Mom, Why Did You Circumcise Me?
This excellent personal documentary both in English and Dutch with English subtitles, follows Dutch journalist/filmmaker Michael Schaap as he learns from interviewing his own mother, circumcisers, politicians, Jews, Muslims, a restored British man, and some American activists.
From the author: "I'm a Dutch born male who came to Canada in 1981. In most European countries circumcisions are only performed for religious reasons.
In 1989 I married a fine Canadian girl and we had our first son in February of 1992. Even though my wife had not seen an uncircumcised penis until she married me, she realized that circumcision without a medical reasons was a form of abuse.
There had been some comments made by my inlaws, but after a talk with them they also realized that there was no reason for our son to be circumcised or for that matter any child without medical need there off.
December of 1992 we adopted a son and one of the first questions to us was; "do you want him to be circumcised?" Of course our answer was no.
The worlds view point regarding circumcision needs to change. Most people will admit that amputating the clitoral hood of females is abuse. There is no difference in amputating the glans hood of males.
Thank you and please continue to raise awareness about involuntary circumcision."
Having practiced medicine for many, many years. I can tell you that very few uncircumcised men practice genital hygiene. Some have been so bad it has made me "PUKE." The smell is so repugnant. The build-up of smegma just 2-3 days is totally repugnant. Do your kids a favor, and circumcise them on the 8th day after birth unless they are sick. We now know that the available Prothrombin and Vitamin K+ are at their peak on the 8th day and the chance of bleeding is quite minimal.
The amount of bacteria and virus' that are hidden under the foreskin, yes and even several cancer causing pathogens. Not only are your sons exposed to this but you daughters when they become sexually active. I am not just spewing ancient trivia. but current medical knowledge. Wise-up all of you who are into the feel-good attitude.
Let us cut of their hands as well, for many also do not wash those regularly. Of course you could also teach sons hygiene. And i do not know which planet you reside for i never met a man smelling down there and i raised my sons from day one of showering to cleanse under their foreskin. Of course you are aware that in the USA at the same time circumcision for non jewish/muslim men was introduced, they also tried to introduce Female Genital Mutilation. Now do your self a favour and start reading the research on the negative effects of circumcision of men. Also inform yourself that we humans exist for a very large or the most part of bacteria and could not survive without them.
To all you woman saying it prevents diseases **** YOU! DON'T SEE THEM GOING TO GET A LABIAPLASTY TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH!
Funny how the problems said to be caused by non circumcised males never played in the Netherlands. Just like they do not play with over vaccination of children like is done in the USA. Circumcision is only done for medical reasons, except jews and muslims of course. That is a debate everyone fears to touch. I had a husband that was circumcised because as a boy he dropped the toiletseat on his willy.
I think anyone who advocates circumcision should look up the word "elective", because that's exactly what it is. Times are changing, rates are dropping and women are beginning to appreciate uncircumcised men.
Here in the Netherlands we never had anything but, except those circumcised for medical reasons and of course religious reasons. Never had any issues. Just know that in the USA at the same time it was introduced for men they tried to introduce female genital mutilation.
circumcision is truly out of order, infact the only good thing about it is, that it highlights how stupid and contradictory all religion is, think about it, if there was a god and he had made everything we we see and know about, then i would say he was pretty dam good at his job, so how do these people who practice this draconian, human mutilation defend them selves in front of there made up god, when he asks them "why" did you change my perfect design.
i think these people are living in loolar land, go and have a word with your selves, and step away from the Scissors you idiotic oxygen wasters
No it was not. Note the was. In times where men could not shower, traversed deserts for months, it made perfect sense as the bacteria under the foreskin can cause cancer in young fertile women. For the same reason shaking hands with young women was forbidden. Bacteria passed until the 7th handshake, which can kill newborn babies.
maybe being circumcised makes men unduly concerned with the size of their penises, because all i ever hear is how big it is, or how big do you think HIS is, etc. pornography is concerned overwhelmingly with two things: big penises and big tits. as if size were everything ...
Nothing to do with it. Do not confuse the debate. And yes when you ask women. Size matters.
Very wrong and very irritating. If I had a boy I would not do that to him out of love. To destroy him is not right. Why most men world wide are not damaged? Since there parents were smart.
In earlier times when men could not shower, it did make sense. Possibly still does in areas with little or no water available.
I've read through some of the comments.... and am honestly kind of shocked... 1) women who "love" circumcised penises(which I've predominantly seen commented by males, how would you know?) are basically taught that's how a penis is supposed to be. personally I'm not one of those women, I prefer uncut guys, and I don't know about other women, but I don't really spend my time in the bedroom admiring the form of the penis, there are more entertaining things to do with it. 2) Whoever mentioned other traditions like neck stretching, those are all done as rights of passage when the person is old enough to consent. 3) Whoever said its women and uncut men who disagree with this and they shouldn't talk about what they don't know about, do you remember what its like to be uncut? probably not, so you aren't really in a place to have an opinion either, you only represent one side of the equation just like the uncut men do. 4) To everyone who says its "cleaner" why the hell do you think men evolved to HAVE a foreskin, TO PROTECT THE URETHRA! read some medical journals people, just because it's been done forever, doesn't mean its right, nor does it mean the reasoning is sound. If an adult male wants to get cut, that's his business, but I don't think its our job to go cutting bits off our little boys...
Many women are squamish about how penises look anyway. We live in a plastic society. The question is whether babyboys or girls for that matter do get traumatized. And whether parents have a right to change the body, when a person cannot decide for themselves if they want that. Religious traditions are strong though and i fear it is a debate that cannot be won. Female genital mutilation is still going on in the UK. Women demanding it for their daughters.
ok, so ive only watched the first 48 seconds so far, but male circumcision uses anesthetic, female does not.
HENCE BARBARIC? YOU M*RON.
Uh, no. Most male circumcision is not performed under anesthetic.
Uh, as a person who has had two baby boys in the past five years, I can safely say: yes they put on local anesthetic. Hospital policy dictates so and doctors recommend, no insist on it. Don't know from under what rock you are digging out your information.
Male circumcision does not use anesthetic as newborns, that is considered "unsafe" , although i do not think "female" circumcision is comparable since it is aimed to degrade the women and make her a non sexual and compliant being , however i am against both (i just think they are different)
That's not true. The AAP says that it is safe and is strongly recommended. Atleast half or more circumcisions use the ring block. Obviously in the Jewish ceremonies they use nothing but they do it much quicker, although that probably doesn't make it any less painful. All I know is I would never choose to do it if I had a son but people who insist on doing that should use the ring block for their baby and not listen to a few docs that still say it doesn't hurt the baby.
You better inform yourself before calling others moron. Medical circumcision uses anesthetic. Religious in many cases not. Even sexual diseases passed on by the Rabbi, because he sucks the little penis to stop it bleeding. Female genital mutilation still done in secret against the law in the UK, asked for by women, i do not know if they use anesthetics.
I would like to think, that there are few who would carry out such an horrific procedure on a human lifetime.
