Are Tattoos Blood Rituals?

tattoosI was very excited to get my first tattoo. It was my eighteenth birthday and my best friend had offered to pay for it as a gift. I had been looking forward to getting a tattoo for quite some time! To me it was a symbol of who I am and of my freedom. She even picked out a place for us to go and have it done. I was a little leery when she drove me out to a part of town I didn’t know very well and it didn’t look very nice. This was about 20 years ago when tattoos were not so popular, and more hidden in the seedier areas of town. The guy that gave me a tattoo had his shop in the front of his house and was a biker. Perfectly nice guy, but very out of the ordinary experience for me. I originally wanted a small tattoo on my hand of the moon. Thankfully he talked me out of getting it on my hand and someplace I could hide it easier. So I got a medium-sized moon with stars on the inside of my right ankle. Truth be told I hated it afterwards. I felt like I made a huge mistake. It was not what I imagined, yet I was now stuck with it because I was going to have it forever!

That tattoo would come to mean more to me later as I began to worship the moon. It was more of a symbol of who I was as a pagan and witch. I would sit in the back yard on a full moon and worship it. I adored the moon and believed it was a goddess. I was in awe at the power and majesty of the moon. I would talk to the moon and bask in its light. It’s what I believed. I grew further in my beliefs of New Age and the occult while my practice of witchcraft intensified. A few years later I finally had the chance to get another tattoo to commemorate my dedication to my pagan faith and being a witch. I got a pentagram tattoo on my left shoulder, with a vine wrapped around it. I loved it. It was everything that I was.

 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Romans 1:25

My next tattoo was many years after that. I let my at the time boyfriend tattoo me. He was not a tattoo artist, but aspiring to be. I let him tattoo a large black dragonfly on my right shoulder. It was big and badly down and black. Dark black. It was a very abusive relationship. It ended soon after that (after 5 years of hell) and I wanted very much to never see the vile tattoo again. Unfortunately it is very hard to cover up a black tattoo. I got a lotus flower over it, but it bled through. Three times. I could not cover this monster and reminder of pain up. Finally I went to seven tattoo artists to see about getting it covered up. I was told I would have to go big to distract away from the tattoo I was trying to hide. So I ended up getting a half sleeve. I didn’t really have anything I wanted to add to what I had, so I went with the suggestion of a koi fish and some water. It is a very pretty tattoo. I get compliments on it all the time. I really hate it. I never wanted a tattoo so big and I know the meaning of it. Pain.

When I became a Christian my tattoos became a symbol of my past. My involvement with witchcraft and the occult, and the pain of my broken life. I hated, no despised them completely. I was embarrassed by my pentagram tattoo. I was committed to Jesus Christ now and didn’t want anyone thinking I was still pagan. I went to a tattoo shop to find out about getting it covered up. I really didn’t even want another tattoo. It was another seedy tattoo shop with a guy who pronounced not only his love for Jesus but also smoking pot. He was very nice, but I was quite shocked by the whole thing. I didn’t have a lot of options for covering up the pentagram, except a flower. Or I could go big again. No way. I walked out thinking about just doing it, but not feeling very good about getting another tattoo.

“ ‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:28

The verse about tattoos in the Bible really got me to thinking. It seemed pretty clear that God was saying not to get tattoos. Yet I knew Christians who had tattoos, some were even in memory of the dead. I wanted to follow what God said, because let’s face it, He knows better than we do. If God said we should not do something, it is for a good reason. I just wasn’t sure what the reason was. I decided to explore more about tattoos and why Christians shouldn’t get them. I found many reasons on why a Christian shouldn’t get a tattoo, such as our body is a temple of God and we should not defile it, or we should be set apart and holy. There are some very good arguments for why a Christian should not get tattoos. Then I found an article about tattoos and blood rituals of ancient times. The article was very eye opening to me, because I was still very naive to the spirit realm and the ways of the devil. I never have been able to find that article again.

