One-Minute Writer: Ink

If you have tattoos, describe one of them. If you don't, what would your tattoo look like if you ever got one?

I'm hesitant about tattoos (and needles and choices and permanence, for that matter) but everyone should be able to pick something to emblazon on their body. Sort of the opposite of a birth mark, linked to identity. I'm never very good at picking one thing, so this is actually very difficult, but.... I would consider a crown on a cross but it would probably give an image to the world of religious showmanship as opposed to actual faith. It wouldn't be for anyone but me. It wouldn't be any sort of litmus test measuring my faith or my correctness in choosing something relating spirituality. It's something that I will always love. It's ingrained in me already, why not etch it on the surface as evidence of something within?

Obviously, this speaks to the fact that I am cautious with my spirituality at times. Other people give religion a bad name. They make it about everything it isn't supposed to be: judging people, condemning people, surface acts without real thought behind them, a caricature of piety, unloving, selfish, hateful, bigoted, prejudice, closed to thought.... I know all religious people aren't one or all of these things but it seems that way some times. I wait till people know me a little better before they know anything about me and religion. Given that, it's curious that I would choose to mark myself with a religious emblem. Despite the fact that I abhor the generalities and stigmas that follow spiritual hypocrites, I won't hide it either. I won't choose something that means less simply to seem like a better person. Which is funny, really, given that so many people use the rituals and emblems of religion to make themselves appear better to others.

Let me take this moment to apologize to all the people who aren't hypocrites. I should restate that while a lot of people give religion a bad name, there are so many out there who make religion a truly wonderful selfless, spiritual thing.

Perhaps I am too harsh on people. I did, after all, make these accusations of religious people everywhere without listing any evidence to support my supposition. But the appearance of faith not make us faithful. And this is still one of my favorite quotes:

"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a car."
-Laurence J. Peter