I'm with you there Happy Guy. Done as a baby and never regretted anything. All my buddies at school the same. I think the only people perpetuating the rumours of a fall in circumcision's popularity are those who are female or have a mudflap on their 'car'. My kiddo (aged 4) is circumcised like me and it's weird he always comments that he has the same wiener as dad and is pretty happy with that: I had a buddy at school who wasn't done and he always complained that he was the odd-man out in his family. Personally I wish people would just let me get on with my happy life - I am married twelve years, have excellent sex, have no locker room anxiety and have never had a problem with not getting the car started. I know some uncircumcised guys with those problems hey.
Polls show repeatedly that everything you just said is false. Most un-circumcised men report having more frequent sex, they report that their partners are more fulfilled, and they report longer and more controlled ejaculations.
Polls also have repeatedly shown the SAME EXACT results when asking the women. They report that they can have sex more (due to the foreskin acting like a natural sleeve, reduction of friction, I shouldn't have to explain any more) and for longer periods of time, they also report that the sex is more robust due to the extended duration. Women with circumcised men consistently report that sex can often be painful, that they get rubbed raw inside, that they can't take it for more than 15 minutes or so after having the first round of sex, and also that their men don't last much longer than that anyways.
Penn & Teller did a THOROUGH debunking of this hideous dogmatic exercise in futility, and there are MANY sources, including MAJOR medical associations, that guarantee the public that circumcision has NOTHING to do with health in the Modern World, and everything to do with curbing sexuality and masturbation due to archaic texts that told people it was immoral. IE, Religion.
Educate yourself, it helps.
Polls like this are all unscientific biased piles of crap. People LIE. Esp about sexual prowess on a multiple choice piece of paper. Not worth squat. If you can't see that, no amount of education will provide you better discernment.
I thank my parents for circumcising me. I love it and my wife loves it. I cannot figure out why so many people get worked up about this. It seems like most of the people who are against it are women and uncircumcised males. Those people have no right commenting on something that does not affect them. Circumcised men hate what was done to them can legitimately discuss this issue.
I have had traumatic experiences that have shaped my life. This is not one of them.
I want to celebrate my circumcision. Every male I know who is circumcised that I have discussed this with feels the same.
It looks damn good! Yay for the head!
according to your reasoning, then, men have no place discussing abortion, do they.
There is nothing wrong with circumcision, the point is the male should make that decision ON HIS OWN . Can you really not figure out why this is an issue ... wow that is pretty sad that you are that ignorant that you think because circumcision "looks good" a child's genitals should be unnecessarily cut based on someone other than their own decision to do so.
listen pal, if my mother or farther had done that to me as a kid, when i got big enough, i would of treated them in exactly the same way as if a stranger walked up to me and hacked off my finger, fact is that evolution dose what it dose, for a reason and you cant sit there and tell me, and others on here that anyone has the right to abuse and mutilate an infant.
i get why you are defending it, because to go against it would be to go against your parents but if you ask me they desurve to go to prison for child cruelty, would you be so "yay for the head" if they had cut your eye lids off you fool
Clearly you did not read the research as to what both you and your wife are missing. Trust me when most women speak their truths they resent how any penis looks, circumcised or not. Just read some research into young boys reacting to their circumcision when remembered and look at before and after pictures of babies. Sound like it was your parents choice, so how would you know the difference? In this modern day and age should parents be allowed to make that choice. A choice that was valid in ancient times, when showering was not available or in areas without wateraccess.
I got the vibe that this documentary was similar to another one that advocated parents not vaccinate their children. As for circumcision, I was circumcised I have not psychological issues relating to it, everyone of the people I know at my synagogue is not psychologically unstable. As an Israeli it would be safe to assume that a good percentage of the male populace is circumcised and I don't see bitter, crazy, angry dudes walking everywhere. Plus, I think it would be worse to go up to you son when he's older and ask, hey champ you wanna get circumcised? Let me tell you if he chooses yes, then at that point all the bad thing you associate with circumcision will probably occur. And keep in mind that when your son gets older he may end up resenting you for not having him get this procedure not that he will but theirs a chance. On a last note, what baby remembers their birth, a circumcision the pain felt at getting vaccinated? What man remembers getting circumcised at 12,13,16,18,20s,30s?
Your mentality is incredibly LOW, AND YOU SUFFER FROM DENIAL THAT YOU WERE attacked, since you obviously were severely traumatized because you don't know what you talk about since your scope of experience is extremely altered against your will. I see angry males everywhere every day, and must admit they conceal their outright physical anger well considering what happened to many of them in this strange Iatrogenic based control takedown of americans. And the documentary if very flawed blaming MOM, but we will talk about that momentarily.
The mass Altering, and traumatic injuring of babys for an elective penis reducing surgery is criminal against their will (screaming crying and curling up in shock) after this barbaric abusive assault should automaticly and CLEARLY constitute NON CONSENT, and if you SAY IT ISN'T, YOU ARE INSANE. I don't care who it is, if they are strapped to a circumstraint and a majority of their HEALTHY viable working skin that is normally securely attached with the same type of skin that holds a fingernail on is cut off THEIR GENITALS, they have been CRUELY AND HEINOUSLY abused and how this is continuing is a mystery to anyone awake. If that is what you call "first doing no harm", the supposed code of ethics for professionals, in your mind, then you really should be in an asylum for the derranged. It doesn't matter whatsoever what the baby remembers because it is well known that people block out severe traumatic events and what we are witnessing in the social breakdown in the US is directly related to this early violence inflicted on babies . Money could not make me ever say this brutality against infants is anywhere near ok. IT ISN'T. There are a lot of men owed a stolen foreskin, and the ones to blame are firstly
NOT MOM, was she a trained informed professional, or a TRUSTING SOUL believing she could trust the people who cut her child, telling her it was for HEALTH WHEN IT WAS CLEARLY NOT FOR HEALTH. An infant is not the reason for the spread of disease. Also, average people in general society are not really to blame since most of them were ignorant and just surviving enduring the same inflictions. The rest of the people in the guys family had no idea as well,, they were ignorant in most cases, so who all does this leave to be angry at SINCE MOM DID NOT CUT YOU? tHIS DOCUMENTARY MIGHT NEED SOME REVISION.
Who are you to say I am insane, or that any male who is circumcised as well and says he is fine is as well psychologically imbalanced. I have been through some heinous things in my life, mostly during my army service. For those experiences have left more of an impact on me that what was done to my penis at the age of eight days. So let me leave you with this, are the 14 million Jews in the world crazy for getting their babies circumcise or the 1.5 billion Muslims for doing the same, taking into account not all of the males are indeed circumcised. And just one more thing, have some respect for people. I have met many people throughout my life and some have not been on the same intellectual level of which I have worked to acquire over the years with education and life experiences. Though, I always maintained the values that I was taught as a child, be respectful. I did not attack any one with my comment, just stating my own personal thoughts which you could have approached me with more tact. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm talking down to you but in order for any progress in the world to be made we must learn to talk to one another with seriousness and respect. And yes I as well thought the movie focused too much on the mother.
You seen a circ before? I am a doctor and I have done them hundreds of times as a resident and they pretty much all go out fast asleep and feed well afterwards. I've seen babies cry more when they get their immunisations or when you irritate them by kissing them or overheating them with too many blankets. My junior never reacted adversely at all the day of his circa or any time after. And he is the best natured kid around according to his teachers and my friends. Their words. So much for all the screaming crying and curling in shock ... or the psychological problems alluded to in the net.
That's not the point, and I dare say you know that.
