I got my left ear pierced back when I was 21 and in the Army. Girlfriend at the time(Yes I was whipped 1 time) suggested I get one, stating I would look cute with one. I debated for a while.
I decided to get my ear pierced at one of those ear piercing specialist places in the Mall while in Elpaso, TX. I had to do the usual treatment of not removing the earring for 30 days.
The Army considers ear piercing a violation of standards. I put in a piece of sterilized straw and wore a small bandaide. Of course I caught much heck from my superiors about it. I was passed over for E-5/Sergeant consideration at the time.
Many guys I knew in the military took on the trend, often piercing their own ears or getting a buddy to do it.
I remember when my Army roommate stated, "Hey man look at my ear!", while it was swollen and bleeding. Some of those guys ears got infected, and had the you know what on the ear(bells, mushrooms etc.).
I got my ear pierced the Professional way.
The protocol for earrings then was left ear, never right ear(Right ear meant gay). Earrings for both ears was not seen or known to me at the time. That meant gay back during my early twenties also.
I know some leadership in Churches frown upon earrings for males, it is more common today. Earrings are mentioned for male and females in the Old Testament.
As I understand it, the men wore the earrings first and the tradition was passed to or copied by the women. God never spoke against, some people will try to use the "defile not the temple scripture". I tell them stop eating salt then, sugar, fats, the air you breathe is hazardous, fish has mercury in it, chicken has hormones in it etc. That scripture is mainly alluding to what comes out of your heart, even Jesus stated about what went out of the draught. Thats a large context to discuss and expound on with many people. You tell me my earring is wrong, I can tell you gluttony is a sin because you are 360 pounds at a height of 5'5 and are wheezing when you walk, especially up a flight of stairs and... Hey the temple right? I had that discussion in a Bible class some years ago. Moderation, there are obvious many rights and wrongs.
A religious person mentioned to me and my father also mentioned that tattoo's were forbidden by God. I disagreed. I looked it up. By the way, my father has a tattoo, he showed me some years later. I met him at 27 long story another article.
I don't recall about tattoos, but I do about cuttings. I do not view a tattoo as a cutting and the symbol not as a form of idolatry. According to what you have, its meaning etc.
I have viewed those documentaries on t.v. and have seen cuttings made on males and females in foreign countries.
There is a big difference between a satanic pentagram on your arm and the picture of Jesus. Moderation, even the Bible can be used as a form of idolatry like a lot of crosses people wear.
By the way, I once was against a male with an earring before I was influenced to get one.
I remember telling guys, "man thats gay to wear an earring" very zealously. I was taught that. But that changed with the influence of a girlfriend while in the Army. Now my earring is a part of me and who I am.
I feel naked if I do not have it on. After a shower sometimes I forget to put one back in or at times an earring can come off when asleep.
I will fel strange and have to find it, put it in etc.
I keep my sterilized in a small plastic container with alcohol in it. I have seen too many people with those cauliflower things on their ears, no disrespect meant.
1 Earring period for me, left ear. Not into the chains, crosses etc.
I have my color blue gem stone, diamond(Zirconium for now, Lol!!!), hoop etc. According to what I am wearing, like for the gym, I sport a hoop.
I sport the diamond for special occasions, formal or if needing a neutral color.
I see it is even customary for older men now like Ed Bradley. I even have a cool uncle who is 60+ and sports one, it caught an aunt of mine off guard who was visiting and said something about mine. I have noticed quite a few older brutha's sporting them. Many guys I came up with still sport theirs, some went to both ears, maybe 1 or 2 that I noticed.
I state I will be buried with mine as a older man if I live that long, "God" willing. I have bragged that I will be a s*xy older man in proper context.
After years of dwelling, I got my 1st tattoo. The country of Africa with a womans face. The symbol for courage, strength and determination upper part in the colors of red, black and green outlined by yellow. Blue for the eyelids(had to have my color in there somewhere), red lipstick, mole on cheek, facial lines for rivers etc.
