Tattoo question?

[JustSimplyMe]

Hello all. I am NOT planning on getting a tattoo, but I do have a real quick question, if you have a tattoo do you have to repent of it? (this is a discussion that is going on my Facebook timeline).

[sarah331]

Oh good question. I'm investigating and I have one.

[Wingnut]

This has gone viral in the last couple of days: { In The Head of A l F o x }: "Tattooed Mormon"

[Guest]

If you have one before joining, I'm sure you don't. In fact one of my best friends has a few tattoos from her inactive phase and it's not a big deal. As far as getting one while you're active? I don't have any idea, but I'm inclined to think you wouldn't have to go to the bishop or anything. Part of repentance is having a contrite heart, so it's not like going to get one and then going home and saying a prayer to apologize is being repentant. You'd have to actually feel badly for going against the counsel that says to treat our bodies as temples. Repentance is at least as much in your heart as it is in your actions.

[JustSimplyMe]

If you have one before joining, I'm sure you don't. In fact one of my best friends has a few tattoos from her inactive phase and it's not a big deal. As far as getting one while you're active? I don't have any idea, but I'm inclined to think you wouldn't have to go to the bishop or anything. Part of repentance is having a contrite heart, so it's not like going to get one and then going home and saying a prayer to apologize is being repentant. You'd have to actually feel badly for going against the counsel that says to treat our bodies as temples. Repentance is at least as much in your heart as it is in your actions.

I agree. I know some people who are LDS and have tattoos and piercings and I don't know if you have to repent or not. I personally think when you get one you are not going to regret it at first. My friend says you repent of it because your body is a temple. I would think if you are active you will try to follow the counsel of the prophets. I guess this topic is iffy for repentance.

[annewandering]

Probably most tattoos are something an believing LDS person can live with after conversion. The ones I would worry about are the pornographic ones. It might make a person uncomfortable going to the temple. Not sure about repentance. The thing is if you repent of sinful life choices and turn yourself around do you have to worry about relics of that previous life?

[jerome1232]

I don't think it's iffy at all, you have to repent of all your sins.

Repentance means that you are sorry for what you did. It means you will stop doing it (don't go out and get new tattoos) it means you try and rectify the sin if possible (tattoos are permanent, the process to remove them isn't perfect and is expensive, it's understandable if you can't do that), it means you beg the lord for forgiveness for the sin.

There isn't a day that goes by where I don't have to ask for forgiveness for something.

as a side note: Baptism washes away your sins and you are born again, something that was done before you covenanted with the lord to not do it would be forgiven at baptism in the case of a convert

[EarlJibbs]

I don't think it's iffy at all, you have to repent of all your sins.

Repentance means that you are sorry for what you did. It means you will stop doing it (don't go out and get new tattoos) it means you try and rectify the sin if possible (tattoos are permanent, the process to remove them isn't perfect and is expensive, it's understandable if you can't do that), it means you beg the lord for forgiveness for the sin.

There isn't a day that goes by where I don't have to ask for forgiveness for something.

as a side note: Baptism washes away your sins and you are born again, something that was done before you covenanted with the lord to not do it would be forgiven at baptism in the case of a convert

So I guess that is the question, is it a sin to get a tatoo? Multiple piercings?

[Jenamarie]

Probably most tattoos are something an believing LDS person can live with after conversion. The ones I would worry about are the pornographic ones. It might make a person uncomfortable going to the temple. Not sure about repentance. The thing is if you repent of sinful life choices and turn yourself around do you have to worry about relics of that previous life?

You know, the bolded might be the one time when a baptized member getting a "new" tattoo might actually be okay. There are some very talented tattoo artists who can "cover" old tattoos with other designs. Depending on the size and location of the tattoo, getting a blatantly inappropriate tattoo made into something more tasteful might be significantly more affordable than having it removed.

[Jenamarie]

Oh, and my DH has a tattoo on his right shoulder blade that he got when he was in the Army and inactive. I honestly haven't ever asked him if it was something he had to repent of when he became active again. I'll ask him tonight and see what he says.

[jerome1232]

So I guess that is the question, is it a sin to get a tatoo? Multiple piercings?

It is one of those culture things isn't it. I understand concessions are made for cultures where tattoo's are a part of that culture. I suppose it's contextual whether it's a sin or not. For one who is baptized and a part of western culture I would say it is, however for one who is not baptized, or even other cultures, I'm not so sure.

[EarlJibbs]

It is one of those culture things isn't it. I understand concessions are made for cultures where tattoo's are a part of that culture. I suppose it's contextual whether it's a sin or not. For one who is baptized and a part of western culture I would say it is, however for one who is not baptized, or even other cultures, I'm not so sure.

Thanks for the reply Jerome.

I assume that you are suggesting that if a culture demands that you have a tattoo then it is okay? There may be some cultures like that, but I am not aware of any.

Just because of our western culture... I am not sure how that makes it a sin.

So now, to take a stance, and this is purely my opinion here, but the fact that we have been counseled not to get tattoos and multiple piercings (for ladies) and we do, that wouldn’t make it a sin. Now, when these councils were made, people had what, (other than the extreme person) maybe 1 tattoo buried under their sleeves, and maybe a few piercings in their ears? Now it is seen that you have "Sleeve" tattoos or ones on the face...etc... that can alter your life, career...etc. You have piercings that have moved to the nose, eyebrow, cheeks and sometimes all of them and more at the same time along with ones that make giant holes that you can shove your fist through in your ear. The council I believe could have been a warning for what we are now seeing in our time. To protect us against what we are seeing now. However, I think it is one of those things that we decide on either going with the council or against it. But to me, has no defining result on our eternal existence. Key word for me is council vs commandment.

