Featured Tattoos, Skin Metal, etc. Should it disqualify one for serving in church?

Only if it is vulgar or sexually explicit should it even be considered.

I can almost guarantee that the church in places like Corinth, Ephesus and Rome early christians had tats. They were being saved from overt paganism

Do not understand why some people get so tore up on such issues that are less than trivial

 

I believe I answered that in my post before you even said it.

 

In our little town the tats, the metal, the shaved heads and mohawks and brilliantly dyed hair are part of a culture that says two basic things: one is gang id, the other is the idea that "I am worthless, less than nothing, a drag on the world, and I'm gonna let that show."

Generally when a person gets saved the tats either get covered or else medical treatment is sought if they are really offensive. Metal tends to go away, and hair tends to normalize.

See, when I think I am no better than demons from the pits of hell, and think the world sees me as of absolutely no value, it shows. When the God of the universe accepts me and gives me value, it also shows.

When I see those demonized looking folks my heart breaks for them, because they seem to be so very lost.

Your mileage may vary according to your culture.

 

I think there might be a couple issues involved in something like this, where low self esteem is certainly one of those.

Had a helper once who, when he showed up, had tats all the way up his arms, piercings, those earrings that make the big holes...the whole shebang. But he turned out to be one of the nicest kids I've ever met, lol. Great attitude. My boss at the time, on the other hand...didn't like him at all, and gave him a hard time. Finally, he told me, "Man, I like working with you, but I just can't take (the boss)." I did my best to convince him not to worry about him, he was mostly mouth, but, he had decided. So I asked him, "Well, what is it you want to do?"

He looks me in the eye, and says, "I'd really like to work with kids."

All I could do not to bust out laughing, because that career was doubtful in light of his appearance. But that was his heart, to work with kids.

Moral of the story? Best not to try to read the heart from external appearance. As mentioned by a few the opposite can be, and oftentimes is, just as bad. A suit and tie doesn't dress the heart, but the outside of the cup.

Just a theory of mine, but many who get involved in those cultures have low self esteem, and could probably be found to have been outcasts much of their lives. Sometimes people are accepted in these cultures and the dressings are nominal in regards to why they go full tilt, the larger picture just a matter of most people wanting to fit in somewhere.

Went on a missions trip with a group, and heard about some guy who, because of his zeal for Christ...had a very large tattoo of what is supposed to represent Christ on his arm. His motivation was simply to publicly declare his faith in Christ, and it was accepted by some, ridiculed by others. I don't have an opinion on it, really, because I am not the one that has it, lol.

I guess all of this to say sometimes there are circumstances we are not aware of, and when someone like that comes into our sphere, how should we treat them? The same way Christ treated all of us? That we had no tattoos doesn't elevate us above other sinners. So I would agree, I think the culture will give way to the new culture one is associated with after being saved, but, those cultures vary.

Almost forgot one thing I was going to throw in for consideration. It is said of Marylin Manson, hailed by many evangelicals as a devil worshipper )never looked into it myself to validate or invalidate), that when he was a kid he was made fun of by church kids. This is the reason why he rejected God, so they say. Think it was a camp of some sort. The point being, while he is ultimately responsible, would we want to end up in a story of people who drove someone away from fellowship, rather than seeking to bring them in?

God bless.

 

Hmm--I didn't see anyone suggesting we should look down upon people with wild styles and tats. Just that sometimes in some cultures those styles are meant to send specific messages, most of which are not good.

At our church no one would be judged about it, or mistreated. But what we find is that without anyone saying a word about them, when the folks with the wild styles get saved it is part and parcel of what they seem naturally to walk away from.

Any anytime someone is engaging in any sort of deliberate attention getting behavior, it is good to consider why they do so. I'm in ranch country, and if one of the cowboys suddenly started wearing 3 piece suits to work you betcha folks would be questioning why. If he wore them to church, it would be accepted but folks would still wonder why he thought he had to out dress everyone else.

