To the Editor
While reading the recent Baptist Message with its informative and inspiring articles, I was appalled to learn of the Henna project being discussed with such enthusiasm on college campuses UNO and ULM and endorsed by our Baptist Collegiate Ministry.
The idea of tattooing as described- even lasting only a few months -rather than permanently, astonished and saddened me.
The notion that this is an ideal way of engaging girls in faith based conversations and even “afternoon sessions that lasted for hours to tattoo and discuss very familiar Bible stories and ways Jesus encountered people” is incomprehensible to me.
In today’s culture this tragic practice of inking entire arms and bodies, has gained epic momentum as we witness our student athletes and young men and women going about their daily activities.
Reading, “on the campus rarely a day goes by that the associate director of BCM on the ULM campus, doesn’t put a henna tattoo on a student, and as a result, allows for conversations to be shared about life,” makes me want to say WHAT??!!
This project originated with “international students” for this henna tattoo originated thousands of yrs ago with the eastern world so why for heaven’s sake do we want to embrace it today?
The Director says what she “loves most of all about using henna is that my students learn to love strangers.”
The ULM and BCM partnered with World Relief to throw a five-hour henna party for refugee women in early January.
She explained that “sitting with these Muslim women from all over the world we drew Bible stories on their hands and shared with them about Jesus and they shared with us what they believed.”
“My students learned so much about Muslim culture and beliefs this one afternoon.” How encouraging!
Discovering ways for us to share our faith is part of growing in our love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
As believers we are equipped with the Spirit of our Living Lord Jesus dwelling in us. This is intangible and invisible except in word and deed.
Ruth O. Prince
Calvary Baptist Church
Alexandria