I don't get you man, you are mutilating without personal consent.
I'm sure that when he learns that the procedure was not only un-necessary, but soon to be classified as "mutilation", and once he learns that a vast majority of his sexual nerve endings are now gone forever, and his penis is smaller as a result, he will indeed develop psychological problems as an adult, trust me on this one, every guy I know that has learned the truth now acutely loathes the ignorance of their paternals and is very, repeat, VERY unhappy about the whole thing.
Its very wrong. Doctors who do this wrongfully deserve to have their whole dick cut off.
so, you've mutilated hundreds of boys without their consent, and that's okay? whether it's painful or not, it's a form of mutilation and should require informed consent from the circumcisee, not the parents or the circumcisor. and i'm sure that your junior would be as good-natured with a foreskin, as he is without one, but he'd have the choice himself. it's truly a barbaric form of tribal ritual to which i would never subject an innocent male child.
Mass unnecessary circumcision is wrong. No question about that. It is not the circumcised person who is wrong, he has never known different (or for a very short few days in most case). It is a religious influenced medical practice and it needs to be abolished the same way female genital mutilation should be abolished.
Of course some will say this and that in defense of the practice.
You say :"As an Israeli it would be safe to assume that a good percentage of the male populace is circumcised", i say What FOR?
I can see if there IS a problem, the intervention can be performed but other than that is it unnecessary.
Men were born this way and with care, attention, cleanliness a penis is fine just the way it was made.
az
I'm just arguing that though I can see the view of what individuals on your side of the spectrum feel I still stand with the fact that circumcision does not cause every male to have some sort of repressed mental issues due to the procedure. And that it is not a sound basis for the argument. I as well would assume that individuals who oppose circumcision are as well opposed to many of the traditions that involve some sort of painful measure to the body, traditions and rituals such as body scarring practiced in Africa, Asia, and the elongation of the neck in some South Pacific nations. Hell, maybe in some sense repulsion of circumcision is in fact a psychological issue in it of itself, in that it has to due with the European mentality demonstrated during the colonial ear, that the practices of the inhabitants of the colonies were sub-human savagery. Which many of the beliefs were then through the effects of colonization transferred onto the population resulting in much turmoil with self identity and self hatred. Providing one of the pillars for many of today's social calamities. Plus in terms of statistics I read somewhere, I'll search for it if you wish, that circumcision was on the decline due to parental choice not to have the procedure done to their children. So, in a way your fighting against a practice that is becoming more and more of a procedure due to cultural practice, religious identity, and all in all affecting the "masses," who do not follow said practices less and less.
P.S. Thank you for being more mature than most individuals so far.
Would it be traumatic for a baby to have his penis cut on the 5th day after birth? I would think so. Would that baby get over it eventually following the thousands of other traumatic events that will pile on top of that event? I don't know, may be one doesn't get over it but gets under it. Traumatic events pile on our life and we make the best of them, it doesn't minimize the moment of the action.
When those actions are proven unnecessary and barbaric, instead of keeping religious practice in place, the mass should be educated in order to elliminate such practice as is done is many countries concerning female mutilation.
Still to this day, a large percentage of US citizen have their babies circumcised for no needed reason they are sure of. I have even read women here say how discusting a non circumcised penis is!!!!!
Give me a break or best....give them a break.
az
Yeah - then why did God decide when he wanted to make a covenant with the Jews that the foreskin was pretty ok to loose? He could have chosen anything else but decided that the foreskin could be done away with. And THAT man (God) doesn't make mistakes in my eyes. Just my two cents.
You are right, your opinion is not worth much more than 2 cents.
Why did your god made man with a foreskin then? So humans could decide to cut it off?
What people will blindly believe against themself!
az
"why did God decide when he wanted to make a covenant with the Jews that the foreskin was pretty ok to loose?"
Hmmm...Male power bonding? After all, this practice started as a way to foster group loyalty, did it not?
I believe it was adults who were circumcised as part of their commitment to the tribe, though, not infants. It certainly set them apart from other tribes. Didn't men used to fight naked in the old days?
So, all the non-jewish circumcised men out there, do you bond with your jewish brothers?
lucky for the men that your god didn't choose an eye.
This is an intense issue and another reason why I don't want children.
Interesting note: some boys are born partially or fully without a foreskin. My father was apparently one of these.
It should be HIS choice when he is old enough if he wants to be circumcised or not! It is his body and shouldn't be a parent's decision, especially when it is done just for "looks." It is a cruel and painful thing to do, and usually completely unnecessary! It may be true that there are higher incidences of health problems arising from an uncircumcised penis, but think about it people...Do we automatically remove all newborn babies' appendix's, tonsils, gall bladders etc? I mean...there is after all a very high chance that one or all of the above may cause major problems later in life. So why not just cut them out at birth?? That's how I feel about the foreskin. Unless it causes a problem, then leave it alone! It was obviously meant to be there for a reason!
well, in the beginning he's talking about taking away the clitoris is the same thing as taking away the foreskin... c'mon! that's not the same thing!!! they don't take away the head... or am I wrong... Idk...
There are more nerve endings in the foreskin than there are in the clitoris. So it's actually worse if you want to compare it in that way. Besides, the exposed glans becomes calloused (read: desensitized), so on top of having less nerve endings, the penis now has a glans with buried nerve endings. Circumcision is far worse than FGM. Let's not forget girls still have a G spot which is untouched in the process of FGM. What do guys have? I suppose a prostate, but that only helps guys who enjoy...well, that would be TMI to give here.
I have watched circumcisions. As soon as it is over, the baby stops crying and is fine.
Completely unscientific propaganda
Hey a little message to all the people who say it is cruel and my son doesn't deserve it blah blah blah... My father is an urologist (Top notch guy with tons of awards and a Harvard degree) and I myself have been present many times at the procedure. I myself am circumsised. Thankfully I run less risk of getting infections because I have no foreskin. You ALL including this filmmaker really need to do better research. Talk to 10 Urologists and all of them will tell you that it is the best option. Talk to another 10 and you'll get the same answer. For those of you un-educated enough to know, a Urologist is: a doctor that specializes in the urinary tract system of males and females and the male genitalia. This documentary is spreading wrongful information. It is not cruel and it has not affected my life in a negative manner nor do I hate my parents for making the decision for me. They OBVIOUSLY were better informed than me at the time, so thank God they made the right choice and gave my penis a free and exposed head. Thank you!
It's not clear exactly who you are attacking here, or why. It seems like you are attacking everyone with a foreskin, and as for why, we can only guess.
If you keep clean, like any normal person should, having a foreskin does not add any risk of infection. Only dirty people who do not wash thoroughly are prone to infections from the foreskin. What you are saying isn't a reason for circumcision. It does say a lot about the general hygiene of the people in your area, however, if many of them are getting urinary tract infections. That's something to think of.
Also, of course you don't think it has affected your life in a negative manner because you have never lived any other way. Let me tell you that you ARE missing out during sex. You won't agree, because you have never known what it's like. And you will never change your point of view because you are content with what Daddy tells you.
Well done, Mr. Harvard, you have succeeded in convincing your son that he wasn't butchered at birth. Congratulations on being 1 out of 10 - no, wait, it was twenty, wasn't it? - 1 out of 20 urologists who have patients with dirty foreskins.
