What do I do about piercings and church?

Okai. So im LDS aka Mormon. Please don’t make fun of it,and no mormons don’t have more then one wife and we don’t do pilgamy! Anyway,so I have been a member my whole life. In the religion,we are told,if you desire to have a piercing to only have one modest pair of earings. Not to have anything else. We have certain rules to follow. My problem is,I have had my lip pierced twice (Snakebites). I have a hard time with this rule,because I’m really into peircings. And I know God will love us eiether way,whatever we do. I took out my snakebites because they did get infected and I felt so guity for having them! I felt like I was going to be punished by God for it or somthing. Even though everyone in my ward was nice and didn’t comment in a bad way about them,I still felt really bad. One thing I have heard in the scriptures is, ‘’As ye thinketh,So are are ye.’’ My prefence to that,is basicly if you have the desire for somthing,even if you don’t do it,just having the desire is about as bad,or good as doing or having it. I want to get a Septum. It’s when you have the middle of your nose pierced. I really want to get that done,like really bad. But I feel so guitly! What is tought in the church is that their are 3 kingdoms that we will go to when we die and are resurrected. Their is the 1st which is the best,Paradise,the Celestial kingdom. There is the terrestrial is the 2nd highest and then there is the lowest,the Telestial kingdom,basicly hell. Im worried if I get piercing that I will not make it to the highest kingdom when I die. Maybe I worry to much about the future,but I do love God very much and I try as hard as I can to follow what he says and to do what he wants. I just don’t know what to do. I’m confused about the rule about piercings,because I know I have heard in the bible or somewhere that we are not suppose to pierce or cut our skin. Yet,Jesus was pierced. Reguardless that the pierce I want,yes is different then what Jesus went through,to me it’s still breaking of the flesh. So why is it so bad? Plus,it doesn’t make much sense that,oh yeah we can have only one type of piercing? I’m kinda confused. If there is any other LDS memebers that are on this site,I hope you can give me some good advice on this question. I strongly belive in God and the LDS church. I just need a little guidiness. Please help me out if you can! And if your a mormon hater,please don’t comment to my question. I don’t need to be put down for my belifes.

Thanks in advance for any good advice!

Answer #1

I am LDS and I use to want to get piercings to despite what Gordan B Hinkly had said about them. Now I think that piercings are trashy accept for the ones in the earlobe. If you go on your mission with piercings everywhere, what kind of example are you setting for our church. I know if someone came to my door with piercings everywhere I would not let them come into my house and teach the gospel because I would think that they were probably not a worthy person. I know that you are according to what you said before a strong believer in the gospel, but people with piercings have a bad stereotype, which you don’t want to have reflected upon the church. I think it would be a good Idea to talk to your bishop or your bishop brick but their just going to tell you that you have free agency to do what you want but they highly disaprove of it and you are destroying your body by doing so which is a temple which god has given to us.

Answer #2

guru snake bites are wrong but your bully buttion is just fine? O.O that makes no since… That’s like saying vodka is bad but scotch is a-ok.

I would have to agree with the people saying ask the leaders or sub-leaders of your church. They do seem nice, you said they did not say any thing bad about the piercings you already have so they could be rather helpful.

When I hear your body is your temple I never understood why decorating your temple would be seen as bad. I have never ever walked into a church or temple that did not have flowers and candles and pretty windows in at least one room. Those things are not needed to praise who ever is praised there, but there still there, there extra. So that would be to me like getting a piercing or tattoo. As long as its nothing against your religion then why would god care if you decorate your temple the way you want it? That’s my take on it any ways.

Answer #3

Well I am not a mormon but I do have a lot of friends who are. The way my religion looks at God is as long as you accept God into your life, he will always be ther for you. You are his child and he does not judge. Why do you think God gave us free will. He gave us the gift to be able to make our own decessions, to choice right from wrong. In my opinion God is not going to punish you or look down upon you because of a piercing, their are a lot of people who do a lot worse in the world, and those are the ones who will have to pay, not you because of a piercing. As long as you are a good person and have morals, you will make it. Personally I am not fond of the kind of piercing you want, but if it means that much to you than do it, and dont feel guilty. Every religion is based off the same thing, just interpreted different. I think God would rather you live to be happy and who you are than to hide, because it may be disapproved by others. Also if they look down upon you than who cares, you are not suppose to judge others.

Answer #4

Im not to sure but I would say that piercings shouldnt really matter that much and you shouldnt worry about it causing anything terrible religiously but what do I know

Answer #5

Hi kids: I am an elder in the church, it has to do with our ideals about modesty, the definition for immodesty that the church seems to use (they used it when I was a youth too) is anything that attracts undue attention to your body, it also has to do with the idea that our bodies are sacred and holy gifts from our Heavenly Father to carry and house our spirits while we are on the earth in our mortal state. The body is a temple for our spirit and therefore should not be defiled. Basically the church views piercings and tattoos kind of like graffiti, what would you think about tagging your ward building or one of the temples with graffiti? Now I know what you are saying about our Heavenly Father loving us anyway and that is the truth, he can see beyond our appearance and into our souls, unfortunately the rest of the world cannot. Remember that you are representatives of the church to everyone you meet and as such the church hopes you will do everything possible, image included, to be a good example of an LDS. This may not answer your question fully, but I hope it helps you to understand.

