I'm Proud to be a TATTOO ENTHUSIAST!

An unfinished left half-sleeve on me by Jun Cabañero of Bloodworkz, Gensan

I recently read a Christian article concluding that God is against tattoo's and other body modification stuff. Napaisip tuloy ako ng facts lingering on the issue of Tattoo V.S. The Butt-Kiss Society. Now let me rant!

Thanks but I don't believe in a "God" who condemns tattooing but allows "acceptable-by society" ear piercing, hair-cutting &removal, and circumcision..

Let me show ideas around Christianity for it's the most common to me. And I'm a believer! 

1. Anti-tattoo people always cite the OLD TESTAMENT 

--which was full of God-himself-given rules and health commands which was I believe only applicable to the Hebrews he was talking to. Siyempre uso sa kanila na ang non-believers ang nag-tatattoo kaya di sila pwede nun. At dati makakatattoo ka lang nearby villages that practice other beleifs so di pwede yun. Pati piercing di pwede kasi ika raw e pang-slave daw. PERO TINURUAN SILA NG DIYOS MAG-TULE! Body modification rin ang TULE. 

2. LIVE OUT THE NEW TESTAMENT

--kasi sabi ni Hesus, you gotta do things for love.. and Christians know that what matters to you matters to God all for love. If you're a tattoo enthusiast, your SKIN ART matters to God. Malamang meron pero di naman mostly nagpapatattoo ang isang tao at may HATE ang nagmamanifest. I for one know all my tattooed friends and me are in with the ART. For the love of ART kumbaga! Sino bang greatest artist? Diba si God? Are tattoo artists not manifesting HIS CREATIVENESS?

3. DI MASAMA ANG RASON NG TATTOOING -- at least not all

--E sabi kasi yung iba nagtatattoo para "astig" tignan.. for aesthetics, palamuti.. VANITY kumbaga.. wait lang.. HAIR CUTTING, HAIR REMOVAL, CIRCUMCISION - yang mga iyan rin ay Body Modification. Bakit haircut? Para presko pag mainit? E bakit kasagaran sa mga babae mahaba ang buhok? --aesthetics? norm? beauty? VANITY? how about circumcision? -- para di pagtawanan ng mga Pinoy kasi halos lahat dito sa Pinas ay tule? Ano yan? Nakikiuso? Para di ka outcast? O pampapogi yan ng tite? Para lang accepted ka sa society, papahiwa mo balat mo sa tite? ganun ba yun? OHWELL! Kanya-kanya kasi talaga ng rason yan. At sino ka ba namang mind reader para malaman mo kung ano ang motibo ng isang tao sa pagtatattoo niya o kahit sa pagtu-toothbrush? 

4. Mukhang PRESO daw pag may tattoo

--Kawawa naman ang mga preso kung ang tattoo mo ay Tweety Bird at pinagsabihan kang mukha kang preso. Edi ang ibig sabihin non e Tweety ang tattoo nila. Remember that not all prisoners have tattoos though maybe most have and not all tattooed people are prisoners. Di ako preso! Nagkataon lang kung ano ang uso sa labas ay uso rin sa loob at madalas ang nasa loob ay mahilig - esp. yung mga may gang o grupo o frat. Mukha bang preso si Vice Ganda? si Billy Crawford? Johnny Depp? The list goes on and on! Grabe naman! PREJUDICE! Porket marumi, preso, porket tattoo marumi. Puntahan niyo ang Bloodworks, Gensan at nang maranasan niyo ang mas malinis pa sa iilang Government Clinics na shop ni kuya Jun!

5. MARAMI DAW SAKIT NA DALA ANG TATTOO

-- and so does Prejudice.. Di niyo ba saklaw ang katotohanang medical faults are open for everyone! Yung mga nagkakasakit dahil sa tattoo ay yung mga dumaan ng malpractice.. Pwede rin yan makuha sa iilang doktor. Di sa tattoo galing yan, di sa "medisina" kundi sa nag-operate sa'yo kung di xa pro.. kaya tattoo enthusiasts, know your artists! The easiest way to know you got a health-safe tattoo shop is Phil TAG.

6. TATTOOING is not a problem (unless you're applying for a job that won't allow it)

-- if society thinks so then society is the problem. Everyone is free to do whatever art loved. May mga narinig na akong mga magulang na ang pinantatakot sa mga bata ay "Hala sige, pag maingay ka kukunin ka nung mamang may tato!" Ano bang problema? Tattoo lang, kriminal na? 

Having a tattoo has a responsibility. You have to face the LEGALISTIC, OVER-RELIGIOUS, CLOSED-MIDNDED-TO-THE-ART people. And most bosses wont hire you in the corporate world so you got to find yourself a job out of the few available that tolerate. Don't print your skin with things you don't know about and things you're not really sure of - you might regret having em.

WALANG MASAMA SA PAGTA-TATTOO AT PAGPAPA-TATTOO 

(depende sa motibo mo ang katuwiran ng lahat ng ginagawa mo) 

e.g.: Hindi ka nagtutubras kasi gagamitin mo ang hininga mo pang-holdup = masama; on the other hand, Hindi ka nagtututbras kasi nagtitipid ka dahil di na kasya para sa ikagagamit pa ng kapatid mo = mabuti

On other body modifications, there are those done for religious rituals or traditions which I don't have jurisdiction over. I just hope practitioners find truth and comply. Those who do these for aesthetics, well, it's fine as long as they don't go over the top WITH MOTIVES for vanity isn't a psychologically healthy thing to have. 

On my personal account, I have reasons for these: I sport stretched earlobes (both ears) with a standard ear pierce on top of the left one; I gots tattoo's allover me. And It's nothing shallow. Guess all you want and brand by all means and in the name of Freedom of Speech but I'm no canned good you can label! NO-ONE IS!

The modification that I think should alarm people is the likes of PAVING A PARADISE TO PUT UP A PARKING LOT!

No one can press down on me for my tattoos.. All others can do, if not be narrow-minded haters, is trust and have faith that God is in control of everyone else's life not you, not me, not anyone, not especially "them" who think it's up to them what is right and wrong.. our righteousness is but filthy to God.. leave the judging to God.. I'm proud to be a tattoo enthusiast!

I repeat

I'M PROUD TO BE A TATTOO ENTHUSIAST!

All tattoo enthusiast's be there! October 27, 2012! CLICK HERE for more info!