A Conversation about Tattoos
Pastor: When people have tattoos, it gives off a vibe of a certain stigma.
Me: And what kind of stigma is that?
Pastor: You know... being wild, rebellious, apathetic, and against the grain. And if it gives off that kind of stigma, then Christians should stay away from that.
Me: Why does it give off that stigma? Because some non-Christians who have tattoos are that way? And if that's the case, then why should a Christian be judged by his appearance solely off the stigma that non-Christians have created for said appearance?
Pastor: You just have to flee the appearance of all evil. And if tattoos bring a certain stigma, then stay away from it. Christians with tattoos are almost indistinguishable in appearance from non-Christians with tattoos. We have to be different from the world.
Me: But it doesn't have a certain stigma to everyone. Just those who are uncomfortable with it, like yourself.
Me: Ok, think about this. You said that Christians with tattoos are almost indistinguishable in appearance from non-Christians with tattoos. Therefore, we have to separate. Now, on Sundays when you preach, you were a suit and tie, correct?
Me: So, what if, to some person who saw you at, let's say, a gas station before you got to church. They had no clue who you were. But, they saw your suit and tie. Now, in reality, you are indistinguishable from a business in appearance when you have that attire. What if someone saw you and thought, "Man, look at that businessman. Businessmen lie, cheat, steal, and are just terrible people. I bet he's a terrible person." Would that be a fair assessment?
Pastor: Of course it wouldn't.
Me: However, you do the same with those with tattoos. However, the object of the stigma has changed. It's gone to "people with tattoos" to "people with suits and ties". Just because some non-Christians who have the same appearance as you have given that appearance a bad stigma, whenever you appear that way, people may associate you with that. Your suit and tie doesn't make most people uncomfortable, but just because it may give a bad stigma to a few people, does that mean that it's inherently bad and that Christians should stay away from it?
Pastor: Not at all. The person in the gas station just made an unfair judgment about me by my appearance before she even knew me.
Me: Exactly. It's the same with tattoos.
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