“You call this a Harley?” a buff motorcyclist asks his scrawny tattoo artist. He draws back his black leather vest to reveal a child-sized electric scooter that had been tattooed to his chest.
One of my all-time favorite movies is the 1995 film “Houseguest,” starring Sinbad and Phil Hartman, and that scene in the movie is a significant part of why I will never get a tattoo.
What you picture in your mind may not be what you end up with on your skin. Not every tattoo artist deserves to be called an artist. If your tattoo artist has the skill of your toddler niece, then I hope you like scribbles, because whatever is on your skin is permanent. Although there are some tattoo artists who have real, extraordinary talent, such as the ones featured on “Miami Ink,” they may be closer to the exception than the rule.
Another reason not to get a tattoo is that tattoos don’t always look professional. If you are a professional wrestler, a tattoo might fit remarkably well into your work attire. However, can you imagine an accountant with a garish skull-and-snake design permanently affixed to his bicep? Yeah, neither can a potential boss. In a job interview, the first impression is likely to be the most important impression. It would be unwise to risk making a poor impression by showing off a tattoo that detracts from one’s professional appearance.
The last reason I would give for not getting a tattoo, though, is perhaps the most important one. God made humans in his image, and he called the humans he made “very good.” God’s version of “very good” cannot be improved on. His standard for “very good” is true perfection and cannot be altered in any way. To be made in His image is to be made top-of-the-line. There can be no enhancements that can make better His work in creating you.
I would like to make it clear that I love tattooed people just as much as people without tattoos. I’m not going to say you are unprofessional or less like God’s image or even that you could have used a better tattoo artist. I honestly think tattoos look pretty cool sometimes.
I would never get a tattoo myself because I do not think the pros outweigh the cons. I have a hard enough time looking old enough to be a professional without adding a tattoo to the mix, and I think my likeness to God’s image is just what I want it to be.
