Is circumcision blasphemy?

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   Ack Taneposted 10 years ago

   If God made you perfect then how can circumcision be justified?
   
   On the Jews Against Circumcision website it states:
   
   "In the 613 mitzvos, we are commanded to:
   
   (N 41) Not imprinting any marks on our bodies (Lev. 19:28)
   (N 45) Not making cuttings in our flesh (Deut. 16:1)"
   
   On a Muslim website opposed to circumcision called Quranic path it uses this quote from the Qur' an:
   
   "Allah is the one who made the Earth a habitat for you, and the sky as a structure, and he designed you, and has perfected your design." Qur' an 40:64
   
   Surely meddling with God's perfect design is the ultimate act of blasphemy. If you were to mutilate a baby like that for gratuitous reasons it would be considered a terrible sin.

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      Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I personally don't believe in sin, but it certainly is wrong to remove part of the body for no good reason without the content of the person within the body. As men who have not had the foreskin removed if they would like it removed and the vast majority will say they'd prefer to keep it.

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Let's see, so far I have had artificial lenses implanted in both eyes and a stent inserted into a heart artery.  My wife has had what seems like half her organs removed, just in order to live.
      
      "God's perfect design" is about as far from perfect as you can get and still live (in most cases).  A little cut here and there, a little ornamentation or coloring won't make it any worse than it already is.

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         MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I know, right? I likely have to go have my gallbladder removed. I'm not sure where writhing massive pain is Biblical. OK, I know where it is biblical, but that is unrelated.
         
         Circumcision and the law for it relates to one of the many Jewish laws on cleanliness. As far as those laws go, it made enough sense, medically, to be included in modern medicine. It does what it is supposed to do.

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            wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I believe that to be correct; the the original reasoning was for hygiene.  There were quite a few OT requirements of a similar nature - this is just one more.
            
            At least in the developed world, there is no longer a real use for it, though, and it should probably be stopped, leaving it up to the person most involved.

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               MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Ehh, the studies are conflicting on whether it helps prevent certain types of infections. Either way, the difference isn't that significant. I was swayed, somewhere in the midst of the plethora of boys that keep leaping from my uterus, from one view to another. The last boy is "whole" The second to last only got the procedure because in his case, there was a compelling reason.

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                  wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Both of mine did, but then that was over 30 years ago - a time when few questioned the practice.  It is the "normal" thing to do, expected by the doctors, and there was no reason whatsoever to deny my kids the chance to be normal.
                  
                  Might be different today, I don't know.

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                     Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     My family doctor was Jewish so we all went under the knife. I have 3 boys and reason told me that it's not my body to remove parts for no particular reason. If they want it removed they are more than welcome to have it done. It has become an elective surgery here and so is no longer covered by our healthcare system. It is covered however if at sometime in needs to be done.

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                        Disappearingheadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        I think my foreskin shrunk in the wash.

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                           Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           Must have been a cold wash.

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                           Motown2Chitownposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           That could almost explain the user name. 

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                              Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Ha ha ha ha.

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                              Disappearingheadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              Tuh!

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                     MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Yeah, my oldest was over 20 years ago and it was the same then.
                     
                     Between 15 and 10 years ago is when it started changing. Now, at the hospital I spawn at, it is discussed and is completely elective. They are too busy trying to get your boob in your kid's mouth to give it much thought.

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            psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I would argue that has not been true for at least 50 years as widespread clean water and soap became available.  I wonder if the persistence is simply cultural (in those countries where it persist, in many it is now unheard of), or if it somehow related to the roughly 20% loss of sensation as being a good idea somehow?

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   Emile Rposted 10 years ago

   I doubt you could convince a devout Jew that their scripture prohibits circumcision.

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      samishafiqposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Agree

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      Ack Taneposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It prohibits bodily mutilation.

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         Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         It may, but i believe Abraham was commanded to circumcise his family and Moses escaped death by having his wife circumcise him. (correct me if I'm wrong) 
         
         I don't care if you get circumcised or not. But, according to the stories, God did. If they are devout I think it's obvious they think he still does.

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            Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Stop and think about it for a moment. If God wanted these men marked, why not do it himself. He could have simply changed the genetic code, but instead we are supposed to believe that God wanted just the men of this family marked. He didn't care about the women at all, just the men. Don't you think it's time to stop removing body parts of babies without their permission? We have laws against female circumcision regardless of religion, but not men. Now I understand there is a real difference, but it's still the removal of a body part.

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               Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               I'm not Jewish. I assume you aren't either. I say, let people do what they want and, hopefully, they will return the favor.

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                  Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Okay, lets let them do as they want. Let's let them give their girls female circumcision.

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                     Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Well, that isn't the question of this forum now, is it?

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                  psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  What newborn baby expressed that they want this?   The line has to be drawn somewhere.  And it seems to be moving.

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                     Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     If they want to do it, it's their kid. People have been doing it for thousands of years for religious reasons. Kids survive it. I do raise an eyebrow at people complaining as if they have the right to make decisions for other people's children. If you think of it as mutilation, don't do it. It's quite simple.

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                        Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        Again, people have been perfuming female circumcision for thousands of years. It's there children, why is it illegal. I just read that a lady was arrested for killing two of her own kids, why they were her kids.

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                           Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           So, now you are comparing circumcision to murder? Maybe we should just let you raise all of our kids. You sound like you know best for everybody.

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                              Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                              I'm using your own words and am wondering where you will draw the line.
                              
                              I take it death is where you draw the line. We can beat them, cut off body parts as we see fit as long as we don't kill them?

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                                 Emile Rposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                 If that is the way you see it. It isn't what i think, or said, but whatever makes you happy.
                                 
                                 
                                 Seriously, though. I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. But, it must be a guy thing. I'm sorry your foreskin is gone. Was it traumatic? Do you have nightmares about it?

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                                    Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    You most certainly did say that people can do as they wish with there own children as a matter of fact you said you question those who question what others are doing to their children.
                                    
                                    Let's just say I have no idea what I've been missing. I do know most guys tend to want to keep it.

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