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What's Behind the Ink? The Spiritual Aspects of Tattooing, Piercing, and Other Fads
An in-dept look at the spiritual aspects of tattooing, piercing and other fads from a Christian perspective. Pagan and demonic activities and origins are thouroughly and convincingly exposed. Lack of knowledge need not be an excuse any longer
80 pages, Paperback
Published December 12, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 17, 2017
I really wish this topic had received better treatment. Most of the book explains the various horrible ways tattoos have been used throughout human history. It's very clear that tattoos have their origin in pagan mysticism, but the celebration of birthdays began as an astrological practice, statues were used first for pagan rituals, but most of us don't do these things with them now. Likewise, tattoos are by and large not used for magickal purposes today, so the bulk of the book fails to prove its intended point. Rather than just describing all the horrible ways people have used tattoos, Sudduth should have explained why these bad uses in history would make them off-limits for Christians. As the book itself claims, tattoos "throughout history" were used for benign purposes, too: a distinguishing mark of royalty, a decoration for bravery in battle, a pledge of love, and a symbol of group identification (p. 10).
More disturbingly, the author makes no attempt to persuade Christians why they should follow one of the Old Testament laws if they are under the New Covenant. There are plenty of fallacies and weak arguments in this book (and way too much underlining!).
The arguments I found most persuasive against tattooing were the statistics of people who want tattoos removed from their bodies (over 50%) and personal testimonies. It did give me pause to learn about three people who experienced spiritual conflict due to their tattoos or piercing, but because there are several more testimonies out there of Christians who speak positively about their tattoos, I am inclined to think that these convictions were perhaps due to the spiritual condition of the artist or parlor.
Many of the health risks listed in the book can be avoided if the tattoo artist sterilizes equipment and it's unfair to not mention this. There might be a good argument out there to forbid Christians from getting tattoos, but this isn't it.
More disturbingly, the author makes no attempt to persuade Christians why they should follow one of the Old Testament laws if they are under the New Covenant. There are plenty of fallacies and weak arguments in this book (and way too much underlining!).
The arguments I found most persuasive against tattooing were the statistics of people who want tattoos removed from their bodies (over 50%) and personal testimonies. It did give me pause to learn about three people who experienced spiritual conflict due to their tattoos or piercing, but because there are several more testimonies out there of Christians who speak positively about their tattoos, I am inclined to think that these convictions were perhaps due to the spiritual condition of the artist or parlor.
Many of the health risks listed in the book can be avoided if the tattoo artist sterilizes equipment and it's unfair to not mention this. There might be a good argument out there to forbid Christians from getting tattoos, but this isn't it.
November 9, 2020
I was once at a conference when a man asked me, "Where do you get your power?"
Since it was a Christian conference, I thought the answer would be self-evident. But apparently not. After some conversation with the man, I realised that the question he was really asking was: "What tattoo do you have?" He explained what power his tattoo gave him and wanted to know what mine was, because it clearly gave me power to see things others were blinded to.
After this extremely odd conversation (at least, "odd" from my point of view), I began to wonder what exactly it was all about. Sure, I knew tattooing was forbidden in Scripture, but I had never thought of it as a source of power.
I was very glad to come across this book with its extensive foray into different cultural understanding of tattoos.
The Sioux, among other tribes, believed that tattoos were necessary as a rite of passage into the spirit world. They believed that, as a ghost warrior rode towards the "Many Lodges", he would encounter an old woman who would demand to see his tattoos. If he had none to show, he and his horse were pushed off the path, and fell to earth, where they became aimlessly wandering spirits, who were eternally unsatisfied.
Eskimos believed that the indelible mark served as both a protective shield and an acceptable sacrifice to the gods. They used tattoos, piercings and labrets to lure, please and honor the spirits of animals as well as increase their beauty and spiritual power.
In many Pacific Island cultures, the tattooist was a holy man, a shaman, an intermediary between the natural and spiritual worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces.
Even for modern tattooists, they will often say the tattoo god will reveal the right time to get a tattoo. Some will suggest you consult your astrological chart, and will perform a ritual to create a sacred space for the tattooing to be placed. Incense may be burned and gods invited to be present to bless the proceedings.
In Africa, scarification is often used instead of tattoos to attract benevolent spirits.
