"No need to wear the pagan uniform, and even worse to envy it."

[Jay C] Women’s earrings, I think, are a different situation from tattoos and other piercings.

That begs the question, of course — why? The Bible mentions both earrings and nose rings, but many Christians have a favorable view toward one and not toward the other. This distinction almost certainly has to be cultural.

[dcbii] This distinction almost certainly has to be cultural.

Yup. Women’s earrings, I think, is far more of a ‘norm’ and not an exception than tattoos are. Tattoos are still kind of culturally ‘looked down upon’, whereas women’s earrings are so common that they don’t provoke a reaction. There is an inconsistency there, but I don’t think that it’s major…kind of like how I argued that paintball as a sport is more acceptable than MMA [but that’s a different thread as well ;) ].

It’s not that cultural acceptance is the baseline for orthopraxy, but it does merit consideration on Scriptural grounds [I Tim. 2, I think, might apply here - it talks about women’s dress attire as not being excessive or lavishly ornate].

[Greg Linscott] I was only making the point that some things can be given far greater significance than they ought to be.

I’m not making the connection. Maybe that’s why I have 15 kids!

[Greg Long] Susan, couldn’t I say the same thing about mixed-fiber clothing? “If [God] was picky about mixed-fiber clothing in the OT (or boiling a kid in its mother milk, etc., etc.), even though it is not expressly forbidden in the NT, why would we not consider it questionable?”

Mr. Long,

You have brought up the subject of mixed fiber clothing several times. I now would like to ask you, is it “mixed fiber” clothing or was it “linen/wool” mixture that was spoken of in the Bible? I believe I asked a question regarding the mixture of wool and linen, on the old board. As one who sews and likes to know more about textiles, I have always understood the mixture of fibers in the Bible to be wool/linen. Wool is not a strong fiber, where linen is a very strong fiber. I, personally, avoid purchasing the mixed fiber, along with many other mixed fibers? Why? Because they weaken the garment. ;) Who wants to put time and effort into beautiful clothing, only to have it destroyed. I suspect the linen/wool issues, brought up in Scripture has to do with strength and weakness, or one polluting the other. So, I would be one to definitely say yes to your question you have asked several times over.

Respectfully,

Carol

[Carol K]

[Greg Long] Susan, couldn’t I say the same thing about mixed-fiber clothing? “If [God] was picky about mixed-fiber clothing in the OT (or boiling a kid in its mother milk, etc., etc.), even though it is not expressly forbidden in the NT, why would we not consider it questionable?”

Mr. Long,

You have brought up the subject of mixed fiber clothing several times. I now would like to ask you, is it “mixed fiber” clothing or was it “linen/wool” mixture that was spoken of in the Bible? I believe I asked a question regarding the mixture of wool and linen, on the old board. As one who sews and likes to know more about textiles, I have always understood the mixture of fibers in the Bible to be wool/linen. Wool is not a strong fiber, where linen is a very strong fiber. I, personally, avoid purchasing the mixed fiber, along with many other mixed fibers? Why? Because they weaken the garment. ;) Who wants to put time and effort into beautiful clothing, only to have it destroyed. I suspect the linen/wool issues, brought up in Scripture has to do with strength and weakness, or one polluting the other. So, I would be one to definitely say yes to your question you have asked several times over.

Respectfully,

Carol

Carol, that’s fine if you prefer not to purchase mixed fiber or mixed wool/linen clothing for whatever reason. The question is whether or not Lev. 19:19 and Deut. 22:11 are binding upon the NT Christian.

[Greg Long] John, do you allow yourself or members of your family to wear mixed-fiber clothing?

I thought of simply answering “yes” and then letting you ask the real question—why apply one passage and not the other? Anyway, I think the way I have presented my concern with the Leviticus verse is consistent with the NT’s instruction that all scripture is useful for teaching and that the OT has examples that are to be studied. The word I used was it makes me “pause”—I’m not sure why, then, you seem to be setting me up with how I would handle the mixed-fiber question. I would say I also “pause” to determine why it was given. In doing so I would read and listen to what good teachers of the Word have to say. I have not found anyone presenting a case to apply the mixed-fiber prohibition beyond these OT passages (I haven’t looked real hard, I have to admit); I have found some who do so with tattoos and cutting. But, if you’ll notice, I work from the NT back to the OT here—the Lord’s ownership of the Christian’s flesh and blood is bolstered by the OT passage.

Would it be sinful, in light of this reasoning, for someone to wear a Christian t-shirt, using their clothing as “message board” or a “place to hang art”?

I think you are misapplying my metaphor—I did not mean that people literally “hang art” on their bodies when they tattoo themselves. What they actually do is embed “art” in the skin of their bodies. I believe the NT passages teach us it is sinful to treat our bodies as if it is a thing that we have absolute ownership over. I believe tattooing is defacing the skin of that body, treating it as a thing to be used for whatever purpose the person decides. I believe it is inherently rebellious as it is a claim of ultimate ownership.

Do you think it is sinful for women to pierce their earlobes?

How many piercings per earlobe? I don’t really want you to answer that—I assume you mean what I see most women have: one piercing per earlobe.
Bob Bixby was asked the same thing—I have to admit I wanted to see how he would answer (and I did want to re-read the Leviticus passages and the surrounding verses). You can go to his blog to see what he says. As for me, I did mention that 40-50 years ago piercing was not as common as it is today. Asking that question back then would have, I believe, gotten you some “yes” answers. But it is so common now and seems so innocent—no one thinks bodies are being marred by piercing an earlobe.
Before I answer, let me run a conversation I have had with my teens:
Teen: Can we watch that TV show?
Me: No, it’s not a good show.
Teen: But you let us watch this other TV show—it seems the same to me.
Me: Well, your mother and I make judgment calls here to let you watch some TV, but since you want us to be consistent, maybe you shouldn’t watch that other show, either.
Teen: Nevermind, just forget we ever had this conversation.
So, admittedly I am inconsistent. I do not teach my wife or daughters that one piercing in the earlobe is sin. I would tell them not to get multiple piercings as I believe that is treating the ear (and thus the body) as a plaything. But my druthers would be that clip on earrings were still worn.
BUT, my being inconsistent does not mean that I am wrong about tattoos—it just means that you have better cause to ignore what I have written, if you so choose.