Over a Dozen Mormon Prophet Tattoos: Where Christians Stand on Ink
I was raised in the LDS Church (aka: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Though I am no longer a Mormon, I do have family members and friends who are and so news, photos, captions, etc., with the M-word in them usually catches my eye. While cruising around a tattoo gallery recently, THIS back piece tattoo caught my attention. At first, I thought it was Photoshopped or a joke, because I know the LDS Church's stance on ink, but after looking into it, I found that this large tattoo was on the back of Jack Armstrong, a long-time tattoo artist and collector who began his tattoo career in the 1920s and owned many tattoo shops throughout the years. Jack was a Mormon and wasn't joking when he had over a dozen Mormon prophets permanently inked onto his back. He told Don Terry in a New York Times article in 1998:
"Are you ready for this?'' he asked, pulling off his shirt and turning his back to reveal a huge tattoo of Jesus, two dozen past presidents of the Mormon Church and himself, looking like Santa Claus in a baseball cap. ''I'm religious,'' Mr. Armstrong said. ''I'm a Mormon.''
It appears that Armstrong began collecting his prophets before the LDS October, 2000 General Conference, when then-Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley said this about tattoos and piercings:
"Now comes the craze of tattooing one's body. I cannot understand why any young man--or young woman, for that matter--would wish to undergo the painful process of disfiguring the skin with various multicolored representations of people, animals, and various symbols. With tattoos, the process is permanent, unless there is another painful and costly undertaking to remove it. Fathers, caution your sons against having their bodies tattooed. They may resist your talk now, but the time will come when they will thank you. A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body.
Likewise the piercing of the body for multiple rings in the ears, in the nose, even in the tongue. Can they possibly think that is beautiful? It is a passing fancy, but its effects can be permanent. Some have gone to such extremes that the ring had to be removed by surgery. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have declared that we discourage tattoos and also "the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes." We do not, however, take any position "on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings"--one pair."
The Mormons are not alone in their stance on body modifications. Many Christian denominations counsel against "marking the skin," while some "more progressive" sects not only allow them, they base their ministry around them. The Christian Tattoo Association states that they are:
"a non-profit, tax-exempt ministry to tattoo artists and enthusiasts. The main goal of the CTA is to share the Gospel with tattoo artists and enthusiasts. This is achieved by attending local and national tattoo conventions, developing relationships which provide avenues for personal witnessing, sharing our faith through the internet, printed page and conducting bible studies and worship services. The CTA is not a Christian society trying to separate Christian tattooers and tattoo enthusiasts from the influences of the world. We are a ministry designed to assist born-again Christians in taking the Gospel of Jesus to those who have not yet heard the good news."
If you are a Christian, where do you stand on tattoos?
If you are of another faith, what are your feelings about ink?
If you are an atheist or agnostic, do you have tattoos or are they not your cup of tea?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 9:35AM
Reader Comments (35)
@ Steve..
You are posing good questions. I am realizing that although I have my own beliefs and even though I want everyone to be saved and go to Heaven, all I can do is preach my views and why and hope/ pray for the best for you and everyone else. Your question about making all sin illegal......now you are getting to the free will issue. We had a long, drawn out discussion on this that lasted 2 Sundays in my Sunday School class. God puts forth His word and laws and consequences, and then gives us free will to decide what to do, whether we will follow them or not. However, He also makes clear the consequences. As a Christian, I don't want to infringe upon anyone's rights--NOONE--, but in good conscience I cannot vote for or push for something that goes against my beliefs, because I honestly believe that I WILL be held accountable by God someday. I guess the thing to do is not vote on it, then, right? My question is, if tattoos were illegal, how in the world would that be enforced? And what would they do with the people who already have them? People would still find a way to obtain them. Just like anti-gun laws (which I am against; the people who are the reason they want to take our right to own guns away are the ones who will obtain them illegally to commit the crimes anyway, but that's a whole other ballgame and discussion). I'll save the gay marriage question for the other forum, which I found. I'll check it out in a bit. I"m starting to see where you're going with this, but I'll get to that in the other forum.
@ Sharon Carlaine...
