just bring up one of three topics:
the practice of yoga
the Harry Potter series
or tattoos!
Really, it's a done deal, throw those topics into the mix and you will get a heated debate going on either side.
It's remarkable to watch how self righteous and down right vicious women can get when they disagree. I get really tired repeating myself over and over again. I am opinionated.
I do have a need to be heard, that's why I blog, so here it goes,
Do not get a tattoo!
I have heard all the arguments on both sides and while getting one might be all the rage and it seems
"fashionable, romantic, enigmatic,
artistic, meaningful or unique"
chances are very good that you will regret getting a tattoo.
As one person put it, it may come back to haunt you.
Please do not accuse me of judging you.
I am not here to judge you.
I just want you to really THINK & STUDY weighing all factors before you do it.
Read this article prepared by the US Food and Drug Administration who is on a mission to educate and protect consumers about tattoos. It is called THINK before you INK - it includes a fantastic PDF you can distribute to students in your schools.
I have done research and as a Catholic I learned that while
getting a tattoo is not a sin,
getting a tattoo CAN be sinful.
It is a serious decision
which should not be taken lightly!
Father Jerry Herda, who serves in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, answers questions in his article CLICK HERE
Here is great piece written by Msgr. Charles Pope, of the Archdiocese of Washington, he calls it his RANT on tattoos! READ THIS
So, seriously please do ask yourself, read the article! Click on it here "Why do I want a tattoo?"
Consider these good reasons why it is not a good idea.
23 GOOD REASONS NOT TO GET A TATTOO
REASON #1
Tattoos can be unhealthy. CLICK HERE to read more.
REASON #2
Tattoos can cause cancer. CLICK HERE to read more.
REASON #3
Research shows that children perceive people with tattoos as trouble makers. Think long and hard about how having a tattoo could affect your children or profession. Children are often embarrassed of their parent's tattoos. CLICK HERE to read one of the studies.
REASON #4
Getting a tattoo is expensive. Surely there are better ways to spend your money. Give to a charity!
REASON #5
Getting a tattoo dates you.
You become a Throwback Thursday person in a very short period of time.What is popular today will not always be popular.
REASON #6
Tattoos can cause relationship conflicts.Having your ex-husband's name or deceased relatives date of birth permanently on your neck or shoulder can affect the other people in your life. You might be looking to get approval and instead get disdain from a friend, grandmother or co-worker.
REASON #7
Tattoos can get ugly with aging sagging skin.
CLICK HERE for a detailed article.
REASON #8
Getting a tattoo is a physically painful experience.
REASON #9
Tattoos can negatively impact your career. READ THIS
REASON # 10
Believe it or not having a tattoo can ruin your reputation.
A scientific research study shows that you may be perceived as being
"abhorrent, repugnant, unsavoury and untidy."
Why make it hard on yourself by creating the wrong impression to future employers, spouses, team mates? Read the study HERE
REASON #11
Tattoos are permanent. Removing them is both risky and expensive. You may not be happy with the results. Do you want to learn what you have to go through to get your tattoo removed? CLICK HERE
A new type of business is booming!
Guess what type of business it is! CLICK HERE
REASON #12
Getting tattoos can become seriously addictive.
If you don't trust me. Google it. Or look at this CLICK HERE
REASON #13
Tattoos can link you to organizations, gangs or religions that you are no longer affiliated with and effect your reputation. A tattoo can jeopardize a new lease on life.
REASON #14
The human brain does not fully develop until you are at least 24 years old. Research shows that and you can read about it RIGHT HERE. You may regret it.
REASON #15
People with multiple tattoos are more susceptible to other diseases. Read this scientific study.
REASON #16
There are bad tattoo artists. Your tattoo could turn out to be very ugly and you may not be happy with it at all.
REASON #17
Tattoos can get very itchy when exposed to sun. A tanned tattoo can have many nasty consequences.
REASON #18
Tattoos can be the beginning of the slippery slope. Tattoos specifically among students, are associated with other risky behaviors, here is the scientific report. CLICK HERE
REASON #19
Everyone has tattoos in this day and age. You want to be original? Don't get a tattoo. It is radical NOT to get one!
REASON #20
You are a Ferrari - You don't need bumper stickers!
REASON #21
Getting a tattoo on your lower back can impede your ability to get an epidural when you are in labor.
REASON #22
It can be stressful trying to constantly hide tattoos from either your parents, employers or other important people in your life.
REASON #23
Emotions, grief, midlife or rebellion. Many people end up getting tattoos during remarkable times in their lives. A divorce can make you emotional, the loss of a loved one may force you into despair, or a good old fashioned midlife crisis can stir the need for a little bit of adventure. Research shows over and over again, it is not a good idea to make major life decisions during extraordinary times in our lives! Wait at least a year. Please don't get a tattoo when you are drunk, tell your friends NOW - not to ever let you do that!
I will never forget the discussion I had with a young girl who wanted to honor her grandmother's passing by getting a butterfly tattoo. When I asked her to think about whether or not her deceased grandmother would actually like her getting a tattoo - the conversation got stilted and awkward.
I suggested that she do the things that her grandmother would want. We both knew her devout Catholic mother would much prefer masses being offered or either the rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet be prayed for the repose of her soul.
Pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for God's guidance. The Holy Spirit will surely help you do what's right!
PS. If you have read this blog post and are thinking,
"Don't tell me what to do!"
Or
"I don't care about this or that"
Consider that you may be dealing with a rebellious spirit or an uncaring spirit - Pray about that before you get a tattoo. If you find yourself angry with me, ask yourself why?
Or, maybe start your own blog, so YOUR voice can be heard.
PS. If you would like to hear Dorothy on an archived radio program talking about tattoos, CLICK HERE
Any serious decision requires prayer and discernment. I am sure you agree with that! Let's both pray for one and another! OK?
PS. This image was borrowed from Msgr. Charles Pope article. I am using it praying he will not mind!
39 comments:
#24 When you have a tattoo people tend to look at the tattoo and not in your eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul and tattoos are a distraction from authentic human interactions. ;)
Eileen! Thank you so much for #24 -- It such a thought provoking comment. And, yes, it is so very true. It is a distraction from authentic human interactions!
PS. This is Dorothy here! I know this is far from a perfect blog post, I am sure it could be improved, but I gave it my best shot. It took me A VERY LONG time to write it.
Why did I do it? To save even just ONE person from just ONE negative consequence.
That is as complicated as it gets. There are many voices in our culture encouraging people to get a tattoo. I figured the opposing voice does need to be at the very least considered in a rational and balanced way.
Another reason not to get one..."I am a temple of the Holy Spirit". To get a tattoo is like taking a beautiful painting of our Lady and Child and desecrating it with a vain symbol of secularism. You just painted the Pieta with a McDonalds symbol. Do not profane the Art of the Holy Spirit!
I agree with this comment.... (excellent article, by the way). When I see someone with a tattoo I always have a sharp sense of sadness for that person. My thought is: Oh my dear, do you have any idea how you are going to feel when you see the disappointment in God's eyes that you have "defaced" His precious creation?" "Of course He loves and forgives you but it's like that remorse that sets in for a child who has broken his mother's treasured heirloom...it's irreversible."
Dear Dorothy
I am a 72 year old male that has never had or ever will get tattooed. I cannot give you a reason for not being tattooed other than for me it was not something I was ever attracted to.
My ex-wife took my daughter (12 years old) and had her tattooed above her bra line with a small heart. Never knew it until they both came home. To this day my daughter is still upset with her mother for doing that to her. She has had it removed.
No tattoo
No graffiti on the temple of the Holy Ghost!! I did tell a family member if they wanted a tattoo, it could only say "property of Jesus Christ!"
Leviticus 19:28 - You will not gash your bodies when someone dies, and you will not tattoo yourselves. I am Yahweh. NJB
Thank you for tackling this topic. I for one am completely mystified as to why it is all the rage to get a tattoo. It was once reserved for military members and other *tough* guys. Now, the majority of the women, old and young, in my town have them all over their bodies. I just see it as another *sign* that there is open rebellion toward Our Lord. My heart aches for society and the herd of lemmings headed for self-destruction.
#16 - this one cracked me up!! When my husband and I were on our honeymoon, we got to know a couple and the gentleman got a tattoo during the trip. The tattoo contained the name of the resort. The name of the resort was misspelled! Whoops!
What is an "ex-husband"?
Excellent article. I frequently speak about the dangers of Yoga and Harry Potter. Tattoos, though on a different level, are lame in my opinion, too. I actually have one. I got it when I was a Deadhead back in the day. Now as a priest, I would never encourage anyone to get a tattoo. It's a permanent scourge on the body. I can't wait for Jesus to burn it off before I enter (hopefully) the gates of paradise. I can pretty much guarantee there are no tattoos in heaven. Blessings!
Dear Anonymous! Yes, you are right that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. I avoided listing that because in many discussions I have had, defenders of tattoos argue that tattoos are like 'stained glass windows' on their chapel. But I do whole heartedly agree with you! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
same for nose piercings?
Dear Anonymous! Thanks for taking the time to tell me about your sister and the social worker. This blog post was written for people who do not have tattoos and are thinking of getting them. The purpose was strictly to educate prospective tattooers and not to condemn those that have them. If someone has thought about it - read all of the research studies and prayed about it, they of course are free to exercise their God given free will. All 23 reasons, for the most part are backed up by research. To me, it is very similar to smoking, yes, you can choose to do it - but their are potentially serious consequences.
Dear 72 year old Anonymous! Thank you for taking the time to read the blog post and sharing the story about your ex-wife taking your daughter and her upset with this! How maddening to have your wife do something like that! Thank goodness your daughter was able to have it removed. I hope it wasn't too painful. Thank you for visiting my blog!
Dear Anonymous! Thank you very much for acknowledging that this is not an easy topic to tackle. Tattoos have become so mainstream -- so even the idea of suggesting folks not get one, I knew would bring some opposition. In my mind tho, I just had to believe that there was a voice that was NOT being heard. My initial reaction to tattoos was from both my upbringing and my gut sense of them. The more I started to research, the more I realized that science in fact had legitimate warnings agains the practice. It really is amazing it all fell into place. I have been having these heated discussions in baseball diamonds, hockey arenas and of course at my own kitchen table! Now, it is a relief to have all the information at my finger tips! Just a click away! I am sure if anyone takes the time, they will learn something in reading what is included in the links too! Thank you for reading the post!
Hello L. Vella! Thank you for reading the blog post. I am going to leave the Biblical scholarly stuff for the theologians! Msgr. Pope does mention it in his article. I am not confident to do that!
Hi Ryan!
An ex- husband is traditionally the guy that you divorce and eventually get an annulment from. :) Maybe I should refer to an ex-boyfriend? I am sensing you don't believe in divorce. Luckily we are not here to disuss that. Iam not a theologian or church scholar!
Dearest Father Donald Calloway! What an honour to have you comment on my blog post! I would love to hear your talk on the dangers of yoga and HP !!!! Perhaps I can interview you on my radio program with Radio Maria? I love it -- "Back in the day, when I was a dead head!" Thank you so much for taking the time to post, I often get discouraged with the tidal wave of opposition I sometimes get - so to have YOU encourage me, is absolutely divine! Thank you for taking the time. Maybe you can address Leviticus 19:28 in this context? I don't have the confidence to comment or discuss.
Dear Jenn @ Vita Carminis!
I can just tell I would love your sense of humour! Getting the name of the restort tattooed permanently on his body? Really? Reminds me of the couple who named their son Ghost Buster after the movie! Thank goodness the priest would not accept that as a name! WOW! What a story! Thanks for sharing it! Thank you for reading the blog post!