Get real.
How on earth can any man tell any other man what he is missing out on if he is not inhabiting the others body? How totally ignorant of you.
If thats the case why doesn't any of the accreditted medical organizations across the entire freaking world DOES NOT RECOMMEND routine male infant circumcision and that includes the AAP. Stop fooling yourself and especially others... You had it (call it a boon or a BANE) it doesn't render it medically necessary except in special circumstances.
Simply because the rest of the world does not have top notch medical care and top medical research and development and best educated doctors in the world.
Shame on you then to talk this way. Here in the Netherlands circumcision never was practiced, except for jews and muslims and we experience none of the problems you describe. There is the extensive research now about negative effects of circumcision, just bother to read it and stop spreading false info. In ancient times circumcision made sense in deserts and rural land without access to water, as the bacteria could kill and possibly make young women infertile. According to research especially women under 20 are vulnerable. And how would you remember whether your circumcision hurt or traumatized you. Was it done under local anesthesia or traditionally without and the rabbi sucking your penis, possibly passing on sexual diseases, like they have. To me you are the one that is uneducated. Meanwhile dive into the many false research and practices amongst medical doctors/researchers. Watch Peter Götzsche and know all regular cancertreatments are potentially deadly, just like vaccinations are killing and harming many infants. But i am all for choice. At least when it concerns those that are adults and can be supposed capable to make an informed choice.
I grew up just assuming that all boys/men were circumcised...it never really occurred to me that uncircumcised was really an option any more in this day and age. However when I got into my mid teens I began to step out side of the box and really start to do my own personal research. And I believe I have come to a decision regarding my future son/s. I would not want to circumcise my boys, I believe it to be unnecessary and cruel. However once they reach a decision making age, and they have the desire to be circumcised then I believe that is there decision to be made. And I will give them that choice as to whether or not they want to be circumcised.
In order to reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO) is encouraging male circumcision. They have the following on their website:
"There is compelling evidence that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%. Three randomized controlled trials have shown that male circumcision provided by well trained health professionals in properly equipped settings is safe. WHO/UNAIDS recommendations emphasize that male circumcision should be considered an efficacious intervention for HIV prevention in countries and regions with heterosexual epidemics, high HIV and low male circumcision prevalence.
Male circumcision provides only partial protection, and therefore should be only one element of a comprehensive HIV prevention package which includes:
- the provision of HIV testing and counseling services;
- treatment for sexually transmitted infections;
- the promotion of safer sex practices;
- the provision of male and female condoms and promotion of their correct and consistent use."
Any questions please ask the WHO.
The WHO makes me want to throw up, honestly. I wouldn't trust anything they recommend.
They no longer encourage male circumcision as of now
I am 44 years old and as expected am circumcised. I agree with many of the comments here that it should be abolished on infants and be a decision for a grown man to make. I don't hate my mom for doing it (as far as I know she may have not even been asked). However, I often wonder how sex would be if I had my foreskin still intact. I know I always have to use a lubricant which would not be necessary if I had my foreskin which is a real pain. The bottom line here is the OWNER should make the decision, not parent. Don't give me "a parent makes decisions all the time for kids well-being, blah blah blah. This is not the same as oh he has a 104 temperature, should I take him to doctor?
I was married to an uncircumcised man and sometimes sex was painful to start. He needed lube every time for it to be less painful. He would basically be pulling the foreskin down before entering
that is not the norm though, most people turn out just fine while uncircumcised. Just because SOME people have issues does not mean it makes it okay to remove it for every infant
Wow Jess, have you interviewed every man on the planet to find out if this is the case? How did you get them to tell the truth and where on earth did you find the time to do so?
Intact infant genitalia would be a smack in the face of a very peculiar God...
In ancient times it was a sound advice in areas where water to wash was not available. Now it is ridiculous.
I`m kind of circumcised, but circumcision is not a common practice around here. I was born with mild hypospadias and got myself fixed at age of 17, so after the operation I had my foreskin removed, because the lower foreskin just was not there, I did it because the foreskin, which was in the upper side was just kind of a flab and only messed up everything, but I did it for medical purposes. No one shoud be circumcised when they are fully dependents in their ancestors.
The debate is not about medical circumcision which should be left to medical doctors to decide upon and is entirely a different matter.
dont worry if you cant satisfy your wife,she will make appointment with an african.nuff said!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep dreaming. Satisfying wives is not about sexual performance, but about the ability to commit and maintain a healthy relationship. Few african men i know in dutch culture are capable of that. And i know they myth about oversized penises. Let me inform you i have also met one with the smallest/tiniest penis i ever saw.
The thing that really bothers me now is how doctors and church leaders are telling mothers-to-be that circumcision prevents HPV (genital warts). EXCUSE ME??? I don't think so! There is no way that removing a piece of skin all of a sudden makes you immune to viruses. You may not see the symptoms, or the symptoms may be different, but I am positive you would still get and transmit the disease. It just goes to show religion will lie about anything (and how gullible and stupid people are) to get people to practice thier ancient barbaric stupid rituals. I am not circumcised and I am extremely gratefull to my parents. HEY PEDRO, how do you figure, or scientifically prove that cutting of a piece of skin makes you immune to diseases? How and where has this been established?? Show me the evidence!
When not washing under the foreskin dangerous bacteria especially for women under the age of 20 multiply and can be passed on to the woman. HPV heals by itself. Gardasil kills. As for religious reasons. An uncircumcised jew or muslim would most likely be ostracized from the group. Whether it is about kosher meat/halal meat or circumcision they want to stand out from the rest of the goy, which should ultimately be killed. I just noticed in an australian series how a jew says how glad he is to be a jew and not a goy. So much for respecting freedom of religion. Many religious people do believe theirs is the only true religion and therefore they the better people. Possibly a meme even stronger than the meme that men are superior to women. Also more strong in those same religious traditions. Funny thing in this debate is that european men, non jews, non muslims, never got circumcised except for medical reasons. And we never had this debate about that being dangerous, until some 40 years when we were informed that is was important to teach our sons to wash under their foreskins when showering/bathing. Never talk about circumcision even then.
I always wondered what exactly circumcision originally meant in the bible, was it a practice to cut the penis skin or just a way of being circumcicle energetically. One more thing that perhaps was edited from the original words to fit a popular Jewish practice.
I always prefered a natural penis, the same way that i prefer every thing natural in my life including my sagging breast, my vagina that gave birth (at home) to two beautiful girls and the lines in my face that are defining my years of rumbling around.
I also think men that are "operated" on this way, lose a lot of sensitivity...but how can that be proven,...the ones that are will deny this and the ones that aren't will support this! May be women know best about this from witnessing the differences!
az
King David (or Sol) was challenged before he became ruler to gather 10,000 or something Philistine Foreskins as trophies to prove his worth to rule.
Excuse me if I am a bit off. But that's the extent of my knowledge.
In ancient times with no water available it made sense. Just as the not shaking hands with young fertile women did. Both about passing on bacteria, killing newborns or infecting young fertile women. The american debate, not that it never played in Europe, is ridiculous.
@ Pedro- How is a person walking around asking others their honest opinions propaganda? All persuasive media is not necessarily propaganda, but it is intentionally and openly persuasive.
