Can a Christian Have a Tattoo or Body Piercing? What Does God Say?

Of late tattoos seem to be in your face everywhere you turn. It isn't just the usual and expected people that have them, (military, gang members, etc.) but now, because it is a fashion trend, all manner of people from all walks of life are getting them, including Christians. Many men and women are getting entire legs and arms tattooed with tattoo sleeves, as they are called. Some of these tattoos seem innocuous, but some of them seem very demonic in nature. Christians who are getting them seem to be giving the excuse that they are honoring the Lord or somebody important in their lives, so therefore it is okay with God. In fact, I am seeing over and over, articles on how it is perfectly okay for a Christian to get tattoos, but is that true? Does God not care, or does He have an opinion on the matter? From strictly a personal opinion, God's Word aside, I find all of them unattractive, regardless. That's just my personal opinion. I also see the body piercings that way, but I will deal with those later on in this article. The reason that I do find them unattractive is that it reeks of pagan ways and customs, and it simply seems very unattractive to me, the way far too much makeup or jewelry, or especially hideous attire detracts from a person's attractiveness. It is distracting and the demonic tattoos especially seem to desecrate the image of God in which we were created. It just seems wrong by nature. But my personal taste and opinion are not the ones that matter. It is God's opinion that does, and so it is God's opinion that we must look to as the determining factor as to whether or not these things are acceptable for a Christian to have.

Well, as much as some may not like it, it seems that God does have an opinion on the matter. Leviticus 19:28 says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” We are told that God does not want us marking up our body by making cuttings (which people did for mourning), carving things into it (which some tribal cultures do to mark their bodies for various reasons) or to get tattoos (marks). And it not just that we should not do it to honor the dead. He apparently does not approve for any reason. “Ah,” but the opposition says, “that is the Old Testament, and those laws were done away with.” Were they? Were they really? All of them? Many of them were reiterated in the New Testament. The Ten Commandments still stand, as do all the moral laws. A discussion of that issue can be found in another of my articles, but suffice it to say, if God gives us some indication in the New Testament that an Old Testament mandate still stands, we should pay attention.

In 1 Cor. 6:19-20 we read, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” We are to glorify God in our body. But the opposition says, “But that is what we are doing. We are glorifying God by our tattoos.” But that begs the question, are you glorifying God when you do what He has already made clear that He does not approve? How exactly can you glorify God by disobeying Him? Clearly He does not like tattoos, and one of the reasons is that it imitates the pagan nations. Leviticus 20:23 “And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.” God has said that we are not to emulate the customs nor behave as the pagan or unsaved world does, and the unsaved world loves their tattoos. So do we have permission to do it to honor God or some other person in our lives? No, we don't. 1 Corinthians 10:3 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” If God does not like tattoos, if for Him they represent your alignment and compromise with the world, can you really say that you are doing it for the glory of God? No, you can't. You are doing it for yourself.

The truth is that most people do it, as it brings attention to themselves, or they believe it makes them cool and trendy with the world. Some even have the erroneous idea that it makes them more attractive. In other words, they want it because their flesh lusts after it. For the unsaved, that might be a reason that can work for them, for they have no concern with glorifying God and they live for the flesh, but Christians are supposed to live for God and deny the flesh. To desire a tattoo for vanity's sake is to live for the flesh. Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” If you feed the flesh, you deny the spirit. They are in opposition to each other. How can feeding the flesh glorify and honor God? It can't.

Are there any other concerns that should make a Christian stop and really consider taking this very permanent step of getting a tattoo? Yes, a very dangerous one that virtually no Christian seems to understand or know about. Tattoos were used by pagans for a very specific reason and purpose. One that should frighten Christians, and it is the real reason why God forbad them. Tattoos were and are used by pagans to bond themselves to a demon overlord or spirit guide, as we call them today. They would take the sign or name of the demon on their body by tattoo, which was a lifetime commitment to this demon, and in return the demon bonded itself to them, controlling or helping them as it desired. Now, Christian reader, if you have a tattoo, think about that for a minute. Have you bonded yourself to a spiritual entity without your knowledge? Have you give a demon oversight over some parts of your life without realizing it? You may answer, “I tattooed a Scripture verse on myself so how could it be demonic?” It is there by disobedience, and what verse did you choose? Is it one you are twisting for your own benefit? I know someone who has “Judge not lest ye be judged” on her neck. But she has no idea what the verse truly means and has twisted it to mean that nobody should judge HER for her sins, while she hatefully berates anybody else who takes a stand on God's Word against sin, as being hateful and bigoted. Irony at its best.That is how Satan uses Scripture.

Have you had guilt over getting a tattoo? The Holy Spirit is telling you to repent. Have you had problems that you can't explain since getting it? Maybe you got a demon along with it. Or maybe God is trying to make you aware that you disobeyed and need to repent. So what do you do, since tattoos are permanent? (short of very expensive laser removal, which can leave scars) You do the only thing you can do at this point. You repent, and you renounce the demon that came with your tattoo. You cast them away in the name of Jesus. And then you tell every Christian you know to not get one, because of this danger it poses. You become a poster boy (or girl) against this sin.We all have regrets for sins we have committed, and some of them come with lifelong consequences. This is one of those sins.

