Body Piercing, Tattoos,

and Marring the Body

The topic of body piercing and tattooing has gotten more
popular in the last couple decades. Body piercing and
getting tattoos are now trends that many young people are
interested in. Lip rings, nose rings, bellybutton rings,
gauges (for ears), tattoos, and such are in high demand
among the youth but why are these so popular today? And,
where did these practices originate?

Body piercing and getting tattoos are not new by any
means. They have been around for thousands of years and
were practiced by pagan cultures around the world. The
Bible speaks of such practices during the days of Moses.
God told the Children of Israel (Hebrews) not to follow
after the pagan practices of the people who would
surround their small country. They were to be separate
from the pagans because God wanted a pure and holy
people for Himself.

In Leviticus 19:28, God says through Moses: Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh
for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.


What is this practice of cutting the flesh for the dead and what

did it signify?


Alexander Hislop, a historian, wrote this in his book, The
Two Babylons (pg. 129): Osiris was cut in pieces;
therefore, to imitate his fate, so far as living men might do
so, they were required to cut and wound their own bodies.
Hislop explained in the same book how Osiris was a god
borrowed from the Assyrian / Babylonian god Nimrod (or
Baal) (of Genesis 10) who was killed and his body was cut
Click here for the source.
Click here to enlarge the photo.
up into pieces (The Two Babylons, pp. 56-58). These pieces were sent to various places as a
warning to those who served Nimrod and his idolatrous system.

After Nimrod was killed, his followers worshiped him as a god who was cut to pieces. To mourn
his death and mutilation, they would cut bald patches in their hair, pierce themselves in various
places, and cut themselves with sharp knives. They also printed marks in their skin (i.e. tattoos).

Herodotus wrote: "I have before related in what manner the rites of Isis are celebrated at Busiris.
After the ceremonies of sacrifice the whole assembly [...] flagellate [or whip] themselves[...] The
Carians of Egypt treat themselves at this solemnity with unparalleled severity; they cut
themselves in the face with swords, and by this distinguish themselves from the Egyptian
natives." (Herodotus, Volume 1.)

Hislop wrote of this practice of cutting the flesh and how it was practiced by Hindus, Romans,
Egyptians, and others (The Two Babylons, pg. 129).

Besides cutting themselves with swords and whips, ancient people purposely mutilated their hair
and beards for the same reason.

Alexander Hislop wrote (Ibid, pg. 175):
Centuries before the Christian era, thus
spoke Herodotus of the Babylonian
tonsure: "The Arabians acknowledge no
other gods than Bacchus and Urania [i.e.,
the Queen of Heaven], and they say that
their hair was cut in the same manner as
Bacchus' is cut; now, they cut it in a
circular form, shaving it around the
temples."
What, then, could have led to this tonsure
of Bacchus? Everything in his
[Bacchus's] history was mystically or hieroglyphically represented, [...] [and] none but
the initiated could understand. One of the things that occupied the most important place
in the Mysteries was the mutilation to which he [Bacchus] was subjected when he was
put to death.

Hislop showed how Bacchus, the Roman god, and Osiris were nearly identical. He also showed
that the worshippers of Osiris and Bacchus would shave their heads or partially shave their heads
(in a tonsure).




Click here to enlarge the photo.
Gods Word forbids it.


Leviticus 21:5

5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of
their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

In 1 Kings chapter 18, we read about how the priests of Baal cut themselves so that Baal would
hear them.

1 Kings 18:28

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets,
till the blood gushed out upon them.

Again, look at Leviticus 19

Leviticus 19:27-28

27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy
beard.

28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon
you: I am the Lord.

God does not want people to mar themselves or print marks on themselves. The word mar is
defined in Websters 1828 dictionary as injuring something in the 1
st
definition. The 4
th

definition states: 4. To injure; to deform; to disfigure. (Webster).
Disfiguring or marring ones hair, beard, or skin (such as tattoos and ear gauges) came from
pagans and can be found in remote tribes, but marring or disfiguring ones hair and body
ultimately did not originate from a human mind. Marring the body and hair originated from
Satans rebellion against God.


