Temple Recommends And Tattoos

[Shade]

Can a pierced & tattooed person enter the temple?

the piercings are all "out", but obviously the tattoos don't come out that easily...

i've just been wondering

can anyone tell me?

[Gwen]

yes they can. not sure the rules if you have already been to the temple and then get tattoos and such, but there is always repentance. i know many ppl that had tattoos before joining the church, i've never seen them be restricted from anything. that's what i've seen anyway.

[BenRaines]

I don't remember that as being one of the questions on the temple recommend interview. I did know a kid who had a swastika tatooed on his forehead and had f___ and You tatooed on his knuckles of his hands.

He wasn't ready to enter the temple at the time but was working on getting them removed. Too many judgemental people at church. :) Oh wait that is another thread.

Ben Raines

[Shade]

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He wasn't ready to enter the temple at the time but was working on getting them removed. Too many judgemental people at church. :) Oh wait that is anohter thread.

Ben Raines

hehe. yes, i can imagine it must be!

[CrimsonKairos]

I don't think you can be a veil worker if you have tattoos. I know you can't even have facial hair so I'm sure tattoos would be out. It's been awhile since I was able to work at the veil but I remember revised guidelines that were more strict.

As for temple attendance in general, you can go to the temple if you have a recommend, and as Ben said, that doesn't deal with tattoos or not.

[BenRaines]

CK, I would think that your point of non tatoos would be visible tatoos and being a veil worker. I am sure that there are some old Navy men and a few Marines who due to long sleeves are veil workers.

I agree we have posted in our temple as well the requirement that temple workers have no facial hair. I think that goes for the sisters as well.

Ben Raines

[CrimsonKairos]

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...temple workers have no facial hair. I think that goes for the sisters as well.

Hahahaha, oh man, that one really got me!

Ahhh, classic. I'll have to remember that one!

[Dr T]

That was good. Thank you

[susieSA]

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<div class='quotemain'>

...temple workers have no facial hair. I think that goes for the sisters as well.

Hahahaha, oh man, that one really got me!

Ahhh, classic. I'll have to remember that one!

Oh that was good..

But on a serious note.. I have seen a few who have Not a pretty sight.. lol

[miztrniceguy]

my wife has a tattoo, but it is in the small of her back, so is not visible.....3 chinese characters

and we were married in the temple

[kiwibabee]

My husband has two tattoos.

and we were sealed in the Temple, it never comes up.

I think people worry more about his hair as he is always growing it for locks of love.

[a-train]

Doesn't every ward have an old dude with a beard and tattoos? An ex-hell's angel type? I thought there was one in every ward.

-a-train

[BenRaines]

Not in my ward. Oh I know why. I am one of the old dudes. We have probably four men who are older in my ward than I am. I live in a very young ward and I have no beard or tatoos.

Ben Raines

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

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Doesn't every ward have an old dude with a beard and tattoos? An ex-hell's angel type? I thought there was one in every ward.

Well, your ward must be an exception, Ben. I think when they redraw ward boundaries, they look at this issue as well as priesthood, etc. Gotta have at least on really non-member-looking, really strong member. LOL

[Latter Days Guy]

Why can't you have facial hair if your working in the temple?

[Nate]

Alright, so haveing a tattoo will not prevent you from haveing a temple recomend. Here is another question, after you are endowed and now recieve a new tattoo, will that prevent you from going or renewing a recomend. A bishop/stake pres are gardians of sacrad ordinences and covenents, they are to "judge" if a person is worthy to handle and partake of those acts. I remember something along the lines of following our leaders and being obediant. The prophet today told us not to get tattoos. So if one recieved one now would it not be disobeying a direct commandment? One that directly relates to covenents in the temple? So could a priesthood leader deam that disobedience grounds for not issueing a temple recommend?

I have a tattoo from my youth which was a sun with a little rock climber in the middle. Latter in life (1 year ago) I had it altered and had the sun filled in with an additional moon and stars surrounding it. I took a mistake from the past and make it a spiritual significance to myself representing the 3 kingdoms. So what are peoples take on that? Should I have just stuck with my youth disicion or did what I did do and made it more meaningfull for my new spiritial life?

[BenRaines]

Nate, I don't think any Bishop or Stake President is going to ask you if you had gotten any new tatoos or had any altered. Remember that the temple recommend interview is more of a self assessment than a show me the proof.