Even if removal of the foreskin helps prevent some likelihood of HIV transmission in heterosexual males (and parents will have no idea what sexual orientation their child has), that doesn't mean it is more effective than educating your child and equipping them with safe sex resources.
When you say women LOVE it, what women? I know many women who prefer natural, un-modified genitalia. Do you think some cultures are justified in removing the complete labia majora and minora in women because "smooth" genitals are pretty?
Also, just because parents don't want to take the time to thoroughly clean their son, that doesn't make it more hygienic. It makes it easier, which is a poor excuse for cutting apart your son. Shall I scalp my daughter so I don't have to comb her hair?
Popular does not mean right. EVER. It wasn't true for slavery, it wasn't true for women's oppression, it isn't true for female genital mutilation. I say, it is not true for Male Circumcision.
If you want circumcision, FINE! That's your choice. Not anyone else's. I don't think it should be illegal, but I think that recipients need to be of age to give legal consent, like any other body modification like genital piercing and tattooing.
HPV transmission that is not HIV. Note that in middle eastern countries they castrated male slaves to become eunuchs.
@Pedro: Uuuhhh do you even know how HIV is transmitted? Last I heard, the foreskin isn't exactly a condom...
Complete propaganda. Circumcision is the top way to prevent STDs, especially HIV. This has been established time and time again. It also increases sexual pleasure, contrary to popular propaganda. Most of all, though, women LOVE it. The advantages of circumcision are most pronounced (and safest) when conducted on a newborn. People, it's popular for a reason. Don't listen to people who are jealous that their members don't look as good as how they could. Not only that, it IS more hygienic. Any mother with one of each will tell you soon. As I said, it's popular for a reason. This is why they need to resort to propaganda to try and convince people otherwise.
Wait, what? Women WHAT? Sorry, I've dated two men in my life - one circumcised, the other not... and I by far prefer the "natural" way. It looks better, feels better, and overall just makes the whole process of intimacy much less clumsy. And that was just based on the penis, not based on the differences in their skills.(wow, phrasing that in a way that didn't sound crude was tough.)
As for the matter of hygiene, if you'd watched the first few minutes of the doc, you'd see that the mother simply states that he would be raised in such a way as to make it a moot point. As for STDs, when it comes to people in developed countries who have ready access to protection, I would hope that they'd rather go for the use of condoms rather than hoping that their foreskin saves the day.
80% of the world's men are intact. That's not popular. North Americans need a wake-up call and a reality check. That's why documentaries like this one exist.
Most of the women worldwide, with the exception of Jewish ladies, LOVE penises just the way God made them, thank you very much!
True, true!
I have one of each and I had many more problems with my circumcised son and still do.
Second, have been with both and prefer intact! I've also seen men who were circ'd as ADULTS say that they had better sex intact. The studies regarding AIDS/HIV are BS and flawed on every point. They didn't pay attention to who used condoms or not, which obviously would have a big effect on a study of this nature. Speaking of CONDOMS don't you think it'd be easier and more responsible (since condoms irrefutably prevent more disease than lack of a foreskin) to use a condom instead of hacking a baby's bits?
NO MEDICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD SUPPORTS ROUTINE INFANT CIRCUMCISION!
Most of all, ALL human beings deserve genital autonomy and the ability to make such a decision for THEMSELVES.
Pedro you believe a baby should be traumatized at birth to help society?. How can a baby traumatically losing his foreskin benefit society?
Because some tests were done that proved something did NOT happen?????
Hiv infection, and aids epidemic coincided with mass circumcision of infants in the US.
So what kind of insane people say an infant should undergo traumatic elective cosmetic surgery against his will just because a parent consents when it is pretty common knowledg this country is not benefitting at ll from this misguided quackery. An infant is too young for anesthesia but old enough for genital surgery ? without anesthesia ?
What person can say that is anything but viscious brutality on an infant shrieking for his life? Whew, that is hard to swallow. I don't understand your lingo if you say it is sane to "cut to prevent" disease. Thankfully, most of the world has its compassion, hearts and brains intact and would not listen for a second to such lunacy A newborn has an easy to stop, little heartbeat. Is it really wise to risk it? We will never know how many baby hearts stopped because the massive complications are blamed often instead of circumcision for infant mortality, which is a lot more common in males..
Who in good conscience decides to shock a tiny infants existence with elective surgery because some tests were done by some kooks who determined society was better off at an infants expense? Relationships suffer, males and females pay the high price, and many die from the artificial created shortage of intact natural males. Profit won, and family lost when people really believe skinning an infants genitals awake was anything but harmful mutilation that will be inflicted back one way or another on society. Too bad the check in the mail is more important than baby boy, ,.
I'm sorry, I thought condoms were the top way to prevent STDs...
actually condoms are the top way to prevent STDs ......
You are going to defend cutting a childs penis because women love it ... i mean really ? That is messed up. What if men loved quote "circumcised" women with cut of clits, would that make it acceptable?
Most men have NO need to have their genitals altered at all, you know what the safest is? the safest to NOT cut the genitals at all.
It is popular for a reason? Cutting girls clitoris in many african countries is popular ... does that make it a good idea and acceptable?
Actually penises are perfectly hygienic in the way that they were made naturally!
Get over your "there can be nothing controversial that my parents did " attitude and give this some THOUGHT and LOGIC instead of denying
Foreskins allow more bacteria to accumulate in skin folds and aid in infections and likelihood of STD. The foreskin used to protect our naked ancestors in the African bush from tall grasses that would have irritated a sensitive exposed head. Now that we wear clothes, its importance has lessened. Does that mean you have to remove it- not necessarily. But life evolves and how we live and groom ourselves to our own benefit does change. I am sure there are people out there who hate shaved pubes. I don't and I happen to like a clean cut. Condoms are good but many men don't like the way they feel or want to use them. I can't trust my child as a future horny teenager to listen to me about condom use so I chose to protect him as best I can even if it is only by a small percentage. I also want to protect him if he turns out to be homosexual which gives him a greater chance of sexual promiscuity. Also they are genetically predisposed to have very large genitalia, which can cause huge problems when the foreskin doesn't grow and stretch as fast as the other bits. I do understand many men do not have this problem or remotely understand it but for those that do, not being circumcised can make puberty a nightmare. Is mommy a control freak much? Maybe but I love my boys very much. Any advantage I can give them I will. I have never been with any uncircumcised man, and knock on wood I have never been with anybody who had any troubles in the boudoir or pain during any of my thousands of sexual encounters. I give head happily with great success and have had no difficulties with a circumcised penis. It seems to be determined on the individual person how sensitive or not sensitive they may be due to a variety of different factors such as frequency of masturbation, type of under garments, girth, ect. As a germ-a-phobe as well as an artist who enjoys the naked human body visually: The smells, hygiene and worm like appearance of the uncut are not appealing at all. And the notion that the chances of me getting a UTI from an uncircumcised partner are exponentially increased, I say no thanks. Never had one, don't want one. So maybe how you feel about this matters more to the people who have sex with greater frequency and more experience. Clean is always better. People can be lazy, make it easier for them to be clean. I think it is super funny uncut men act like they are more sensitive. Grass is always greener in your own head, I guess. Pun intended.
