On My Daughter’s Tattoo

Last updated on: May 24, 2012 at 4:14 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

On My Daughter’s Tattoo 2012-05-24T04:14:07-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Tattoos can be beautiful and they can be ugly.

Body art is art: which means it can be good or bad.

Obviously, the Bible condemns any action taken to worship idols. We cannot mark our bodies for false gods any more than we can build shrines to them. Any good thing can be corrupted and most good things can be redeemed: including the tattoo.

Most arguments against tattoos are utilitarian: they don’t age well or they are dangerous. Of course there exist back-alley tattoo parlors, but they are easy to avoid. Permanent body art should not be purchased from cut-rate artists anymore than plastic surgery should come from a billboard doctor.

Why risk any danger? Wearing a contact lens is unnecessary and carries some risk of eye infection, so plenty of us are willing to take reasonable risks for appearance sake.

As for aging well, this again is a matter for thought and prudence in selecting body art. Some body parts sag, but I have never notice a saggy wrist! In any case, those of us who learn to love mature bodies can learn to love mature bodies with well maintained body art. Weathered paint can be beautiful on an aging structure and so can faded body art. I knew a World War II vet with a faded emblem of his service. The tattoo was an outer sign of an inner reality: he was marked by his service, but the memory was as faded as the tattoo.

He was marked by the War permanently, but time had softened the harshness of the colors. I loved that tattoo.

Some argue that a tattoo indicates disrespect for the body. It might. If you hate the way you look, then you have a problem. A tattoo is not your problem, though it might be a chosen way of acting out. If you buy a new car to cover up for your insecurity, you are a fool. If you get body art to make yourself beautiful, then you are foolish.

But surely a person may have better motives than this for creating art?

I would argue a good tattoo indicates a wholesome love of the body. A good tattoo, like a good piece of clothing, does not cover up, but accentuates. If a woman can licitly wear makeup or a man hair implants, why can’t he or she choose body art?

When asked by my daughter about her beautiful and pious body art, I thought: “Neither can I condemn thee, go tattoo some more.”

I did not mean to be trivialize her decision, because her choice of body art was meaningful, holy, and accentuated her beauty. It looked to age better than I have and was affirming of good choices in her life, not bad. It was the result of thought and not haste.

I am so old-fashioned I see tattoos as charming relics of a happier times, a bit of Victorian charm brought forward and expanded to women as well as men. In a world of ugliness to meet a man or woman who tries to create a lasting expression of beauty, brings joy not condemnation. I am not a good candidate for a tattoo, but God help me I love my daughter’s body art.

Pop Culture

Previous Post

May 23, 2012

On Being Apollos

Next Post

May 25, 2012 Seventeen Years of Learning Seventeen Things

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian denomination believes in seven sacraments?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Baptist Presbyterian Catholic Lutheran

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »