To tattoo or not tattoo?
Today there was a post from The Catholic Gentlemen on a subject which divides a lot of people, the issue of tattoos:
Personally, I’m really not a fan of tattoos, but to provide some balance, here’s a post from Kim Vanderpool from The Uniconoclast:
What do you think about tattoos?
I love that both of these articles are well balanced. Tattooing boils down to a matter of personal opinion and prudence –
Both of which should be kept in mind during conversations about tattooing that inevitably turn into firestorms.
I believe I may have mentioned it before but in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a man who has a tattoo is not normally permitted to receive Holy Orders. It is seen as self-mutilation.
I do not believe that within the Eastern Catholic Churches it is seen as an impediment to Holy Orders but I am not an expert of the Code of Cannons of the Eastern Churches.
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, monks, priests, and laymen have crosses tattooed on their forearms below the wrist.
I for one don’t have an opinion one way or the other. I think as long at the tattoo is not blasphemous then a Christian should be able to have one. My wife has a small one on her foot. Personally, I would never get one.