# Tattoo of the Tetragrammaton **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975 "2010-05-10T22:57:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/21 "2010-05-11T02:34:37Z")
> [@Ace309](#): > > Her argument is that because she’s not Jewish, and therefore the taboos regarding the tetragrammaton don’t apply to her, she isn’t doing anything that would be seen as offensive. > > What say you? She’s right that the ban on tattoos only applies to us Jews. She’s very, very wrong that she isn’t doing anything offensive. To Jews the Ineffable Name is an extremely sacred thing. We don’t even attempt to say it. When written on any substance, it becomes sacred text. Sacred text must not touch the ground. It must not be defaced in any way. It cannot be thrown out but must be buried in a special ceremony. A pagan getting a tattoo of it is, again, very offensive. **Chimera** , **Ogre** I have a few pagan friends. None of them are stupid or callous enough to do something like this. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/22 "2010-05-11T02:41:00Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > How do you know it isn’t important to _her_, for whatever the reason? It may be. But one must be very careful to think about how important it is to you when weighing the importance to someone else, especially when the act of writing the tattoo is inhertantly offensive. Should she be banned from doing it? No. Should she think very carefully about doing it- yes. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/23 "2010-05-11T02:42:07Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > If she is into Kabbalah or is a Ceremonial Magickian, then it may have some meaning and context for her. Really none of your damned business. Kabbalah is based on the foundation that the Pentateuch\* is the literal and inerrant word of G-d, given to Moses on Sinai. If you don’t believe that, why are you busy mucking about with Kabbalah in the first place? If that premise is flawed then all of Kabbalah’s conclusions and practices are flawed. If you accept that premise as true, then you are bound by the 7 laws of Noah. If you are bound by the seven laws of Noah, then you are forbidden to blaspheme G-d. I’d say that getting the Name tattooed on you with other symbols counts as blasphemy. I’m willing to listen to arguments that you don’t have to be over 40, married and a man to learn Kabbalah. I am adamant that to learn Kaballah, you must first read, write and speak Hebrew fluently and have encyclopedic knowledge of the Torah. I’m guessing the sorceror in question doesn’t meet either of those qualifications. As I said to a friend ‘Either Kaballah doesn’t work and there’s no point in studying it OR it does work and the rules are there for a damn good reason’ Eta- \* The Firefox spellchecker recognizes this word! It means, by the way, the five books of Moses- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/24 "2010-05-11T02:46:42Z")
I think it may depend on where on her body she gets tattoo and how many Jews live in her area. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/25 "2010-05-11T02:57:13Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#): > > I’m surprised at how many of you are offended by this. Are you Jewish, out of curiosity? ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/26 "2010-05-11T03:01:21Z")
Imagine getting a tattoo of Muhammad dressed in a Sailor Moon costume and standing on the astrological symbol of the moon, with the words “Cybele likes it in the full moon!” - it may say all sorts of hidden personal meanings to the bearer but to everyone else it just says you’re an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/27 "2010-05-11T03:33:28Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#): > > I’m surprised at how many of you are offended by this. I’m not offended, but it seems a douchey thing to do. Why would you take something that’s important to someone’s religious or cultural beliefs and make it into a decoration? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/28 "2010-05-11T04:23:55Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > [Tetragrammaton.](http://www.esquinamagica.com/images/tetragrammaton.jpg) I don’t think this is a good idea, either, for the reasons already given. It doesn’t mean anything to her, sure, but since it makes no difference to her, why not err on the side of using a symbol that isn’t likely to give offense? If I saw a tattoo of that I’d just think it was a pentagram. I say her reason for wanting it is stupid mystical crap, but who cares, I don’t see it as offensive. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/29 "2010-05-11T04:46:04Z")
I know tattoos are supposed to be for yourself and not for the viewer…but think of it this way. If someone sees it and asks what it means, and she says “It’s the Jewish symbol for…blah blah” and the person says “cool, are you Jewish?” and she says “no” she’s going to look pretty stupid. Maybe even more stupid than the folks with kanji on them who don’t even know what it means. If someone who’s Jewish sees it, and asks to talk about it, they’re going to be offended. She could just get the symbols for salt, sulfur, mercury and water drawn up in a nice configuration. That’d be much cooler. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/30 "2010-05-11T04:47:18Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > If I saw a tattoo of that I’d just think it was a pentagram. I say her reason for wanting it is stupid mystical crap, but who cares, I don’t see it as offensive. Same here. The first thing that I thought when I googled ‘tetragrammaton’ was “a pentagram?” You guys need to unwind your briefs. Edit: I still voted “it’s a bad idea” because I hate this douchebag New Age spirituality stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/31 "2010-05-11T04:51:56Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > If I saw a tattoo of that I’d just think it was a pentagram. I say her reason for wanting it is stupid mystical crap, but who cares, I don’t see it as offensive. That link is incorrect. (Well, it might be called a tetragrammaton too, but it’s not what we’re talking about.) The person in the OP wants (correct me if I’m wrong, OP) to get a tattoo of the four letter name of god. The name of god is sacred to Jews. Although it is printed in prayerbooks and the Tanakh, when we see it, we do not read it as it is written, we say “adonai” (lord) instead. Just speaking it forbidden, getting a tattoo of it is…well, the person in question is not Jewish, but I can guarantee that practically any Jewish person who sees that tattoo will not be pleased to see it. If you write it on a piece of paper, you can’t throw the paper away, it has to be disposed of properly. (Most synagogues will have what’s called a ganeza, a box specifically for taking care of things with hashem’s name on them. Periodically the ganeza is ritually disposed of…I think they’re buried?) It’s not a decoration, it’s not some new age mumbo jumbo, it is _the name of god_. I don’t know what the fuck that stuff about elements is, that’s just gibberish. And I’m an atheist! Geez. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/32 "2010-05-11T05:04:24Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > [Tetragrammaton.](http://www.esquinamagica.com/images/tetragrammaton.jpg) I don’t think this is a good idea, either, for the reasons already given. It doesn’t mean anything to her, sure, but since it makes no difference to her, why not err on the side of using a symbol that isn’t likely to give offense? That’s not a tetragrammaton. The tetragrammaton is just the four Hebrew letters of the Name. [This](http://communio.stblogs.org/YHWH.jpg) is a tetragrammaton. All that stylized Star of David bullshit is just decoration. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/33 "2010-05-11T05:10:16Z")
As to “good idea/bad idea,” I voted other. If it’s highly visible, then it’s possible that it could provoke offense or bad responses from some people, so how “good or bad” the decision is comes down to how many bad responses she is likely or willing to deal with. From what you quoted about her explanation she sounds like an idiot, so probably won’t listen to any advice anyway. Personally, I don’t care what another person tattoos on their on body, nor do I understand why any Jews should care. It can’t hurt them or God. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/34 "2010-05-11T07:19:07Z")
I too think it depends on where this tattoo is going. Forearm? Neck? Face? I think it is obnoxious to deliberately tattoo something that could be offensive where people can’t help but see it. (See also: naked lady hula dancing.) On the other hand, if it’s not publicly visible, I think it’s cool to tattoo just about anything that tickles your fancy. She’s not Jewish, so the symbol doesn’t have any meaning to her. Let’s face it: Yahweh doesn’t exist. It doesn’t do anything to him or his adherents of someone “desecrates” his name _as long as they can’t see it_. If he does exist, I suggest smiting this woman post haste to shore up his street cred. That being said, your friend does sound unbearably New-Agey and flakey. But that doesn’t mean she can’t design a cool-looking tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/35 "2010-05-11T08:20:56Z")
I find the tattoo itself disrespectful, but her explanation completely idiotic. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/36 "2010-05-11T08:34:18Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > If he does exist, I suggest smiting this woman post haste to shore up his street cred. One good ole fashioned swarm of locusts would be appropriate, I think. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/37 "2010-05-11T08:38:12Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > That’s not a tetragrammaton. The tetragrammaton is just the four Hebrew letters of the Name. > > [This](http://communio.stblogs.org/YHWH.jpg) is a tetragrammaton. All that stylized Star of David bullshit is just decoration. There is a real Tetragrammaton on the upper left arm of that pentagram. There may be more elsewhere. I had to look closely to see that one. That said- I also find it offensive. As a Christian with Zionist, Messianic & Anglo-Israel sympathies, the Four Letters are a sacred symbol to me. I don’t have the same taboos about writing it that many observant Jews have, but I don’t deliberately flount them either. As far as tattoos go, I do believe the Levitical prohibition doesn’t really apply to Gentiles, Christian or otherwise, but I don’t care for them- I especially have a gut reaction against Christian ones (to paraphrase Hank Hill “They don’t make tattoos better, they just make Christianity worse!”) but I also realize that those believers who get them often do so out of deep emotional commitment. Question to DocC- what is your reaction when reading something in which Y\*\*H or Y\*\*\*\*h is spelled out. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/38 "2010-05-11T08:40:58Z")
I voted “No”, not because I think the tattoo is a good idea (sounds like an ugly design, IMO) but because I don’t see it as disrespectful. Or, rather, even if it is disrespectful, so what? Non[religion] persons are perfectly right in ignoring the silly proscriptions of whatever Bronze Age fairytale is taking offence this week, whether it be Jews with Yahweh or Muslims with Muhammad or whatever. Who cares if Jews are going to get offended by her tattoo - they don’t actually get a say in her skin art, nor should they. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/39 "2010-05-11T08:43:48Z")
Perhaps she might consider a tattoo of Mohammed instead? It’s yet another tattoo in an exotic language and it shouldn’t be got for that reason. She shows some originality in picking Hebrew rather than Chinese. As for offending people’s religious sensibilities, so did The Life of Brian and The last temptation of Christ. This has the flaw of being neither funny nor dramatic. More broadly, isn’t anything related to Judaism that’s incorporated into a tattoo offensive? It highlights Judaism by flouting a mitzvah in Leviticus 19:28. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/40 "2010-05-11T11:46:54Z")
I know that this is slightly tangent, it does touch on the subject of people appropriating cultural symbols because they’re “cool.” Ta Moko Maori Tattoo When Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Insult > **[Tattoos and Body Piercings](https://www.liveabout.com/tattoos-and-body-piercings-4772215)** > > Get ink-spired by tattoo galleries, learn how to select a tattoo artist, and understand how to properly care for your tattoo or piercing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975.md?page=3)