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I’m curious about what everyones thoughts are on tattoos? I haven’t heard anything in conference or at church about the subject in a long while. No personal feelings other than consider what they’ll look like when your old and saggy. If you’re planning on a mission prepare to take a picture of the tattoo and include a detailed explanation of your mindset at the time, how you feel now about it now and include that with your mission papers and keep your fingers crossed. When I was a clerk and read the instructions to bishops and branch presidents about tattoos and potential missionaries, the tone was decidedly dim on the subject. Generally speaking I think tattoos are one of those Pharisaical things that came to be “church teachings” in the post WWII era of dogmatism. Other things included in this era are beards, playing cards, and even caffeinated soda. Frankly, I think there are things God cares about much more than tattoos. Personally I don’t care much for them. I have friends and relatives with tattoos, and I do know a few members with them (some had them prior to becoming members). If you get one as a member expect to be judged.
Quote:No personal feelings other than consider what they’ll look like when your old and saggy.
This – as well as what will happen if the tattoo is the name of someone you love at the moment but . . .
I am not interested in getting any, but I have no problem with others doing so – LDS or not. Culture plays a huge role in religion, and tattoos are a great example of that.
GBSmith wrote:consider what they’ll look like when your old and saggy.
Haha… Yep, I think that’s great advice.I’m old enough that I remember a time when tattoos were a symbol of opposition. “Look, I can have a tattoo because it’s my body and I don’t care what you think.” Tattoos were largely for people giving the figurative finger to society. So to many, there will always will be a slight prejudice against tattoos. Now days, of course, tattoos are more of a celebration of a personal brand (literally). Each person is unique and some people choose to do it as a way to express their uniqueness, not really opposition to anything, but celebration of something. From that standpoint, I think it’s fine.
The number one reason not to get a (visible) tattoo is that it might hinder a person’s ability to find jobs in certain careers. Fair or not, it is a fact that if your potential employer doesn’t like the way you present yourself, including tattoos, they aren’t likely to put you in front of customers. If you don’t think it’s fair, then just consider the extremes. If you had a tattoo on your forehead that declared “My Boss is Incompetent!” you will probably struggle to get a job. There is not a single person at my place of employment that has spiderweb tattoos on their neck.
I think small tattoos look rather pretty, depending, and I’ve read that there is now a cream that can remove them easily. My original thoughts were that they are too permanent for an 80 year life span and too painful and difficult to remove. I wouldn’t want to wear the same piece of jewelry every day or the same shirt or the same shoes, so why would I want to wear this same design every day? But that’s just a matter of preference, and I’m also a huge baby when it comes to pain, so there’s that. If we want converts, we need to quit adding rules like “no tattoos.”
Many of you will remember this SNl skit about the back tattoo:
https://screen.yahoo.com/turlingtons-lower-back-tattoo-remover-000000691.html I looked up this old thread on a similar subject that had some good thoughts. http://forum.staylds.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4806&hilit=+tattoo I particularly liked how Shawn expounded on how the “your body is a temple” idea is not scriptural.
At one point Ray floated the idea of someone getting the temple garment symbols tattooed on their skin. I believe it was mentioned as a hypothetical alternative for people that want to show their commitment to their covenants yet are unable to wear the garments for health reasons.
Interesting- a lot of points I agree with. Primarily hawkgrrrl and everyone mentioning how they don’t hold up with age. I have a hard time with the same things over and over in terms of clothing/style, and the fact that they fade and lose quality. Is there anything actually doctrinal? Roy I actually pulled up that thread too, but it was a few years old and I wanted to see how peoples thoughts and views have changed since it was primarily the same people in that thread that I see posting now 
I was in a bad accident that probably almost killed me and left me partially disabled and I’ve been thinking about a way to commemorate that event. Not so much as a reason to rebel, just a way of expression I suppose.
