Religious Tattoos and The Meanings They Hold

Many people get tattoos with different meanings, but a large amount have religious value behind why they have it. Varying faiths and symbols all can be found in different forms. Common ones are quotes or verses, and of course the places of the tattoos vary. These specific tattoos hold significance for reasons not necessarily religious, even if the symbol or quote is religious. Many find peace and inspiration from religious sayings even if that religion is not their own, as well as the symbols associated with them.  

The quote is from Ghandi. Though she is not a follower of that particular faith, she believes in the ideals of it. The quote is very inspiring to her, and one that meant enough for her to put it on her side permanently as a reminder. She said how it hit her very hard and she could relate to it in many ways. She appreciates it for what it stands for in her life and how it has helped her through difficult times. One does not have to be a religious follower of Ghandi to appreciate his words and be motivated by his teachings.   

By religion, she identifies as a Christian. Out of an act of commitment to her faith, she got a cross on her neck. It was meaningful to her for the reason that it was permanent, just as she considers her commitment to God to be. It is a reminder to herself of a lifelong devotion to her faith. It is also something that stands out to others, including myself. She is one of my closest friends that I met at Albright and I found out a lot about her by asking about that particular tattoo. It gave me a reason to ask what it meant to her, and through that, I got to know a lot about her that I may have never thought to ask. She has become a very influential and inspirational person in my life for many reasons, two of which can be related to what her tattoos stand for and how we can relate to each other through their significance.   

A great way to get to know more about someone is to ask the meaning behind something so permanent as a tattoo. The same cross, scripture, or quote can mean multiple things to multiple people. Tattoos have become a huge part of the material culture of religions though, having more and more people make that commitment of putting something meaningful on their skin for life. A tattoo can show just how serious someone is about what a symbol or saying stands for, whether out of religious devotion or personal reasoning. Each tattoo is as unique as the person who gets it, and taking the time to find out the importance they hold can give insight into a vital part of someone's life.