Richard Hollerman

It seems that wherever we go and wherever we look, we find people (males or females) who have tatoos on their bodies. It may be on their face, or it may be on their neck, or it may be on the arm or hand, or even on the leg. It may even be on their trunk, with wicked insignias that cover their private parts or their front or back! It may combine terrible areas that would be both a sexual symbol as well as a design that would selfishly promote personal preferences and society standards.

Yet as we examine this further (from Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/15/32-of-americans-have-a-tattoo-including-22-who-have-more-than-one), we discover interesting finding.

About one in three Americans have a tattoo, and they have become more common in recent years. This is what we find: Women are more likely than men to have a tattoo and approve of them (27% and 38%). Blacks are more likely than others to have and approve of this expression (32% of white, 39% of blacks, 35% of Hispanic, and 14% of Asians). As for ages, 41% of 18-29 year olds, 48% of 30-49 year olds, 25% of 50-64 year olds, and 13% of 65 year olds endorse this practice. Those who have some high school in their past would be 39% approval, 35% of some college, 24% of a bachelor’s degree, and 21% of those with postgraduate level degree. We also find that 43% of lower income, 31% of middle income, and 21% of higher income level people. Sodomites would be much more prone to have and approve of tattoos (51%).

Some may regret this decision. 24% of men and 24% of women, with 23% of whites, 23% of blacks, and 30% of Hispanics would say this. Further, about 20% of those who don’t have a tattoo are likely to have this in the future. Thus, most people do not want one of these markings in the future.

All of this would say that there is some diversity in America on this subject. We do think that this is much overplayed and exaggerated as compared to other nations. Thus, we would think that tattoos are something that Americans are more prone to have and approve of than others around the world. We also find it interesting that women are more likely to have these markings than men, younger people would be more into this practice than other ones, and blacks are more likely than whites to have and approve of this practice. And what about Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese, Indians, or Japanese? Sadly, we must say that these nations might be more prone to a more conservative view.

We have also noticed that there are practitioners who practice this placement of tatoos. Just a mile away from where I now live, there is a prominent sign that advertises this practice. For a $40 amount. This person who works on the individual’s body will place the tatoo on a person’s body (face? arm? leg? other body part?). But what are we to think of this practice?

If we are speaking about another country of the world, especially if the cost is higher and the removal is higher, how much would this cost? And if one were to request the removal of a tatoo (because he or she was a Christian), would it be much higher in another country with another culture? Or we may remember that there are lower-cost areas and a tattoo may be less expensive. Does this mean that it would also be less costly to remove this worldly practice?

If a person wishes to become a Christian, this could cost dearly, depending on where it may be. If he or she wants to remove a certain tattoo from his body, how much will he or she need to pay? This is what we have learned:

1 square inch: $75 per treatment. 2 square inches: $100 per treatment. 3 square inches: $150 per treatment. 4 square inches: $200 per treatment.

This seems like a high cost, doesn’t it! I don’t know what it may be like and the cost in other parts of the country (we are now in Texas), such as California, New York, Florida, Hawaii, Washington, or Illinois. If I am correctly reading this, this would be $200 for one tatoo and perhaps more, depending on the size, location, and other factors. We understand that if there are large areas and many tattoos the cost could be great and even thousands of dollars may be involved.

If it were only this amount, we may ask whether the Christian might “waste” this amount ($200) for a tatoo removal? And it there are many tatoos in many locations, we wonder how the follower of Christ could pay $200 or $500 or $1,000 to remove a tatoo that he or she never should have gotten in the first place!

We may wonder whether this removal really works. We have read this:

Does tattoo removal work 100%?

Yes, lasers can remove tattoos completely. In fact, lasers are the safest, most effective tool to remove unwanted tattoos with. However, you may need to receive several sessions before the tattoo is removed completely.

From this response we would think that it could take repeated visits to a removal expert in order to accomplish the task.

If it does take $1,000 to remove a wicked or bizarre or unchristian tatoo, we wonder how the true Christian can pay this amount. Especially, if the Christian doesn’t want to “cover up” the offending markings, it could be costly to remove this from the skin. But this must be paid (I suppose) if the Christian would like a “clean slate” and take away an evil sign (or tattoo) and reminder of his or her unchristian days.  We might especially feel this way if it involves a previous person with whom he or she was interested in—such as a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend.” (We find it amazing how one sin leads to another that how all of this can be expensive to handle.)

As we have been dealing with this subject, we realize that not all of our readers will agree that tatoos are evil and should be removed. Here we are referring to true believers who agree with the Scriptures and who want to portray themselves as Christians. With such a person, who wishes to appear as a Christian and not as a prostitute or hypocrite, we must run from such displays and this would include “good” and “bad” and “indifferent” tatoos.

(By “prostitute” we refer to a “whore” or a “harlot” or a “streetwalker.”) We know that we must run from all suggestions that we are a wicked person who doesn’t value wholesomeness, integrity, and purity. We must turn from all that would tarnish our good name and do only that which is good and honorable.

Although we could think of and list a hundred different “messages” that could be placed on a person’s body by means of tattoos, we ask you to think through the messages yourself. Regardless of the negative aspects of marring one’s body through this venue, we would invite you to ask whether this is something that God would want. Further, we would want you to ask yourself if this is something that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, would want. Is it something that He would wear? Would it be something that the worthies of Scripture would countenance? Would it really glorify God, our Creator? All of this should be enough to convince us that tattoos are wrong and could not be right in any fashion and in any way

We would rather not list these hundreds of messages here, and we would not want to have you recall that which you have seen over the years. But, hopefully, you have enough spiritual insight to realize that this is not something that God would want or approve of. God has given you an undefiled body, without markings, but does He want you to mark it and pervert it with what you choose to put on it or etch on it in any way?

Please think and think deeply about this. Just as God would not want you to pervert the body that He has given with lip stick, with dyed hair, with cut or long or cropped hair, with other body markings, neither would He want you to mutilate or deface your body with tattoos.

We leave this with you and your conscience. We know that it may take hundreds (thousands?) of dollars to remove these worldly signs. If you are living in another country, perhaps the cost may be much higher or lower. But still it should be done. It must be done! We cannot go through life with sleeves that we seek to cover these markings, with other ways to eliminate or cover these telltale signs of evil. You may need to have your spouse approve of this. But, hopefully, you will see the wisdom of this procedure.

Note: Please go to www.Truediscipleship.com for a selection that you may want to consult and read.