THE YOUTH CULTURE AND TATTOOS

THE YOUTH CULTURE AND TATTOOS

I really believe that one of the compromises we see today is parents allowing their children to mark or tattoo their bodies.  Christians can look at someone who has tattoos all over them and know by discernment that it is not God, but the same Christians may get a small tattoo themselves or allow their children to have one without thinking anything about it. Toy makers today even sell washable ink transfer kits so children can mark their bodies with designs. This may seem like a harmless game but this is the enemy preparing or setting up our children early to receive real tattoos later on.

Many young people today do not realize that they may be sorry in the future that they chose to put tattoos on their bodies today.  We know of many people who have said to us that they wish they had not been foolish when they were young as now they must live with the reminder of what they did when they were young.  Only a few people have the money to have them removed by laser.

Years ago our young boys in the military had to go to foreign lands to get a tattoo, now tattoo parlors are everywhere because our nation here in the U.S.A. has opened its doors to many heathen practices and false religions. Another danger in receiving tattoos is a medical one through faulty procedures. One of the latest discoveries of another way AIDS is being transmitted is through contaminated ink or dirty tattoo needles. If fresh ink is not used, then the last person who was tattooed who had any kind of transmittable disease could leave behind that virus or bacteria. Not only Aids, but Hepatitis as well, has been traced to tattoo ink and needle contamination.

Some young people are having them done in defiance and rebellion to their parent's wishes because they want to be like their friends. This is displeasing to God as the Lord tells children to honor and obey their parents.

Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."

The reason so many people are deceived on this issue, as well as others, is that there is a lack of knowledge in the things of God and a lack of discernment in the body of Christ. Hosea 4:6a says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Many have not been taught nor grounded in the Word of God. We as church leadership owe an apology to the youth of our day because many of us have failed in our responsibility to speak out on the issues of the day and have allowed the influences of the world to shape our society.  Many Christian parents have failed in their responsibility also, as they have been too involved in chasing the American Dream instead of raising our children in the nurture and admonition of God as commanded in the Bible. Ephesians 6:4: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

One note of warning  to the church on this subject of tattoos. We have a generation now of young people that love the Lord yet do not understand all of His ways. Soon we are also going to be seeing a great revival among the youth of the world.   The youth of this day want a real cause to live and die for.  Most have not seen true Christianity.  However, when they do come to Christ many will be bringing their tattoos, dress, music and old habits with them right into the church.  We must be sure that we do not despise them nor look down on them, but rather welcome and love them and gently teach them the ways of the Lord. We are called to love and pray for them and help them avoid making some of the mistakes we have made in our own walk with the Lord.  We need to be true mothers and fathers to them. Yes, we must speak the truth in love, but let us make sure we are loving them and not condemning them.  On the other hand, we must not accept all that they would desire to bring with them that would harm them and compromise the Word of God.  We will all need God's grace to bridge the generation gap. We would recommend a great article written by a young Christian on this very subject. Click here to read "Bridging the Generation Gap."

If you, through ignorance, have received a tattoo or allowed your children to have one, you should pray against any evil or witchcraft that may have come through the circumstances when that tattoo was received. Some people receive tattoos before they are "born again" and after they are touched by the Lord, they wish they had never had it done. The Lord loves you, so do not come under any condemnation, just pray over them and ask the Lord to remove any spiritual influences denoted by the tattoo and He will do it. The Lord looks on our hearts and motives and judges us by those, not our outward appearance. However, if the tattoo bothers you and you cannot cover it, you can have it removed by laser surgery.

The bottom line for this issue would be to ask the popular youth slogan, "What Would Jesus Do?" I don't believe we will ever see Jesus with a tattoo. The only scars on His body are the ones put there by evil men that crucified Him. They were not self inflicted. Overcomers will put away anything that leads to bigger compromises.