Take Care

Answer #6

I am not a christian. I just live by the simple rules that you should be nice to people and don’t judge people. I think that if the only matter is what other people think of you, you really should go ahead and do it! And do it with no remorse whatsoever.

If the christian community is that intolerant and even try to act as if they have the right to decide what you can or can not do with your body, there’s something wrong.

I always thought that being a christian should create a feeling of security and love, but you all seem to be afraid?

Do you really think you’ll go to “hell” for having your nose pierced? I don’t think so. I think that IF there was a hell, people like Adolf Hitler or Saddam Hussain would end up there.

NOT a nice girl with her nose pierced!

Good luck :-)

Answer #7

Dear skyeskye18, Hey there, I am a fellow LDS member, and would like to help if possible. First, I would say to trust your feelings. It can be tricky, especially when we are young to recognize the Spirit influencing us. (I know, I am 22) It is very important to follow the guidance of our church leaders even when we do not fully understand them, and in time we can come to understand it all! Have you tried praying about the principles you have been taught, especially on this subject? The importance of this specific principle is to remember that our bodies are gifts from God, and they need to be treated like temples. Some ask, why one piercing and not 2 or 3? Just the same way as our Temples are adorned and made beautiful, it is the simple beauty and elegance that makes it so. Yes there are decorations and yes there are paintings, but nothing that takes away from the spirit there (aka nothing to distract or take away from a persons focus on the temple) One set of earings allows room for this same kind of beauty and simple elegance, but not to the point that it takes away from the beauty of the body itself, only enhances it. The line has been drawn by our leaders, and if we follow we will be blessed:) (Pray about it! you will know! but remember the Spirit will never influence you to do something that General Authorities have already specifically said no to) As for your reference to Christ being pierced, there is a big difference between people forcibly piercing someone and being pierced because you want to. His was not for adornment or ‘enhancement’. And briefly on a medical side, there are TONS of complications that come from excessive piercings, especially ones like a septum. you said you already have had an infection, and that is not uncommon. (coming from a medical backround I can list a lot of the problems that arise from them) Hope this helps. But in any case, if you have more you want to talk about, let me know!

Answer #8

im mormon…I dont get this rule either, like im into really hard rock music but my parents hate it when I listen to it…I say its ok, as long as you believe in god and the book of mormon…but im only 13,

Answer #9

Sweetheart, this is a question that you probably will have to discuss with your pastor / priest / leader, or possibly some older teens in your youth group. Especially if you do not get supportive constructive help on this site. Because YOU have to come to a decision that will rest well on your conscience.

I cannot give you a direct answer, as I am an Atheist, and most religious guidelines don’t make sense to me - except the basic golden rule; and to try and be a good person; and to help other people. But that isn’t religion as much as it is a philosophy.

Good Luck!!

Answer #10

Well Jesus wasnt pierced by chose, so it is quite different.
Either way, your body is your temple. So technically you shouldnt put holes in it. On the other hand, it is your body, so you should be able to get what you want on it.

Im not Mormon and I really dont know that much about your religion, but in my opinion, as long as you’re a good person ( follow the ten commandments in my religion ) and love, thank god, you should go to heaven no matter how many piercings you have.

If you feel very strongly about it, then you should probably talk to your parents ( a priest maybe ) and go from there. If you still want one, then go a had and get one.

Answer #11

if you look it up it is something said by Hinckley and affirmed by the quorum of the twelve, but all that was said is that it is discouraged not prohibited. Mormons have a lot of free will that gets suppressed by the conformity factor of folk belief. Listen to what your leaders actually say and do what you feel is right, the scripture you quoted is better understood as if your desires are pure so will be your actions. if you do it for the wrong reason it is wrong. if you do it for the right reason it is right. ask yourself for what reason do I want this piercing. as I’m sure it is merely a want. God will love you no matter what and just because you have multiple piercings you may still inherit the celestial glory. and further more the telestial kingdom is still a kingdom of glory not an equivilent of hell by any means. the only true hell is either of our own mind in this life or to be cast into outer-darkness a place earned only by having personal and physical truth of God as a factual reality and denying him. Much love to you always, peace be unto you child of light and love -Thirdmind

Answer #12

No where in the bible does it say its wrong to have piercings, it does say you need to take care of yourself tho. If it isnt hurting you and has brought only joy to your life, then its not something bad. God is not dissapointed in you either. He chose you way before you chose him and He knew what He was getting. Respectfully take them out during chrurch services to be consiterate to those who do find it offensive, but otherwise keep them. There not causing you or anyone else harm.

Answer #13

they dont matter

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