Actually, my dad owned a Harley so I got used to being around that atmosphere, especially as a kid riding along wearing my own leather chaps. I could see how the guys who rode motorcycles got their tattoo inspiration from their bikes. If you would look closely, I bet the same images painted in beautiful colours on the tank of the Harley would match the ink covering their arm.
Now I'm still on the fence about tattoos. Don't get me wrong, I think they can be really cool. But being a Christian, sometimes I struggle with the verses in Leviticus that blatantly speak about tattoos.
"Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:28
Pretty self explanatory. However, this passage is referring to the pagan rituals of that time that included such acts like tattooing and cutting. God wanted His people to separate themselves from the rituals that could potentially lead them away from being wholly devoted to the Lord.
Here's the burning question: are tattoos part of that pagan ritual now? In some circles it could be, but for the most part, I think tattooing has just become an artistic way of expressing oneself. That being said, the new fashion statement is to boldly reveal that artistic expression which is slowly devouring the flesh-coloured epidermis to reveal a large, coloured canvas called the body! It's not just a tiny hidden tattoo. BAM!!! In your face! Look at my tattoo sleeves, and chest, legs, feet, face, and...well, you get the point.
I love to look at the tattoos that Pinterest seems to paste everywhere. Cute tattoos of flying birds and feathers. Poetic scribbling or little inspirational sayings, all with whimsical fonts. White paisley designs, gently drawing the perceptive eye. The creativity and prowess of the artist comes alive in the ink.
And then, after spending an hour browsing over the pictures, I realize that any one of these ideas could become reality with just one appointment and some major moolah. Oh, and pain. Let's not forget that one.
So I end up finding some local tattoo parlour website on facebook, only to browse the pictures and BAM!!! in your face! However, these pictures of clients are not simply a photo-shopped model with perfect skin and the cutest peekaboo wrist tattoo. These are huge, fat, ugly, poorly drawn, grammatically incorrect tattoos!
Maybe I'm being a little dramatic. There are some beautiful ones out there. There are also some very ugly ones. Yes, I understand that one person may view their tattoo in comparison to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. To the rest of the world--or maybe just me-- it's a mess.
Pinterest definitely distorts reality. On the one hand, we have beautiful people with beautiful work. In the real world, we have average people, with strange designs, names, and faces. Ah, how reality quickly makes me realize that tattoos are very permanent.
That being said, I would have loved to post some ridiculous tattoos that I have seen up on this page. But you can take a look for yourself. Just type "bad tattoos" into your Google search and you will see some awesome examples.
A word to the wise--or not so wise. Think long and hard about it. Not just a month. Try a year. Maybe try using a Sharpie to draw a simplistic design where your tattoo will be. Every day. You better friggen' love that tattoo. If you want words, do a spellcheck. Use a dictionary because chances are you might misspell something and your tattoo artist might not be as interested in double checking either.
And finally, as a Christian to other Christians, check your motive. Is your tattoo for parade, obviously saying "Look at me, look at me, look at me!!!" Does it suggest you want the attention directly drawn to what you have displayed, thus creating just a wee bit of pride for your badass, yet totally Christian nature? Or is it for other purposes?
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