Turns out that some people related getting pierced or having a tattoo is akin to a spiritual experience. The Church of Body Modification is a 3,000 member ‘religion’ which dedicates its time to helping its members “grow as individuals through body modification and what it can teach us”. Now, the strange church is trying to spread its somewhat vague message.

The Church received an influx of media attention when member 14-year-old Ariana Iacono got suspended from school after wearing a nose piercing – a violation of the school’s dress code. Her mother took the school to court, where a judge ruled the suspension a violation of religious freedom.