Is it true Catholicism prohibits religious tattoos?

[12th Doctor]

So basically I read that while the Roman Catholic Church does not prohibit all tattoos like some fundies (and I'll give it credit for that) it does have guidelines you can't have any "indecent" ones or ones with religious imagery. No crosses, pictures of Jesus, etc.

So if true, why? Seems odd.

Well, its not true, so lets end it there... unless you put Jesus' face on your ass, or something.

Though, I will take this moment to praise you for asking, for once, as opposed to simply assuming.

[12th Doctor]

Judaism says no tattoos; it also prohibits all piercings except earrings.

That's hardly a universal interpretation among Jews.  More common than among Catholics, but there's extensive debate in both circles over whether Leviticus 19:28 relates to blasphemous tattoos, or all of them.

So basically I read that while the Roman Catholic Church does not prohibit all tattoos like some fundies (and I'll give it credit for that) it does have guidelines you can't have any "indecent" ones or ones with religious imagery. No crosses, pictures of Jesus, etc.

So if true, why? Seems odd.

Well, its not true, so lets end it there... unless you put Jesus' face on your ass, or something.

Though, I will take this moment to praise you for asking, for once, as opposed to simply assuming.

To be fair, a minority of Catholics do hold that view, and there's no Church documents I could fine.  So I'm not sure you can really outright say "it's not true"...

If the Church hasn't bothered to release anything on it, I assume it's a rather trivial matter to them either way.

(I don't want to sound condescending, obviously you kick my Catholicism-understanding ass to the moon. )

If you can't find the documentation, then the Catholic Church doesn't believe it, or teach it, plain and simple.  Individual Catholics might think it, but that's just their opinion.

[12th Doctor]

If you can't find the documentation, then the Catholic Church doesn't believe it, or teach it, plain and simple.  Individual Catholics might think it, but that's just their opinion.

But does that mean that they prescribe that tattoos are acceptable?

Judaism says no tattoos; it also prohibits all piercings except earrings.

That's hardly a universal interpretation among Jews.  More common than among Catholics, but there's extensive debate in both circles over whether Leviticus 19:28 relates to blasphemous tattoos, or all of them.

I read it as prohibiting tattoos of all kinds.

Well, I know, I'm just sayin', not all Jews agree.

I think that it means there position is to have no position.

[12th Doctor]

(Of course I consider all you Pauline Christians to be misguided heretics, but that's beside the point.)

Huh?  A Pauline Christian?  As opposed to a Peterine Christian?

Yes, because us Catholics don't have Paul's writings in our Bible.  We are too busy worshiping the Pope.

He means as opposed to people who don't follow the writings of Paul at all, i.e. Gnosticism or Ebionism.

You are quite weak on topics of Christology and general topics of Christian theology aren't you?

[12th Doctor]

The funny thing is, jmf, that, by definition, you aren't even Pauline.

[12th Doctor]

(Of course I consider all you Pauline Christians to be misguided heretics, but that's beside the point.)

Huh?  A Pauline Christian?  As opposed to a Peterine Christian?

Yes, because us Catholics don't have Paul's writings in our Bible.  We are too busy worshiping the Pope.

oh, boy....my "Peterine Christian" comment had nothing to do with Catholics.  I thought he was trying to say Paul invented Christianity, so I pointed to another Christian (Peter) who had come before Paul, yet agreed with Paul.

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He means as opposed to people who don't follow the writings of Paul at all, i.e. Gnosticism or Ebionism.

You are quite weak on topics of Christology and general topics of Christian theology aren't you?

yep, keeps me from being influenced by the doctrinal errors of others.  I take it upon myself to watch my doctrine carefully and to keep it concise and in agreement with scripture.

And yet, you embrace a notion that scripture rejects as clearly as the day.

Anyone reading our Bible would be able to see pretty clearly that the authors believed in Trinitarian doctrine, or at least there was something distinct about Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and yet, you invented your own doctrine to reject this.