Why do we allow religious circumcision of children?

Post Reply New Topic

I fail to see the arguments in favor, when (religious, not medical) circumcision, considerering the arguments against:

1. It harms the child.
2. The child cannot say "no" to religious circumcision.
3. The child will have to bear this mark the entire life. It is sort of like a tatoo, only the tatooed person cannot say no.

I simply don't understand why it is still allowed in Westernized countries. It should be banned, so that only adults with the full consent can be circumcised.

And I don't give a s* about this so-called religious freedom. Because, where's the freedom of the CHILD to be non-religious and to NOT have a religious mark on his body?

Because they're part of religious rituals that have been around for thousands of years.

And so WHAT?!??

Why are religious rituals more important than the freedom of the INDIVIDUAL?!?!?

It is a barbaric practice that should have died in the middle ages. It is ridiculous that circumcision of both boys and girls is still performed today; especially in the west where we supposedly know better.

The problem is, that, like Tim_Tex pointed out very well, that people use the "argument" of saying that it is a "year old tradition".

So, if sacrificing innocent human beings is a year old practice, it should be allowed too?
The native American tribes did so.

I just HATE the "year-old-tradition"-arguments. They are irrational, and speaking of religious rituals: DANGEROUS!

I don't hate religion or religious people. But I hate when these people try to make other people and their families to conform to their beliefs.
This is what I think should carry a heavy punishment!

Religious conformists who enforce their religious practices on others, deserve no compassion, and should be treated like burglars and thieves and even murderers: Imprison them!

Last edited by thinkinginpictures on 10 May 2014, 11:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

It's a stupid primitive custom.Should be made illegal.

^ It is like other religious barbaric practices of drilling a hole in someone's skull to let out the demons. Thankfully that one no longer happens (in the west anyway).

Circumcision is a modern day atrocity. There is absolutely no need for it. That we so casually do this to babies (boys in the west) shows, I think, society's' true nature. We are not the caring society we believe ourselves to be.

We DO disallow female circumcision in western countries, and try to stop immigrant groups from doing it because its more invasive.

But we tolerate male circumcision by jews, and muslims, because its less invasive - let 'em have their 3000 year old tradition- it relatively benign.

Right about now Ruveyn is gonna chime in that "a circumcised cock is a happy cock".

Dont know if i agree or not. Just thought Id get that out of the way because ive gotten tired of reading that sentence over the years. Lol!

I dunno. Its an odd visual.

Anyhow..

I had the impression that all of the supposed 'benifits' of male circumcision are debunked. So the custom may be benign, but its not in any way benevolent.

Thanks a lot, now I have a weird visual of it.

It is an unnecessary procedure, and there are medical risks.

In the case of Jewish circumcision blood is sometimes sucked away orally, there have been cases of babies dying from herpes, sometimes multiple cases linked to one mohel.

There have been cased of botched or failed circumcision in hospital were the penis was damage beyond repair. A famous case that was reported, where the person was brought up as a girl, and he had psychological problems all through his life, he eventually became a man again, but he killed himself in the end.

I imagine there is still the guise that it has medical benefits, ones that can be easily achieved by washing regularly and the BS about HIV. Circumcision is central to Jewish identity so any attempt to regulate or ban it is seen as antisemitism to them, Muslims do it as well but it's not mandated and is something they can do later on in childhood or teens while Jews are mandated to do it before I think the 7th day?

But yes, individual rights should trump these religious rights, your religious rights fight with your rights as an individual and you don't have the right to harm the bodily integrity of an unconsenting child even if it is you child. Children aren't property.

Honestly, the RIC in the US is much more troubling than the religious ones. Muslims and Jews make up a small minority of the US population so religion isn't the biggest factor in this country. Unfortunately it seems like our medical associations are going the other way and don't value the freedom of individuals over their own lives and bodies.

I would not have my son circumcised. plain and simple.

I do not think circumcising baby boys is necessarily such a bad thing. I don't think I would care about not having a foreskin if I had never known any different.

I think socially compelling older boys and teenagers to get circumcised is very bad (particularly when performed without anaesthetic - looking at you, Masai), and obviously FGM is an atrocity.

Im not sure why a lack of memory about a painful assault negates it's wrongness. Babies can only show their pain by screaming, but that doesnt make it any less painful for them.

I don't think any body modifications should be made.

In some cultures ears and other parts are pierced at that age. Just not necessary, and needless.