Why should it be so important to warn others? Well, the answer to that comes, in not just avoiding demon overlords, but in a verse in Revelation. Chapter 13:16-17 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” While most of the Christian world has come to the hypothesis that the mark is a chip under the skin, and I won't say it isn't possible, there is a slight problem with that and Scripture. First of all, the word “mark” is in Greek “charagma.” This word means an etching or scratching in the skin as a badge of servitude. Clearly this is speaking of a tattoo, not a chip under the skin. The argument is that John didn't know what a chip was, so how could he designate it as such. The only word he could use was “mark.” While that could be true, the next problem is that a chip comes in one form. It would contain all the computer knowledge needed to transact business, not merely be a mark, a name, or a number. This mark comes in three forms. One is just a mark, possibly a logo or sign representing the beast, the second form is his name, and the third is the number of his name. There are three “tattoos” from which to choose, if we read it just as written. What may transpire is that to get a chip, whether implanted or in a smart card, so that one can transact business, one must take the mark or tattoo to bond themselves in servitude to the beast first.

For those who have read my endtimes blog, you will know that I believe Hitler was the last incarnation of the beast. And what did he do? He tattooed all the Jews with a number. To this day, we know what and for whom that number stood and represented – Hitler -  the seventh head of the beast of Revelation. And those who took it could not buy or sell. They were rounded up and put to death. History has a way of repeating itself, but this time it is sort of in reverse. Taking the mark saves your life and allows you to buy and sell. However, also this time taking the mark is an eternal death sentence, not an immediate physical one (I won't speak to the eternal state of the Jews who died), so I believe people will have a choice, die or take it. Revelation 13:15 “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Those who refuse to take the mark of servitude, bonding themselves permanently (eternally) to the beast, will be killed. By God's grace and forgiveness, you may be able to unbond yourself from any demon you might have acquired unintentionally through taking a tattoo now, but you will not then.

Leaving aside the spiritual significance of doing this, let us take a look at the health issues involved. Getting a tattoo can be dangerous to your physical health.

Below is a list of health issues that can occur when getting a tattoo.

• Allergic reactions – tattoo dyes can cause allergic reactions even years after getting the tattoo. The reactions are due to the dyes used. Some red inks used for tattoos contain mercury, while other reds may contain different heavy metals like cadmium or iron oxide. These metals have been known to cause allergic reactions as well as eczema and scarring, and can cause sensitivity to mercury from other sources like dental fillings or consuming some fish. While red causes the most problems, most other colors are also derived from heavy metals including lead, antimony, beryllium, chromium, cobalt nickel and arsenic. These metals can cause further damage when one gets an MRI. The metals may cause swelling and burning in the tattooed area during an MRI exam. The pigments can also interfere with the quality of the image.
  
  
• Skin infections – skin infections, if bad enough, can result in serious procedures, like removing the area of the tattooed skin to stop the spread of the infection, which will result in a deformity where the skin has been removed. Worse, one can get a staphylococcus infection which could lead to death. There has been at least one person who died from an infection caught while going swimming, after having a tattoo instead of waiting for it to heal.
  
  
• Blood-borne diseases can be caused by contaminated needles. The diseases that one might contract are Hepatitis B or C, HIV, tetanus, syphilis, mycobacterium, tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, and some of these can lead to liver cancer.
  
  
• Other skin problems are bumps called granulomas which form around the tattoo ink, or keloids, which are raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.

According to a research group, about 1 in 10 people who get tattoos experiences problems with the tattoo, including infection, itching, swelling and redness, according to a small study in the June issue of the journal Contact Dermatitis. The study showed that many had complications that lingered for years after the tattoo was inked. To understand how common these complications were, the researchers randomly chose about 300 tattooed people in New York’s Central Park and asked them whether they’d had any problems with their tattoos. About 10 percent of the people said they’d had some complications. For some, these complications were short-lived, such as bacterial infection right after the tattoo was inked, or temporary swelling and itching. But of those who had complaints, six in 10 suffered from chronic problems. And many had suffered from unpleasant itching or swelling for years. Their conclusion after talking to people on why they get tattoos was that they don't do it thinking about being worried about safety, they do it because it is a way of showing rebellion against our society. (For a Christian, rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. 1 Samuel 15:23a "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.")

More current literature and studies have shown that more serious tattoo-induced skin disorders are showing up such as sarcoidosis, lichen planis, and a disease that resembles lupus. These are more long-lasting diseases and leave permanent scarring. Of interest is that laser tattoo removal services are rapidly growing across the nation, becoming a multi-million dollar business with great potential growth. This seems to speak to the regrets of people's decisions to get these tattoos.


