Tessa, I know there is a very negative reaction to tattoos, and people associate them with very bad things, but I think it depends. All of mine are hidden, because I didn't want people to make assumptions without knowing me. I associate getting them with friends who's company I enjoyed a lot. Honestly, some of it has to do with me being diagnosed as Type I Diabetic when I was fifteen. I'm older, so when I first was ill, doctors could be very authoritarian so, rightly or wrongly, my tattoos were really a "freedom" thing. If getting them, was part of fornicating, taking drugs, etc. I probably would regret them, but I just can't. I feel badly because I love what Orthodoxy teaches, and I am coming to the Church out of my free will, and I want to submit to God. But, I can't just negate everything that came before. That doesn't sound the way I want to, but truey, tattoos are pretty minor things. We all know our sins, and I know that mine are a lot more serious than a little bit of ink. On a lighter note: One of my friends left a corporate, cubicle job and got all ten of his knuckles tattooed "thus condemming myself to minimum wage forever" he said. I don't know how he'll feel in ten years, but he lives in NYC, so it may not matter!
Make-up
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joasia
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As far as make-up goes, it is a strong influence in society. But, we also have to examine our perception of it.
For example, if we touch up some blemishes, it just helps us not to have other people look at us and say: "My goodness, look at her face!"
It keeps others from sinning with thoughts of judgement.
If we use it out of pure and utter vanity, like the women portrayed in Sex and the City, then there is a sin of vanity involved.
I fall in the first example; I'm not big on make-up using and usually at work, I'm rubbing my face and eyes so that I have none left by lunch.
Personally, I don't like to wear lipstick when I go to church because I kiss the icons and that leaves a smear, which is just plain appalling when venerating the saints.
A friend of mine told me once, when in doubt, just ask yourself what the Mother of God(Theotokos) would do. She is the epitamy of an example for the behaviour of women. And I add to that, imagine being present in front of her...how would you like her to see you?
As far as tattos goes...I don't think God would be asking us why did we get the tattoo, unless it was a swastika or the star of david (which I believe Tom Arnold has on his chest).
But, if I was bold enough, I would get a tattoo of an Orthodox cross. Do you think God would disapprove of that?
"A friend of mine told me once, when in doubt, just ask yourself what the Mother of God(Theotokos) would do."
Exactly my point.
About an Orthodox-inspired tattoo..one of the last times I was in Moscow, I accidentally ended up watching a tv program about the history of tattoos in Russia. One of the people they featured had his entire back done like an exact copy of an icon of his patron saint. It was beautiful, I have never seen anything like it...however, I don't think it is something that would be approved of....
I have often seen Copts with crosses tattooed across their foreheads..I believe we discussed this before here in another thread. Why do the Copts support this...is there a biblical reason or is it because they were from a predominately Muslim country?
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joasia
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Natasha,
That's an amazing tatoo. But, being Orthodox-minded, I was taught to venerate icons, so kissing his back would be definitely weird.
From what I remember hearing, tatoos are a form of pagan culture. If Jesus Christ and the Theotokos didn't have any, then it's not by God's standard.
It's a sin that is a lot more difficult to remove with a simple confession.
Years back, when Martin Scorcese made "The Last Temptation of Christ", Mary (I wouldn't say "Theotokos" to refer to a reprsentation in a movie) is shown with some very Eastern-looking tattoos. I have NO IDEA whether this was based on anything Biblical (I doubt it), or if it was just a whim on the part of the costume designer. I know that Jews tradionally do not tatttoo themselves.