualitative methods, with an emphasis placed on basing it from proven
research. All data was collected between March through April of 2015. Many people
have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them due to the
mainstream of the world, of modern fashions, such as tattooing, but feel unequipped to
give a clear judgment on the morality of such practices, or to rebut the charge that they
are elevating their personal preferences into a moral code. The role of the researchers
is to prove that having tattoos is immoral and to enumerate evil effect brought about by
it to support our argument regarding this research. According to the gathered data
getting tattoos is immoral because of the following reasons: It violates the conscience
(Romans 2:15) because they violate the Gods Law (Leviticus 19:28), Tattoos harm the
body which is supposed to be nurtured and sustained, and make it vulnerable to
infection, and tattoos undermines the person, and focuses attention too much on the
bodys external appearance (vanity), lastly, tattoos is a sin against the body and in a
way tattoos represent indecency and irreverence to the almighty making tattoos
immoral. These and other drastic alterations to the natural growth of the human body
must be judged immoral, as forms of abuse springing from vanity. The human body is
meant to be treated with care, not maltreated or disfigured. Its dignity and beauty must
be kept and cultivated, in order that it is an expression of the deeper beauty of the soul.
Key Terms
Tattoos, Adornments, Skin, Sin, Health, Immoral, Vanity, Art, Stain, Health, Law,
Vulnerable, Indecency, Irreverence
Introduction
People of the latest generations have gradually started opening up to embrace a
whole new subculture---a subculture that is more experimental with art, music and
sports. Crews and crews of Graffiti artists as well as Skaters are flourishing, Local

bands are reaching new heights, and of course, the Industry of Tattooing is growing by
the minute.
The word tattoo was said to have two major derivations. From the Polynesian
word Ta which means to strike something and from the Tahitian word Tatau which
means to mark something. Archaeologists across the globe have unearthed preserved
corpses and mummies that are tattooed. These mummies are said to have lived
thousands of years ago, and most of the bodies bore tattoos that signify their cultures,
ranks and beliefs. According to research, tattooing has been in activity to many
countries such as Japan, Egypt, China, Polynesia, New Zealand, Indonesia, India,
Thailand, Africa, Ancient Greece and Rome, America, England, France, and the Middle
East thousands of years ago. It is arguably claimed that tattooing has existed since
12,000 years BC and it is as diverse as the people who wear them. The purpose of
tattooing varies from culture to culture and its place on the time line. Tattoos have
served as rites of passage, marks of status or rank, symbols of religious and spiritual
devotion, decorations of bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love,
punishment, amulets and talismans, protection, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves
and convicts. The symbolism and impact of tattoos vary in different places and cultures.
Today, people choose to be tattooed for cosmetic, sentimental/memorial,
religious and magical reasons, and to symbolize their belonging to or identification with
particular groups, including criminal gangs but also a particular ethnic group or lawabiding subculture. The thrill and excitement one may find in getting a tattoo has never
ceased despite of the pain that was to be undergone in the process. Everywhere you
look, one may find at least one tattooed individual in a huge crowd. College students,
Young professionals, Adults, Celebrities and Athletes sport tattoos.
The generation of people today especially the young ones have a whole new
understanding to this subculture, and the magic of Tattoo art spreads on like wildfire.
Every mark of a tattoo is a life story; a visual journal. Each tattoo experience is deeper
than the ink, deeper than the skin, and deeper than the flesh. It is etched to the heart
and mind as a beautiful memory. Whether it may be a bad or good tattoo, each one of

them tells a story. The tattoo is not just a way of adorning the human form, but a way of
honoring our bodies, celebrating our icons and loved ones, inspiring ourselves to
accomplish our goals, and remembering and marking defining experiences. It is a way
of life.
Although some country still remains conservative as compared to the West, the
prevalence of Skin Art is still unstoppable. People of all ages have been getting them
due to the mainstream of the world, of modern fashions, such as tattooing, but feel
unequipped to give a clear judgment on the morality of such practices, or to rebut the
charge that they are elevating their personal preferences into a moral code.
Thus, the researchers considered working on a study to find out if having tattoos
should be considered immoral.
It will specifically seek to answer the following questions:

What does the Bible say about Tattoos?