In the same way, if the local banker started wearing exercise clothes or a basketball uniform to work, folks would be wondering why. Wouldn't blink an eye if he wore them on the court after work.

So when anyone, especially a kid, dresses or coifs or tats or whatever extremely differently than the local mainstream culture, it is very naïve to believe they are not sending some deliberate message.

And cool to see often when they get saved they don't want to send that message anymore.

I've seen middle class folks stick their nose in the air and opine about not judging so and so for his tats, not realizing those very tats were bragging about which gang he is in and how many people he has killed. Bet if a middle class suit dressed guy came in and started bragging that the suit proved he was accepted as a mob hit man we'd sure not be so accepting

 

One issue I was trying to point out is that many go into these cultures because of rejection by others, where, in the culture they are accepted, thus adopt the culture.

So it is likely we are going to see some who do push others by their appearance, to test the reaction. Again, I think the maturity of the believer will impact how they interact with those they fellowship with, and how they dress may be a part of that.

Regardless of how others show up, how we interact with them is on us, not them. Even if they are coming with a rebellious nature not completely dispelled as of yet, that doesn't relieve us of our own actions, and that they should replicate the same grace we have received.

And I see nothing wrong with a cowboy wearing a suit at work. Of course, if his tie gets hung up in the stirrups...




God bless.

 

As I said, it is important to know what message the person is trying to send by their own appearance choices. That isn't judging, it is cultural sensitivity.

And it amazes me how quickly the look changes when the heart changes. Doesn't mean they all suddenly look like Baptists of the 1950's. Just means things change a bit.

Skirts lengthen. Blouses rise. Men start covering their bum with their pants. Tats get covered or redone. Hair "normalizes." All without anyone judging them or saying one word.

 

Okay, you hit a sore point with...

Have to tell my helpers to hitch up the britches.

Kids these days...


God bless.

 

We are all judgmental in one way or the other. It is best to just admit that. We all also have our own beliefs on what tattoos and piercings may mean. Perhaps it would be best to tone down our gut reactions and get to know the person in question. Ask them why they have the modifications they have if you feel it may be an issue. Tell them your feelings regarding them. At that point, you can discuss it like adults and you may learn even more about that individual to know if they should be serving in the church or not. Just flat out making something like that policy, either stated or unstated is not fair to anyone involved. If you ban them from such a position, you may be blocking God's will. Inquire!

When my son was a teenager, he went with Global Expeditions to South Africa and Botswana and spent a couple of months doing construction as well as offering Christian outreach. He was proud to be a tool of God's which resulted in eleven people being led to the Lord through his direct communication with them. He didn't cry when he left but he cried when he came home. He wanted to go back. With the AIDS epidemic he was terrified he hadn't reached enough people and they could die before he could get back. Still a teenager, he was sporting a Mohawk the next time he wanted to petition the church for their support in getting him back there again. He was a very active member of the church. He helped with the children's church, he sang many solo's during services and generally helped with any events going on. He was a member of that church's youth group as well as two others. He had a gift for reaching young people that made me incredibly proud. Other teenagers wanted to hear what he had to say. That is a gift not to be taken lightly. However, due to his Mohawk, the church refused to support him and he was unable to go. He could have shaved it off but he was rebellious to their prejudice of him based on appearance alone and was hurt that they, of all people, should have seen where his heart was. How many people could he have reached had he gone again?

 

Hello Onatah, and welcome to the forum, I hope your time here will be blessed and that you in turn will be a blessing to those here.

Just have to ask, as his mother, did you address his reaction to their bias, and did you seek to address that issue with him, or do you feel he was justified in his reaction?

Nothing wrong with a Mohawk, which would actually be a norm in certain cultures, but it is something that will raise eyebrows in our own culture, and could be viewed as an indication of rebellion, which you yourself attributed your son as being.

This is a tragic occurrence in my view.

Again, welcome to the forum, and thanks for the contribution to the discussion.


God bless.

