I have no tattoos. When I was in college, two times I went into a tattoo parlor with the intention of getting a tattoo. I was going to get a tattoo of a snare drum - the Revolution army kind of snare drum and then have some song lyric from a rockabilly song I liked on it. 
I had it all pictured in my mind. But I chickened out both times I went in the place to get one. Back in the 1980's, getting a tattoo was very different than today. The only tattoo parlor where I was living was a serious hardcore biker type of a place. Not that many people had tattoos back then, and they certainly were not fashionable or mainstream. The very cartoon-like biker guy in the tattoo parlor had the long beard, kind of grumpy and each time I went in I got scared of this guy so I never did get one. It is hard to even describe today since tattoos are so common and tattoo parlours have come such a long way since then. Sometimes, I almost feel like a rebel by not having a tattoo today.
I always admire tattoos as artwork as some are so incredibly beautiful. My friend Dan is a tattoo artist who really is an "artist" in the true sense of the word in what he creates. He works at what is the coolest tattoo parlor I have ever seen Samuel O'Reilly's Tattoo Parlour in Santa Cruz. They redecorated and designed the parlour so incredibly retro and have great logos and shirts for their business. When I was there last, I was given an O'Reilly's Tattoo Parlor shirt and Klem the owner did say it was OK for me, a tattooless person, to wear the shirt. So I feel justified and have permission to wear the cool shirt as a inkless person.
Tattoos are in interesting source of discussion in some circles in the church. But another friend, Chuckk Gerwig (there are two k's in his name) just launched a web site that is called Sacred Ink.
The web site url is www.sacredink.net
Several friends of mine are featured as part of the web site and it is a web site that gives the stories of Christians who have tattoos and what they mean to them. There is a good article about a biblical look at tattoos on the web site as well.
Looking at the web site really makes me want to go get one - but for now I will continue to be the rebel and remain tattooless.
