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Why are so many people getting tattooed today?
#1 — Because that is what movie, music, and sports stars are doing.
Many people idolize these stars, and are following their example.
— Why are so many people getting tattooed today?
#2 — Because they are searching for meaning and identity in life.
Many have tried all sorts of body piercings; and now, tattoos. Why? “The popularity of tribal tattoos lies in the meaning behind them.”(1) Many tattoos today are of tribal origin. “Germanic, Celtic, and other central and northern European tribes were often heavily tattooed.”(2)
If people in ancient tribes had tattoos, then what happened to the practice? Why did it stop, and why is it becoming popular again? History gives the answer.
“Historically, a decline in traditional tribal tattooing in Europe occurred with the spread of Christianity.”(2)
As Christianity spread to other lands and cultures, the result was always the same, because tattooing was held “to be a pagan or heathen activity.”(2) “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, NOR PRINT ANY MARKS UPON YOU: I am the LORD” (Holy Bible, Leviticus 19:28, KJV).
Tattoos were reintroduced to
Europe when Captain James Cook made three voyages to the South Pacific from 1766 to 1779.(2)
The sailors came back with tales of tattooed savages, and some came back with tattoos themselves. Tattooing spread to sea ports around the world. It also caught on with the ruling class in Europe, and especially in England, where it was noted in Harmsworth Magazine in 1898, that “one in five of the gentry were tattooed.”(2)
What is noteworthy is that England had been the missionary center of the world (and, remember, the practice of tattooing stopped wherever Christianity had spread). The question then arises, “What had happened to the churches in England, if tattooing had become an accepted practice again?”
— Why are so many people getting tattooed today?
#3 — Because so many churches
are entertaining people, instead of preaching the truth of the
Bible to them.
The answer about England was given in 1887 (eleven years before the Harmsworth article about the popularity of tattoos), when an article was printed in the Sword and Trowel, by Pastor Charles Spurgeon: “There can be no doubt that ALL SORTS OF ENTERTAINMENTS, as nearly as possible approximating to STAGE-PLAY, have been CARRIED ON IN CONNECTION WITH PLACES OF WORSHIP, and are, at this present time, in high favour.”(3) Pastor Spurgeon was rebuking the churches of England in that day for turning to entertaining their congregations, instead of preaching the Word of God, the Bible, to them.
It is interesting to note that America has also been the missionary center of the world for some years now, but that tattooing is now commonly accepted here. What does that show you about the churches in America? The answer is the same as in Pastor Spurgeon’s day.
The vast majority of churches
have gone to entertaining their people, instead of teaching them what the Bible says: in this case,
that God forbids His people to tattoo their flesh.
Rick Warren (see tract TR-E-154), has been a leader in causing churches to switch over to entertainment. There is a Come As You Are Church in southern Michigan that boasts a pastor who has “half of his body covered with tattoos.”
There is even a web site listing
ink-friendly churches (churches
that do not preach the Biblical warning against tattooing), so people with tattoos will not be confronted to repent, and people wanting to get tattooed will feel justified in getting them.
The Bible foretold that this day would come. “PREACH THE WORD; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; BUT AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS SHALL THEY HEAP TO THEMSELVES TEACHERS, HAVING ITCHING EARS; AND THEY SHALL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, and shall be turned unto fables” (Holy Bible, 2 Timothy 4:1-4, KJV).
— Why are so many people getting tattooed today?
#4 — Could it be that the rising popularity of getting tattooed is preparing people for the mark
of the beast — 666?
The Bible warns us that a time is coming (called the Tribulation Period), when a one-world leader will take charge. The Bible calls him the Antichrist. He will cause all people to receive a mark in their foreheads or in their hands. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, TO RECEIVE A MARK in their RIGHT HAND, or in their FOREHEADS: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the MARK, or the NAME of the beast, or the NUMBER of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Holy Bible, Revelation 13:16-18, KJV).
Remember, it says, “he causeth ALL, both SMALL and GREAT, RICH and POOR, FREE and BOND, to receive a MARK in their right hand, or in their foreheads:”
Can you see what is happening all around us right now? All of those groups are getting tattooed.
The small — can be applied to the children that are getting tattooed when they can (it is against the law in many states, to tattoo a minor). Children are getting temporary tattoos with stickers and washable paint. Children’s tattooing is a big thing at zoos, parades, festivals, and many children’s gatherings.
The great — can be applied to the adults that are getting tattooed. As history shows, it was once a sailor thing to get a tattoo, but no longer. Tattooing is now very popular amongst adults — both with men and with women.
The rich — as was already mentioned, the movie, music, and sports stars are getting heavily tattooed; and, indeed, they are the rich.
The poor — you see them with multiple tattoos on their bodies, too.
The free — people who are free to do as they please get tattooed. One 18 year old girl wrote, “Rather than our conservative upbringing steering us away from tattoos, it drew us to them as a way to set ourselves apart from the set rules we grew up with. It is a kind of freedom from the control of someone else on your life and way to claim independence.”(4)
The bond — people who are in prison. The very popular barbed wire tattoo started in the prisons, symbolizing their confinement. In the summer of 2005, a program was to get under way in Canada that would open legal tattoo parlors in the prisons there.(2)
It is amazing, but tattooing is
very popular in ALL of these groups RIGHT NOW. Could this be the preparation for the Antichrist?
