Day 9: Piercings & Tattoos?

No.

I don't have ANY tattoos!

I only have the two piercings in my ear lobes from the traditional sign of femininity as an infant female. That's it! And that's how I like it! 

I know it's mainly because of how I was raised. 

You see, I'm a "church girl". I tell people all the time, I was born on a Thursday and that Sunday they took me to church and I've been there ever since. I was raised under the doctrines of the Fire-Baptized and Pentecostal movements. As a child, various different beliefs were instilled in us as we were learning about sin and how to live a holy and righteous life. We were certainly taught as children that getting piercings all over our bodies and tattoos were not holy and righteous things to do. I don't think it was ever said to be a sin (although I'm certain some folk believes they are), but that was certainly what we thought for most of our childhood. 

Many will quote these scriptures:

Leviticus 19:26-28 26"'Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. "'Do not practice divination or seek omens. 27"'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. 28"'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

While the debate still continues all around the world in Chrstianddom, I think it is important for you to do your own research and determine what you believe on your own. Just be certain to stand by that decision.

As I'd grown older and came to understand many things through further study and evaluation of our faith and the Bible, I've now developed my own convictions about piercings and tattoos and try to be careful not to judge others. You see, I believe it is truly a personal decision. Though it may be commanded to a certain group in the Bible and many may believe it still applies to our culture today, I think we all can agree that no one will be cast down to hell for piercings or tattoos. It may not be pleasing to God (a part of the debate), but he loves us anyhow. 

My thing is, I just can't see myself as a 75-year-old grandmother with tattoos all over me. I don't want that to be a part of me. I must admit some folks get some very artistic pieces done and the artistry is absolutely amazing sometimes. But, I can't see myself at 60 with a huge lion on my back. Not even my child's name makes sense to me. It's not his body, why is his name on me? lol. If I wish to memorialize someone, inking their name onto my body is not how I prefer to do it.