# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/101 "2010-05-11T22:17:31Z")
I’m a little surprised, as most of the new agey, pagan types i know seem to go out of their way to respect others’ religious beliefs. That’s not to say that some of them probably won’t get a tattoo “just cause it looks cool” - but the ones I know have attached a pretty deep meaning to their ink. And they wouldn’t brush aside the notion that the design and the medium could inherently be offensive to someone. Maybe I just know “good” ones 🙂 It’s not offensive to me, and I am not Jewish. It just seems weird to me that she would permanently etch a symbol into her flesh that means nothing to her. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/102 "2010-05-11T22:36:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Don’t be a jerk, **BigT** ; this is threatening and totally inappropriate. I have neither received nor seen anyone else receive a warning for implying they would say something in the Pit that they can’t say in the main thread. I simply was attempting to preempt a response that I’ve found typical from that particular poster. I was not intending to threaten, and, if that’s how it was perceived, I am sorry. Note: I’m apologizing not to Marley, but to the person who reported me. I’ve already told Marley what I think of this warning. Funny thing is, what’s been holding me back is the pride I had in never getting one. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/103 "2010-05-12T00:39:32Z")
In re the comparison to depictions of Mohamed, can anyone provide examples of someone deliberately depicting Mohamed for any purpose other than causing offense or stirring up controversy? If you cause offense when you’re deliberately trying to cause offense, well, that makes some sort of sense. But if someone wanted a tattoo of Mohamed’s face because they really respected him, I’d think the same way about that as I do about this one: If it has significance to you, then that very significance should itself be a reason why you don’t do it. Again, this is not something that applies to all symbols in general. But for a few specific symbols, such as the Name, the significance is that it’s something that shouldn’t be written down. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/104 "2010-05-12T00:59:35Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > \ > Jews aren’t special. Everyone is free to think everyone’s tattoos are stupid, or be offended that their cultural symbols are being misappropriated. I was thinking about this in terms of something that would mean something to me - I thought about someone who isn’t Canadian getting a nice maple leaf tattooed on themselves, and I think it would bother me. A cultural symbol being misappropriated is a great way to put it - that’s exactly what it would feel like, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/105 "2010-05-12T01:41:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Again, this is not something that applies to all symbols in general. But for a few specific symbols, such as the Name, the significance is that it’s something that shouldn’t be written down. Well, I disagree about it being written down. It’s written down in plenty of places. It’s a bigger deal that it’s not spoken. But, when it is written down, it is then supposed to be treated reverently. I’m kind of imagining her printing it off the internet to bring into the tattoo parlor, and afterwards tossing the piece of paper into the trash. It makes me cringe a little. **Cat Whisperer** : drat, there goes that idea! _crosses off maple leaf tattoo plan_ I’m thinking maybe getting a tattoo of the Saudi flag, then. The shahaada is just so _pretty_, and I think it represents unicorns and rainbows! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/106 "2010-05-12T03:21:10Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A cultural symbol being misappropriated is a great way to put it - that’s exactly what it would feel like, I think. The Darwin fish leaps to mind. ---
**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 12, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/107 "2010-05-12T03:36:42Z")
**Anaamika** Nobody is saying Judaism should get special rights. Frankly, it pisses me the hell off when I see the misuse of Aum symbols, crosses, or what have you. I keep my prayer book on the second shelf down on my bookcase. I also keep my Book Of Mormon, Zen Flesh Zen Bones, and the sacred books of other peoples there. I treat them all with respect. I have a brass cup/vase/thingy that I found out (possibly from you) is intended for offering milk to the godhead. It sits atop a curio case. I treat it with respect as well. People getting Japanese tattoos they don’t understand also pisses me off. The big difference here is that somebody is asking before they get the tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/108 "2010-05-12T04:00:17Z")
I have to say this was a MOST interesting poll and thread. Thanks for starting it, **Ace309** , and thanks for the insightful remarks, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975/109 "2010-05-12T07:36:00Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I was thinking about this in terms of something that would mean something to me - I thought about someone who isn’t Canadian getting a nice maple leaf tattooed on themselves, and I think it would bother me. A cultural symbol being misappropriated is a great way to put it - that’s exactly what it would feel like, I think. In Philadelphia, I lived close to one of those businesses that rent out costumes. One they had on display was a set of Sanfermines red’n’whites. Every time I saw it (so, about twice a day), I’d think “God, I do hope they teach anybody who rents it how to get the beret on properly!” People who think a screwed-on beret is an appropiate fashion accesory give me a rash; if it was red, I’d need to grab the nearest wall to keep from grabbing it off the guy’s head, delivering a speech on Respecting Other People’s Traditions and sticking it on properly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-of-the-tetragrammaton/538975.md?page=5)