Two questions would cause me to reflect if I had gone and had a tatoo after the Prophet has asked, not commanded, that we not pierce ourselves or have tatoos. Do you sustain and support Gordon B. Hinkley as Prophet, Seer and Revelator?

Last question in the interview.

Do you consider yourself worthy in every way to enter the temple?

Answer those and the others asked honestly and if you can then there is your recommend and attend the temple regularly.

Ben Raines

[Palerider]

also don't forget our bodies are Temples of God and we should not defile them in any way.....my opinion....

[Nate]

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also don't forget our bodies are Temples of God and we should not defile them in any way.....my opinion....

Talking about a pre-existing defilement. Its more than your opinion, its a directive from the prophet. I had a mark that by choice I had put upon my body. I made a choice to alter the already existing defiling mark to more personalize it for my own comfort. I choose a spiritual change to my tattoo not to rectify what I did rather to get the most meaning out of it. I regret my decision to get a tattoo for I was young and very far from the teachings of Christ. I'm just trying to make the most of it.

I agree with you Ben, it is a very personalized decision to make a choice of receiving that recommend. I guess at least I don't have a swastika on my forehead, pretty hard to change that.

[mom_of_jcchlsm]

I know several temple-attending women with permanent makeup tatoos (lip liner, eyebrows, eyeliner).

Plenty of women, too, who have been "enhanced" here and "tucked" there until their bodies are hardly their own. And what's hair dye, but a permanent dye of the body's cells? True, they grow out, and can be cut off, but it's definitely similar to a tatoo, if you ask me.

OK, I'm playing devil's advocate a little, but really, how much body alteration is OK? What constitutes defiling our temple and what is merely enhancing our beauty (which is very subjective and can change with the whim of the culture)?

[CrimsonKairos]

I let the Magic-8 ball decide those sorts of questions. :)

[Nate]

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I let the Magic-8 ball decide those sorts of questions. :)

I let fortune cookies decide my fate.

[Dr T]

Flip a coin/draw lots-it's God's divine will

[Guest bizabra]

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I don't think you can be a veil worker if you have tattoos. I know you can't even have facial hair so I'm sure tattoos would be out. It's been awhile since I was able to work at the veil but I remember revised guidelines that were more strict.

As for temple attendance in general, you can go to the temple if you have a recommend, and as Ben said, that doesn't deal with tattoos or not.

BIZ: Can you be a veil worker if you are fat? Cuz THAT would be a violation of the WofW (or rather, it SHOULD be). Much more serious violation of the body, and we all know that the body is a "Temple" and we are not to "defile" them. Being fat is a bodily defilement, don'tcha think?

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my wife has a tattoo, but it is in the small of her back, so is not visible.....3 chinese characters

and we were married in the temple

BIZ: Sp, tattoos that are "invisible" and hidden are ok? Would a sin that is "hidden" be ok too? Or are only outwardly obvious things forbidden, like long hair, facial or hand tattoos, smoking, (exempted is being fat) what should keep you out of the temple, or at least, working there?

. . . .whatever......

  Quote

Alright, so haveing a tattoo will not prevent you from haveing a temple recomend. Here is another question, after you are endowed and now recieve a new tattoo, will that prevent you from going or renewing a recomend. A bishop/stake pres are gardians of sacrad ordinences and covenents, they are to "judge" if a person is worthy to handle and partake of those acts. I remember something along the lines of following our leaders and being obediant. The prophet today told us not to get tattoos. So if one recieved one now would it not be disobeying a direct commandment? One that directly relates to covenents in the temple? So could a priesthood leader deam that disobedience grounds for not issueing a temple recommend?

I have a tattoo from my youth which was a sun with a little rock climber in the middle. Latter in life (1 year ago) I had it altered and had the sun filled in with an additional moon and stars surrounding it. I took a mistake from the past and make it a spiritual significance to myself representing the 3 kingdoms. So what are peoples take on that? Should I have just stuck with my youth disicion or did what I did do and made it more meaningfull for my new spiritial life?

BIZ: You sinner! You should have had it removed and not added further infamy to your bodily temple! What were you thinking, Man! Stop the DEFILEMENT!

(sarcasm mode off now)

[MaidservantX]

Biz, lol, we're just talking about it, trying to figure it out, PRECISELY because it is not necessarily a central item; no one is flinging judgment around, lol. We like hashing things out here a little bit. You have some good points. Welcome!