September 1, 2005
Here’s a question from Christina from California:
What is the Church’s position on people who have tattoos and/or body piercings? I was told that there is a passage in the Bible that says that the Church is against tattoos/body “art”… what if someone had a cross tattoo?
Yes, it is Leviticus 19:28. It is in the midst of a number of commandments – some of which we do not practice (“Do not clip your hair at the temples, nor trim the edges of your beard.” LV. 19:27), and some which we had better (“You shall not degrade your daughter by making a prostitute of her; else the land will become corrupt and full of lewdness.” LV. 19:29). The verse itself reads: “Do not lacerate your bodies for the dead, and do not tattoo yourselves. I am the LORD.”
Now, tattooing was common among some nomads of the near east to mark different tribes. If God is telling the Israelites not to do it, we should listen. Some people say it is decorating the body, but it could be more along the lines of desecrating. Obviously we know that if someone had an evil image tattooed, that would be wrong – no matter what. But I would say that it would have to be an ingrained cultural thing to be permissible. I am talking about the New Zealanders and the African tribes.
Body piercings are a bit easier. Ears and maybe nose (if you’re from India!) Period. Anything beyond that and we have a problem. If I remember correctly from one of my theology classes, it is a sin of desecration in most cases and only permissible, like I said, in the some cases of cultural upbringing.
Br. Agostino Miguel Torres, CFR
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