Here is a link to a blog post by Toby Sumpter about nose piercings. He does a good job of balancing the freedom the Scriptures give with the recognition that the human heart often does good things for wicked reasons. One quote struck me as particularly helpful. “Fighting for the symbol, means embodying the symbol.”

As Christians we must be careful not to simply outlaw something because people misuse it. Here is where many conservative Christians and older believers fall. But on the other hand, too many younger Christians flaunt their Christian freedom in such a way as to undo the greater command to love others. If the symbol is one of love then to use it in an unlovely manner contradicts the symbol. Too many Christians contradict the symbol with their life.