Does anyone remember the tattooed lady at the circus? Her image was splashed across bright, sideshow banners along the midway, each one designed to pull in the curious and coax them toward the ticket booth. Among them was Emma de Burgh, the late 19th century performer whose upper back displayed an intricate tattoo of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Emma performed alongside her husband, Frank, whose back featured a large depiction of the Crucifixion. During the Victorian era, tattoos were considered scandalous, and the couple chose religious and patriotic motifs to project virtue and respectability to their audiences… all in the name of entertainment. Today, we’d call it strategic branding.

Cannonball to the 20th century when tattoos were associated with bikers, sailors, criminals, hippies, and fringe groups. But in the 1970s, rock icons like Janis Joplin and Ozzy Osbourne, who sported 15 tattoos when he died, introduced tattooing into the mainstream. Soon, California-based artists elevated tattoo images into an art form. It marked a turning point in the public perception; tattoos emerged as a meaningful way to express individuality and creativity.

Vanna White’s daughter, a professional tattoo artist, recently gave her mother—at age 68—her very first tattoo. The moment was shared on Instagram, showing the “Wheel of Fortune” co‑host choosing a small pink heart on the inside of her left wrist as a lasting reminder of her daughter. A 2023 survey found that 32 percent of U.S. adults now have at least one tattoo.

Within prison culture, tattoo designs are about individuality and survival. They typically symbolize criminal history, gang affiliation, time served, and personal experiences. It’s a coded language that reveals the identity of a prisoner. And depending on the cultural background and the region where the tattoo originated, the meaning changes.

  • A teardrop tattoo: Can signal murder, violence, an attempted killing, or mourning a loved one
  • Three dots: Often means “my crazy life” (Latino) or marks gang affiliation
  • Spider webs: Can show prison time or indicate gang rank
  • Numbers or letters: Usually point to local gangs, prison units, or criminal networks
  • Barbed wire or prison bars: Symbolize imprisonment, rebellion, or the hardship of doing time
  • A cross: Appears in prison tattoos more than any other design

Like prison ink, a believer is largely defined by their faith. Rather than submit to the slow, demanding work of being formed into the image of Christ, the temptation is to lean into a prefab spirituality. We find this same pattern in prisoners searching for a quick fix. This year we received inmate requests for a Wicca Bible, the Koran, details about the Odin religion, a Spanish Catholic Bible, the New World Translation Bible produced by the Jehovah Witnesses, The Book of Mormon, and information about Norse gods.

We are a self-centered society, choosing our spirituality with questions like, “Does this work for me?” or “Is this in line with my priorities?” If we adopt the prevailing notion of “I know best,” we can quickly assemble our own god with a dab of Jewish mysticism, a dash of Taoism, a dose of Islam, and the approval of a beaming Budda. And that’s the challenge—do we rely on fierce individualism and self-importance, or do we find our true identity in Christ alone? That tension shows up in the letters we receive.

Inmates, who are searching or trying to make sense of their past, don’t tiptoe around the hard issues. They often ask about taboo topics, and 1 Peter 3:15 urges us to, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The topics are as varied as the prisoners:

  • Faith
  • Prayer
  • Sexuality
  • Violence
  • Death
  • Spiritual Warfare
  • Angels and Demons
  • Alcohol
  • Relationships
  • Abortion
  • End Times
  • The Supernatural

To walk faithfully in the twenty‑first century, it’s Scripture—not the latest livestream—that anchors how controversial topics are discussed with inmates. Many issues feel off‑limits or too risky to share, but if the Bible speaks to it, the ministry must have the courage to do the same. Where the Bible doesn’t give specific answers, John MacArthur, Charles Stanley and other Christian teachers have emphasized using Scripture’s general principles to guide personal choices.

“When we seek God’s wisdom, instead of relying on our own understanding, we’re protected from decisions that lead us away from His best for our life. His wisdom not only helps us discern what aligns with His purpose but also guards us from paths that would lead to harm.” (In Touch Magazine, July 2026).

From circus sideshows to prison cells, identity trends and personal preferences can mislead us. Only God’s Word keep us grounded, courageous, and clear about who we really are in Christ. When God’s Word shapes our choices, we can rest in the wisdom that protects and keeps us aligned with Christ, in a culture of ink and unwritten rules.