After looking through the bible and researching different point of views on this topic. I will start with the actually and only verse prohibiting tattoos; Leviticus 19:28 "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the lord". Yes, that means tattoos too. The hebrew words for marks are "Kethobeth" which means "imprint" and "Qaaqa" which means "incision, imprint, and tattoo". So does that mean tattoos are sinnful?
Well lets look at the history to understand the context of ancient tattoos. Ancient Egyptians practiced many rituals deep rooted in pagan and heathen worship (multiple gods), witchcraft and sorcery. This wasn't only in Egypt but was practiced in the whole world at that time. Now if you understand bible history, the reason why the Israelites was choosen as God's people was because, even though, they was enlaved by the Egyptians most still believed in the true God of their fore father Joesph. Now the Egyptians were very violent with their grief in mourning. They would rip their hair out, mutilate their bodies with cutting and burning. Also they marked their bodies with things and people they worshipped and written names of dead relatives. Now these rituals was their culture and the Israelites was apart of that culture for 400 years of slavery. So when God took them out of Egypt, God had to put in place laws so that the people would stay in alignment with God. Hence, when Moses was taken too long on the mountain (receiving the commandments), the Israelites retreated back to pagan rituals and build a golden calf. So God gave Moses the ten commandments plus 603 (moral codes, restrictions, commands) to keep the people on the right path. After all the miracles and being freed from bondage, the Hebrews was so deeply in pagan worship. So God made the laws as a protection from themselves. It was everything that wasn't rituals for pagan worship. So the the Hebrews had to obey the laws or the consequence was death or punishment. This was hundred of thousands of people not just one or two. They had to be molded back into being one with the true God.
Now if you look at the verses before like in verse 26 says "do not eat meat that has not been drained of it's own blood" and verse 27 says "ye shall not cut the corners of thy hair or the mars of thy beard". Today the majority of people do not eat kosher and people are still getting haircuts but are not worshipping pagan gods. In ancient times these things were all associated with pagan rituals, today it's just not.
Moses came to bring the Hebrews to God through obedience and law. Jesus came so everyone could receive God through love, belief in him, and faith. I believe we should still follow the ten commandments and know right from wrong (morals). In the new testament, Jesus said only through him can you be saved. We shouldn't be judging anyone for what they do. I think if you feel in your heart that your tattoo is in no way worshipping something other than God and you feel right about it... go for it.
I do believe you should stay away from Godly or heavenly images (trinity, angels, Jesus). We have no way of knowing how God or angels look, so why tattoo something that is man made of something Godly? Plus it goes into one of the commandments about graven images. Also crosses... thousands of people was crucified by the Romans and I'm sure Jesus didn't want to be remembered by earthly objects that has no true meaning. Tattooing dead love ones names, this is one of the reasons God forbid markings, it's part of worshipping...it's part of death. Speaking of death, tattoos of skeltons, mutilated bodies, coffins...anything associated with death. I don't believe you should put any names on your bodies period but I know so many people have so I wont go there. Hope this helps...didn't wanna go super deep because this post is long already.
Until next time:)
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