| One subject on which the major Biblically-based | | | | about it, even further. |
| religions agree is that getting a tattoo is wrong. | | | | As the Books of the Old Testament are taken to |
| Fundamentalist Christians, Catholics, and Jews all | | | | be the word of God, and commandments to be |
| agree on this. They do, however, hold very | | | | adhered to, in the Jewish faith tattoos are |
| different viewpoints on why it is wrong. It is | | | | something which is simply not done. This |
| interesting to take a look at the beliefs and | | | | commandment against any desecration of the |
| viewpoints of these religions-- not only what each | | | | body has been proported to be one of the main |
| one believes, but what each one bases that belief | | | | reasons tattooing was done on observant Jews |
| upon. | | | | at the concentration camps during the Holocaust; |
| For Fundamentalist Christians, the | | | | it was not merely a means of identification as |
| generally-expressed opinion is that people should | | | | many people assume. It was an attempt to |
| not get tattoos because tattoos are "a pagan | | | | separate observant Jews from their God, albeit |
| practice." Fundamentalist leaders state that this is | | | | unwillingly. |
| a good enough reason for not getting tattoos, | | | | In the Jewish faith, desecrating the body with |
| although they also add that there is nothing in the | | | | tattoos is considered to be such a violation of the |
| Bible which states that a person should not. | | | | commandments that a person who has tattoos is |
| Potential confusion regarding this standpoint is | | | | sometimes denied burial in Jewish cemeteries. |
| explained in terms of the Fundamentalist belief | | | | While this used to be the standard practice, |
| that the whole of the Bible consists of the New | | | | modern times reflecting fewer prohibitions has |
| Testament, and the New Testament contains no | | | | resulted in this being less of a concern than in the |
| references to tattooing, either positive or | | | | past. Although today few but the most orthodox |
| negative. Describing the practice of tattooing as | | | | consider it to be a serious issue, it is still indeed an |
| something that was, or is, done by pagans, | | | | issue. |
| constitutes their main objection to the practice. | | | | The general consensus amongst these three |
| As Catholics believe that the Old Testament is as | | | | major Biblical-based faiths is that it is wrong to |
| relevant as the New Testament, the general | | | | get tattoos, although each one's reasons and |
| Catholic negativity toward the subject is covered | | | | points of view certainly differ. Whatever one's |
| by such Scripture passages as Leviticus 19:28, | | | | personal faith may happen to be, the two main |
| which reads "You shall not make any cuts in your | | | | factors involve both what one's religion teaches |
| body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks | | | | about tattoos, and what their specific reason is |
| on yourselves..." For most Catholics, though, it is | | | | for it. These are important factors regardless of |
| still usually considered to be more a matter of | | | | how observant an person is of his or her |
| personal interpretation and personal choice. The | | | | particular religion; and makes it clear that one |
| usual modern-day Catholic interpretation of the | | | | should consider both factors in order to make an |
| subject is that while tattooing is indeed wrong by | | | | informed decision on whether or not to get a |
| Biblical standards, it is not necessarily sinful. | | | | tattoo. |
| The Jewish faith takes the subject, and negativity | | | | |