What are the effects, mainly the bad one, on having tattoos to such individual?
Is there a significant effect of having tattoos in the morality of a person?

Body
The Old Testament law commanded the Israelites, Do not cut your bodies for the
dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:28). So, even
though believers today are not under the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians
3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15), the fact that there was a command against tattoos should
raise some questions. The New Testament does not say anything about whether or not
a believer should get a tattoo. There are a few more passages in the bible that will help
us reason out that it is against tattoos namely:

Women should adorn themselves

with . . . modesty. (1 Timothy 2:9, New American Bible) That principle applies to both
women and men. We should respect the feelings of others and not draw undue
attention to ourselves, some want to establish their identity or independence, while
others get a tattoo in order to assert ownership of their body. However, the Bible
encourages Christians: Present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God,

a sacred service with your power of reason. (Romans 12:1) Use your power of reason
to analyze why you want a tattoo. If it is because you want to follow a fad or to show
membership in a certain group, remember that your feelings may prove to be less
permanent than the tattoo. Examining your motives can help you to make a wise
decision.Proverbs 4:7 and lastly The plans of the diligent one surely make for
advantage, but everyone that is hasty surely heads for want. (Proverbs 21:5) The
decision to get a tattoo is often made in haste, yet it can have a long-term impact on
relationships and employment. And tattoos can be costly and painful to remove.
Researchas well as the booming business of tattoo removalshows that a large
number of those who get tattoo eventually wish that they hadnt.
Many pro-tattoo books indicate that tattooing is a magical rite and the tattooist is
respected as a priest or shaman; it is connected to a religious ceremony and performed
by priests or priestesses; it is intended to put the human soul in harmony with
supernatural forces; at other times dancing accompanies the tattooing ritual to exorcise
demons. In other words, it is connected with the spirit world and a tattoo is really much
more than simply a body decoration. Todays popular tattooing craze is tribal tattoos,
which are pure paganism. These designs bear serious symbolic mystical and occult
meanings. They are strongly connected with channels into spiritual and demonic
possession. Almost all of the time tattoos are associated with spiritual, religious and
mystical purposes; linking it to mystical significance, sun-worship, serpent worship, and
the sun-god Baal (Ronald Scutt, 1974). The Spaniards, who had never heard of
tattooing, recognized it at once as the work of Satan. Yet todays gullible Christians are
out there in droves marking themselves for Jesus! Pagan tattooing is not just from the
dark ages: many body artists perform ritual tattoos today as the quotes from tattoo
authors above bear witness. Some will burn incense or light candles. 1Cor. 10:21says,
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of
the Lords Table, and of the table of devils. (Steve Gilbert, 2000).
If someone is tattooing for Jesus and thinks thats acceptable, it isnt because
the Jesus (or any symbol) you are marking yourself with is an image. God says very