Black is for the ppl. red for blood, yellow for grain, green for grass and blue for the water.
I wanted something different that meant something from everyone else. It took me years to think of this concept for my right upper arm. I wanted something more than a Nike symbol.
It is my respect for black women and all the untold things they have been through, thinking about the women in my family, the rapes and children being led away back during the day, still trying to be a wife to a husband while being bred and abused by the master etc. I felt it was the least I could do.
I have received many compliments(humbly) throughout the years for its originality and how it looks. The guy who did it did an awesome job. Still as bright and clear as when he 1st did it.
I guess this was also part of my extent of being a bad boy and fitting in with trends
I have dwelled in the years since(34 when I got tattoo) theologically about Earrings and tattoos. As soon as I got the tattoo, a few brothers back at my home Church said something. Of course I spoke back.
In me dealing with a women with a tattoo, I guess it would be the style, how large, where at, how many etc. I have not thought of this before.
I see now where females(I use word for women and teenagers) are getting tattoo's all over the body. I still have to get used used to the belly and some women for obvious reasons don't look so good with them but to each their own. I have heard some especially older, planning to get one. Again no disrespect meant.
Now I see where earrings or piercings have gone to what I call more than moderate levels.
I have seen some people with earrings all the way around their ear/ears. Again to each their own. Not a wife for me and definetly not a child of my loins.
I mean all over the female and male anatomy are common now. Tongues, mouth, lips, eyebrows, private parts(don't that hurt like heck? Sanitary? Can be rubbed of?). What purpose or style? Reason?
I do remember Ms. Hamilton our 5th grade p.e. teacher that everyone has a crush on, she had a earring in her nose and looked very cute with it. Of course she never knew I noticed her like that. I was only 9 or 10 at the time, but she was the first that I saw with a earring in her nose. I see nothing wrong with that, if that fits the person. Also the style.
Someone mentioned or I have heard talk about the benefits of a tongue piercing in the past, I responded, "I can get better results from an altoid, pepperment candy, frozen grapes, ice etc!". Hey read the book of the Song of Solomon, married folks are supposed to have the best spiciest Romance lives(only carnal minded naive and the devil wants you to think otherwise). The Bible does tell that many men are to have the same passion as a buck, as you did when you two 1st met. The Bible also states not to take too long unless mutually agree for a short while like prayer or something. The Bible also states your bodies are not their own, another article I will do in relation to marriage.
I was just breaking this down to people.
I remember a young lady and I had mutual interests from a Church I visited here, I saw her at work and she had a earring over her eye, I just could not see it from there. She was tight, I felt she was a good girl, but that earring over the eye just was not for me. I never said anything because nothing developed more than phonecalls and a visit or two. Again to each their own, it just showed we were at different modes of thinking/tastes, even though we had our beliefs in God in common. I knew it would not develop and did not want to waste her time or err. Respectfully. We are cool though.
Just when I got used to seeing belly button piercings now much talk abounds about private anatomy piercings.
I mean Dennis Rodman and others with what I call extemes in piercings and tattoo's(I mean all most all the body covered), are running out of skin to do anythingg with and some people even have tattoo's on top of tattoo's!
I know I am in a different generation now. To each their own tastes. I can now say, I have seen some belly button piercings as cute for the particular female it works for, others???
Would I want my wife to have that, no. Maybe I am thinking wrong, I would have to cross that bridge if ever come to. The Bible does mention in New Testament about moderation i.e. make up, jewelry etc.
Anyone care to share your views, if you have either or both, style etc.?
I know there are spiritual people out there that have their views on tattoo's, men with earrings etc. I'll be glad to hear you.
*If I think your email may suck, I'll just delete it before reading it, Lol!; to give you a chance.*
Just joking with my COOL FOLK(southern slang).
Posted By: WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III
Friday, October 14th 2005 at 3:19PM
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