Im not going to watch the documentary but i will comment. i was born in america and my parents circumsized me so "i wouldnt be made fun of." i think the procedure is wrong but i don't make them feel guilty about it. It is one among many oversteppings made by the American Ho$pital$ especially when it comes to childbirth.
when my son was born, it was not even a question.
Another common reason is "I want my son to look like me."
Nonsense!! The last thing my son is going to want to see is his papa's dong!! Ever! I mean, perhaps a tag team or two later down the line.
Its also seems common for mothers to look to the fathers to make this call. I say make the call Dads. This is how we move forward.
We the uncircumcised have learned to live with our disability and lack of a good hygene prerequisite mostly by using SOAP and WATER for personal hygene which goes a lot farther than your average surgical scalpel. And as far as health issues of an uncircumcised man goes...let's just say the procedure isn't common in my country or any of the surrounding ones (except for religious reasons and rarely health problems) and I don't really now anyone who had problems with that,
And if you spray around when you urinate, just pull the foreskin over :)))
sorry for the grammar and/or spelling
Long story short .. its just un-natural.
why are we the only species on the planet that performs this act?
Its cruel, they ought to protect their children and now they cut them, for ever !
can you imagine that ? stupid justifications... over and over again.
@Anna
Maybe I should have clarified that you shouldn't be stretching anything on a newborn and that includes his genitals. But around 1 year of age I believe (not sure) is a safe age to stretch it.
I do know what you mean about the skin being attached but I don't think anyone would be careless enough to pull so hard to rip their skin, it is to be done lightly, and over time it will stretch
I posted credible sources for my claims. Where are yours?
Rabz
You are right everyone should be concerned with his own and not about someone else's. Especially thier own newborn's foreskin. Leave it alone and let the child decide. Pretty simple stuff.
@jacob woods
someone didn't do their research. google female circumcision. and don't forget, we eject babies from our baby maker. I would find that to be a very "masculine" thing to do. but women bare the experience.
Check out foregen as they're raising money to regenerate everything lost to circumcision, google foregen
" Clara " + " Anna "
Actually , I was not aware that a baby's foreskin is not retractable yet ...
This only further demonstrates God's infinite wisdom , since
if the skin is not retractable , that area cannot get contaminated , which makes perfect sense , since the baby cannot take care of it ( and , unfortunately , sometimes
babies don't have parents anymore , but still get to keep
their gear )
" Henry "
All that not withstanding that , according to the top notch
ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine , one is supposed to , besides actively washing , also lubricate the " five gates " of the body , namely eyes , ears , mouth , penis and anus
(I suspect the two latter gates' proper names will be not appear and be censored , since in the retentive West ,
those words are " dirty " and taboo )
Now properly washing and showering after a BM , instead of
simply wiping with paper , that should be a major concern
to any civilized individual , instead of gettin' in there
with a butcher knife from day one !!!
@Rabz- good for him. If he can't figure out how to wash himself, maybe he should take drastic measures. The point is, he has a choice.
It is people, like you and your husband, who I have to concern myself with. People who think it is ok to cut a child's genitals. You are sick, and need professional help.
My husband has chosen to get circumcised, he wishes his parents had done it when he was young.
Mainly, he is doing it for hygiene reasons and he gets discomfort.
Why doesn't everybody calm down and concern themselves with their own genitals instead of everybody elses?
Looking at the ignorant comments here in support of forced circumcision of children its understandable why this unethical tampering with children's genitals has persisted this long.
Those of you who are circumcised (and in support of circumcision) are acting as if erogenous penis skin was the worst thing on earth and boy are you glad someone sliced off half of yours. I wonder, how much more of your penis skin offends you? How much more do you think should be cut off?
You have trouble washing what's left of your penis? Then why do you think you or your son would have trouble washing and caring for a whole penis?
Willful ignorance is what has keep the circumcision business going in the USA. Its coming to an end though as more people are informed and speaking out. Celebrities are even starting to speak out. Thanks Ben Affleck, Mario Lopez, Alan Cummings!
Soon the barbarity of forced circumcision will come to an end. Every child will be allowed to keep their whole genitals. Human rights and sanity will prevail.
Circumcision is extremely harmful & unethical. In 20 years time, maybe sooner, it will be banned in the U.S., and the country will look back in horror at what was allowed to happen to its children.
Just take a step back for a second -- we're talking about amputating a vital part of a baby boy's (future man's) genitalia as part of an ancient blood ritual. We've already banned this outright for baby girls (future women). What more do you need to know?
circumcumcision should be a personal choice. some boys will deeply regret a parent making that choice for them.
@Henry- you are misinformed. You are not supposed to pull back the foreskin on an infant, as it is fused to the head and should not be forcefully separated. It will do so on its own, no need for parental stretching. Lots of doctors are confused by the intact penis, and that may have been why you got the 'stretch or mutilate' response. It is not common practice to need to stretch the foreskin of an infant by any means.
Your son may have had a condition where he actually did have a tight foreskin, obviously I cannot know, but please do not spread misinformation. The normal thing to do is leave it alone.
Thank you for speaking up for infant boys against circumcision.
Infant circumcision is a barbaric, tortuous, genital mutilation of non-consenting males. If a person wants to be circumcised as an adult, fine, but little boys are protected under the 14th amendment and therefore, infant circumcision is already illegal. Now, it just needs to be enforced.
" Hecs "
I guess to carry a tiny water sprayer , to peel back that
God given foreskin , and spray a lil water after peeing is
asking too much from a trillions of $$$ modern army !!!
P.S. And actually washing one's rear end , instead of just
smearing it with paper is asking too much from the
" civilized " and " advanced " Western world !!!
I went out with a guy that had to be circumsized at the age of 36 because his foreskin would quite regularly split when he had an erection or intercourse. The agony of having the procedure done as an adult (picture stitches around the lip of the head and then imagine a morning glory) is avoided by the procedure being done when you are young.
My father was in the army and he said by the end of three weeks in the bush without a shower (there was no way of washing regularly) you could tell the guys that were not circumsized by the uncomfortable way they walked.
A fully informed decision is always best and it comes down to your personal experiences and judgement as a parent - there was way more information on the "FORS" than there was on the "AGAINSTS" when my children were born.
" Kat "
Congratulations ...
Whoever told you that a peeled "ready freddy" looks better ,
likes makin' out with the neighbor's Bouvier ...
Even unpeeled , a wieny is an ugly thing , but at least with
the foreskin , it doesn't look as desperate ...
I have never gone through with circumcising my son.
He is now going on 5 yrs old and healthy in
that area. I have done what is needed to help his
foreskin fold and taught him how to take care of it
himself.
I feel its mutilation and he needs his foreskin.
If the male was born with foreskin, there is obviously a
natural need for it. Why take it away?!
I hope my son is happy with my choices to keep
him uncircumcised and complete.
All I have heard out of these people is vane answers.
"It looks better"
"Its easier to take care of"
They do not give the child a choice,
instead go with circumcising due to there own
vanity.
It is not the parents decision. You take away your
child's free will when you do such horrible things to them.
Then expect them to learn and use free will as you raise them.
Hypocritical to me.
Don't mutilate your boys people.
rofl
" Riley "
I don't never see what guys do in public bathrooms , 'cause I never go in there ...