Are churches warning people about this? Most are not. Many professing Christians are joining right in, getting tattooed themselves, and trying to justify it. The church was silent, for the most part, when the body-piercing began (with the ears, and then with other parts of the body), and now it is silent with the tattooing. It is interesting how the world lumps body-piercing and tattooing in the same category — body adornment.
What should we do? “And the
times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent”
(Holy Bible, Acts 17:30, KJV).
The previously quoted 18 year old girl said this, “I have found that TATTOOS are consistently USED FOR IDENTIFICATION.”(4)
Elizabeth says, “A TATTOO can be a deep window to the soul… They are THE DEFINITION OF WHO WE ARE and what we stand for.”(5)
Uzerfriendly69 says, “In a world filled with over five billion people, A NEED FOR IDENTITY OF SELF IS NECESSARY. In the United States, we are identified by our Social Security numbers. We as a society NEED SOME OTHER FORM OF SELF IDENTITY. …TATTOOS… …these types of self personalization are BECOMING MORE ACCEPTED.”(6)
Do you see how the world is ready to take the mark? But there is more…
“When it comes to body art, DRAGON tattoos are among the MOST POPULAR tattoo designs.”(7)
Should this get our attention? “And he laid hold on the DRAGON, that old SERPENT, which is the DEVIL, and SATAN, and bound him a thousand years” (Holy Bible, Revelation 20:2, KJV). It is interesting that many dragon tattoos are a cross between a serpent and a dragon. Just look at them and see.
“MEN who get DRAGON tattoos view themselves as being revered for their WISDOM.”(7)
That should not surprise us. That was the dragon Satan’s, downfall. “Thou sealest up the sum, full of WISDOM…, Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; …Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. …thou hast CORRUPTED THY WISDOM by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground…” (Holy Bible, Ezekiel 28:12-17, KJV).
“Studies have shown that
WOMEN who get DRAGON tattoos become more SELF CONFIDENT and ASSERTIVE.”(7)
That should also not surprise us. When Eve was tempted by the dragon, the serpent, in the Garden of Eden, she sinned and became assertive and led her husband into sin with her. “…she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Holy Bible, Genesis 3:6, KJV).
China has much to do with the dragon, even declaring the year 2,000 as dedicated to him. Interestingly, they dedicated the year 2001 to the snake. Some Christians thought that the year 2,000 was going to be the time of the Lord’s return — evidently the dragon thought that it might be his time to take control, even hoping for the next year to be the serpent’s, but such was not the case. The timing is all in God’s hands, and no one knows the day nor the hour of Jesus’ return.
It is no accident that China worships the dragon, and is
so fervent in its persecution of Christians and churches.
“And the DRAGON was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Holy Bible, Revelation 12:17, KJV).
“In China, emperors think that
they are real DRAGONS and the sons of heaven. They sleep on dragon beds, sit on THRONES called the DRAGON SEAT, and their ceremonial dress is known as DRAGON ROBES.”(7)
Satan is gearing up for his man, the Antichrist to rule. “For a fee you can hire the services of a DRAGON SPECIALIST who will tell you the NAME of your OWN PERSONAL GUARDIAN DRAGON”(7)
Beware! Those are not guardians to help you — they are demons to hinder you from getting saved!
You can go to a church with a stage and be entertained, but you will wind up in hell some day unless you repent and get saved. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Holy Bible, Acts 3:19, KJV). Quit justifying your tattoos, your body piercings, your liquor, your tobacco, your immorality, your drugs, your self-righteousness, your false religion, your baptism, your church membership, etc. If you get to heaven, it will only be through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross, where He gave His precious blood for you. The dragon and his demons want you to spend eternity with them in the lake of fire. You have your chance — right now, to be saved.
“Dear Lord Jesus, I do believe that you are the Son of God; that you are God Almighty in the flesh, the Creator of heaven and earth. I do believe that you are the only Savior; that you died on the cross for me, and gave your precious blood to pay my sin debt; and then you arose from the grave the third day. I do now repent of my sins, and receive you as my Savior. Please forgive me, and save my soul. Please raise up my life from sin and shame, and use it now for your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Yes, I just asked the Lord Jesus Christ to
save me, and I desire to now live for Him.
Name _____________________________________________
God wants you to now openly confess Him by getting baptized under the water at a good Bible-preaching church, and to faithfully attend the services there. If you will write to us, we have some excellent Bible Study booklets to help you learn more.
Address____________________________________________
___________________________________ Date ___-___-___
(1) www.tattoojohnny.com (2) www.answers.com (3) July 28, 2006, fbns@wayoflife.org (4) http://129.110.23.73:7000/24190/ (5) Elisabeth www.museum.upenn.edu (6) uzerfriendly69 www.museum.upenn.edu (7) www.bullseyetattoos.com
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