As for body piercing, the Bible talks a little about piercing. Exodus 21:5-6 “And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.” Having one's ear (one only) pierced (assuming that to keep it open one had a ring put in it), was a way to signify that a servant did not want his freedom, but wanted to continue to serve his master for life. Other than that, there are many references to the women wearing earrings, which also would most likely have been via pierced ears. The Bible seems to be fine with having one's ears pierced. There is one verse that mentions nose jewels, but it is in chastisement for the way the woman are presenting themselves and behaving, which does not leave the impression that God is approving this particular decoration. So basically the only piercings mentioned are for women's ears for earrings, and a single earring to designate a lifelong servitude.

As for piercing the other parts of the body, we have to refer back to the verses used for tattooing. The pagans pierced various parts of their bodies, and we are told that we are not to emulate the pagans, so it would seem that doing this is not going to please God.

As for the health issues, these can be very bad.

• Infection - Piercing the skin can cause bleeding and open wounds which can get infected. Infections at the pierced site can cause permanent deformity, scarring, severe illness, and even death if the infection is a staph infection. There are serious infection concerns related to piercing some parts of the body (e.g., ear cartilage, tongue, eyebrows, nipples, navel, genitals). There is an increased possibility of infection when cartilage is pierced because the blood supply is less. While ear lobes are fine, further up the ear there is cartilage which can cause a problem. Noses are also cartilage. A bacterial infection can develop into an abscess. This pus-filled mass can develop around the piercing. This is a serious side effect. If left untreated, there’s the risk for sepsis or blood poisoning. Sepsis is a life-threatening response to an infection that can result in organ failure and death. Symptoms of blood poisoning include a high fever, chills, a fast heartbeat, and rapid breathing. Infections are more common with mouth and nose piercings because these areas contain more bacteria.
  
  
• Blood-borne diseases – the lack of cleanliness of the equipment can lead to Hepatitis B and C, HIV, tetanus, and tuberculosis.
  
  
• Mouth piercings can be very dangerous. The mouth is a home to a huge amount of breeding bacteria and an ideal place for an infection to develop. If not treated promptly, an infection here can become life-threatening. An oral (mouth) piercing is a small hole in your tongue, lip, cheek, or uvula (the tiny tissue at the back of your throat). Your mouth is filled with bacteria that can lead to infection and swelling. A swollen tongue can block your air pathways, making it hard for you to breathe. In some people with heart disease, bacteria can lead to a condition that can damage your heart valves.
  
  
• Tongue piercings also can put you at risk for bleeding and blood loss. You have a lot of blood vessels in the area. You may also have trouble speaking, chewing, swallowing and may end up drooling from increased saliva production.
  
  
• The jewelry can cause issues as well. It can break off in your mouth and be swallowed or make you choke. You can chip, scratch, or crack your teeth or make your teeth sensitive from it while you eat, sleep, talk, or chew on it. If the break goes deep into your tooth, you can lose it or need a root canal to fix it. It can make it hard for the dentist to take X-rays of your teeth. It can also damage your fillings and gums, leading to gum disease. And finally it may lead to an allergic reaction to the metal in the jewelry.
  

• Nerve damage is possible. After a piercing, you may experience a numb tongue that is caused by nerve damage that is usually temporary, but can sometimes be permanent. The injured nerve may affect your sense of taste, or how you move your mouth. 
  
  
• Nipple piercings have been associated with partial removal of the breast due to infection. It can also scar the breast tissue limiting the ability to breast-feed later on. 
  
  
• A genital piercing can cause painful sex and urination. The risk of complications is higher if you have other medical conditions like: diabetes, allergies, (especially if you’ve ever had a reaction that caused breaking out in red bumps, swelling of the throat, or difficulty breathing), skin disorders (such as eczema or psoriasis), and a weak immune system. Jewelry in the genital area may cause injury to you or your sex partner. It also can cause condom breakage, increasing the risk of pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Piercings in the penis can decrease a man's ability to get or maintain an erection.
  
  
• The skin can be split or torn which would cause scarring, not to mention being painful and can lead to a bad infection.
  
  
• Jewelry in the navel can get caught on clothing and linens. This constant irritation can delay healing. Navel piercings can take up to a year to heal completely.
  
  
• Piercing can easily cause keloids, greatly enlarged scars that project above the surface of the skin.
  

Unlike tattoos, piercings can easily be reversed by merely removing the jewelry, which allows the hole to close. There may be a small scar, but it shouldn't be that noticeable, as long as there has not been an infection causing scarring. As for the statistics on infections, they are pretty common. Some reports have 20 percent of patients reporting infections. Most of these are smaller infections. In that case, maybe you’ll see a little crusting around the piercing site, some erythema or redness. However, there are reports of infections that have spread to the whole body - distal infections, severe infections, systemic infections, life-threatening ones. So piercings can also be very dangerous.

So as it can be seen, God has a good reason for not wanting us to tattoo ourselves, nor should we pierce ourselves all over our body, if only for health reasons. Tattoos, though, carry an added spiritual dimension that is very concerning. As a Christian, one should want to live according to God's Word. If one already has a tattoo, then repentance and making sure you do not have a demon is the thing to do. Then as Christ said, “Go and sin no more.” And pass on the lesson learned to others who are considering sinning against God.