What's with all the Tattoos?

Tattoos seem to be everywhere. The tattoo parlors or ink shops must be doing a booming business. Where or when is the beginning of these things? My query goes to Google, the quick 'n easy research, and the answer somehow does not shock me. According to a recent find in the Italian Alps, archaologists determine that tattoos have been inscribed on humans for about 5300 years! So much for my observation that tattoos are a new trend.

In my previous ‘tome’ critiquing us noisy oldtimers, I was kind of saying that we can blame ourselves for some of today's things we don't like. This time however, I must absolve us old guys, sharing instead a concern about a younger generation's lean toward tattoos (idolatry)? What impetus is it that requires big dollars to employ a tattooist to poke owies into a customer’s skin? Or who are the ones willing to submit to this, and what brings on the occasion? Is it after heart-to-heart conversation, or therapy sessions where the client perhaps cries some heartfelt tears and the artist interprets and transcribes? Is it self-mutilation or self-indulgence, transferring emojis or slogans onto skin? Mom? A Bible verse? Or? I do not have answer to these questions because I have not yet felt free enough to ask personal questions of these moving tubes or billboards. Whatever the answers, I'm guessing it's about ... communication.

What is communication? The province of Alberta comes to mind. A referendum has just been completed – ten questions to identify the people’s feelings about our place in this country. Do we like our place within Canada or should we begin a separation process? The response was an overwhelming affirmative; we stay in Canada, but the nine questions on immigration, health care, and economy issues ended almost all in the 50-50 category, and much challenge ahead for our premier! At this point the topic seems more about stance than communication. 

Therein lies a challenge. The house across the street from us has new owners, and recently yielded their referendum vantage - Let Alberta Decide - posted on the front lawn. We, ahem, us longtime residents, have exact opposite point of view. Also, for the last number of months there has been a blue Alberta flag flapping just a bit down the back alley behind our house. We are of a considerably strong opinion that the current separatist vantage is self-centered, including similar opinion about a government that would posit these divisive possibilities at mid-term. Not only a terrible waste of money, but to me the psychology of it all is even more damaging. Money is at the heart of Alberta separatists (including our premier) because apparently we are spending disproportionately in support of other provinces who don’t pay their fair share! My thinking, how dare one of ten provinces lift itself above the others, claiming no fair. Arrogance and independence thinking does not work for the benefit of a country.

Now back to the new neighbors across the street. We also have something in common, recently discovered they also are Christians, and attend a new church meeting in a local theatre. By now they also know that I am a preacher – retired obviously. They don’t know all my sentimental pastoring memories, but our faith commitment is a common bond already talked about, and they treat us very nice, just like the other neighbors who know an old preacher lives here! Something about this connects with my tattoo thoughts. The old preacher may just be a clergy stereotype (watch your language), or possibly some confusion (he wears jeans a lot, and he used to be a trucker, parked his big truck in the back alley), etc. What have I communicated during these last thirty-six years living here? Tattoos, referendums, lifestyle and families; it would have been good to just speak openly and honestly about all this; better than looking at signs.

These statements on young arms and necks and faces and legs and torsos (yes also on one arm of the young man across the street); how might we speak honestly and perhaps honorably about this? I know communication is much more than words. This time, however, seems that words are important, complete with eye contact. Wrong beginnings can of course lead to lots of miscommunication, the very thing that makes for threats, brawls, calling the cops even! The right words, however, can accomplish amazing things. In other words, be aware of your own frame of mind, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6).

So even among new trends utilizing old modes, why not just kind, enquiring words? Perhaps this corner of our city will yet become a village – another old time idea - where we know about and care for one another, understanding not only weird pictures on our arms, but also the separatists, and even why this old preacher used to park his truck in the back alley. 

Handy Distractions

Among all the things one reads about, including the huge neverland of Artificial Intelligence possibilities, suddenly an old word comes to mind, raised out of foggy college memories. It is Baalism, right there in the Old Testament, book of Judges, and it hasn’t crossed my thinker for eons. This morning’s devotional reading accomplishes all that. The writer is Kathleen Kern [i] and “Idol Talk” is the title. Judges 4 is all about the people of Israel in the good surroundings of the land which had been promised to them, and they getting comfortable therein. Rather than attention to the ritualized focus on Yahweh they became fascinated by gods more localized, immediately obvious via things like storms and animals and fertility. Things seemed to be going well for these original residents even with their array of gods. 

Kern’s vantage is easy to relate to. She tells us about unpublished novels she has written, and an audience who love reading her stuff, and then her sobering reflection, “I go into fantastical thoughts about movie contracts”, she says. It's not quite idolizing her work, but she acknowledges that it distracts from her relationship with God and other people.

Good point. It's there among us. I occasionally rant about fellow retirees indulging in noisy talk shows in restaurants and coffee shops because they are most interested in themselves and their own stories, the going-with-the-flow Baalism effect is there – and easily lands on my plate too. Many of the profound thoughts and accomplishments that us retirees dwell on, are really only another chapter in the competition, in the circle (Indigenous?), in the stages (Erik Erikson, Richard Rohr?), in the hard work (Mennonite) of life. If we do it in a creative way, all this life reflection can be satisfying, even if only self-indulgent. Kern thinks about best-sellers and fame and movie contracts; I think about good cloud security for my blogs so that they won’t get erased even after I die! Disgusting actually.

So it is that for me this almost forgotten old word is not only refreshed by this morning’s devotional read, but it brings to mind a possibility of new distractions. For example, I have already been thinking – and even tentatively writing –[ii] about AI’s intrusion into the world of writing. It's handy to let Google answer the detail questions. Is this possibly a modern version of the Baals creeping into our thoughtful diligence even about faith things? Similarly we read or watch podcasts or sermons profoundly explaining today’s need for greater inclusiveness and charity to “the least of these” with little or no reference to God. Woke language these days, loving everybody, lauding vegetarians who don’t like to kill animals, or environmentalists who don’t want to rob the earth of inherent minerals or pollute the air, etc.etc. This brings on the scattered menu of politicians much larger now than the old left-right, socialist-capitalist options. It comes today with despots and autocrats, drug cartels, increased militarism and distrust of political leaders of almost any stripe (e.g. yesterday’s election in France).

Have nothing to do with those slippery Baalists (Judges 2:2), the people of Israel were warned. Have nothing to do with latest trends, us Christians might also be warned. Retain your worship of Yahweh, was the O.T. warning. Retain your worship of God and not the environment, or chosen political leaders, and do not forget the One who is “the way and the truth and the life” (John14:6).

Even as I caution myself and whoever reads this, I write as one who fellowships not only with Christians, one who cooperates with and fellowships with people of other faiths in community service projects. In recent years this has helped me to be even more focused on the worship of God, and even more inspired by the life and teachings of my Savior. But even to myself there is a reminder, "if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

How do we retain purity of covenant? I was born into an Old Colony Mennonite farm family. Church services were divided 😏, women on the left, men on the right, young people on benches around the outside edge, sermons in German, and none of this handshaking and coffee in the foyer on the way out (or in). After worship we were instructed to go home and think about the service we had just attended! [iii] Perhaps, that was our way of making sure we were not participating in Baalism!

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[i] Rejoice! (Harrisonburg, VA: MennoMedia), Vol. 62, no.1, 2026.

[ii] ”Of Learning and Truth”, https://www.jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com/, July 20, 2026.

[iii] This is not to say fun was not allowed! It just needed to wait until later! Sunday afternoons often included unannounced family visits to cousins or others, lots of outdoor play followed by delicious faspa.

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