Since then I have learned quite a bit about blood rituals and sacrifices. In my deliverance from demonic oppression I found out that my grandfather gave the rights to my life over to the devil in a blood ritual, where he shed his own blood. A blood ritual is a satanic ritual that is done as a covenant or pact. There are at least two people involved in this type of ritual. The person who is shedding their own blood, and the person who is invoking a demon and its power.  The person who is shedding their blood is the recipient in this transaction. They are giving their blood (life) in order to receive some sort of benefit, such as life, prosperity, fame, fortune or power. The cuts are now an open doorway for the entrance of evil spirits (demons) which you have granted permission. By agreeing to and participating in the shedding of your blood, you have give the devil a right to you. Often people who participate in a blood ritual also give over rights to future generations.

These blood rituals have been going on for thousands of years, in many different cultures. Other forms of blood rituals involve cutting or mutilating yourself in mourning for the dead, or to appease the gods (demons) that you worship. It was believed that the gods were in control of everything from weather to health and people wanted to do whatever they could to show the gods that they would make them happy. That included shedding your own blood, or killing another human being. The gods were often angry and demanding and the people were very scared of what the gods would do.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Leviticus 17:11

I realize that tattoos are not exactly the same as cutting yourself. You are not taking a knife to your arm and cutting it. However, you are piercing your skin with a needle between 50 to 3,00 times a minute. You are also shedding your blood, and you are making a choice to pierce your skin and shed your blood. You also have to consider the person who is doing the tattoo. Where are they at religiously or spiritually? If they are another religion or hold spiritual beliefs of the New Age or occult, what does the tattoo mean to them? The one who holds the tattoo gun is the one who is shedding your blood. That is a very powerful position over you. If they are praying over you to their god or goddess, how does that affect you while you are openly submitting to them shedding your blood? Does it really matter if your tattoo is of a cross or a Bible verse in this case?

In this day and age tattoos are considered art work and symbols of things that have influenced our lives. Yet in ancient times tattoos were much more than that. In Egypt during the 1400 B.C. era, tattoos were often tributes to gods and goddesses, as well as symbols of protection from evil or a permanent magical talisman. They were also possibly used in rituals to mark allegiance with a certain god, or even a covenant to that god. These rituals would have needed shed blood and probably were sexual in nature as well. The Israelistes would have been highly influenced by the world of the Egyptians, coming out of Egypt and it being such a powerful nation. Egyptians are well known for their worship of many deities, as well as their obsession with sex, death and magic.

In ancient Greece and Rome, tattoos were used as a punishment and a sign you were a slave or criminal. Tattoos were used the same way in ancient Japan until the 18th century. Primitive tribes use tattoos much as the Egyptians did – as a form of connection with their deities and for protection. Tattooing has had some part in different cultures for centuries. Tattoos, from their origins are from the occult. Over time, tattoos have changed to go with modern times. It would not be acceptable in many cultures to use them as punishment anymore and most people claim tattoos as artwork. Yet tattoos hold very deep meaning for the people who get them most of the time.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I have no hard evidence that tattoos are a part of a blood ritual, but I think we can see from research that tattoos certainly are a part of a deeper spiritual practice that comes from ancient times. The Bible warns against getting tattoos or cutting yourself, because during that time it was common for the Israelistes to fall away from God and into the practices of the world around them. The world around them was steeped in the occult – witchcraft, worship of multiple deities, rituals, and sacrifices. Even though many people today do not have any intention towards being involved in witchcraft or blood rituals when they get tattoos, does not mean they aren’t inadvertently doing so. The occult is deeply rooted in our world, as it is the tool of the devil to bring us into his kingdom. This world is the devil’s domain, and we are just here visiting. It is very easy to get caught up in this physical realm and all that we see, and forget there is a spiritual realm that is affecting us every minute. It is also easy to take everything at face value and not look deeper into the meanings and origins of what we do.

shedbloodDoes God hate tattoos? Is He angry at you because you have a tattoo? No. God hates evil, and God knows your heart. If you have tattoos that does not mean you are evil or against God. You must take your heart before the God of mercy and love and let Him work it out with you. God will show you what is right before His eyes and what is harmful to you. I am writing this because it has been on my mind for a long time, thinking about tattoos and why the Bible speaks out against them. I have heard many arguments about why the verse in Leviticus about tattoos isn’t relevant today, and that is why I wanted to present food for thought. As I learn more about my life and about the inner workings of the spiritual realm, I have realized how deep the deceptions of the devil go. He has layer upon layer of deception in this world, so that he may keep his lies and his devices against us a secret. He does a great job at it. I am here to help uncover them.

No matter what, you are a child of the One True King, and you are deeply and wholly loved by Jesus. He has died for you, so that you may have an abundant life. Yet it is God who determines what abundance is, not us. We look to things and accomplishments to find our riches, but our riches lie in Jesus Christ alone. We have no idea the wonderful things God has in store for us if we cannot stop and connect our hearts with His. We need to stop daily to align ourselves with the heart and will of our Creator God. He will lead us into righteousness, not this world. We just need to keep trusting in God, to bring us closer to glory, day by day, as we look to Him for all of our needs, and all of the answers for our life.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

 

12 comments

  1. Annette

    Dear sister in Christ,
    I myself got a tattoo years ago on my backside with my boyfriends name. I was proud of it, and loved to show it off, esp to him whenever we were intimate. We were together for almost 10 years, when he broke it off abruptly with me after i told him that i was pregnant. It was not a Godly relationship, and God had spoke to me about leaving him alone many many times. I did not listen. But, when i truly felt free, i had the tattoo removed,it was a big black cat with green eyes. It hurt more to have it removed than when i got it put on. Dark tattos can be removed, it just takes money, and time. I paid 80 dollars to have it put on. And ive spent over1200 to have it removed. I still have two more sessions to go, but its sooooo light now, you can barely see it, so i havent had any more sessions. Now, that im saved, i actually wanted to have a cross tattoed on me…i havent done it yet, but im not sure if i even will. Your article gave me lots of insight, and i really appreciate it. I guess i want the cross to remind me of what my savior did for me. They also have a cream that dissolves the ink, i think it may be cheaper than the laser treatments that i have had.i just dont remember the name of the product, but maybe if you goggle it…it should come up. Its for at home use. God bless you sister, and thank you for your articles! It really helps….stay blessed!!! Xoxo

    1. Janis

      Thank you for sharing your story. I also have tattoos which I wish I could have lasered off me, in spite of the cost and pain it would cause me. I guess I am stuck with them for the remainder of my life though as I don’t have the finances to have them removed.But I think I console myself with the thought that they are a reminder of what I was and could still be if not for the saving grace of our Lord.
      What bothers me is the occult association they have as I have had a few “visitations” from that realm. Of course, I have not mentioned these experiences to anyone other than saved family members as it might cause others to question my mental stability. I now wonder if having those done opened the door to those incidents happening to me.
      Maybe I can find a cheaper way to have them removed as now I feel more reluctant to leave them on. Thank you again for your post. May God bless you.

  2. Terra

    I also have a lot of tattoos. I think I started off getting tattoos because they gave me the look I wanted. I didn’t want to look like your cookie cutter Christian or stay at home mom. I loved looking at tattoos and dreaming of the next one I would get. My tattoo guy would come over to my house to give me tattoos. I didn’t see it then, but getting inked became an addiction. Fellow believers would make comments about my tattoos, but I assumed they were just being legalistic. One day, a friend asked me to pray about it. I did, but I wasn’t hearing from God. I really didn’t want to. Then my daughter confessed to me that she had been cutting herself for a few years. That knocked the wind out me. The first thing her dad and I did was pray about it and then we talked about it. She said cutting was addictive and she didn’t know if she could stop on her own. Without thinking I said, “You know getting tattoos is a form of cutting….”
    I stopped dead in my tracks! Wait! What?? I repeated myself and couldn’t believe I didn’t see it before. When I brought that guy over to work on my tattoos a few years ago, my daughter started cutting herself. Whether it’s self harm in secret and hiding the scars or self harm by getting inked and showing off the scars, there’s a connection. In both cases you are opening up a door for a cutting spirit or worse.

  3. Jan

    ” I guess i want the cross to remind me of what my savior did for me.”

    Honey, we have the Holy Spirit to bring that point to us daily and we have the scripture to daily remind us of what our savior did for us, so, no tattoo’s needed. It is the way of the world, not of God!

  4. Lars

    Aloha Beth E.
    I never post anything on social media, but I felt I wanted to comment on this subject ~
    I stumbled onto a video of yours on another website about the “spiritual realm.” There are things I can relate to in your story to keep it simple, so I thought I would read your story.

    A little history ~ Before God revealed himself to me in 1980, I dabbled in things he definitely would disapprove of. I experienced power flowing through me to control others, on occasion read peoples thoughts, caused people to move out of my way, etc…thinking it was power I controlled.
    When God got a hold of me, I burned and threw things out that were “Taboo” to God, and stopped ALL disobedient practices. I found myself in Bible College, then served in a few ministries dealing with deliverance.
    At this time I was involved in a car accident, a drunk driver rear ended the car I was in (back seat) at 95 mph. Fire dept. cut me out of the car, I was unconscious, with a broken neck and paralyzed from the neck down. I had several supernatural experiences in the hospital, and on the 7 day “I walked” out of the hospital with a “Halo Vest” on. The doctor told me twice I should be dead or paralyzed for life, he had no explanation for my recovery.

    Next I found myself in Hawaii (which I’m still living for 24 yrs.now) as a volunteer helping criminal teenagers for 1 year.

    Hawaii has a huge influence with tribal tattoos. I always wanted a tattoo, but never could commit to a design I could live with. Of course many christians believe there is a scripture in the Pentateuch that addresses this as Taboo, saying not to mark up your bodies, so I was troubled, not wanting to offend God and provoke him to disappointment with me.

    Years later, as I was more secure in his love for me, I felt his permission (some people may disagree about this), and I had peace to go forward. There is more to this story, but in the interest of saving time ~ the tattoo’s are a reminder to me ~ of Isa. 58 ~ Jer. 6:27-28 ~
    Micah 6:8 ~ Zech. 4:6 ~ Heb. 4:12-13 ~ 2Cor. 10:4-5 ~ Eph. 6: 10-18 ~ Rev. 12:11
    All reminders of ~ it’s a spiritual battle in a tribal Polynesian look that are in a place that is not viewed for others in public, but only for me.

    The bottle line ~
    I like to tell people for me it’s about a “Relationship” with God ~ not a Religion.
    I’m not religious about anything.
    I wish you and your family Peace ~ Happiness ~ and Success Always. Your family is in my prayers 🙂

  5. Margaret

    Thank you for sharing your testimony. I found it from a Charisma news link. I have been learning about tattoos, not because I want one but because I see other Christian middle-aged Mom’s with them and because my teenaged daughter is interested… very interested. Before reading your blog, I had only read about such things on Mack Major’s FB page. I pray for Jesus to soften my daughter’s hardening heart. She not only wants tattoo’s but piercing’s. I was also told that Jesus isn’t her ‘thing’ anymore but that Buddha was. Time is short. Pray without ceasing. God Bless you all.

  6. sven

    A blood ritual is a satanic ritual that is done as a covenant or pact.

    I saw your testimony through a post on facebook where people were discussing this subject. One of the things you wrote just caught my attention. I noticed that christian people are very open to suggestion and so I’m kind of the opposite type of persons and find like the little angels that might give a wrong point of view.

    About the quote: “A blood ritual is a satanic ritual that is done as a covenant or pact.”.

    Is that a fact? If that would be so, we would have a problem. God had placed some blood rituals.

    Circumcision
    The slave that returns and who has to be Pierced to the door or post.
    Not forgetting the sacrifice of Jesus Himself.

    Why do I mention that quote? Since it has been taken as a fact and it messes up interpretation.

    😉 just mentioning it … bless ya

  7. Annon

    The website you have been looking for (I have been as well for years) I think this is it.
    https://www.av1611.org/index.html It has a compendium of articles but as you will notice in the DTTM list of articles on the left side of the page the very first is “To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo? A Christian Response to the Tattoo. An examination of the tattoo in the light of the Word of God and history. Documented information clearly revealing the satanic origin and serious danger of the tattoo. “

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