i'm having an issue

with getting a tattoo. i've been reading about it a lot and going over the same verse over and over again and debating whether this applies to me today in this time period and culture.
well see, we all go to Leviticus 19:28 where it states, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (NLT) or the King James : "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." (KJV) pretty clear, right?
however when put into context of that chapter, i thought God was talking about pagan practices and idol worship.
and it also goes to say in verse 26, "Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times," (KJV) and verse 27, "Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." (KJV) i eat non kosher meats and i get my haircut all the time. i cut it bald myself. but i suppose that back then, these types of things were associated with pagan practices and idol worship.
but these are things we do, like, all the time.
and also in the new testament it does state clearly in Hebrews 8:13 talking about the old covenant: "By calling this covenant 'new,' he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." (NLT) or "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (KJV)
well... after i put these points together i figured it was a heart condition, sort of on par with the debate put on christians drinking.
i heard a sermon on this not too long ago and i believe the point that he made was that you shouldn't get DRUNK. everywhere the bible says don't get drunk but it never says not to drink.
and when this is put into perspective, i guess how i feel about tattoo's is that you shouldn't ever go overboard or tattoo something unholy on your body, but you shouldn't really go out and get one unless you really feel necessary.
i hear paul say things like this alot. well at leat that's how i interpret it.
he usually ends up saying something to the extent of, "they say don't do this, but i say don't go overboard or do anything unholy. i mean to be safe, don't do it at all, but if you really want to then go ahead and do it right. better to be safe than to burn in hell.
Example. 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (KJV)

or to be a little clearer:

Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, Is it a good thing to have sexual relations? Certainly—but only within a certain context. It's good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to "stand up for your rights." Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it's for the purposes of prayer and fasting—but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it. I'm not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence—only providing my best counsel if you should choose them. Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others. I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can't manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single. (The Message)

well with that considered, i felt if i really have a bible verse that means a lot to me and i wanted to get it tatted on my arm, that would be ok? right?
well if that were just up to me, i'd be fine with it. however tried to discuss it with my ma. Discuss mind you. well she freaked out on me even after i tried to talk to her and told me i always think i'm right and more angry statements. lol
but if it came down to it, she wouldn't really stop me.

but just her freaking out on me and how other people ban tattoos and things like that made me think maybe i should really see how other people really founded in the lord feel about this.

and with that said, i'm really depending on you guys for help.

now mind you i'm not trying to twist the bible to make my point valid or anything. i just honestly fell this way. now if i have done so, please feel free to tell me where i'm wrong.

i'm all ears. :]

and btw, i already have a tat from a videogame and i really like it and i feel great about it. but it's weird that when i want to get a christian tat, everybody now decides to freak and i start to get an unclear view on this subject matter altogether.

ugh

ps. sorry about all the king james for people who don't like thee's and thou's and all that. it's the only one in my room. lol

and pps. i was reading through Leviticus and i think the imagery is HILARIOUS in 19:14 : "Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD." (KJV) i have this hilarious picture of stewie from family guy kicking out a chair in front of Peter when he was struck blind.
"HA! I almost didn't do it, I almost didn't do it! I thought, is this in bad taste? But you know what, I went for it. I went for it and I'm so glad I did! Ooooh, worth it, totally worth it."
did anybody else see that?




just me?



probably just me. nvm...

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