 

I don't think it disqualifies someone from serving at all. The past is the past, I have a tattoo on my right forearm from when I was unsaved that I can't always cover up. The bible says judge not by appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Someone shouldn't be excluded or disqualified from serving just for that.

 

RD2, a few years ago I met and had a long conversation with a member of Bikers for Christ. An interesting story indeed. He told of being stopped for speeding on his bike and arrested for DWI. They found a loaded pistol in his saddle bags and told them he always carried it. He confessed to me that in real time, he was heading to a cabin in the woods to KILL another man, which is why he had the pistol.

Having been a felon he went to prison for carrying the weapon. The day he was released he went out the front gate and started walking as there was no one to pick him up. On that road he came to realize that is life was in shambles and he called out to God asking, if there is a God..., show me. Wasn't to long after that he came in contact with the pastor of a church and came to know Jesus. Hence, he affiliated with a Bikers for Christ Chapter. They still ride but now witness to other bikers of the various gangs. All of that to say, he still looks and dresses like a biker but their leather coats proudly display..., "Bikers for Christ". Their lives have changed and their old nature is gone. I suppose he would certainly attend any Baptist Church on Any Street, USA..., but he admitted that all of their members are still bikers only now, they are missionaries to the lost bikers. I doubt we will ever see any of them in a regular church.

 

Females come with a built in beauty. Way too many are of the opinion a tattoo will "enhance" their appearance but in real life it only cheapens. I have told my grand daughters to visit wally mart and look at the tattoo's on all those old women..., but to them, I'm old and out of date.

For the believers..., "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)

 

Thank you for the welcome, Darrell C.

Yes, I addressed the issue with him. I homeschooled my children and was always of the mindset of allowing my children both the information to learn from as well as the ability to use their own minds to decipher for themselves and learn from their decisions (within reason, of course). He had the strong belief that Christians were stereotyped as well as non-believers. I had to agree with this thought. However, he wanted to rebel, not against what he should or should not do as far as his outward appearance goes but, rather, against that stereotype of Christians. He wanted to be a loud and clear voice for Christ while breaking up the stereotypes. I told him that he was not yet grown enough in his faith, or general maturity for that matter, to take on such a huge challenge but, like all my children, he was (and still is) quite strong willed. I decided to allow him to make this choice and follow it after warning him how people are always judgmental. For good or for bad, we just are. It's in our nature to judge someone based on how they present themselves. Open minded folks can change those first impressions in time but they are still going to have them. I saw no real reason for the handicap. He did.

He was terribly disappointed but didn't give up on his dedication through the church and for the people there where they did seem to fail him during his 'rebellious' time. He remained very focused in his growth as a Christian and studied, repented and tried every single day to be someone God would be proud of. He is 26 now. He's still studying and trying hard. Right now he is studying the lost books of the bible and fallen angels as he is writing a Christian fiction novel that is sure to make people really halt and take harder looks at things. I'm glad I didn't stop him. He continues to teach, even me, and to inspire others to want to know more about God's plan for them and this world. He is really quite an inspiration to me. In times I would have been so terribly depressed, he handles it with strength, grace and forgiveness because his faith is so strong yet he always talks about his weaknesses as a Christian.

 

Same goes for earrings. Many try to enhance their appearance by poking holes in their ears as if the way God made them wasn't good enough. I like my Keen H2O's. They look good and feel good on my feet. I can see them when I wear them and they are practical. Earrings are worn to adorn oneself. They serve no other purpose. I don't have to go to Walmart to see all those sinful old women, I see them every week at church. I also see several of our younger children and teenagers with earrings. They didn't drive themselves to wherever they got it - Parents, leading them astray.

 

There's a lot of foot flesh showing in the ribbed openings of those shoes. A least they are not open toed shoes. LOL.


Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo using Tapatalk.

 

Exodus 21: 5 & 6 details a servant that has been freed. If the servant wanted to continue serving his master..., "then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently."

Pierced ears in men today does not reflect his intention's of serving his master. Through grace we serve our master. No, men with pierced ears today reflect just the opposite.