[danhagen]

In the first story, everyone is horrified a the idea that Henry might get a tattoo, but of course Henry would never actually do anything that stupid.
Mr, my, how times have changed.

Link to the book: Henry Aldrich 01

[Robb_K]

In the first story, everyone is horrified a the idea that Henry might get a tattoo, but of course Henry would never actually do anything that stupid.
Mr, my, how times have changed.

A major prohibition in The Jewish Religion is defacing the body; and getting tattoos cut into the skin is one of the many applicable offences.  Not being a Christian, or ever studying their teachings, I am curious as to whether or not that practice was frowned upon by American Protestant sects and The Catholic Church in USA during the 1940s and 1950s.  We already know from the radio show, feature films, and the comic book series, that Henry's parents were conservative by current Worldwide ("Westernised cultural) standards.  It was my own impression, frequently visiting family members living in USA, that The US Middle Class was quite conservative, at that time, as we were in Canada, as well.  Most people we knew, identified tatooing with Maoris and other (so-called) "primitive" or "less developed" indigenous "tribal" peoples, Gypsies, lower ranked sailors, inner-city, "underprivileged" 'toughs", and criminals, and wild rebelling children of super-strict parents, or children of undisciplined, uncaring parents.  I wonder if a similar prohibition in some of the more conservative traditionalist, Orthodox fundamentalist sects of Christianity, with tenets closest to the Judaism at the birth of Christianity, was one of the reasons for that conservatism and those attitudes against tattooing?

[The Australian Panther]

  Not being a Christian, or ever studying their teachings, I am curious as to whether or not that practice was frowned upon by American Protestant sects and The Catholic Church in USA during the 1940s and 1950s.  We already know from the radio show, feature films, and the comic book series, that Henry's parents were conservative by current Worldwide ("Westernised cultural) standards.  It was my own impression, frequently visiting family members living in USA, that The US Middle Class was quite conservative, at that time, as we were in Canada, as well.  Most people we knew, identified tatooing with Maoris and other (so-called) "primitive" or "less developed" indigenous "tribal" peoples, Gypsies, lower ranked sailors, inner-city, "underprivileged" 'toughs", and criminals, and wild rebelling children of super-strict parents, or children of undisciplined, uncaring parents.  I wonder if a similar prohibition in some of the more conservative traditionalist, Orthodox fundamentalist sects of Christianity, with tenets closest to the Judaism at the birth of Christianity, was one of the reasons for that conservatism and those attitudes against tattooing? 

I grew up in a conservative Christian environment and 'defacing the body' was taboo for the same reason it was in the Jewish Religion.
I believe that it was also frowned upon because it was a common feature of Pagan [ungodly religion] like the Vikings and Celts. It, fairly early on became something Seamen and Military men went in for, I have no idea why.
It has become a feature currently of many, including girls and older women. Probably not co-incidentally, there is big money in it, its quite an industry. It's also a Feature of 'Rockabilly Revival' culture.