# PonderIt

## Wednesday, February 08, 2006

### Tattoos vs. Hot Fudge Sundaes

In February's Friend (the children's magazine published by the LDS Church), there is a story that illustrates (literally, because it is a comic-style story) the blind spots many of us have in regards to honoring our bodies. The message is good--follow the prophet, honor our physical bodies--until the very last sentence, where for me at least the story became more ironic than inspirational.
In Matt and Mandy, Mandy has a friend who is getting a tattoo. The friend asks if Mandy wants to get one at the same time. Mandy asks the friend if the tattoo artist is the best artist in the whole world. The friend doesn't think so. Mandy says that her body was created by the most talented artist anywhere (God), and she doesn't want to let anyone paint over His work. The friend agrees, and then offers to buy a few hot fudge sundaes with some of the tattoo money to share with Mandy--to which Mandy readily agrees.
What?????
Now, I know that a few hot fudge sundaes aren't the worst things in the world. They aren't specifically proscribed in the Word of Wisdom. They aren't counseled against by the prophet or the Twelve. In moderation, they aren't even bad (although I'm a cookies- and brownies-type girl myself). And it is a whole lot easier to have hot fudge sundaes every once in a while than it is to have a tattoo only once in a while.
But in a story specifically written to emphasize respect for one of God's greatest creations, our bodies, it is more than a little ironic that the story advocates another (slightly) unhealthy action to replace the tattoo-getting. And it would seem to me that the writers and editors at the Friend are completely unaware of the tension between the moral of their story and the conclusion of it.

#### 4 Comments:

- Yes, it is a weird irony. Kind of funny if you ask me. In the scheme of things, the fudge sunday is a much better alternative to the tattoo, but in the context of the story, getting a fudge covered sunday is amusing.

  By Ian, at 2/08/2006 9:23 PM

- Good Grief. We mormons can find something wrong with just about everything. No wonder we have a hard time relating and getting along with others. I will have to be more careful about whose kids we invite to birthday parties since we might have cake and ice cream. Please don't tell my bishop :)

  By Eric Nielson, at 2/13/2006 6:43 AM

- I, personally, would rather have the tattoo than the sundae. Though a sundae IS cheaper.

  By Mo Mommy, at 2/15/2006 7:48 PM

- Mo Mommy (I love your blog), I almost have to agree about the choice between a tattoo and a sundae--well, ice cream just isn't my favorite treat. In fact, I've pretty much sworn off ice cream recently (why get calories when you aren't enjoying it to the max?)
  I wanted a tattoo pretty badly when I was younger (like early teens). I thought it would SO COOL to have a rose or a butterfly or ivy on my ankle. (I thought I was being creative about it, too.) I'm glad I didn't though, and not just for the obvious reasons. I HATE being just like everyone else, and I understand that the ankle is one of the most popular places for a tattoo.
  Aside from following the prophet's counsel, I now think that tattoos are a bad idea. Tastes change, and tattoos are so...permanent.

  By Keryn, at 2/15/2006 9:16 PM

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