Circumcision as a Religious Tradition

Religious male circumcision generally occurs shortly after birth, during childhood or around puberty as part of a rite of passage. Circumcision is most prevalent in Muslim countries and Israel, and is most prevalent in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, although also common in the United States, the Philippines, South Korea, and among Christians in the countries of West Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya, which are predominantly Christian. It is also practised among Christians in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. It is also common in several African tribal groups.

Male circumcision practised as a religious rite is found in the Hebrew Bible, as part of the Abrahamic covenant, such as Genesis 17, and is therefore practised by Jews and Muslims and some Christians, those who constitute the Abrahamic religions. - Wikipedia.

What do you think about it?
Do you think religious purposes constitute adequate reason to perform circumcision?
What would you consider the benefits?
What would you consider the downsides?
Do you think there should be a certain age at which it should happen?

And any other questions you can think of.

Discuss.

The aspect that I do not like is that the question of consent. I personally don't think that religion is an excuse for circumcising a minor...hell I would argue that it makes consent an even larger issue if it's part of an irriversable religious rite which the child may not comprehend or agree with. I'd put up an age barrier of around sixteen.

Religion should stop when another person's body becomes involved.

That is all.

Most circumcisions are not performed for religious reasons, but for cultural and medical ones (since circumcision significantly lowers the risk of catching AIDS).

^ As far as I am aware, it is only the Jewish that circumcises boys as part of a religious thing. I can't really find other examples for male or female circumcision that has primarily religious based motivations.

^Muslims do it too. Here in Perth they go to Jewish doctors. I think the boys are older though than Jewish boys.

^ Aha, cheers for the info. I wasn't aware of that at all.

I am against male circumcision unless it is the individual's personal choice. We do not get to mutilate a child's body in the name of God.

Well, it wasn't there choice in the beginning, it was one of God's rules. As it is, you could say the same about parents who pierce their child's ears at a young age. I really don't see the issue with it. If it's done cleanly and properly by a medical professional there should be a minimal risk of complications and banning the practice will only result in parents doing it themselves and causing untold damage. Better it be done by a doctor than have it abolished as it is a millenia old tradition.

^
We don't base our laws on God's rules. I'm not going to say it's okay to mutilate a child without their permission because some book says it's cool. God didn't come down and guarantee that. For all I know, it was made up by whoever wrote that particular book of the Bible.

If the Bible said it was cool to circumcise females, would you be fine with that?

Yes. And actually originally our laws were based on God's so.......

I'm fairly confident that without the existence of any gods, that humans could figure out that we shouldn't kill people or take what doesn't belong to us.

Maybe so. But religion has been part of human society for millenia, one has to wonder why it still exists today, even with the technological and scientific advances we have. One would think that religion would be dead and gone. But it isn't and even if religions themselves change and grow, people will still believe in something bigger than themselves. Even many atheists are really only atheists because the world dictates that's the way they should be. I think humans default to the position of looking up, even if it is only to wonder what's out there in the universe.

Everyone is looking for something more in their lives, and anyone who says they're not...I believe are lying to themselves.

^
I think it exists today because traditions are difficult to stamp out and because belief isn't logical. To say that logical thought would dictate a non-logical tradition is just silly.

I don't think it's silly, because as a Christian I think my belief is logical.

Other than medical reasons, circumcision is completely redundant and obsolete. I think it's unfair to the children who don't get to choose how is their body permanently altered.

Tradition has proven over and over to be nothing but a burden and an obstacle to freedom, progress and justice. This isn't an exception.

Other than medical reasons, circumcision is completely redundant and obsolete. I think it's unfair to the children who don't get to choose how is their body permanently altered.

Tradition has proven over and over to be nothing but a burden and an obstacle to freedom, progress and justice. This isn't an exception.

The Pies Endure:

I don't think it's silly, because as a Christian I think my belief is logical.

I don't understand your logic that humans are so dumb that they wouldn't figure out how to kill each other without faith. My certain was raised Atheist and knew from a young age not to hit or steal things and she was taught by my Atheist mother.
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Again, I repeat the question, would anyone who is favor of circumcision for religions reasons be okay with it if the Bible said you also had to circumcise your daughters?

Don't take this as gospel truth, but I've read that modern circumcision isn't even the same thing as Abrahamic circumcision. I've never had an "encounter" with a circumcised penis, though I've seen pictures, but as far as I'm aware, modern American-style circumcision cuts the whole foreskin off, right? Well traditional Jewish circumcision (not sure about Islamic style) only cuts off the bit of the foreskin that hangs over the end of the penis. Not all the glans is exposed.

Abrahamic circs are just to make a distinction between Jewish men and other men. Modern circs were designed by Victorians to limit sexual pleasure and make masturbation less likely.

But either way, it's just not cool to cut anyone surgically without their consent, or it being an emergency medical procedure to save their life. I don't care what your religion says. In my personal opinion.. if your God wants you to hurt your baby son.. he's a pretty mean God.

looking for katy.:

Abrahamic circs are just to make a distinction between Jewish men and other men.

how many people were they showing their penises to? Goodness.

My friend had to get circumcised at age, hm, 25 I think, because of a condition that was preventing him from having sex, ah, properly. In case people (though no-one asked) were skeptical about medical circumstances for circumcision. But I do think that if it lowers HIV risk (of catching/spreading) (which evidence suggests it does) it may be more humane - particularly in areas with a big HIV problem - to have a parent consent and the procedure done, professionally, when the child is very young. Like an inoculation, as a preventative measure. (Though inoculations, obviously, have a far more demonstrable/significant effect; the lowered HIV risk was discussed in terms of 40-60% but considered somewhat insignificant.) (But does every bit count? Maybe.)