I also think if I ever got married, it would be way easier to have a tattoo ring vs. a real ring because my knuckles aren’t ring friendly- had to cut the last one off that went on that ring finger
😆 Like ear rings or piercings, it can be done tastefully, but in general, I’m not a fan. Especially since it is often young people choosing to make such a permanent thing. There is such little in life that is permanent and unchanging, I think. For some reason, when I see a member of the church at a 4th of July picnic and I notice it on an ankle or calf for the first time I didn’t know that person had it…I think that person is kinda cool…or at least probably has a story to tell. I don’t know why…but I like to see people in the church…maybe it makes them more real to me.
In my younger days, I wanted a gnarly scar. Mike wrote:In my younger days, I wanted a gnarly scar.
I used to want one- then I got a gnarly scar from that near death experience. Actually multiple- about a 10 inch scar from my knee to my ankle, and about another 10 inches from my neck/trap to the front of my delt and my bicep from consequential surgeries. Those weren’t worth it
For me… just talking about myself… I wouldn’t do a tattoo signaling a commitment to something. For example, I wouldn’t tattoo a wedding ring or a cross on my arm or an elephant with the caption “Republican for Life”. The reason is pretty simple. I change. I would rather wear something temporary as a symbol of my present commitment, than to sport a tattoo which basically says, “At a point in the past, I had some spare money and wanted to make a commitment that I may or may not still believe in.” Put another way, if I see a person with a faded cross tattooed onto their arm, no matter how elaborate, I have a tendency to wonder just how current their commitment is. But if I see a person wearing a crucifix I assume that they are a christian, or at least they were when the put the crucifix on earlier that day.
I understand the special circumstance that makes wearing a ring not practical for some people, so individual situations should prevail. But from a general sense, a wedding ring, IMO, carries more significance than a tattooed wedding ring. A wedding ring is something that I actively wear. It’s something that I could take off if I wanted to. But I chose not to take it off; it is a choice to keep wearing it.
Yet, as a commemoration of a past event, I think the idea is cool. I have a few scars that I look at occasionally and that remind me how I got to this point. Not that the events are anything to think fondly of, but they just remind me of points in my life that are in the past… and it’s always good to be reminded of life.
The orthodox position is firmly against tattoos. Words like “vandalism” and “defacement” are used. The following is from LDS.org:
https://www.lds.org/youth/article/think-before-you-ink?lang=eng I actually laughed at one of the comments because it was so over the top.
Quote:Elizabeth S. says:
Euuuuuuu! Tattoos are NOT cool! I’d rather die than have a needle piercing my skin with inky, wet, black nasty stuff. I WANT to go on a mission. I WANT to go to the temple. I WANT an LDS return missionary to see me and think, ” wow! She takes care of her body and doesn’t vandalize herself. She is a clean temple!” And then he’ll propose and we’ll get sealed in the temple and have a “happily ever after” life. ALL BECAUSE I DIDN’T GET A TATTOO.
😮 :wtf: :crazy: I am not big on Tattoos. It wasn’t an LDS no-no when I was a kid, my aversion is more in line with I don’t get the full joy in them. I do have friends, LDS ones, who have tats. One friend has a small angel to remind her of a child she lost to SIDS, another has one of the sun and it represents something personal to her. I also see why the church counsels against it from various perspectives.
I cringe when I see a body filled with tats. Again not religiously but from the artists canvas thing. Things get cluttered, colored, even lose distinction. Is the person evil, awful, ungodly – most likely not, they are too common now.
I remember thinking back when President Hinckley made the tattoo statement, “So what about non-members?” I have even heard over the pulpit a new convert explain how worried she was about joining the church because she didn’t wear dresses, had tattoos, liked her morning coffee. I kept hoping priesthood leaders were hear her, and realize we have made a list that makes people feel invalid even before they begin.
If we had to vote, I would vote to loose the tat-rule. Encourage against it, but don’t make it a marker of worth.
A friend of mine has a cousin who, at one point in his life, could be classified as a “biker type”. Big bushy beard & tattoos. His life changed for the better over time. (Like many of us.)
Later in his life, he was called to be the Bishop of his ward & did an excellent job.
He shaved but kept the tats. He was loved & respected by everyone who knew him.
The gospel is for everyone. The saints & the sinners.
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