You CANNOT get an MRI or CATSCAN if you have a tat. The machine will try to extract the lead from the tat out of your bady. Not a good idea. What if you ever need one?
To Fr. Calloway: I agree with you about tattoos. I watched your video (Extreme Mercy II), and you of anyone would know about tattoos. I have always felt that they are really defacing to our bodies that God created and since we are made in God's image and are Temples of the Holy Spirit, why would anyone want to deface with all that ink?! Just never could figure it out..............And, Father Calloway, excellent DVD! I have watched it over and over and have everyone I know watch it too. Thanks for that! You are a blessing.
something to ponder:
http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/8471-the-dark-side-of-tatoos
Anonymous said "You CANNOT get an MRI or CATSCAN if you have a tat. The machine will try to extract the lead from the tat out of your bady. Not a good idea. What if you ever need one?"
I have a tattoo and I've had 2 MRIs. Newer inks (at least what was in use 19 years ago) are perfectly fine in MRIs.
Fr. Calloway ,
You can get that tatoo removed painlessly and no scarring , no matter how dark it is . Google a tatoo removal place in your area. I saw your testimony in Spirir daily about a year ago and your moms Rosaries finally we5re heard thank you for yyour story , but you can get that tatoo removed now, it may take several sessions but it can be removed . See you around Father .
I got my tat at age 40, 19 years ago. My family is from Ireland, so I got a shamrock with a ribbon over it with an Irish saying. It's pretty small, on my ankle which doesn't change with age or weight and is easily hidden by slacks or socks. I can attest to the truth of a lot of these items, mostly from experiences relayed to me from others who have a lot of tattoos (especially getting addicted to them). I want another one - St. Michael - but since I can't decide where I want to put it (has to be easily hidden). I may never decide so may never get it. I would say your list applies equally well to piercings except they're not necessarily permanent (unless you're putting a spacer in, which may require surgery to correct). People lose control with piercings too. Mine are discrete - multiple on ear lobes and a tiny stud on my nostril. The nose piercing looks like I have a sparkle on my nostril. But long story short - I would never encourage anyone to get piercings OR tattoos and you've already listed the reasons why one should think twice. And for the record, I have never for one second regretted either the piercings or the tat.
I have friends who used a cream that you can get at WalMart that will fade tattoos and from what I've heard from them it works pretty well, but that may depend on where the tattoo is located and how deeply into the skin the ink goes.
Here's another reason not to get a tattoo: if you plan on traveling to Japan and if you have a tattoo that cannot be hidden by your bathing suit, you will NOT be allowed on the beaches, public pools and baths and water parks. You MIGHT be able to get away with a small one at an onsen (hot pool), but I haven't tested this (and you must be nude when getting into the pool - don't worry, they are separated by genders). Tattoos are viewed VERY negatively in that country as they are associated with organized crime, so if it's likely to be visible, forget about access to a lot of fun activities while there. Just a word of advice for anyone thinking of traveling there with visible ink.
If anyone would like to chat on the radio about this topic, I will be hosting a radio program at 1pm EST - You can call in a pipe in on the discussion! Radio Teopoli AM530 Call 416 243-8656 or 416-243-7319
Here is what I see when I see a tattoo. A tattoo looks like a Pigeon went and ate a belly full of Blackberrys and then released their droppings on the person's arm, or leg, or neck. A big blotch of Purple Pigeon Crap is what they look like to me.
I am just in the process of preparing a lecture on the connection of tattooing/piercing and Satanism. This is very appropriate that I should read your blog. Thank you for sharing this with us. We need to protect our children from the darkness that can be associated with the symbolisms connected with the dangers of piercing the skin, drawing blood and opening a window for demons to enter. We need to get the word out that satan is on a tear and will trick our kids into thinking that this is the norm. We need to save our children before it's too late. God's Blessings.
