Skulls, skeletons, and other ancient images of death remain incredibly popular as body art.  In ancient times such markings would have been used as a symbol of power, or for protection from evil (archaeologists turn up such designs all the time, all over the world).  Today, at least in “western” society, those images are often used to convey a message.   Politely phrased it would be “Don’t mess with me.”

Gang tattoos are loaded with death symbolism, in an attempt to convey power, fearlessness and the disposal of enemies.  But the skull-and-crossbones motif once used to identify a pirate has long since passed into popular culture and adorns many bodies today as well.  Some body art explicitly displays the destruction of other living beings.   Some just conveys the threat.

As the old saying goes, “You are what you eat.”  To my somewhat mystical way of thinking, such toxic images would be poisonous to the soul of the wearer.  I feel that body art should represent something positive to its wearer–even if that image is in honor of someone who has died.  One of my tattoos is in memory of my grandmother, but it’s a bold and colorful dragon.  I would not put a tombstone on my skin.

What do you feel about images of death and destruction?  Are they just so much ink, or does their presence affect their wearer in some way?  Am I just too far over the moon?

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photo credit: katie cowden

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Before I begin today’s essay:   I had one Jewish grandfather, but he died before I was born, and I don’t claim any expertise on the subject of Judaism or the Law and the Prophets.   I am an interested outsider, with a nearly lifelong interest in Biblical history and comparative religions.   I belong to no sect, either by heritage or by choice.   All human theological traditions both living and past have an equal chance of being true, in my opinion.

Does Leviticus say no?

That said, it is widely believed that there is a prohibition against making any marks on the body in the book of Leviticus.   The various translations seem to agree that people should not cut themselves “for the dead” (it was a tradition in many cultures for the bereaved to slash their own skins).   But what follows differs depending on which translation one reads.   Some prohibit “making marks” or “printing marks” on the skin, while some use the word “tattoo.”   I can’t read Hebrew, so I don’t know exactly what the original Scripture said.   I am looking forward to Dr. James Tabor’s group’s future publication of The Transparent English Bible, so those of us who can’t read the original IN the original can finally get as close as possible to what it says.

Many Jewish people believe that the prohibition is against tattooing, which made the death-camp marks all the more horrible.   And that memory quite rightly lingers on, lending greater force to the present-day prohibition on tattoos.   Whether a modern tattoo becomes a matter of honor or horror is far beyond any outsider’s business to decide.   But according to the article, many modern Jews are choosing to be tattooed precisely because they value their heritage and wish to say so in a permanent way.

Does 21st century choice enter into it?

In an earlier post, I talked about choosing religious or spiritual designs for tattoos.   I believe those designs should have intense personal significance, and certainly people who choose to override religious prohibitions must have strong feelings on the subject.

Here is a link to the original story. If you do a Google search with “Jew tattoo” you’ll find plenty of opinions pro and con, with good reasons to support both sides.   Do you have an opinion?   I’d like to hear it.

photo credit: hometownzero

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A lot of people want designs that represent some aspect of their religion or spirituality. From crosses and Stars of David, to
pentagrams and crescent moons, to stylized representations of all kinds of deities, it’s often important to have a symbol of something that plays a major role in one’s life.

But there’s nothing that says one has to settle for the same-old-same-old in this area. I know that religious beliefs are kind of a touchy subject, so I’m going to try to take a somewhat general approach to this.

There are fairly common symbols of most major religions, like the Christian cross or the Jewish Star of David or the Muslim crescent. Many people find those symbols to be profound representations of their beliefs and that’s all they want or need when it comes to picking a design. But almost all world religions have ancient roots, and perhaps it would be better to look at designs that are less common but still profoundly representative.

Great art on canvas, great art on skin

Start by looking in books about religious art. There are wonderful pictures and designs from illuminated manuscripts from the past. There are photos of temples, churches, and mosques with glorious artwork incorporated into their interiors and exteriors, any of which could be adapted into a tattoo design. How about something from the Book of Kells? Here is a link to a site that will sell you the whole thing on DVD, and you can browse the text and illuminations to your heart’s content.

Or, how about some of the glorious Islamic decorations from the Taj Mahal? Most of us have only seen the standard pictures from a distance that show the entire building, but when one looks closer, one can truly appreciate the brilliance of the artists who created it.

Likewise, the Torah has been illuminated by countless artists and can be a rich source of inspiration. Here is a link to a modern illuminated Torah that should be a great source for unique religious designs.

Architectural inspiration

And of course that’s only the beginning. Try to think of buildings, art, and other representations of your beliefs that could be adapted for your design and I’m sure you’ll find a wide world full of inspiration.

One caution, though. If you find photos of other people with tattoos or painted designs, please, don’t copy those designs exactly. Those designs have personal and religious meaning to the person who wears them–think how you’d feel if someone who knew nothing about your religion copied something from your tradition for purely decorative purposes without knowing what it meant. Be as respectful to those people as you would wish them to be to you.

Which, come to think of it, is an appropriate way to think about spiritual design.

photo credit: mockstar
photo credit: Ya Susanne

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