Mich. Church Opens Tattoo Parlor Inside Its Doors
FLINT TOWNSHIP (AP) - In a hall inside a Michigan church called The Bridge, visitors come across the pastor's office and a galvanized watering trough used for baptisms.
Oh yeah, and a tattoo parlor.
The Flint-area house of worship has opened a county-licensed tattoo parlor, called Serenity Tattoo, inside its doors.
The Rev. Steve Bentley says he's doing everything he can to open The Bridge to people who have never felt comfortable at a traditional church.
That includes having a tattoo parlor inside.
Bentley tells The Flint Journal he has heard criticism from outside the church about mixing tattooing with a place of worship. But the pastor says he considers tattooing a "morally neutral" practice that's no different than piercing ears.
Bentley has two tattoos himself.
(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
