it's phrases like these that indicate a stick in the mud. You attack soldiers, I have 3 relatives in the middle east who all have tattoos. I resent you calling soldiers "dumb". Maybe we need you in Marjah right now telling them just how dumb they are?
I have not read all the replies to the original post but I did read a few.
I agree that a tattoo may not be the best idea because it can in fact be a stumbling block to others and didn't Paul speak of this the to Corinthians? The meat they were eating was not the issue but the stumbling block factor was.
To us Lev 19:28 to dogmatically oppose tattoos is foolish though. I wonder if those whose do this also live out verse 26. IF you eat your steak rare you are sinning. What about verse 27.... ARe you cutting the sides of you hair and or trimming your beards? If verse 28 is your standard for tattoos then verse 19 must be your standard for dress....so take off those cotton/polyester polos.
Paul you have been proven wrong so now you turn to childish insults. You twist my words to cover up your inadequate exegesis of scripture. But, that's OK. I forgive you.
I personally know people that have tatoos for very significant events in their life. NONE of which are dead people. In fact most of them are personal triumphs.
You know, the only occassion in which a (publicly visible) cutting in the flesh was permitted was when a man chose to spend the rest of his life as the slave of another. He was to pierce his ear with an awl.
Actually it is an Egyptian practice to pierce the ears, eyelets (eyebrows) and the nose. The only time Israel was to have a piercing was really a boring through by an awy just as Aaron said.
Either way, the Egyptian was a slave to false gods and the Israelite or the stranger was a slave.
So what are you?
Jewish?
Or Christian?
God says we are under His Grace.
You say we are under the law, i.e. Leviticus.
You saying we are both?
As for your last, 'example', try telling the True Judge why you thought His Grace was not sufficient.
Tattoos are nothing. They have no bearing on our salvation. You don't like them? Don't get one. But don't try telling others that they are offending God with one.
Cod brain.