Tattoo Marriages

Today's generation of college-aged, Christian couples is overwhelmed with a pressure to find a partner to walk down the aisle with ASAP. In my experience, this is producing what I like to call "tattoo marriages" because this trend is much like the fad that is christian-themed tattoos. Making trendy, spiritual statements in permanent ink beneath layers of skin in one's own body has hit a peak of popularity amongst many hip christian circles. Tattoo Removal has also hit an all time high in profits and has become a steadily increasing business over the past decade. The reason I bring up tattoo removal is to draw a stunningly similar parallel to divorce. Everyone knows divorce rates have been on the rise since 1960's and 70's when the family dynamic changed more and more with "free love" movements. All that to say, I believe marriages have become as trendy and superficial as tattoos.

I have seen many couples over the past four years become engaged while attending their respective 4 year christian universities. Marriage is something that is deeply revered in Christian circles and draws a profound amount of attention. It is easy to feel convinced about a decision as long-lasting as a tattoo or marriage when you are surrounded by groups of your own peers oooing and awwwing over your decision. Likewise, no one ever tells someone to their face how stupid they think someone's tattoo is nor would they speak up in front of a couple to say "oh that will never work!" At least not in nice, polite Christian circles.


However, when the dust settles and the honeymoon ends or the ink drys it becomes harder to feel convinced about one's permanent decision. As soon as there is a lack of personal approval from other trendy peers it makes it increasingly more difficult to feel secure in your life-long decision that you made at the wise old age of 21. What will you do when people stop telling you how cool the Hebrew or Greek verse you had inscribed on your ankle, wrist, or bicep is? Will you feel the overwhelming sense of doubt that comes years after making a hasty decision? What will you do when it is just you and your spouse alone in a home together and the college buddies stop coming by to admire the young love you once possessed? Will you get it removed? Will you get divorced? Will you just be another failed statistic?

We all need to take a step back and have some foresight as to what our older generations are doing and figure out a way to combat the mistakes they have made instead of making the same ones over and over again. And when I say we, I really mean those of us in our early 20s. Seriously, lets grow up and grow out of these harmful cycles that destroy the lives of too many innocent people. That mostly goes for divorce...I don't know how tattoo removal harms anyone but the person who got it, so rock on with your style-wild cross design on your low back. But just remember, even if it has to do with God, if it's on your low back it's still a tramp-stamp.

I don't know, that's all just my trendy shot in the dark...