| It does not take a genius for one to realize that | | | | changing of the times, this body art is now slowly |
| tattoos are becoming indelible in our society today. | | | | being accepted by these religious sectors, though not |
| People from all walks of life are getting themselves | | | | as a religious act. But in some Asian cultures, having |
| inked for various reasons. For some, the reasons are | | | | religious tattoos is traditional practice. It is common |
| merely skin-deep: to increase their "level of sexiness" | | | | custom for Buddhist monks to wear tattoos that are |
| up a few notches, to identify themselves with a | | | | believed to ward off bad luck and evil spirits, and |
| group of tattooed individuals, or to exercise their | | | | therefore serve as an amulet. In Hindu religion, |
| freedom and be cool. But for some, it involves a | | | | tattooing is also common practice as part of their |
| deeper, religious meaning. Religious tattoos are quite | | | | culture. For the Egyptians, religious tattoos such as |
| common nowadays. We see cross tattoos or | | | | The Eye Of Horus also serves as protection from evil |
| religious symbols and images being sported by | | | | spirits, to bring good luck, and to gain entry into |
| different individuals around. And, in all truthfulness, a | | | | after-life. In recent times, religious tattoos seem to |
| few of these individuals do not fit into the bill of | | | | be just that: a skin-deep image of a once-revered |
| what a religious person should be. But one question | | | | symbol. The Ankh, Ichthus, the Sacred Heart and the |
| remains: Is tattooing of religious symbols recognized | | | | Crucifix of the Christians; the Star of David, Menorah, |
| as a religious act? It would depend on which religious | | | | and Allah symbols of the Islams; the Eye of Horus, |
| sector you belong to, and on what your religious | | | | Yin Yang, Dharma, and other religious symbols for |
| beliefs are. The advent of religious tattoos dates | | | | different religious sectors are seen worn by people |
| back to the pre-biblical era when the art of tattooing | | | | who do not practice the religion. But it is also fairly |
| was widely practiced by the pagans as a means of | | | | common for a person to show his devotion by |
| worship until it was forbidden when Constantine | | | | having something of religious importance etched on |
| became the emperor of Rome. According to | | | | his body even on this day and age. So the question |
| Leviticus 19:28: "You shall not make any cuttings in | | | | of whether religious tattoos are taboo or not lies on |
| your flesh for the dead; neither shall you make in | | | | the personal belief of the wearer. It is no longer |
| yourselves any figures or marks. I am the Lord." This | | | | dictated by society but by how one chose to show |
| then became the basis for Christians to shun | | | | his spirituality. Tattoos, like religion, have become a |
| tattooing. Islam tradition forbids any bodily alterations | | | | personal thing. |
| made as a way to enhance physical beauty, and this | | | | If you want to know more about religious tattoos |
| includes body tattoos. Generally, the Muslim culture | | | | and religious tattoo designs, vist Here you will also |
| also considers tattoos unacceptable; as well as | | | | find information about sun tattoos, dolphin tattoos, |
| traditional Jews. However, maybe due to the | | | | and other tattoo ideas. |