Nigerian pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has defended the practice of tattooing, arguing that tattoos have been part of human culture for centuries and that the Bible does not explicitly describe them as a sin.
Speaking about the subject, Okonkwo said tattoos and other forms of body markings have existed in different societies around the world, noting that the practice is not unique to Nigeria.
He recalled seeing older people with traditional body markings while growing up in Lagos, adding that various forms of tattoos and tribal marks have long been part of different cultures.
Okonkwo also referred to a biblical passage in which God uses the imagery of an inscription on the hand to describe His relationship with His people. He argued that the reference showed that the concept of inscriptions on the body was familiar to the people at the time.
According to the pastor, the Bible contains no explicit statement declaring tattoos to be sinful.
He also referred to a passage in the Book of Revelation, which he said mentions an inscription on Christ’s thigh, using it to further support his argument.
Okonkwo said his experience preaching in multiracial churches had exposed him to people from different cultural backgrounds and perspectives on tattoos.
He gave the example of a person who had reportedly received a tattoo after finding Christ while in prison, describing it as a way of documenting his salvation story. Okonkwo questioned how such a person could be told that the tattoo was sinful when, in his view, there was no specific biblical scripture saying so.
The pastor also addressed the Old Testament passage commonly cited in debates about tattoos. He argued that the passage was addressing specific cultural and religious practices among the Israelites rather than modern decorative tattoos.
He compared the passage with other instructions in the same context, noting that some practices mentioned there are not followed by Christians today.
Okonkwo further argued that cosmetic procedures such as microblading are also forms of tattooing, saying the practice is already common among women.
He expressed surprise at what he described as a lack of exposure among some Nigerians regarding tattoos and their historical and cultural use.
The pastor also compared the debate over tattoos with earlier opposition within some Christian communities to practices such as wearing trousers, using makeup and perfumes, wearing wigs and watching television.
He argued that Christianity has undergone similar debates over cultural practices in the past, with some Christians eventually concluding that certain practices were not incompatible with their faith.
Okonkwo’s comments have added to an ongoing debate among Christians over whether tattoos should be viewed primarily as a cultural practice or as something prohibited by biblical teaching.
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