Founder of the David Christian Centre, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, has defended the decision to get a tattoo, saying no scripture prohibits Christians from having tattoos.
His Roman numeral tattoo, “3:16,” caused controversy because some people cited Leviticus 19:28.
Okonkwo, in an interview on News Central, argued that critics should provide scriptural or scientific proof to back their claims, questioning why tattoos are deemed bad without reason.
He also called out hypocrisy, pointing out that some critics have eyebrow tattoos, which he views as a form of body art, and wear makeup.
The pastor emphasised that Christians should focus on knowing Christ and God’s word rather than imposing personal preferences on others.
“There’s no scripture that says a child of God cannot have a tattoo. So, people are (just) doing personal preference, or what the Holy Spirit told them, or their church’s preferences. They want to impose this on other people, and that’s not how this works. Everyone needs to know Christ and the word of God.
“Somebody needs to sit me down and say tattoos are bad because if somebody draws ink on their
body, their brain goes bad; if somebody draws ink on their body, their character suddenly goes bad. They must give me scriptural or scientific proof, or something to back this up.
“Nobody can tell me why tattoo is bad. It’s just bad because… no reason. This kind of thinking is saddening for me because how is Africa going to catch up with development if we are still thinking ‘oh, somebody wore jeans and went to rob, so jeans are now bad. Pastor cannot wear jeans because last week somebody wore jeans and went to rob a bank’. What are we talking about? So, I don’t see the basis.”
Okonkwo also stated that while tattoos may be associated with bad people, he could name 10 good people with tattoos.
“It’s the same reason why some people don’t want to go into politics. They say politics is for bad people. So, we have left it for the people we think are dirty. So, who is going to go there? That has been the mindset of the church. We avoid everything that looks bad, and then we complain,” he said.
In a TikTok video, Okonkwo descended on critics of his decision, reminding them of the questionable things they also do.
He said: “Today I’m seeing Christian girls buying human hair and wearing it to church, and they are typing on tattoo while wearing another human being’s hair.
“You don’t know the origin of Christianity in Nigeria. Go and ask the older people who are sincere, they will tell you that even your makeup was a sin just a few years ago… was sacrilege, taboo, evil.
“Today, I see people do eyebrow. You don’t know that eyebrow is tattoo? Are you not painting? If you are painting eyebrows, it is tattoo. Some people even do microblading. Is it not tattoo? It’s a form of tattoo.
“Do you know that there was a time, if you didn’t tie a scarf, you couldn’t go to church. Some of you didn’t know this. Who fought for that liberty you enjoy?
“There were times you couldn’t wear earrings, such that once you gave your life to Jesus, you threw away your earrings and all your jewellery. Some of you didn’t know these things, but today you are typing. I pity the level of ignorance you are carrying,
“There were times you couldn’t wear jeans in this body of Christ. I was here when you couldn’t wear jeans. Do you wear jeans? Oh, you are leading many astray.
“Some people are saying tattoo is leading people astray. I say jeans were leading people astray a few years ago, today we are wearing them. Do you wear jeans? Ungodly garment.”
