Jesus ain?t worried ?bout tattoos and cigarettes

[The Rogue Tomato]

As I've re-read this thread, I've pondered the ideas brought up.

I'm not really sure why we get all bent out of shape about things like cigarettes that God has not given clear instruction about.

But there are clear commands in the Bible that tell husbands to love their wives, and for wives to reference husband, and to let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths, and to abstain from fornication.  There are commands for us to live holy lives, and to abstain from worldliness.

However, God has not given a list of things that are worldly and are not worldly, which leads me to believe that His intent is for us to ask Him to reveal to us through His Spirit what is worldly, and then we should obey and stay away from it.  I am not living for my pastor, or my friends in the faith, but for God.  I don't have to tell them, or get them "on my side" about something being worldly, if God has shown me it is worldly, I should stay away from it.

Tattoos are, to me, reminiscent of all that is worldly and anti-God.  I cannot get one.  But using a verse, nay, a phrase, from the Old Testament, and ignoring the other commands in the same area doesn't seem like good Bible interpretation to me.  If you can honestly be "fully persuaded" in your own mind that God has no problem with your having a tattoo, go ahead.  It is you that will have to give an account before God, not me.

Some of this discussion reminded me of I Cor; they thought they had such "liberty" that they rejoiced in a man having his father's wife - even though God clearly condemned it.  They should have mourned and taken action to remove the man.  I read much about "liberty" on many sites, but usually the ones claiming it seem to want to use it to justify sin.

Anyway, my thoughts after reading this thread.

It may remind you of 1 Cor, but there's no moral equivalence of getting a tattoo vs. having your father's wife.  If you're going to use that part of the OT to justify NOT getting a tattoo, then be sure never to cut your beard, etc.  Those were all ways of making the Jews visibly unique and set apart.  And being set apart may be a moral issue for you.  But if the tattoo part of being set apart is a moral issue for you then cutting your beard (among other things) should be a moral issue for you, too.  And don't wear clothes that are a polyester blend.  And so on. 

 

[prophet]

Deschutes is one of my favorite NW breweries.

I actually consider PBR less objectionable than Bud. Unlike Bud, it actually has some flavor. Not good flavor especially, but at least it has some.

Budweiser has a sweet taste, if I remember right, that is disgusting.

Never tried PBR.

Strohs is fire-brewed....didn't help it.

Lite beer dehydrated me.

We called Bud: "ButtWiper", when I was in h.s. , because of the diarrhea effect it caused.

Miller Genuine Draft was the one I tolerated.

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[prophet]

What on Earth possessed you to try American Macro beer?

Curiosity. For all its mass-productionedness, I don't mind Budweiser, so I was curious to try another macrobrew. Plus, it was inexpensive.

[/quote]
I was in Detroit, and P.B.R. was $10 for a six pack of cans.

I was confused by that.



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[prophet]

Just as an aside, a friend's son was recently riding in a moving car that was rear-ended by a drunk driver going too fast.  Son was ejected, and his face was basically sheared off and he was nearly decapitated, dying instantly.  His mother had no face to identify him, and could only do so by his tattoos on the one arm still attached along with the other arm found in the tall grass.

Not a downer at all.

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[The Rogue Tomato]

Just as an aside, a friend's son was recently riding in a moving car that was rear-ended by a drunk driver going too fast.  Son was ejected, and his face was basically sheared off and he was nearly decapitated, dying instantly.  His mother had no face to identify him, and could only do so by his tattoos on the one arm still attached along with the other arm found in the tall grass.

Not a downer at all.

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Good, because it wasn't intended to be.

The same thing happened in a hockey game when there was a face off in the corner.

 

[Walt]

As I've re-read this thread, I've pondered the ideas brought up.

I'm not really sure why we get all bent out of shape about things like cigarettes that God has not given clear instruction about.

But there are clear commands in the Bible that tell husbands to love their wives, and for wives to reference husband, and to let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths, and to abstain from fornication.  There are commands for us to live holy lives, and to abstain from worldliness.

However, God has not given a list of things that are worldly and are not worldly, which leads me to believe that His intent is for us to ask Him to reveal to us through His Spirit what is worldly, and then we should obey and stay away from it.  I am not living for my pastor, or my friends in the faith, but for God.  I don't have to tell them, or get them "on my side" about something being worldly, if God has shown me it is worldly, I should stay away from it.

Tattoos are, to me, reminiscent of all that is worldly and anti-God.  I cannot get one.  But using a verse, nay, a phrase, from the Old Testament, and ignoring the other commands in the same area doesn't seem like good Bible interpretation to me.  If you can honestly be "fully persuaded" in your own mind that God has no problem with your having a tattoo, go ahead.  It is you that will have to give an account before God, not me.

Some of this discussion reminded me of I Cor; they thought they had such "liberty" that they rejoiced in a man having his father's wife - even though God clearly condemned it.  They should have mourned and taken action to remove the man.  I read much about "liberty" on many sites, but usually the ones claiming it seem to want to use it to justify sin.

Anyway, my thoughts after reading this thread.

It may remind you of 1 Cor, but there's no moral equivalence of getting a tattoo vs. having your father's wife.  If you're going to use that part of the OT to justify NOT getting a tattoo, then be sure never to cut your beard, etc.  Those were all ways of making the Jews visibly unique and set apart.  And being set apart may be a moral issue for you.  But if the tattoo part of being set apart is a moral issue for you then cutting your beard (among other things) should be a moral issue for you, too.  And don't wear clothes that are a polyester blend.  And so on.

Yes, got that.  The tattoo discussing did not remind me of 1 Cor, but other areas sounded more like glorifying things that are more clearly listed as sins than tattoos.

 

[Just John]

My weighty reply is that I recently started listening to the Rhett Walker band and it's some pretty fine music. Same with Needtobreathe.

I've said my piece. Turn up.