I'm not sure of the answer to your question, nor am I sure if it was hypothetical or if you wanted it answered:) But it is a question I have often wondered myself, not that I am trying to lump several groups of people together and say that all vegans are atheists, and vice-versa, which is not true, I'm sure.
@ you'll never know
You seem to be coming around here. On a topic such as equal rights, we should not be voting to take away rights. It seems as though you are saying that tattoos are a sin, however, they should not be illegal because we all have free will to do as we want to do with our own bodies.
If someone got it on the ballot and there was a vote, would you vote to make them illegal? above you said, "but in good conscience I cannot vote for or push for something that goes against my beliefs, because I honestly believe that I WILL be held accountable by God someday." To take it a little farther, how about if there was a vote to make shellfish illegal to eat? Would you vote for or against? Why?
On the other hand, you are saying that same sex marriage should not be legal because it is a sin against god. So do we have free will or not? Look forward to your reply in the
"Let's discuss it more" forum above.
@ Steve....
yes, shellfish should be illegal. YUCK!!! Just kidding. By the way, I changed my name:)
You know my feelings about religion AND ink, but I just want to say - great article!!!! Loved it!
I am a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I have several, tattoo's in fact in most all clothing I wear except pants one of my tattoo's is easily seen. Yes in October of 2000 the President of the Church did issue the mentioned statement to the membership. No where in that statement did he say that members whom had tattoo's should go get them removed. He did mention that it is costly and painful. In my 7 years as a member I have had only one person harp to me about my tattoo's. This was the same woman that attempted to sabotage my wedding a year and 10 months later.
The Bishop at the time I joined also had tattoo's in fact he had a full back piece and calf pieces.
Tattoo's do not equate sin. In our church we are taught that our bodies are Temples unto the Lord. In fact I do believe that most religions also feel the same.
I am not excluded in any way because I have Tattoo's in fact I'm a walking testament of love and tolerance. The biggest testament to that is a recent convert whom use to be a Hell's Angel and then later was a member of a neo-nazi group. This man has chosen to change his life. To change his ways. He has no way of hiding some of his tattoo's due to the fact they are on his skull and he is now bald. NOT one member of our ward has EVER made him feel out of place nor have they told this member he HAD to get them removed. He is where he is now because of who he use to be. Love is a powerful thing. And most of all God is love and if you strive to love and accept even if you don't agree then you are a step ahead of the extreme left and right.
As a Christian, I remember starting my apprenticeship wondering.... What is my friend and Pastor going to say about me tattooing? I wasn't exactly clear on what the Bible said about Tattooing, except for the Old Testament, which I knew clearly didn't apply now. Anyhow,
I had been absent from Church for awhile since I was working at the tattoo shop, and when I came back, I was thrilled when He handed me a file with The History of Tattooing in the Early Christian Faith. He had researched a ton of information for me that would be of use to me when other "Christians" would question what I was doing, or my tattoos....
and then he asked me when I could Tattoo his daughter's name on his arm and fix up one of his other ones.
I have to say, it's really cool being accepted, whether in a spiritual setting, industry setting, or otherwise. But to be a part of a church that LOVES me, SUPPORTS me, and helps hold me accountable spiritually is pretty awesome. Especially when the little old ladies admire the work and have said, if I got covered from head to toe....it wouldn't matter, they love me, and my art.
I'm happy to say that I tattoo people from my small church on a regular basis... something that I never thought would happen. : D
I am a Christian, and I have one tattoo. The one I have is actually a black Jesus fish on my inner left ankle and I love it. I think my next one will be a little green cartoon bookworm, and I'm sure I will get more and more! I love the look and the process. Tattooing is an amazing art and a thing of beauty, and art is not sinful. To paraphrase the saying about abortion, "Don't like tattoos? Then DON'T GET ONE!" Jeez. :-) I attend a pretty liberal church and there are other people with visible tats, and I'm sure there are LOTS of people with hidden ones, too.
I love this site and your writings! Keep it up!
I like how they say your body is a Temple.. Has anyone else looked closely at the Salt Lake Mormon Temple? Many symbols and pictures.. Suns Moons secret Hand Shakes all marking the exterior walls of the Temple.
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