How can this be? one may ask. How does a tattoo, a body

piercing, or a tonsure haircut have anything to do with Satan?


We need to take a brief look at Satan and his rebellion against God before we can answer those
questions.

A powerful angel called Lucifer used to worship God in Heaven. Ezekiel 28 speaks of this angel
and how he was the anointed cherub that covereth (Ezekiel 28:14). Lucifer became proud one
day and decided he didnt want to worship God anymore (verse 17). Lucifer rebelled against God
and led a third of Gods angels in this rebellion. Afterward, his name was changed to Satan, the
deceiver. They wanted to rule over Heaven, but they were foolish to fight against the only true,
all-powerful, infinite God, and God cast them out of Heaven.
Revelation 12:4 tells us that Satan, the dragon, led a third of the stars
of heaven (figurative of angels). Revelation 12:4: And his tail drew
the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth

These fallen spirits lost their holiness and glory after they rebelled
against God. They became deformed and ugly with skin that looked as
if it was charred in a fire (Job 30:30 and Lamentations 5:10); their hair
was gone (Ezekiel 7:18); they lost their glory and light (Job
18:5 and Proverbs 24:20); they behave like cruel animals (Psalm
59:14, Daniel 4:16, 2 Peter 2:12); they inflict physical pain on each
other (Galatians 5:15), and these evil spirits influenced (and still
influence) people to cut and mar their own skin (Mark 5:1-5). (Please
note that the Bible has multiple applications, but they must be
understood as God leads.)

In Mark 5:5, we read that a demon-possessed man was in the
mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Why do evil spirits want people to cut and mar their own skin? Genesis
1 holds the answer.

Genesis 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created
he him; male and female created he them.

God created us in His image. Satan rebelled against God and hates God. Satan hates everyone
who bears Gods image. That is why Satan wants humans to deform their hair and bodies. Evil
spirits themselves are deformed, as a result of their great evil, and evil spirits want Gods image
and creation to be deformed and twisted.

Pagan tribes in remote parts of the earth poke bones through their ears and noses and modify
their bodies with scars, rings, bones, tattoos, and with growth-modifying bands. The Mursi
people are an example of a tribe where lip-stretching and ear-stretching are common.

Today, many young people in America, Asia, and Europe are getting their ears pierced and
stretched with gauges, having tattoos, and sporting multiple body piercings. These all originate
from pagan cultures which ultimately got their inspiration from the spirits that they worshiped.

God does not want us to be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). God wants us to be
conformed to His image (again Romans 12:2 and 1 Peter 2:21) and saved by the precious blood


Click for source.
of His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe (see John chapter
1 and Colossians chapter 1).

Colossians 1:14-17

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.




Would you like to find out how to Know God's Name
Personally?



IF YOU ARE SEEKING TO KNOW GOD, please read this message.


1 Timothy 2:5: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus;

Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.

God loves us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and
shed His precious blood to pay for all of these sins. (See John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.)

If you repent (turn away) from your sins (Acts 3:19), and believe and confess aloud that Christ
has done this for you (Romans 10:9-10), and have made Him your Lord and Savior (again
Romans 10:9-10) you are saved.

Now seek God with all your heart. Seek to know Him and you will (Jeremiah 29:13).

John 17:3: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jeremiah 29:13: And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your
heart.

John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.




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Works Cited

Herodotus. Herodotus, Volume 1. books.google.com. Google.com. n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Hislop, Alexander. The Two Babylons. Dahlonega: Crown Rights Book Company, 2002. Print.

Webster, Noah. American Dictionary of the English Language. Baltimore: United Book Press,
Inc., 2009. Print.

[This article includes links to a PDF file of The Two Babylons. The page number references are
based on this PDF file.]

[PDF File:
Hislop, Alexander. The Two Babylons. ldolphin.org. ldolphin.org. n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
< http://www.ldolphin.org/PDFs/The_Two_Babylons-Alexander_Hislop.pdf>]