clearly and explicitly that we are to have no other gods before Him, and that it is He and
He alone who are supreme. (Ex. 20:3; Is. 45:5)
A tattoo can express your personality and your beliefs. Tens of millions of people
all across the globe have at least one tattoo, and the number keeps growing. Besides, a
well-designed tattoo can also be a great reminder of something or somebody, a vivid
reminder you will always carry around with you. Tattoos are not only a form of selfexpression, but also a form of self-improvement. They can make you stand out from the
crowd in a very original manner. Another positive aspect is that cover-up tattoos can
efficiently hide scars. Whether they come from an extended surgery or from an
accident, scars are very bothersome. In contrary, one of the main negative aspects in
this case is that getting a tattoo may involve some health risks. First and foremost, it is
essential to get your tattoo done at a professional salon, where the artist works only with
high-quality inks and sterile utensils. This way, you minimize the risks of contracting
dangerous diseases. Another negative aspect is that tattoos can have a negative impact
when you are trying to obtain a job, especially if your tattoos are visible (on the neck or
hands, for instance). Moreover, besides the fact that they can interfere with your
professional life, the chances are that you will get bored of your tattoos at a certain
point. Even if you choose one of the numerous tattoo removal procedures, you will still
have a scar there. Last but not least, you can never be sure of the quality of the tattoo. It
is true that proper care is very important, but both the quality of the ink and the
experience of the artist are essential when it comes to obtaining a high-quality tattoo.
Thousands of people got bad tattoos that were not spelt correctly and unfortunately,
there is not much they can do about them.
In 2001, researchers at both the University of Texas and the Australian National
University reported on harm to health caused by tattoos. The most common is Bloodborne diseases. It results because if the equipment used to create your tattoo is
contaminated with the blood of an infected person, you can contract a number of
serious blood-borne diseases. These include hepatitis C, hepatitis B, tetanus,
tuberculosis and HIV the virus that causes AIDS. When done unhygienically another risk
is skin infections. Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections. Typical signs and

symptoms of an infection include redness, warmth, swelling and a pus-like drainage. A

used instrument, if not properly sterilized, can transmit hepatitis or HIV. Some have
hoped to avoid health dangers by getting henna tattoos, which are painted on rather
than done with needles. Henna staining is an ancient Hindu wedding custom of painting
floral designs on the feet and hands. A German Medical Association report this year
found that tourists returning home with hennas done in Bali and Bangkok, among other
places, were going to the doctor because of severe skin infections and sometimes
lifelong allergies. In some cases also, the coloring agent used meant that the tattoo
faded away, but after several weeks of skin irritation, the design reappeared in the form
of a reddish tattoo, often very painful for the patient. Allergies developed from 12 hours
to a week after the application of the henna, causing intense itching, redness, blistering
and scaling.
Morgan meanwhile affirmed that tattoos promote vanity. Some men in particular
tattoo their upper and lower arms in order to be ostentatious and impressive. It is a
means of drawing attention to them. No one who meets them can fail to notice the
tattoos to the point at which it is in fact a constant distraction. It detracts from the
person, and focuses attention too much on the bodys external appearance. When you
get a tattoo you can have problems in your job because it is something that is not well
seen. In some companies and corporations do not permit employers with tattoos
because it can give a bad image about their company. So, tattoos can inhibit your ability
to get a job. On the other hand; companies and corporations need to respect for
diversity that is the key to a successful workplace that they can have their tattoos, but
they will need to cover it. So, in that way tattoos should not be a problem in your job.
"Tattoo regret" is now quite common in the United States. Tattoo removal is a
costly and difficult procedure and can leave translucent areas on the skin that never
goes away. The most effective remedy, of course, is to not seek tattoos in the first
place. (American Academy of Dermatology, 2007)
Tattoos are affecting our morality because in a way that it glorifies the ungodly
and vulgar, instead of Gods righteous character. It hinders unity within the body of
Christ. Tattoos could be seen as immoral by a fellow believer, and may violate their