I just LOVE when I stand firm with my training and formation against the sometimes sinful but if not sinful, very ill advised actions of the modern age, I am called OPINIONATED.
Yep, that's me.
Yet I just cannot seem to understand why not going along with these steps down into human degradation and then standing your ground with good reasons for not doing so, makes you OPINIONATED.
I guess it's just an additional word when "bigot" or "hater" doesn't quite fit.
Here is a great article on tattoos from Father Peter Joseph enjoy
http://www.latinmassmagazine.com/articles/articles_2002_SU_Joseph.html
Peace St. Raphael
If you are interested in listening to the radio program where I discuss tattoos, Katy Perry, and ideas on how to make it a sensational summer. You can listen to the program at any time by clicking on the archive link here http://www.mixcloud.com/radioteopoli/july-21-2014-dorothy-pilarski-on-the-radio-open-line-with-guest-host-john-mcilroy/
Of course I am going to make a judgment about the person wearing a tattoo. Isn't that what they really want me to do when they flaunt their gross mutilations in my face.
The only benefit of a tattoo on a person is that when I see that person I know that he/she is disturbed and I keep my distance!
I almost wrote a 2 page response, Dorothy was right, this is quite a hot topic issue! But I'll be as brief as possible...
Dorothy was also right on all of her points and I sincerely sense the heart behind her message. As a 29 year old passionate Catholic (who has one tattoo) I appreciate the points listed as they will give me more insight if I decide to get a second or third tattoo. And if you gave me the opportunity to magically remove the one I already have I wouldn't.
However, I think we might be missing the point. They say our eyes are the window to our souls. In my experience, tattoos are the windows to our hearts. If you talk to anyone who has elected to have a custom piece of artwork done (regardless of whether it's graffiti or a stained glass window if you will) put on their body (temple), and you sincerely ask them what it all means to them, you find out more about the passions, the pains, the lifeblood, the sense of humor, the vulnerability of the other human being than you ever thought possible. I've jumped into deep discussions so many times with complete strangers solely by allowing the tattoo to be the icebreaker.
Case in point, I was speaking with a bartender friend of mine the other day (she's casually Jewish and has a girlfriend). Imagine trying to be openly Catholic without offending! I've never gotten past small talk in fear of offending her, trying to be as humble and graceful as possible. However, the other day she asked me what I did the past weekend. After telling her I attended a local tattoo convention (I run a software business that caters to tattoo shops so I was a salesman for the weekend) her and I started talking about tattoos. I told her if I was going to get another one it would be a St. Christopher and a St. Michael piece on my arm. She raised her eyebrows and said wow, religious tattoos, doesn't that contradict itself? After sharing my understanding of Leviticus 19:28 (basically the same scriptural points Dorothy brings up, and the answer of "it depends") the bartender raised her eyebrows again and began opening up about her thoughts on faith and the bible and zing zang zoom in a heartbeat we were having a healthy discussion about each others beliefs and our lives. Turns out she really wanted to talk about this stuff and was glad I wasn't leading in with why I'm against same sex marriage! No offending, no more mindless small talk! Turns out she had more tattoos than I knew, and all the character and uniqueness of her personality I appreciate so much to go along with it all, and who knows, maybe it will open up an opportunity for conversion down the road.
Without tattoos it all would have just been small talk. Now you could say tattoos are a crutch and I'm a weak evangelist, and I'd agree with the weakness on my part, but tattoos are a wonderful opportunity to understand people (not preach to them) if we look at the art as icebreakers instead of bad decisions, pigeon poo, and regrets come judgement day.
I think Jesus would have a strong creative third way around the right or wrong good or bad debate of the issue. I might be completely off target, but any bad decision or beautiful piece of artwork can segue into conversations of faith if viewed properly with respect, dignity, sincerity, and a dash of optimism.
I offer no money back on my two cents ;-)
Cheers!
Really? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2802935/teaching-assistant-sent-away-catholic-school-arms-neck-covered-tattoos.html?ito=social-facebook
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