Tattoos

[pam]

Cabbage and ham hocks. Yummy

[Traveler]

Once upon a time tattoos were the symbols of toughness for sailors or rough, tough men in both legal and illegal professions. My biological father was one of those men of a former generation for whom tattoos were a stamp of toughness. Tattoos were associated with big, bad, bikies and professional boxers - and I suppose it's those historically negative connotations that were partly behind the church's opposition to them. Recently I read a book about women convicts who were shipped off to the colonies from England, and many of them were identified in ship's logs by their tattoos. Most would have the names of their husbands or children tattooed on their bodies, or a special year to mark an event like marriage, that sort of thing. It's interesting to me that tattoos were once something you only got when you were either living outside the moral mainstream of society, or if you were a criminal. Nowadays it's simply an expression of individuality or body-art. I wonder what people of those generations who had to 'earn' their tattoos would think of the purely decorative aspect of body-art today?

Personally, I've never had a desire to mark my body permanently with ink...the very thought actually makes me shiver. I know many people who have lots of tattoos and while I can admire the artwork or the sentiments behind them, I don't actually like the idea of it. Today I saw a girl walking in a shopping center with a large eagle tattooed across her breastbone - I thought it looked horrible quite honestly. Does that make me a very horrible, intolerant person? Am I abnormal for NOT liking tattoos?

The real question is not what tattoos mean in other cultures - but what the tattoo means in the culture in which one now lives or would like to live.

In general, in the society in which I live, tattoos mean at minimum a rebellion from social religious morals. Regardless of the culture – it would seem to me that a tattoo means, “Everybody look at this!!!”

Perhaps I am wrong but it does seem to me that the more someone is interested in what is on the “inside” the less they are concerned about making statements on the “outside”.

The Traveler

[Guest]

Cabbage and ham hocks. Yummy

you guys are wierd...

[MsQwerty]

I LOVE brussell sprouts--I grew up eating a ton of them--and cooked cabbage. I really, really love it when we go to Cracker Barrell nowadays with our kids and the veggie of the day is cooked cabbage. Comfort food! (That'd be another good 'General thread'!).

Stop it, you're making me hungry...and it's too late at night for me to be eating

[MsQwerty]

The real question is not what tattoos mean in other cultures - but what the tattoo means in the culture in which one now lives or would like to live.

In general, in the society in which I live, tattoos mean at minimum a rebellion from social religious morals. Regardless of the culture – it would seem to me that a tattoo means, “Everybody look at this!!!”

Perhaps I am wrong but it does seem to me that the more someone is interested in what is on the “inside” the less they are concerned about making statements on the “outside”.

The Traveler

Yes, that's probaby true to a large extent. Although I wouldn't want to label all people who get tattoos (in western society at least) as being attention seekers. Some people just do it for personal and symbolic reasons and get tattoos in places where only a trusted person will ever see them. Like anything in life, there's probably a thousand rationales behind why someone gets tattooed.

This is the way I feel about a lot of issues - I make the choice not to do something, but I try hard not to judge others for choosing differently.

[Kenny]

Can you imagine the uproar if someone put grafti on one of our Temples.

[Bini]

Can you imagine the uproar if someone put grafti on one of our Temples.

I've seen it on Churches. How saddening to see it on a Temple.

[Traveler]

Yes, that's probaby true to a large extent. Although I wouldn't want to label all people who get tattoos (in western society at least) as being attention seekers. Some people just do it for personal and symbolic reasons and get tattoos in places where only a trusted person will ever see them. Like anything in life, there's probably a thousand rationales behind why someone gets tattooed.

This is the way I feel about a lot of issues - I make the choice not to do something, but I try hard not to judge others for choosing differently.

I agree with a lot that you have said – however, it is not likely that getting a tattoo will help prepare someone to serve a mission or allow them to be more prepared for marriage in the temple. If spiritual things are the kind of things a person is seeking in life we should be willing to guide then with wisdom to a “better” path.

The Traveler

[Kenny]

I've seen it on Churches. How saddening to see it on a Temple.

The body is classed as a Temple by God so that the Spirit can reside.

[Bini]

For some beliefs you are right, Kenny.

[ferretrunner]

The real question is not what tattoos mean in other cultures - but what the tattoo means in the culture in which one now lives or would like to live.

In general, in the society in which I live, tattoos mean at minimum a rebellion from social religious morals. Regardless of the culture – it would seem to me that a tattoo means, “Everybody look at this!!!”

Perhaps I am wrong but it does seem to me that the more someone is interested in what is on the “inside” the less they are concerned about making statements on the “outside”.

The Traveler

That depends- are you defining "social religious morals" only in terms of LDS beliefs? There are other religions that do not teach that tattoos are wrong. How are you defining "social norms"? In Seattle, tattoos are fairly common- and they're not just gang/ prison/ biker tatts. THere are professionals with tattoos, college students with tattoos, doctors with tattoos. In the military, tattooing is common. It's maybe not the norm but it is widely seen.