conscience (1 Corinthians 8:9-12). Many people especially those belonging to

nonconformist groups get tattoos to demonstrate their defiance of traditional
authority Many studies link multiple tattoos with antisocial personality, an increased
incidence of assaultive behavior, impulsivity, and difficulties in heterosexual adjustment
(Steve Gilbert). Tattoos are considered an expression of absolute hatred or anger. This
is a sin against the body and against the Fifth Commandment. A form of self-hatred or
self-rejection motivates some to pierce themselves or decorate themselves in a hideous
and harmful fashion. The human body was not made by God to be a pin cushion or a
mural. In a way tattoos represent indecency and irreverence to the almighty making
tattoos immoral. It makes us immoral for it is always immoral to get or exhibit tattoos of
indecent images or phrases, or derisive figures of Our Lord or His Mother or holy things.
Conclusion
This study is focused on the critical evaluation about the immorality of having
tattoos. The researchers somehow used to identify the cons of having tattoos by
pointing out the teachings of God to us people. Leviticus 19:28 is one of the most widely
used scripture against tattoos. It says, Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo
marks on yourselves. People use it as a set-in-stone command which means no
tattoos. The research was supported also by the fact that tattooing has some risks that
affects the health of people engaged with tattoos. These include hepatitis C, hepatitis B,
tetanus, tuberculosis and HIV the virus that causes AIDS. Tattoos cannot allow
someone who has it to donate blood. Donating blood platelets or plasma has always
been a noble pursuit to help those in need. Finding suitable donors has become
increasingly more difficult because many people have a tattoo and the blood bank
doesn't want to risk accepting contaminated blood. Although he or she can wait a year
after a tattoo was applied to donate blood as a precaution it does mean that it is a safe
process of donating because you can transmit a disease to the person that needs the
blood. It results because if the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated
with the blood of an infected person, you can contract a number of serious blood-borne
diseases. Another risk is skin infections. Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections.
Typical signs and symptoms of an infection include redness, warmth, swelling and a

pus-like drainage. Even though, there are people that claims that it is not going to
happen if go to the right place to get your tattoo because the process of tattooing is
completely sure. Tattoos can also inhibit the ability to get a job, because it detracts from
the person, and focuses attention too much on the bodys external appearance. Lastly,
Tattoos are considered an expression of absolute hatred or anger. Since this is a sin
against the body and against the Fifth Commandment.
In general, the concept of tattoos is a very touchy subject. Getting a tattoo or
having one is immoral; the fact that we are individually and corporately, are the holy
dwelling place of God [Ephesians 2:22]. We do not belong to ourselves, to do what we
like with; we belong to God, purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ [1
Corinthians 6:19], and the temple of his Spirit [1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19]. What we do
with our bodies is therefore important to God. It is also something that we need to be
conscious that it can carry out some problems in our health. Also we have to consider
that having a tattoo is something that we will have for the rest of our lives. It is not a
fashion that we can change when we want, so it will stay forever. These and other
drastic alterations to the natural growth of the human body must be judged immoral, as
forms of abuse springing from vanity. The human body is meant to be treated with care,
not maltreated or disfigured. Its dignity and beauty must be kept and cultivated, in order
that it is an expression of the deeper beauty of the soul.
Recommendations
Tattoos are widely considered a form of art by many critics in society and overtime
they have gotten more popular. But before having tattoos, you should think twice or
even thrice. Just think of this, we are in the image and likeness of God: while we can
adorn our bodies, we should not deface them. Our bodies are very important and not
something to be tampered with. People carelessly get tattoos without thinking about the
importance of their bodies. It's not right to damage the nature of our skin for the sake of
something. If someone wants something to be a part of them forever, there are other
ways to do that that are less painful, risky, and, well, more attractive.

Why damage your skin permanently with the name of someone when you can

wear a necklace with their name? Or carry a picture of them?

Additionally, why have that person or thing permanently sewn into your skin when
they will always be permanently sewn into your heart? Why not have pictures of
them instead? Or something of theirs that they gave you?

There are many ways to cherish a loved one or thing, but tattoos are not the right way to
do it.
To be honest, this research is far from perfect. Then again, research in knowledge is
a continual process: it will never end. Therefore the researchers have some
recommendations for future research on this study:

Conduct a survey. Researchers should conduct a survey to be more accurate

about the insights of the people regarding the acceptability or unacceptability of
having tattoo in todays generation. There should be more respondents that way

the accuracy of the survey will results with better information.

More time to conduct the research. The researchers experienced a hard time
while conducting the research due other various undertakings. If the researchers
had more time, they had better resources for this study.