My children, when they see my earlobes, always ask me why I have two holes in them. This is what I tell them: "From when I was 17, until October 2000, I wore 2 pairs of earrings in each of my earlobes. At that General Conference, the Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that women should wear only one earring in each lobe, that boys shouldn't wear any, and that body piercings are not to be done."
I found the talk where he talked about it:
"Teach them to respect their bodies. The practice is growing among young people of tattooing and piercing their bodies. The time will come when they will regret it, but it will then be too late. The scriptures unequivocally declare:
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17).
It is sad and regrettable that some young men and women have their bodies tattooed. What do they hope to gain by this painful process? Is there “anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” (A of F 1:13) in having unseemly so-called art impregnated into the skin to be carried throughout life, all the way down to old age and death? They must be counseled to shun it. They must be warned to avoid it. The time will come that they will regret it but will have no escape from the constant reminder of their foolishness except through another costly and painful procedure.
I submit that it is an uncomely thing, and yet a common thing, to see young men with ears pierced for earrings, not for one pair only, but for several.
They have no respect for their appearance. Do they think it clever or attractive to so adorn themselves?
I submit it is not adornment. It is making ugly that which was attractive. Not only are ears pierced, but other parts of the body as well, even the tongue. It is absurd.
We—the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve—have taken the position, and I quote, that “the Church discourages tattoos. It also discourages the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes, although it takes no position on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings.”"
That is found at: http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ca73a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
1 comment:
I remember that....and I also took out the second pair that night. :)
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