Tattoos - do you?

[ORMojo]

Originally Posted by GParkes

Only an opinion.........our skin is an amazing organism created (in my eyes, I understand maybe not in others) by God. It is his canvas; it protects our body by performing several bodily functions - regulation, protection, and sensation. It can also simply make us look beautiful, each in our own way.

To me, putting ink on our (my) skin, is like taking a Sharpie to Monet's "Water Lilies". Just my take.

To each their own.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I have a few Orthodox friends that feel similarly. I'm not observant, but I really like the analogy.

So . . . realizing that I may be stepping in, or starting, something with this comment (and not intending to) . . . . does that mean we shouldn't be landscaping the earth (in the gardening sense, not a destructive sense)? I'm not observant of a deity (my lineage of Buddhism does not think of Buddha as a god), and I fully understand the viewpoints above as consistent with their beliefs, but why not just stop the first quote above at "canvas" . . . which is a blank surface upon which it is intended to be creative and unique. I mean, it isn't just the skin that was "created" but the entire being, and we certainly differentiate, change, express, individualize those beings from the moment of birth, don't we?

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by ORMojo

So . . . realizing that I may be stepping in, or starting, something with this comment (and not intending to) . . . . does that mean we shouldn't be landscaping the earth (in the gardening sense, not a destructive sense)? I'm not observant of a deity - my lineage of Buddhism does not think of Buddha as a god, and I fully understand the viewpoints above as consistent with their beliefs, but why not just stop the first quote above at "canvas" . . . which is a blank surface upon which it is intended to be creative and unique. I mean, it isn't just the skin that was "created" but the entire being, and we certainly differentiate, change, express, individualize those beings from the moment of birth, don't we?

Well, I can't comment on the religious aspect of your question, because I'm not observant. I do know in my profession and location (a personal trainer in San Francisco) the body is considered "high art" and something to be continually improved upon, tinkered with, and used a vehicle for expression.

I'm one the few trainers that's not "tatted up" nor do I do have the archetypal hallmarks of a typical male trainer (i.e. big biceps and pecs) Personally, I have nothing for or against tats. Some look great and some look like dog****.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by ORMojo

Yes, I do.

Now at age 61, I have had these for a little over ten years, absolutely no regrets and nothing I would change.

My back. The centerpiece is the inscription from when I was ordained as a Buddhist monk/priest in Thailand. The shoulder piece is a traditional Buddhist depiction of the levels of enlightenment. The lower piece illustrates the interconnectedness of all things - if you look very closely, you can find the sun, the moon, and other symbology representing various elements.
Attachment 1697989832

My left shoulder. Stylized lotus flower with Buddhas and inscriptions.
Attachment 1697989833

My right shoulder has the first/middle names of all four of my children, in a stylized English/Thai script my oldest daughter and I developed together. She also worked with me in pulling all of these elements together and working with the (local Eugene) tattoo artist to make certain he created the transfers/stencils correctly (took a few drafts to get all of the Thai letters precisely correct!). Obviously, I added my youngest child's name more recently, shortly after he was born almost 6 years ago now.
Attachment 1697989834

I work in a professional setting, and although all are covered by my shirt, they don't have to be. The Executive Director of my company has several visible tattoos (and other not generally visible ones). If anything, she completely supports such self-expression. And, sometimes humorously, my tattoos are quite visible when only covered by a white dress shirt - more than once I've had someone tell me that at first they thought I had a really unique shirt . . . until they realized those were tattoos under the shirt.

I frequently gaze at the lotus and the names of my children (especially my now deceased second daughter - I thought about memorializing her death by somehow adding to her name tattoo, but similar to the earlier comment here, realized that it is about the life she lived, and the love that continues to this day, not about her death). And my oldest daughter and I realized that my back, although not generally visible to me, was not only the appropriate location for those pieces given their size, but also because the ever-present, yet hidden, mindfulness of Buddhism is somehow conveyed by that placement.

