The Tahitian word "tatu" which means "to mark something is where the word tattoo comes from. As an artform its purpose has changed from culture to culture. However, the tattoo was believed to depict the importance or the social standing of the individual. It was believed to imbue its bearer with the quality belonging to the subject of the tattoo. This belief is still in vogue today as is evident by the proliferation of images of tigers, snakes, and bird of prey, as subject matters. The tattoo is also associated with criminogenic lifestyles.
Not only has the tattoo found a canvas on notable celebrities but the sports world has also received the "baptism of tattoos". Even mega stars like Michael Jordon, and Shaquille O' Neal sported one. Sports reporters bearing it are decorating the professional football, cricket and hockey world. According to The National Geographic a sizeable percentage of all Americans are tattooed and this has been borne out by the figures available from The Alliance of Professional Tattooists (APT). Details Magazine published a poll that stated 22% of 18-25 year olds have at least one tattoo. It’s also estimated 60% of the tattooed are women.
And many more are awaiting their turn. . .
The rising tide of the tattooed depict many things. Tattoos are a fashion statement or they can even be a way of life or a medium of self-expression and for a growing lot, they are also turning out to be a lucrative career option. Till about a decade ago, tattooing was not considered a commercially viable option and was just an upcoming art. India is a country where the growth of the tattoo industry has been relatively muted. However, a recent survey attributes a growth of 200 percent to the industry, which is in the unorganised sector.
TATTOO: THE BLOODY TRUTH
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” [Leviticus 17:11, KJV]
One of the oldest and most common satanic practices is cutting of the flesh. A blood ritual is a satanic ritual that is done as a covenant or pact. In the occult, there is a belief that supernatural power is unleashed by the process of “bloodletting”.http://www.raptureready.com/featured/schaefer/tattoo.html specifies that “Blood-letting has both occult and demonic origins as it is considered a power source that is supernaturally unleashed” says. Bloodletting and its connection to Satanism and the occult is detailed in The Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult. The blood-letting ritual imentioned inThe Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, as, "Blood that is let is believed to unleash power". The prophets of Baal, in their attempt to ignite the fire for the sacrifice tried it. The Bible says, “And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.” [1 Kings 18:28, KJV] The phrase, … after their manner shows that this "blood-letting" was a common practice among the prophets of the devil. In Leviticus 21:5 the Lord condemns and expressly forbids such demonic practices.
“Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.” [Deuteronomy 14:1, KJV] The latter part of this verse mentions doing this in relation to the dead thus this was a witchcraft rite done to mourn or remember their dead. The devil-possessed man of Gadera – described in Mark 5 is described as “cutting himself with stones” in verse 5.
The Body Art Book: A Complete, Illustrated Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Other Body Modifications by Jean-Chris Miller says "Early people cut open their skin and rubbed soot into the wounds to mark themselves. They punctured their skin with the bones and teeth of animals." Admittedly, the satanic practice of blood-letting or cutting of one’s flesh combined with rubbing a little ink or pigment in it doesn’t alter the fact that satanic blood-letting is being practiced. Tattoos have their “roots” in witchcraft. The display of a satanic mark or symbol can open the door for Satanic attack. It is not the mark itself, but rather the sin behind it. The sin of disobedience and idolatry. The spread of False Religions tends to amplify the problem.
TATTOO: AND THE BLOOD FLOWS
By far, the most extensive work ever published on tattoos was Dr. W.D. Hambly’s, The History of Tattooing And It's Significance. As per Steve Gilbert in Tattoo History: A Source Book “Hambly concluded that historically tattooing had originated in connection with ancient rites of scarification and bloodletting which were associated with religious practices intended to put the human soul in harmony with supernatural forces and ensure continuity between this life and the next." The quote concludes that tattoos were "associated with religious practices” and confirms what the Bible does in 1 Kings 18:28. Tattooing in fact, is a modern day blood-letting, satanic, tattoo procedure. The hard-hitting truth is – the tattoo is clearly connected to satanic blood-letting.
Tattoo is a cunning stratagem, a crafty contrivance by the “GOD of this world”. An objection raised by some people to using Old Testament scripture as a reference to tattoos is that the New Testament doesn’t speak of these things. This response of the lukewarm Christian, under pretence of showing a just indignation against sin is one of the wiles of Satan and further enables the proliferation of the tattoo.
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” [2 Corinthians 2:11, KJV]
TATTOO: Devil Worship
The tattoo has always been associated with paganism, demonism, Baal worship, shamanism, mysticism, heathenism, cannibalism to name a few. The tattoo has NEVER been associated with Bible Believing Christians. Tattoos have always been obtained from WORLDLY establishments. The practice of tattooing appeared when Christianity was not there and the flavour of Christianity being practiced by lukewarm, carnal and disobedient Christians do not count as Christianity at all. This is borne out by the following quotes.
"Whenever missionaries encountered tattooing they eradicated it."
(Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 101)
"While these and other body modifications continued to be practiced underground as a way for non-Christian people to identify each other, God forbid you got caught and your mark was revealed."
(Jean-Chris Miller, The Body Art Book : A Complete, Illustrated Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Other Body Modifications, p.11)
The believer's body is holy, sanctified unto the Lord. The Bible says “For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” [1 Corinthians 6:20, KJV]. The Bible clearly states that it was a heathen practice and forbids the practice. Following the Biblical account of creation, it is stated - “And God saw everythingthat he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” [Genesis 1:31, KJV]
This implies that we were made beautiful by GOD, so this quest to beautify our bodies is all nonsensical. Tattooing is unnatural and tampers with the perfect work of GOD. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are admonished not to defile them. A tattooed body does not glorify God.
Steve Gilbert the author of Tattoo History: A Source Book seems to agree when he writes -
"When Cortez and his conquistadors arrived on the coast of Mexico in 1519, they were horrified to discover that natives not only worshipped devils in the form of status and idols, but also had somehow managed to imprint indelible images of these idols on their skin. The Spaniards, who had never heard of tattooing, recognized it at once as the work of Satan."
(Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 99)
“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.” [Leviticus 19:28, KJV] It would be sinful and foolish to presume otherwisenot to mention idolatry and disobedience. Disobedience to HIS word is not exactly a Christian trait. The prophet of the Lord puts it like this – “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry …”
[1 Samuel 15:23, KJV]. What makes us think, we are an exception?
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