[jerome1232]

Some Polynesian cultures, Somoan comes to mind right off the bat. There are many cultures that have some sort of tattooing as an integral part of their culture.

It would be like asking Texan's to go vegan. (That's a joke, har har har)

[BadWolf]

I love mine.

But I also love the stained glass & stonework in Temple.

[estradling75]

Lets lay out the principles.

If one does not know the difference between right and wrong one can not sin (See Age of accountability)

In the cases of Sin you are always accountable to the Lord. But only in the most serious of cases are you also accountable to the bishop, and he is their to help you move through it and come back. While a person can talk to a bishop about anything that bothers them, so they can see and report to them about tats and the like if they wish. Nothing that I am aware of make such a visit necessary to repent for them.

So we have to ask ourselves when does a person learn that it is against the will of God? It doesn't appear to be an innate thing. We don't just know it is wrong, we need to be taught.

Now repentance is about leaving your former ways and embracing the path the Lord has set. For a convert the simple fact that they are converting and changing their whole way of life is repentance for any tattoos and a whole slew of other stuff. Thus baptism can wash it all away.

For someone who went less active their struggle to return to activity is repentance. (This is how we fulfill the scriptural mandate to cry nothing but repentance because it getting people to change)

That leaves someone that is active, that understand what the prophets have said on the matter and then chooses to go against it. In this case then wouldn't the tattoo be not the sin but the symptom of the sin of pride, of the sin of rebellion? Would that then not be very clear that one needs to repent of the real sin and not the symptom? That would make the actions of becoming humble, and willing to follow the real repentance... Not some laser surgery

[mnn727]

Getting a tattoo is a sin? no. Might be stupid (depending on what and where)but not a sin.

I see tattoo's in the same class that the Church currently views beards and multiple ear piercings.

[Praetorian_Brow]

A tattoo is not a sin.

This is where the culture of the church gets confused with the gospel and I am actually quite frightened of those who scream sinner for daring to act in a different manner than is expected. Making snap judgements about such silly things will become obvious when conversing with such deviant people and they will sense your hesitation as you define what they are in your mind.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Praetorian_Brow

[bytebear]

There are some behavioral choices that have spiritual ramifications, specifically temple blessings. Tattoos are not one of them. I think the church gives guidelines to help us culturally and socially. They recommend not dating until you are 16 for example. They recommend you dress modestly. They recommend you get a good education. They recommend you stay out of debt and save for the future. Are these things sins? Not really, but they are good advice and likely make your life easier and keep you out of trouble. You may not be affected by it at all, but you might, so think twice when you make the decision because it is a long term thing that will affect things down the road one way or the other. But, no, the church has no ecclesiastical issues, although I wonder if your bishop suddenly showed up with face tattoos.

[Vort]

No, it is not tradition. It is the counsel of a prophet, and relatively recent counsel, from the last ten or fifteen years. It is not a pronouncement of fixed doctrine, but wise people will always heed prophetic counsel.

[Vort]

I see tattoo's in the same class that the Church currently views beards and multiple ear piercings.

No prophet (that I know of) ever made a general pronouncement to avoid wearing a beard. It is true that men are asked to shave for certain Priesthood positions, but there is no thought that wearing a beard is a defilement of the temple of our bodies, as is the case with tattooes.

[mnn727]

No prophet (that I know of) ever made a general pronouncement to avoid wearing a beard. It is true that men are asked to shave for certain Priesthood positions, but there is no thought that wearing a beard is a defilement of the temple of our bodies, as is the case with tattooes.

The why are men asked(required) to shave for leadership roles?

[BadWolf]

The why are men asked(required) to shave for leadership roles?

Beards are untrustworthy.

Mustaches are fine, you can still see the interplay of muscles in the face that denote important stuff, but beards hid about 2/3s of micro expressions

Also, while Im SURE there are men who would shampoo their beard after each meal, most don't. For those of us with sensitive noses, its gross. Even after a day. Shudder.

... These are not "real" reasons.

... As in no one of importance has uttered them

... These are just MY reasons why I find growing your own pelt "icky".

[Wingnut]

The why are some men asked(required) to shave for some leadership roles?

Fixed.

[Praetorian_Brow]

There was an abrupt shift by the church from the burly mountain man look towards the suburban business look. It was no accident, as who wants to be intimidated by a mountain man missionary? Through the business model, the church gained more credibility.

That being said, no amount of facial hair, dress or body art is worth someones judgement, or rejection of their worth.

[jerome1232]

There was an abrupt shift by the church from the burly mountain man look towards the suburban business look. It was no accident, as who wants to be intimidated by a mountain man missionary? Through the business model, the church gained more credibility.

That being said, no amount of facial hair, dress or body art is worth someones judgement, or rejection of their worth.

It was more of a reaction to the 60's counterculture, which wore their hair long and beards as a symbol of freedom and rebellion. The church didn't want to be associated with that image.

Here's a neat little quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

"Our rules against beards and long hair are contemporary and pragmatic, they are responsive to conditions and attitudes in our own society at this particular point in time … [and] are subject to change.

"I would be surprised, if they were not changed at some time in the future."