I use a tiny sprayer on my wieny and hand , in the bushes ...
right
whenever i go to the public bathrooms i see guys at the sinks, washing their wieners.
as in never - not once in my life.
you are SO full of smegma
" usman "
Look above , at my comment at what should be routine hygiene procedures concerning your ready freddy ...
P.S. Are you lame or what ?!?
you pro-circumsision people are crazy, why do you need toes, or ears or head for that matter, chop your head off, and save us of stupidity, medical reasons, right
Circumcision has health benefits. the urine which sometime sticks to the skin of the penis can cause infections and result in problems. people who have had Circumcision are a far better chance of preventing infection and its spread
Circumcision is sexy.
If indeed, the foreskin is so bad for your health, then I am sure, our Creator would have known that after the first prototype of the male has been released and adjust His design accordingly. As I shared it earlier,
. Circumcision began as a semite religious sacrifice, an offering to ensure fertility, a tribal mark, a rite of passage, an attempt to emphasize masculinity, a means of humiliating enemies and slaves (Egypt, Palestine hence the adoption of it by the khazar tribes (present jews).
2. In order to ID a jew, the nazis forced the newly arrived prisoners DROP their pants for Jews as a rule, had their sons circumsised. That was a catch.
3. Circumsision was reinvented after the II. World War, as a “Hygene wonder", and as my Jewish buddy confessed to me, “so the jews, cant be picked out like that in future pogroms.”
The only thing I have to cover my eyes to witness on television is male circumcision. Ow.
Hey, why should males be circumcised and not women? Because it takes a true man to get half his genital foreskin cut off. HaHa!
Ah yes, Westernized genital mutilation. Someone bomb Israel and the USA like they bomb others because of cultural dissonance.
WHOAAA....getting a little deep here. Now circumcisn is a political issue, being run by the porn industry? WIt some rapist, murderer affiliation? Christian jew, world war 2 mysterious vail thats been pulled over your naive minds eye ball system? I thought quantum physics was intense.
EIther get off the mushrooms, or start up the THC for your own mental health! Smoke 2 joints. Peace \m/
For your info , it's a bunch of circumcision freaks that figured out that in the 1920's that violence and sex were filling up the seats in their movie shacks , with the result that now you gore gore and torture porn flicks available in every mom n'pap grocery store !!!
P.S. And I'm the one givin' a bad rep !?!
Here's my theory for why circumcision is beneficial, beyond the usual arguments for hygiene, which seem a distraction.
The purpose of the foreskin seems to be to create a separate state of mind when the penis is erected involving an urgency to intercourse. When not erected the penis that is otherwise protected by a foreskin from sensation and stimulation is not much integrated into the sense of self and mind until adolescence.
It's as if Evolution, Nature, seem to have made the choice to heighten the urgency of making babies upon sexual maturity at adolescence, when attractive females provoke a lot of erections. Ever watch a male dog in heat, bright red penis extending past foreskin, going at it with such great urgency?
With circumcision there is early stimulation and integration of penile sensations with the infant's developing sense of self. One major source of stimulation is probably when the mother is changing diapers and wiping excrement from the penis. Arguably that could promote more bonding, even heighten Oedipal dynamics, competition with the father.
Such early extra stimulation of the circumcized penis, as if erected, along with the developing infant's basic associations with sight, sound, touch, mother, and thinking processes generally, probably, therefore, make the circumcized individual smarter and wiser. Further, in the interests of civilization it would seem to calm down the animal urgency to rape as an adult, and even help to prevent premature ejaculation, though possibly at the expense of greater male pleasure.
Thus might be explained the historic notion of Christians toward Jews as problematically conniving ---superior--- minds. But since World War 2, when Jewish doctors returned from military service with high rank, they were able to set hospital policy in favor of circumcision. So most American males now have that mental advantage.
Riiight porkenheimer....You make the anti-circumcision people look bad. Like I can kind of see most of the arguments about doing stuff to someone else's body possibly being wrong, but you make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Keep making up random stuff though its entertaining.
@ porkenheimer
Where do you come up with such nutty ideas?
I'm saying that they're more likely to have problems with
satisfying their urges , be more agitated , and come up with
" Black Dahlia " type of insane behavior ( which was perpetrated by a " circumcised " fellow ... )
They also run the porn industry BTW ...
What? You are just assuming that because somebody is circumcised they are more likely to be a murderer? listen to yourself! Even if that statistic is true it wouldn't be because of the procedure itself but rather the high number of people who have been circumcised compared to not. It's like me saying yeah most of the people who commit murders aren't colorblind, so the colorblind people must have it right. Please, worry about something that matters.
" Joe "
I'm willing to bet that amongst the violent rapists and
sexual deviant criminals / murderers , there are a lot more
circumcised individuals than non circumcised ones !!!
P.S. In other words , that it is not so unimportant ...
I'm pregnant and when my son is born he will not be circumcised. I've done all the research and there is no significant benefit for it to be done to my son unless it is medically necessary later. Go watch Dr. Money and the Boy With No Penis on this website.
Maybe Riley was wrong to generalize like that but he was certainly right about people just trying to find something to exaggerate just to have something to complain about. This should really be a non-issue and there's much more important things to be passionate about. Almost nobody you see everyday gives a crap about this topic and it's odd some people get so angry about it!
@riley I see you have generalised everyone who is against circumcision into one of two groups. Not only is that unfounded but also wrong. I am a man and to the best of my knowledge I'm not gay and yet I am against this barbaric custom.
Circumcision used to be a sign of slavery ...
If not , it implies that God made a mistake in design , which is pathetic ...
The hygiene argument is ridiculous ... Actually , it's the other way around . The foreskin keeps your pecker and your underwear cleaner .
You're supposed to wash it in the morning with a lil soap, and rinse it 2-3 times with water after peeing, and that's all, as far as the hygiene is concerned ...
It is a bad idea though, as far as the foreskin having nerve endings, but especially, the foreskin helps you forget your "ready freddy", while the exposed penis creates simultaneously more friction (i.e. sexual agitation ) and a dulling of the sensation at the same time due to constant solicitation ...
P.S. Bad news all around ...
I had to be circumcised. I'm so ashamed. I now refuse to have sex, or even urinate in public. I just wish my winkie was normal again. I also wish for world peace and I want my dog to come home (even my dog is ashamed). Gotto go and cry myself to sleep.
Of course! male circumcision is absolutely scientific and is now proved that it protects us from being infected by HIV.
anyone who feels extremely strongly about this is very likely either:
a woman, or
a gay man
us guys know how we got feels, and generally we like what we have. if you don't....
its a personal problem. really. i've never had an infection on the front of my member, never felt like I wanted one, and never had difficultly enjoying sex, or complaints from my partners (well, unless i was just being lazy or something ;) )
people get so bent out of shape over - you name it. especially on this site, with the over-load of conspiritorally-oriented docs. a lot of whiners & paranoids frequent this place.
i think (screaming about how great or awful being circumcised or not circumcised is)mainly is driven by a desire to assert (an alternative) control over others. calling male circumcism SEXUAL MUTILATION is the sort of over-wrought ap-cray i would expect from, again - either a woman with who-knows-what issues/fetishes regarding the opposite sex, or a gay male drama queen, with his own who-knows-what issues with his own gender or personal fetishes. God knows, gays talk & think about penises a lot more than the rest of us dudes.
Happy Holidays!
