Should Routine Circumcision of Male Infants be Illegal?

Wow...that's really upsetting for me, as a Jew, to see on here. And no one has said anything...

Yeah, people have tried to abolish us, many times. Thank God no one has completely succeeded, otherwise I wouldn't be here today.

But maybe I shouldn't throw in my two cents here, since I'm of one of those religions (and in the Jewish case, people), who should be abolished. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less

That was in response to MistfitMomma, and BlackCrescent's response to her.

Hey, I know we're all sex positive and stuff, and that's just dandy, but I would hope that there would be a little bit of outrage against antisemitism on here...even though we mutilate babies, and all, heathens that we are. less

It isn't "anti-Semitic" in any way to be opposed to circumcision.

Slavery used to be, for many people, a basic tenant of Christianity. No thinking person would say "Slavery should remain, because being against it is being Anti-Christian." Slavery was morally wrong, and when that was realized, people adapted.

I mentioned earlier in the discussion that some Jewish friends of mine have done "bloodless brises." All the ceremony and none of the cutting. Or the father's finger is pricked, or even the infant's toe is pricked.

In light of modern medical science, there is simply no medical reason to circumcise infants. Faith, like anything else, needs to be able to adapt and change, in order to survive. I say that about my own Christian faith, as much as anyone else's. For instance, I was raised Catholic, and I don't think the Catholic faith will survive if it doesn't adapt to changing conditions and problems and finally allow priests to marry and allow women priests.

Most people who are against circumcision are NOT "anti-Semites." Circumcision isn't cornered or exclusively owned by the Jewish faith, it serves a similar purpose in the Islamic faith and several others. It was around, in some form or an other long before Abraham.

We're discussing the medical fact that it doesn't help infants and in many cases harms them. I doubt it will ever be outlawed (although a lot of insurance companies are refusing to pay for it, and doctors refusing to perform them, and nurses (including myself) refusing to attend them) with good reason) but I think people need to look beyond blind adherence to Dogma and THINK and adapt and make their own choices, all faiths included.

I DO strongly disagree with anyone who says that ANY faith should be "abolished" under any circumstance. Just that ALL faiths need to learn to adapt and grow. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less

This is one topic I feel strongly about. I don't understand why so many babies are circumcised. Everyone is upset about FGM (female genital mutilation), and rightfully so. But how is male circumcision socially acceptable? Essentially it does the same thing-remove a vital part of the anatomy. Very rarely is there any medical cause for it. Reasons cited are often "because it's cleaner" (really? how about just WASHING it?) or "because my religion calls for it" (some religions call for circumcision of girls, but we don't allow it. Heck, should we allow ritual satanic sacrifice just because it's part of religion?) It's one thing if an adolescent boy decides for himself that he doesn't want his foreskin (though I can't see this happening too often!) But to do it to a newborn infant, who has no say or understanding, is child abuse in my mind. This is notwithstanding the fact that no anesthetic is used-if you don't believe me there are videos on YouTube. Why do you think the babies cry bloody murder? It's just WRONG all the way around. less