In the sixteenth century, the Spanish conquistadors first encountered tattooing in Mexico. Oviedo wrote that the locals imprinted on their bodies the images of their demons. The Jesuit missionary Jean Baptiste le Pers wrote: They called their idols "zemes" and they imprinted their image on their own body. So it is not astonishing if, having them unceasingly before their eyes and fearing them much, they saw them often in dreams.
The Xhosa people of South Africa believe that razor blade scars behind the ears will protect them from bad spirits.
The sucking out of spirits is possibly the reason behind blood-licking by shamans.
The Maori don't just tattoo, they carve the flesh. This technique and the tattoo design itself is believed to be a living entity which comes from the underworld where it dwells in the protective custody of a spirit named "Ruaumoko". The moko is considered to be a link between man and the supernatural.
Modern Primitives want to revive primitive forms of body mutilation or modification in order to gain supernatural or magical power. Tribal tattoos are a craze involving designs that bear serious symbolic, mystical and occult meaning and provide channels for the spiritual world.
Ganesha has earrings on the top of the ear, rather than the lobe.
The Polynesians and Ainu people of Japan believed the gods tattooed themselves, so people should do the same. Tattoos of demon figures were thought to protect them against snake bites and the image of a cat was believed to increase the wearer's agility.
Tattoos have always been seen as a bridge into the supernatural.
Since it was a Christian conference, I thought the answer would be self-evident. But apparently not. After some conversation with the man, I realised that the question he was really asking was: "What tattoo do you have?" He explained what power his tattoo gave him and wanted to know what mine was, because it clearly gave me power to see things others were blinded to.
After this extremely odd conversation (at least, "odd" from my point of view), I began to wonder what exactly it was all about. Sure, I knew tattooing was forbidden in Scripture, but I had never thought of it as a source of power.
I was very glad to come across this book with its extensive foray into different cultural understanding of tattoos.
The Sioux, among other tribes, believed that tattoos were necessary as a rite of passage into the spirit world. They believed that, as a ghost warrior rode towards the "Many Lodges", he would encounter an old woman who would demand to see his tattoos. If he had none to show, he and his horse were pushed off the path, and fell to earth, where they became aimlessly wandering spirits, who were eternally unsatisfied.
Eskimos believed that the indelible mark served as both a protective shield and an acceptable sacrifice to the gods. They used tattoos, piercings and labrets to lure, please and honor the spirits of animals as well as increase their beauty and spiritual power.
In many Pacific Island cultures, the tattooist was a holy man, a shaman, an intermediary between the natural and spiritual worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces.
Even for modern tattooists, they will often say the tattoo god will reveal the right time to get a tattoo. Some will suggest you consult your astrological chart, and will perform a ritual to create a sacred space for the tattooing to be placed. Incense may be burned and gods invited to be present to bless the proceedings.
In Africa, scarification is often used instead of tattoos to attract benevolent spirits.
In the sixteenth century, the Spanish conquistadors first encountered tattooing in Mexico. Oviedo wrote that the locals imprinted on their bodies the images of their demons. The Jesuit missionary Jean Baptiste le Pers wrote: They called their idols "zemes" and they imprinted their image on their own body. So it is not astonishing if, having them unceasingly before their eyes and fearing them much, they saw them often in dreams.
The Xhosa people of South Africa believe that razor blade scars behind the ears will protect them from bad spirits.
The sucking out of spirits is possibly the reason behind blood-licking by shamans.
The Maori don't just tattoo, they carve the flesh. This technique and the tattoo design itself is believed to be a living entity which comes from the underworld where it dwells in the protective custody of a spirit named "Ruaumoko". The moko is considered to be a link between man and the supernatural.
Modern Primitives want to revive primitive forms of body mutilation or modification in order to gain supernatural or magical power. Tribal tattoos are a craze involving designs that bear serious symbolic, mystical and occult meaning and provide channels for the spiritual world.
Ganesha has earrings on the top of the ear, rather than the lobe.
The Polynesians and Ainu people of Japan believed the gods tattooed themselves, so people should do the same. Tattoos of demon figures were thought to protect them against snake bites and the image of a cat was believed to increase the wearer's agility.
Tattoos have always been seen as a bridge into the supernatural.
January 30, 2019
Must Read very Powerful, curse of tattooing and piercing gives way and opens doors to the dark-side the evil spirits to enter ones life, in agreement of pagan deeds.
Want to Read
November 15, 2019Where is the book???????????
May 21, 2021
Short sobering read about the history of tattoos and piercings in a variety of cultures. Intended as a warning for Christians, I found it interesting and occasionally disturbing.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews