First, there is the writing, a declaration, "He Shall be Pregnant!", in Hebrew, permanently tattooed on our subject's limb.
You can also see a bush, obviously representing an invitation to the spot at the local gay cruising park, where this guy conducts his baby making attempts.
Now that we've all had our laugh, here is what went wrong:
The Mpreg Dude wanted to tattoo the most sacred name of God, YHWH, but unfortunately, didn't pay very close attention to his spelling, getting a Resh instead of the Vav, thus changing the meaning entirely.
The letters Vav and Resh might look similar, but they are very much not the same.
Now, observe the difference between "YHWH", God's most sacred name, and "Yhare" which translates in Hebrew to "He Shall be Pregnant":
A word of caution. YHWH is one of the most potentially offensive Hebrew tattoos. It's God's most sacred name and mustn't be used in vain. Jewish people don't pronounce it as is, not even in prayer, so think good and hard before you decide to tattoo YHWH on yourself.
A word of caution. YHWH is one of the most potentially offensive Hebrew tattoos. It's God's most sacred name and mustn't be used in vain. Jewish people don't pronounce it as is, not even in prayer, so think good and hard before you decide to tattoo YHWH on yourself.
ReplyDeleteThis. There's a male barista (baristo?) at one of my local coffee shops with The Name tattooed on his arm. I ... don't go to that coffee shop too often anymore because every time I see him, I want to say something about how inappropriate his tattoo is, and I can't think of a tactful way to do that.
Yeah, I can see what you mean. Anything you might say will seem rude.
ReplyDeleteI think he'll be made aware of his mistake sooner or later, but he's stuck with it forever anyway.
At least his tattoo is correct. Just a four letter word, yet on tattoos it goes wrong every possible way. Maybe God is having his laughs too.
It's the barista's faith, who are you to say how he expresses it?
ReplyDeleteIt is not about expression of faith. It's about having a tattoo that will randomly provoke negative reactions from people around you for the rest of your life.
ReplyDeleteJust saw this site, and I have to add, just for the irony in it, that the tatoo can also be read as a ktiv haser of the word "yohara", which translates more or less into "hubris"...
ReplyDeleteI think he mean "Yehuda"(יהודה, Judea).. no?
ReplyDeleteIf he tring to write the name of god.. this is huge sin(tatto & name of god~!?!?!?!?)
Tremir, my thoughts exactly. It's either "cockiness" or "vanity".
ReplyDeleteThat's Hebrew for you. One tiny mistake and you get any number of humiliating meanings :)
ReplyDeleteit does not make any sense: for god to give us his name and then to condemn us for using it. though a yhwh tattoo is ironic, i would not consider it to be blasphemous. maybe he could get a golden calf tattoo cover job. then he wont risk going to hell for blasphemy and also wont offend any jews.
ReplyDeleteYou never know. The guy could be a Jewish-by-birth, converted-to-Pagan FTM transgendered guy who really wants to get pregnant...
ReplyDeleteA mentch tracht un got lacht
ReplyDeleteYiddish for
Man plans and the Almighty laughs...
This would have been inappropriate, now it is just silly :)
ISAIAH 44:5 They will worship me and become my people. They will write my name on the back of their hands. ABS translation.
ReplyDeleteMost people refer to Leviticus about tattoos. But it talks about the dead. Personally I think it's people not going to heaven, referring to the dead.
Leviticus 19:27-28 I forbid you to shave any part of your head or beard or to cut and tattoo yourself as a way of worshiping the dead. ABS translation.
I shave my face so I guess I'm still a sinner.
Well, some religious Jews actually don't shave...
ReplyDeleteדרוזים מאמינים שהמשיח יוולד לגבר
ReplyDeleteכעת אני מבין מאין זה בא
:-))))
Where is it in the Bible that tattoo's are sinful? I'm not calling anyone out, I seriously want to know where.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous when he quotes Isaiah 44 referring the writing of YHWH's name on their hands. ( If you've read the entire book of Isaiah, you will understand that the "they" in ISAIAH 44:5 means the Jews and the Gentiles.)This could be literal, but it could also be figurative; but I do agree that if you want to get a YHWH tattoo that it should be done in a tasteful and respectable manner. It is, after all, Gods name.
ReplyDeleteNicholas, In relation to Leviticus 19:27-28, my opinion is that God gave them this law to keep them from following the practices of the Heathen nations around them, and to keep them separate and marked as Gods chosen people. Also because prostitution and other sinful deeds were done by people with tattoos.
Now, if you've read Jeremiah 31:31-34 is says: "31 The time is coming," declares the LORD,"when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. 33"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD.
" I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying,'know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD.
" For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." NIV translation.
Then in Galatians 3:24-25, The Apostle Paul talks about how we are freed from the law because of what Christ has done for us.
I suggest that you read all of Galatians to have a full understanding of what Paul is talking about in relationship to the old law and the new covenant.
I also really like what the preacher Mattie Montgomery has to say about the issue of tattoos:
"I generally don't think tattoos are worth defending or condemning. Christians don't NEED tattoos, so I shouldn't be fighting for our right to have them, ya know? But, since you asked: I find MANY people that get tattoos so they can look "cool", and put a CHristian theme on them to make them "okay". That's so fake and hypocritical and stupid.
I will more than likely get 2 more tattoos in my life, and both of them are specific prophetic Words that God has given to me--things that I want to never forget, and continue to declare over myself for the rest of my life.
We need to not be concerned with whether tattoos are wrong, we need to be asking God, "Lord, what do YOU have for me?" And, in EVERYTHING, saying "Yes" to that. If that includes tattoos, then fine! If not, it's really not a big deal." - Mattie Montgomery.
Christians are free from the law, but we still need to be responsible with what we do with our bodies, and be sure to honor God with everything that we do. ( If that answers your question at all.)
***NOTE***
I am NOT trying to spark a religious debate, I am only answering questions that have been asked here on this form. So please no backlash or inappropriate comments regarding this comment. Thanks :)
Erin: You do know that Paul was a rabbi right? Not only that, but he went through many lashings to keep within the Jewish community at the time. He did not teach that the Law was gone (neither did Yeshua actually :)) he taught that we are free from the curse of the Law. He even mentions the importance of it many many times.
ReplyDeleteThe New Testament and the Gospel of Christ all enforce that we are to stop focusing on what we cannot do because of God, and focus on what we can do for God. I've studied the scripture and I have found no compelling evidence against tattoos, nor have I felt any conviction about them.
ReplyDeleteit might be yohara as in pride....
ReplyDeletewhen i first saw it I read the "resh" as a "dalet"
ReplyDeleteIt’s ok for Jews to use the name YHWH. The laws states to not misuse it. To be safe, they stopped saying His name altogether. Yahweh knows our hearts. Our intent. There are many gods out there. Lower/case “g” god’s. Moses’ acts of “magic” were repeated by Pharaoh’s sorcerers who got their powers from (lower case “g”) gods. These gods can also be money, fame, drugs, idols, etc. Don’t be afraid to call God by name. Yahweh knows your heart. Sometimes we sin, when meaning to do good. Don’t let the fear of mistakes keep you from distinguishing Yahweh from lesser gods. Let the world know who you are referring-to!
ReplyDeleteWhat about Yod-He-Vav-Shin-Ayin. Would that also be an offensive tattoo to Jews?
ReplyDelete