@# Joe "To be honest I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Circumcision is good for hygiene and prevents infection. The people complaining about it act like it’s some life threatening disease that will constantly make them suffer forever. Maybe it’s a little bit of a stretch to say its better aesthetically but in the US at least, it’s a cultural norm. They will never be made fun of or have a reason to feel self conscious about something everyone else had done too. People so worried about something as meaningless as this should focus their attention on more important things."
Meaningless? IT IS SEXUAL MUTILATION of another human being.
A helpless person.
If you came upon a culture that was removing the pinky and forefinger of every newborn infant would you use the same logic? "Gee,,it's better so they fit and the other mutilation victims wont laugh at them! (This is what you just said) and they can still grab a banana and wipe themselves.. so what's the big deal, duhh???" ?
(LOL!)
The big deal Joe is that IT'S NOT YOUR BODY!!
-end of story. Not to mention that the skin that covers the male glans is among the most nerve-laden tissue (on the SEX organ, thank you) in all the human body!
"Circumcision is good for hygiene and prevents infection?!"
Nonesense! Studies have been done on this and there is absolutely no rational reason to be circumciesed! None!
I find it discussing that this is still a topic of today. It truly is barbaric. I understand medical reasons as my brother had his removed when it became to tight.But as for it collecting germs and simply being dirty and infected well I don't know a part of the body that wouldn't become dirty and infected if not properly cleaned or a part of the body that doesn't have a risk of cancer. So like your boobs or any other part of the body leave it alone until there is a problem to fix.
18 Should be the age of choice and a wide range of religions should be taught till then to give them a fully informed choice. Further more if your religion demands a sacrifice then why not take the first tooth as it will be replaced. It seams to me that it would save ridicule either way if it had always been that way. Who else thinks that what was thought to be the most useless part of the body was totally wrong and is now upsetting millions of people the world over.
Gary Cheshire
A tight foreskin can be stretched (and some people apply a particular cream--I don't remember which--to loosen it). Circumcision isn't medically necessary for as many issues as they claim it is. It's almost never truthfully medically necessary.
To be honest I don't see what all the fuss is about. Circumcision is good for hygiene and prevents infection. The people complaining about it act like it's some life threatening disease that will constantly make them suffer forever. Maybe it's a little bit of a stretch to say its better aesthetically but in the US at least, it's a cultural norm. They will never be made fun of or have a reason to feel self conscious about something everyone else had done too. People so worried about something as meaningless as this should focus their attention on more important things.
Non-circumcision is a sign of the demoralizing of the times. It saddens me as in my heart I think it's a smack in the face against God Himself, and that is their main motive in speaking against it. Not this doc specifically, but world-wide. I still plan to circumcise my son sometime this year. I'd feel much better about that when it's done.
there is medical reasons for it, dirt and bacteria can build under the foreskin and cause infection and other nasty stuff. also ive herd somewhere from a doctor that the foreskin can sometimes get cancerous and if it spreads its bye bye winky. nowadays they usd the foreskin for skingrafts and growing more skin because its the strongest and most strechiest skin of the human body. but i have also heard the the foreskin gives more pleasure to the owner. i myself was cirumsd and i like it that way.
@ Nielch
You seem to be taking a fairly defensive position here Nielch.
Remember that before formulating arguments you need to be critical to both sides!
You can do this by finding studies from both sides but the best is neutral ones without any inferior complex pushed agenda which both sides can have, as you might feel less like a man if circumsised or not circumsised (this is called speculation, since I'm not presenting this like data or fact!Be especially critical to this!).
What your saying is valid to some extent. Circumcision should absolutely be done when there's a medical reason for it. But the thing is that they don't happen very often. Most people are born with completely healthy penises.
Here are some questions you can consider:
Could foreskin contain nerve endings? If so, could it be that sex is better with foreskin?
Hmmm... why do we humans have skin at all? Ah yes, for protection. Could it be that it helps protect, and make the penis head more internal?
In a capitalistic Healthcare system, could profit mean more to doctors etc. than general health benefits?
Thank you, I'm looking forward to a contructive and more high brow answer than: "Bullshit! It happened to me (having a medical issue), and I represent the majority of people who are born with penises!"
Again, cases where neccesary are rare! And again, I agree with those people getting one, it's neccessary!
@bursci- I was adamant that my son not be circumcised. We live in the US and I was circumcised. I did research , weighed the options and decided not to mutilate mu child. He may be ridiculed but in this country you can be ridiculed for wearing the wrong sneakers. He and I have discussed our difference and what it means to him. Who know what the future holds for him, but I for one thought this boy was brought to earth by God , who am I to mutilate one of of Gods creatures.
what a horrible thing to do to another human being.
I say., end all involuntary genital mutilation immediately,. ITS NOT YOUR BODY MUTILATORS!!
Its totally fine if people wish to do that to themselves..the problem is doing it to some helpless infant or young teens..is morally indefensible no matter how you look at it.
@Nielsch When I pull my foreskin back when I go pee it sprays everywhere, I find the skin acts like a decent funnel to be honest.
Anyway, circumcision should be age restricted to 18 or above and by no means should anyone under 16 be forced into having the procedure done. Honestly, parents using hygiene and worse, aesthetic reasoning need to be shot. As for religious people, they would have to get used to it. (I dislike religion but that is for another discussion)
I put in a huge fight NOT to circums. my son since we are not jewish, and are NOT of semite genetics. As a journalist myself, I dived into some serious research to find the answer why the westrn world is so obsessed with circumcision.
1. Circumcision began as a semite religious sacrifice, an offering to ensure fertility, a tribal mark, a rite of passage, an attempt to emphasize masculinity, a means of humiliating enemies and slaves (Egypt, Palestine hence the adoption of it by the khazar tribes (present jews).
2. In order to ID a jew, the nazis forced the newly arrived prisoners DROP their pants for Jews as a rule, had their sons circumsised. That was a catch.
3. Circumsision was reinvented after the II. World War, as a "Hygene" wonder, as my Jewish buddy confessed to me, "so we cant be picked out like that in the future."
4. Our pediatrician convinced my husband, saying if the boy is not circunsised, he most likely be humiliated since circums. in the usa is a standard.
@ pulunco: You've probably never heard of medical reasons for curcumsision, or did you..? When I was a little kid I totally sprayed toilets and everything that was unlucky enough to be close to it, this was due to a too tight foreskin. Problem, reaction, solution: I was curcumsised.. Total B.S. or misinformed parents you say? Give me a break XD
Circumcision is total B.S. End of story. The only people who will disagree are those who are missing part of thier penis already. Sorry about your luck, your parents were misinformed.
well i never even realised there was such a thing as uncircumsised til i had to take showers in public places. it made me wonder but i didn't dwell on it like this guy. i think the west does it cause we are christian which obviously comes from judaism. of course with the west becoming secularised, we should at least ask why.
thank you, this is very intresting subject and its huge western paradox. many of us have seen in tv as the native tribes do the different mutilation or courage rites all over the world to unite the tribe, and we judge them hmm in about 0.2 seconds without realizing we are letting the jews and muslims do the same thing on our backyard
we are two faced m************ if we let this continue, we got our laws and its pretty clear about mutilating childs, why should religion have any special premissions to torture
Strange...and not in english so you have to read the subtitles..dang