Publisher Marketing: "From Dancing with the Devil to Living for the Lord, He served in the America [sic] Armed Forces. Now a soldier of the cross and fights still, to turn America back to God. In God, Country, and Tattoos: A Cry for Freedom, Dennis Dwyer (biker, award-winning tattoo artist and seminarian), recounts the history of the tattoo arts and expounds on America's Bible-based origins. America has changed over the last four decades, and not for the good. From the unique vantage point of his tattoo parlor, and by exchanging personal journeys and stories with thousands of people from across America and the world, Dwyer takes a loving look back at America's history, while viewing the future with a tear in his eye. Still, Dwyer sees hope for America. America has hope, if we act now, sharing America's incredible history and rich spiritual foundation with younger generations. "God, country, and tattoos: each of these three, through the tension each creates in the others, has shaped my life, forming the foundation upon which I stand," the author writes. You will be inspired and moved as you read of Dwyer's broken past, new birth in Christ, and his plea to America to return to God in, God, Country, and Tattoos: A Cry for Freedom. Dennis Dwyer is an Eagle Scout, Navy veteran, avid student of American history, and a patriot who loves America and the biblical principles upon which she was founded. In his over 40 years as a world-traveling professional tattooist, he has made over 40,000 "marks." He has served as Executive Director of APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooists), co-directed the Tattoo Tour for 10 years, and owned and operated Ancient Art Tattoo of Tucson for 25 years. He has performed associate pastoral work in his church for ten years and now studies at Phoenix Seminary."

In recent decades, tattoos have gone from being a subculture curiosity in Western culture to mainstream and commonplace. This two-volume set provides broad coverage of tattooing and body art in the United States today as well as around the world and throughout human history. In the 1960s, tattooing was illegal in many parts of the United States. Today, tattooing is fully ingrained in mainstream culture and is estimated to be a multi-billion-dollar industry. This exhaustive work contains approximately 400 entries on tattooing, providing historical information that enables readers to fully understand the methods employed, the meanings of, and the motivations behind tattooing—one of the most ancient ways humans mark themselves. The encyclopedia covers all important aspects of the topic of tattooing: the major types of tattooing, the cultural groups associated with tattooing, the regions of the world where tattooing has been performed, the origins of modern tattooing in prehistory, and the meaning of each society's use of tattoos. Major historical and contemporary figures associated with tattooing—including tattooists, tattooed people, and tattoo promoters—receive due attention for their contributions. The entries and sidebars also address the sociological movements involved with tattooing; the organizations; the media dedicated to tattooing, such as television shows, movies, magazines, websites, and books; and the popular conventions, carnivals, and fairs that have showcased tattooing.

How do you fight despair and learn to meet the world with a loving heart? How do you overcome shame? Stay faithful in spite of failure? No matter where people live or what their circumstances may be, everyone needs boundless, restorative love. Gorgeous and uplifting, Tattoos on the Heart amply demonstrates the impact unconditional love can have on your life. As a pastor working in a neighborhood with the highest concentration of murderous gang activity in Los Angeles, Gregory Boyle created an organization to provide jobs, job training, and encouragement so that young people could work together and learn the mutual respect that comes from collaboration. Tattoos on the Heart is a breathtaking series of parables distilled from his twenty years in the barrio. Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally. From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JCPenney fresh out of prison, we learn how to feel worthy of God’s love. From ten-year-old Lula we learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Pedro we understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the darkness. In each chapter we benefit from Boyle’s wonderful, hard-earned wisdom. Inspired by faith but applicable to anyone trying to be good, these personal, unflinching stories are full of surprising revelations and observations of the community in which Boyle works and of the many lives he has helped save. Erudite, down-to-earth, and utterly heartening, these essays about universal kinship and redemption are moving examples of the power of unconditional love in difficult times and the importance of fighting despair. With Gregory Boyle’s guidance, we can recognize our own wounds in the broken lives and daunting struggles of the men and women in these parables and learn to find joy in all of the people around us. Tattoos on the Heart reminds us that no life is less valuable than another.

