You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.
//Is this verse saying God doesn’t want you to tattoo your body? Many
Christians think so, and it does read rather straight-forwardly. But why
does God care?
God
cares because that’s what Israel’s enemies—the Canaanites—did in their
cultic funeral practices. They cut their hair, and lacerated and
tattooed their bodies, all in an attempt to ward off the departing
spirit by disguising themselves so they wouldn’t be recognized. God’s
instruction continues:
You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.
But
does this have anything to do with today’s time? I suggest this
compromise: Go ahead and ink up your biceps, but wear a nametag to the
funeral parlor.
I haven't 'got' your style yet! So I can't read your comments yet!! lol So are you suggesting it's a bit risky still to do these things? Ha! Only yesterday did my niece show me these verses and ask me about them!!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! I'm not about to tell anybody how to "do religion," so I just like to examine the Bible under a historical-critical lens. Sometimes it turns a bit tongue-in-cheek, like this one, ha.
ReplyDeleteFunny about the timing with your niece!