Touching. Thanks for sharing.

[joosttx]

My highschool buddy has "Mr Cat Piss" tattooed across his chest.

[Louis]

Finally found the pics of mine:

[Blue Jays]

Tattoos are fine by me yet I do not possess one.
The majority of people whom I know have them.

[BobO]

Originally Posted by jr59

Just one. To honor someone who no longer breathes the air of this world! I miss them greatly.

First, I'm sorry for your loss.

I get choked up when see that and think about how close my wife and kids came to being there too. That's a very powerful symbol.

I'm considering something discreet along those lines; ending in a semicolon. I'm not done yet.

[doomridesout]

Originally Posted by GParkes

Only an opinion.........our skin is an amazing organism created (in my eyes, I understand maybe not in others) by God. It is his canvas; it protects our body by performing several bodily functions - regulation, protection, and sensation. It can also simply make us look beautiful, each in our own way.

To me, putting ink on our (my) skin, is like taking a Sharpie to Monet's "Water Lilies". Just my take.

To each their own.

Your opinion is fairly widely shared and I think many people have a similar concept, although most are not able to articulate it in the same way or frame it religious terms.

When I started getting tattooed I expressly considered and rejected similar arguments from bodily purity. The human body is a thing of the material world, often scarred, damaged, and ultimately destined to die and rot. The long process of the body's deterioration begins at birth. Unlike coronary bypass scars, colostomies, and third degree burns, tattoos are a way to exercise control and agency over the process of decay, while recognizing and respecting the basic fact that bodies degrade. Memento mori. I choose what I look like in this life.

The religious aspect is often framed as the body being a creation of God (as you stated). The trouble for me is that the standard God has set for purity of the body happens to line up conveniently with societal in-group/out-group standards.

Originally Posted by guyintense

People with tattoos are more likely to commit violent crimes, statistically speaking.

Almost certainly true. Tattooing is associated with reduced adherence to social norms, low impulse control, and higher rates of present value discounting. Working in and around criminal justice the stereotype seems justified to me.

Tattooing is one of those things that triggers binary thinking for many people-- either it has value and meaning, or it's a sign of a defective character. Like most things of power, it can be both.

[old fat man]

Originally Posted by Louis

Finally found the pics of mine:

That chain was never gonna stay connected

[BobO]

Originally Posted by doomridesout

Unlike coronary bypass scars, colostomies, and third degree burns, tattoos are a way to exercise control and agency over the process of decay, while recognizing and respecting the basic fact that bodies degrade. Memento mori. I choose what I look like in this life.

Not criticizing your choices in any way, I'm not that kind of person.

That said, as an academic debate topic another way to look at this is that scars are an organic part of, result of a life lived if you will. As you said, the tattoo reflects what you choose to show the world, a scar is the accidental result of what you've done in the world. Rather than a process of decay, my scars tell the story of my life. I treasure my scars as each one is tied to and the result something exciting, dangerous, stupid, scary, etc.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by joosttx

My highschool buddy has "Mr Cat Piss" tattooed across his chest.

That’s intense! That’s not one you can downplay at the pool...

[Louis]

Originally Posted by old fat man

That chain was never gonna stay connected

I know - my massive power doomed it from the start...

At that scale the artist (who was a racer, and married (and divorced) from a pro racer) decided that adding the inner link would cause too much overlap, so she cut it off with outer links at both ends.

[Nomadmax]

I have a few tattoos, including the Campy wheel with wings.

[corky]

Just my opinion

They look like a skin disease from anything greater than 5 feet away

But lotsa people like them.

[kiwisimon]

Originally Posted by Louis

I know - my massive power doomed it from the start...

At that scale the artist (who was a racer, and married (and divorced) from a pro racer) decided that adding the inner link would cause too much overlap, so she cut it off with outer links at both ends.

you should have him tattoo the missing link on your perineum.