{"id":35821,"date":"2025-05-06T14:26:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T14:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/?p=35821"},"modified":"2025-07-15T12:07:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T12:07:27","slug":"jehovahs-witnesses-tattoos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/pt\/learn\/jehovahs-witnesses-tattoos\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses Get Tattoos?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Esta entrada \u00e9 a parte 3 de 38 na s\u00e9rie Compreender as Testemunhas de Jeov\u00e1<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Ink and Inspiration: A Christian Look at Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and Tattoos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever stopped to think about how we show the world the amazing person God made us to be? Sometimes it shines through our smile, the kind things we do, or even the art we choose to put out there. Our bodies are incredible gifts from God, aren\u2019t they? And how we take care of them and present them often says a lot about what\u2019s truly in our hearts. But what happens when our desire to express ourselves bumps up against our deeply held faith? How do we walk that path with wisdom and grace? Today, let\u2019s explore a question that many sincere Christians ponder, especially when trying to understand all the wonderful variety in God\u2019s family of faith: Can someone who follows the path of a Jehovah\u2019s Witness choose to get a tattoo?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This question touches on personal choices, what the community thinks, and how we understand God\u2019s precious Word. The answer isn\u2019t always a simple yes or no. It means we need to look closely at certain scriptures, understand the guiding principles Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses live by, and think about the real-life situations within their faith community. Come along with us as we explore this topic with an open heart, wanting to understand the perspective of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses on tattoos in a way that\u2019s easy to grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the official Jehovah\u2019s Witness teaching on tattoos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we look at the official view of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses on tattoos, it\u2019s good to know there isn\u2019t a direct rule written down saying Christians absolutely cannot get them today. But, the practice is strongly discouraged<\/em>. Why? Because of how they understand certain Bible principles and practical things mentioned in their writings.\u00b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main scripture people talk about is Leviticus 19:28. In the New World Translation, which Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses often use, it says: \u201cYou must not make cuts in your flesh for a dead person, and you must not make tattoo markings on yourselves. I am Jehovah\u201d.\u00b3 their official writings explain that this command was part of a special Law God gave just to the people of Israel way back then.\u00b3 The whole point was to help the Israelites be different from the other nations around them, who often marked their skin with names or symbols of their gods, or did it when they were mourning someone who died.\u00b3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the key part: Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses teach that Christians today are n\u00e3o<\/em> under that same set of rules, the Mosaic Law, that was given to Israel.\u00b3 So, that rule in Leviticus 19:28 isn\u2019t seen as a direct command for Christians now. Because of this, their writings often say the decision is a \u201cconscience matter\u201d.\u00b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we need to understand this carefully. Even though they say the Old Testament law isn\u2019t binding, they still bring up Leviticus 19:28 a lot when talking about why tattoos aren\u2019t encouraged.\u00b3 It seems like the verse isn\u2019t used as a strict \u201cdon\u2019t do it\u201d rule more like a starting point to talk about bigger ideas they believe in, like respecting our bodies and staying separate from worldly ways. This approach \u2013 where something isn\u2019t forbidden by law but is strongly advised against based on principles drawn from that law \u2013 can sometimes feel a bit unclear. Also, calling it a \u201cconscience matter\u201d might sound like there\u2019s a lot of personal freedom sometimes the reality reported within the community is different, with real social pressure and possible downsides if someone does get a tattoo.\u00b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Leviticus 19:28 (\u201cYou must not put tattoo marking upon yourselves\u201d) binding on Christians today according to JWs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to what Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses teach, the answer is straightforward: No, that specific command in Leviticus 19:28 is n\u00e3o<\/em> seen as directly binding on Christians living today.\u00b3 Their publications consistently explain that this rule was part of the big set of laws, the Mosaic Law, given only to the ancient nation of Israel.\u00b3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The background they give for this law is really important to how they see it. It was meant to make the Israelites stand out from the pagan cultures nearby who did ritual body marking, often tied to worshiping idols or mourning practices for the dead.\u00b3 Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses point out that the reasons people get tattoos today and the culture around it are often very different from those ancient religious practices.\u00b3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, they teach that Christians follow the \u201claw of the Christ,\u201d not the Law of Moses. They might use scriptures like Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14-15 to show that the Mosaic Law agreement ended when Christ made his sacrifice.\u2076 Just like Christians don\u2019t follow other specific rules from the Levitical code\u2014like rules about food or not wearing clothes made of two different fabrics (Leviticus 19:19)\u2014they also aren\u2019t bound by the exact command against tattoo markings.\u00b9\u2075<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even though they clearly say the law itself isn\u2019t binding, the princ\u00edpio<\/em> they believe is behind the command is still very important to them. They shift the focus from the exact words of the law to what they see as its spirit: the importance of staying separate from worldly or pagan ways and showing respect for the human body as something God created.\u00b3 This way of looking at it lets the organization keep discouraging tattoos. They take the basic idea from the Old Testament law and use it as a guiding principle for Christians, even though the specific command is considered outdated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, including former members, have noticed this strong focus on Leviticus 19:28, especially when compared to the verse right before it, Leviticus 19:27, which talks about not cutting the hair on the sides of the head or trimming the edges of the beard.\u00b2 Since the organization recently changed its view and now allows Jehovah\u2019s Witness men to have beards, the continued strong emphasis on the tattoo rule in the very next verse makes some wonder about how consistently they apply principles from the Mosaic Law. It suggests that maybe the way things are interpreted and applied can sometimes be influenced by the group\u2019s culture or what the leaders prefer, perhaps wanting to keep a certain look or standard for the group 1, rather than just based on how important the verse itself is compared to what\u2019s around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What key Bible principles guide a Jehovah\u2019s Witness\u2019s decision about tattoos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When a Jehovah\u2019s Witness thinks about getting a tattoo, they\u2019re encouraged to go deeper than just asking if there\u2019s a rule against it. They\u2019re encouraged to use their \u201cpower of reason\u201d (like it says in Romans 12:1), guided by several important Bible principles.\u00b3 These principles together shape how they see things and strongly nudge them away from the practice. Here are some key ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n