A story about two Christians and their rather unorthodox business: a tattoo parlor.
While Revelation Tattoos will inscribe most styles of tattoos on their customers, the two artists draw the line on some icons.
"We won't do pentagrams, or 666, or swastikas. I tell them I can't do that, I have to answer [to God] for it someday," Mr. Lee said.
"You should see the look on their faces," Mr. Krabach said. "They're surprised when we say no."
The Christian Tattoo Association, which has several hundred members worldwide, offers information and discussions about faith and tattoos on its Web site, www.xtat.org. It says the Bible verse in Leviticus 19:28, which states, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves," was intended to halt pagan practices in that ancient era and that it is as outdated as other Leviticus verses that ban clipping the edges of one's beard or wearing clothing of two kinds of material.
After Mr. Lee closed his shop in Petersburg, he and Mr. Krabach discussed the possibility of going into business together in Toledo. They found what they considered to be the perfect site, on West Alexis Road, near a liquor store and around the corner from a crack house.
"A year ago, we figured out that it would cost about $10,000 to get started," Mr. Krabach said. "The next day, I got a $9,000 federal tax refund and a $1,000 state tax refund. I figured, 'What more of a sign from God do I need?'"
Mr. Krabach, whose arms are decorated with numerous tattoos and who has steel piercings in his eyebrow, ears, and lip, said that when he began getting tattoos he used the opportunity to talk about Jesus.
I'm not terribly open-minded about tattoos. I don't, quite frankly, understand them. The whole ink and piercing phenomenon strikes me as bodily mutilation. Whenever I see a tattooed and pierced youth, I comment to whomever will listen, "Why doesn't he just lop off an arm? That'd really mess him up."