As for what's on the inside/ outside... why do you dress in Sunday best when going to Church if the inside is more important? Why do you wear temple garments? My point... you can be concerned with the inside and still have a outside expression.

[Jbs2763]

Yes, that's probaby true to a large extent. Although I wouldn't want to label all people who get tattoos (in western society at least) as being attention seekers. Some people just do it for personal and symbolic reasons and get tattoos in places where only a trusted person will ever see them. Like anything in life, there's probably a thousand rationales behind why someone gets tattooed.

This is the way I feel about a lot of issues - I make the choice not to do something, but I try hard not to judge others for choosing differently.

all mine are covered by a t-shirt...its called employabitlity

[Bini]

all mine are covered by a t-shirt...its called employabitlity

Good point!

My husband's company has a dress code and will not hire individuals with tattoos that cannot be hidden with wearing a shirt. The same applies for excessive body piercing. They should be removed while working.

[Jbs2763]

i work at a pizza hut and they wont hire anyone with visibile tattoos

[LDSpunkrocker]

Does anyone on this forum have a tattoo, or more than one? What is it, and what is its significance to you?

its been a while since i have logged into the forum. i have 15 tattoos, arms legs chest. i started getting tattoos when i was 17, mostly gang and punkrock stuff, mi vida loco, anarchy symbol(yeah try explaining that one now that im a conservative lol )anyways, i have alot and now at 34 i wish i never got them. the significance to me after looking back on that period of my life was basicly to make myself look mean and intimidate people, all except for the mom tattoo over my heart. well thats speaking for myself only.

[Guest jpk1313]

I have a tattoo. Just got it. it is from shoulder to elbow at the top a dove below that a communion waffer cut open so you can see flesh below that a old beatup cup with blood pouring over the side the cup sits in a bloody crown of thorns and below that is three bloddy nails. on the backgroun I have a couple of verses from john chap 6-and jesus said to the truly truly I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you whoever eats my flesh and drinks me blood has eternal life- and I have all of 1 corinthians 13 (all scripture is in latin). I have wanted a tat sice I was 8 years old it just took me 20 years to find one I wanted on me for life

[LDSpunkrocker]

I have a tattoo. Just got it. it is from shoulder to elbow at the top a dove below that a communion waffer cut open so you can see flesh below that a old beatup cup with blood pouring over the side the cup sits in a bloody crown of thorns and below that is three bloddy nails. on the backgroun I have a couple of verses from john chap 6-and jesus said to the truly truly I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you whoever eats my flesh and drinks me blood has eternal life- and I have all of 1 corinthians 13 (all scripture is in latin). I have wanted a tat sice I was 8 years old it just took me 20 years to find one I wanted on me for life

i thought i wanted the tattoo of smashed skulls and baseballbats with "blood on the streets" in a banner for my whole life, i never thought i would want out of my old life.

[john doe]

i work at a pizza hut and they wont hire anyone with visibile tattoos

Many companies whose employees deal with the public have policies of attempting to cover visible tattoos and removing visible body and facial piercings except for earrings if possible. Like it or not, people in business are judged by their appearance, and such things can be distracting and sometimes detrimental when dealing with customers who may not be so accepting of them.

[pam]

The company I worked for had such a policy. No visible tattoos. If you had one on your arm you wore a long sleeved shirt. No visible piercings. Men could not wear earrings...women could have one pair of earrings in their ears. It was for that exact reason JD mentioned.

[hordak]

Many companies whose employees deal with the public have policies of attempting to cover visible tattoos and removing visible body and facial piercings except for earrings if possible. Like it or not, people in business are judged by their appearance, and such things can be distracting and sometimes detrimental when dealing with customers who may not be so accepting of them.

That reminds me when i was a teen working at the local fast food joint facial piercings became pretty common. After enough of the crew had them the managers decided it would be best if they were covered up and made everyone wear band aids over them.

Needless to say more customers were concerned about about the amount of "facial wounds" on the people making their food then the pieces of jewelry and the rules were changed:D

I guess the removal would have been a better option.

I do agree with the premise of dressing the part for the job, but the way they went about it was comical.

Edited September 28, 2009 by hordak

[Guest]

The company I worked for had such a policy. No visible tattoos. If you had one on your arm you wore a long sleeved shirt. No visible piercings. Men could not wear earrings...women could have one pair of earrings in their ears. It was for that exact reason JD mentioned.

Same for the last 4 companies I worked for except in 3 of them, men can wear up to 1 earing per ear as well. I have a friend at work now that has several tattoos. For every one of them though, he makes sure that he can wear a long-sleeve dress shirt and slacks to cover them up. If we weren't good friends, I wouldn't have known he had them.

[JohnnyRudick]

I guess it is the same here as in the worlds to come:o

Personal decisions can promote or limit your progress:mellow:

Bro. Rudick

Edited September 28, 2009 by JohnnyRudick
Afterthought:)

[talisyn]

I guess it is the same here as in the worlds to come:o

Personal decisions can promote or limit your progress:mellow:

Bro. Rudick

Oh...that's deep. I like it.