From Dancing with the Devil to Living for the Lord He served in the America Armed Forces. Now a soldier of the cross and fights still, to turn America back to God. In God, Country, and Tattoos: A Cry for Freedom, Dennis Dwyer (biker, award-winning tattoo artist and seminarian), recounts the history of the tattoo arts and expounds on America's Bible-based origins. America has changed over the last four decades, and not for the good. From the unique vantage point of his tattoo parlor, and by exchanging personal journeys and stories with thousands of people from across America and the world, Dwyer takes a loving look back at America's history, while viewing the future with a tear in his eye. Still, Dwyer sees hope for America. America has hope, if we act now, sharing America's incredible history and rich spiritual foundation with younger generations. "God, country, and tattoos: each of these three, through the tension each creates in the others, has shaped my life, forming the foundation upon which I stand," the author writes. You will be inspired and moved as you read of Dwyer's broken past, new birth in Christ, and his plea to America to return to God in, God, Country, and Tattoos: A Cry for Freedom. Dennis Dwyer is an Eagle Scout, Navy veteran, avid student of American history, and a patriot who loves America and the biblical principles upon which she was founded. In his over 40 years as a world-traveling professional tattooist, he has made over 40,000 "marks." He has served as Executive Director of APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooists), co-directed the Tattoo Tour for 10 years, and owned and operated Ancient Art Tattoo of Tucson for 25 years. He has performed associate pastoral work in his church for ten years and now studies at Phoenix Seminary.

Do you have a real relationship with God, or do you just have a religion? Do you know God, or do you just know about God? In How Big Is Your God? Paul Coutinho, SJ, challenges us to grow stronger and deeper in our faith and in our relationship with God—a God whose love knows no bounds. To help us on our way, Coutinho introduces us to people in various world religions—from Hindu friends to Buddhist teachers to St. Ignatius of Loyola—who have shaped his spiritual life and made possible his deep, personal relationship with God.

While growing up influenced by the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, Michael Jenison took the contents of the Bible to heart, and believed he would be punished for lust and sex. Inspired by the wisdom gathered from his global pilgrimages in search of answers and a spiritual overhaul, Jenison shares a detailed exploration of the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding sexuality. He removes the guilt surrounding premarital sex, masturbation, and lust; and identifies a greater connection to God through polytheism rather than Christianity. While exposing the lies in the edited Bible and within long-held Catholic traditions, he discusses how mistranslations and prejudice have led Catholics and Christians to blur sexuality with immorality. He reveals what God really said about sex, and invites believers to escape the shame regarding sex, embrace physical needs and desires, and ultimately gain freedom from suffering. Freedom From the Roman Catholic Church shares a detailed exploration of biblical perspectives on sexuality while encouraging others to take their own sacred voyage to the truth.

Famous as the cradle of the blues, the Mississippi Delta is also home to a feared prison called Parchman. From this plantation prison came bluesmen like "Bukka" White. But Parchman also produced some of the nation's most feared inmate bosses; men that ruled the grounds with fast hands and fierce determination. One such boss was Chester Johnston. Chester came from a dysfunctional family and served in Vietnam, before rising through the biker gang ranks, to finally end up running Parchman. But after fighting his way to the undisputed position of "shot caller" of the farm population, his "rep" and hatred of officials and guards eventually caught up to him. Nearly beaten to death, Chester began reflecting on the God his grandmother had once taught him about. His journey to true freedom began with the Bible, then surrender, and later through sharing the peace he found with young people. Although convicted of crimes he denied to his death, Chester fought the system for a release that never came. Riding in the Wind is not just his story; it's a look inside one of our nation's most feared institutions. The book's greatest revelation is how God changed Chester Johnston, granting him the freedom the system never would.