[dottywine]

I was reading a very interesting debate about circumcision.

I don't know how many of you have babies or plan on having them, but I am pretty convinced by now that I will not circumcise neither my daughter nor my son.

First of all, America has a huge stigma and misunderstanding of female circumcision. Because of their fantasy of everything different than America being "strange" or "horrifying", the principle of male circumcision is very down-played.

Male circumcision can reach degrees that brutal female circumcision can and female circumcision can be as normal and "satisfying" as male circumcision can.

But since the regular male circumcision in America doesn't have any POSITIVE effect on my son's health, there is no reason for me to participate in this genital mutilation.

What do you think?

[Angel88]

Good Lord. What kind of parents will ever put their child thru' so much pain I'll never know. Hardcore Brainwashed ones. Bleh. ><

[chilovesjj]

Unless it is absolutely necessary for medical reasons, I see absolutely no reason why I should. I think it's kinda sick and stupid to mutilate a kid's genitals if it isn't a medical necessity :/
Plus I've heard so many horror stories of things going wrong, especially in US. It seems to be a much bigger thing there. I rarely hear of any doing it over here, except for when it's needed.

Why the hell would you circumcise a girl, anyway? NO ONE does that. Apart from in some really backward places. :/

I watched a programme once, it came on while I was up late doing homework. It was somewhere in Africa where they practiced female circumcision.
I'd never heard of it, so I watched out of curiosity I guess. I wondered why they'd circumcise a GIRL s:
Why? So that they wouldn't feel pleasure during sex. Makes them less likely to cheat. Or something o.0
The girls were about 11 or 12. I had to turn it off when they started doing it.
This child was screaming 'mummy he's killing me! mummy help me!' and she just stood there watching. It's disgusting.

Apparently a lot of the people who do it are incompetent and kids die of blood loss. It should be illegal. Everywhere. -o-

[Yubumsuk]

I once saw a film of a Jewish circumcision ceremony. The screams the baby made were not those of a normal baby who's upset or has a little fall. They were quite horrifying. After seeing that I decided that I would never do it if I had a son unless it was absolutely necessary, not that I think I'll ever have a child at any rate.

[jesus.shuttlesworth]

babies dont develop memories before the age of 2 or something

i dont want to put him through that pain, plus a circumcised penis loses sensitivity compared to its counterpart

[Crispy]

Hell no.

Male circumcision reduces sensitivity, and is just unnatural. It's untrue that it's unhygienic as long as proper cleansing is practiced (which isn't much).
The idea that circumcision is the norm is also naive.. most of the male population of the world is uncirumcised.
Modern circumcision is the result of the blind following of irrelevant tradition.

Female circumcision.. words don't even express how much this angers me.
I've been studying up on it a little, namely some of the cases coming out of Africa.
What often happens is that a young girl will be restrained (against her will) by people, commonly other women,
and blindfolded. They tie her arms and legs.
A rusty knife is used to mutilate the clitoris; the pain is unbearable. (some children die from shock of pain)
Guys, if you want to understand comparable pain, it's more or less the same as cutting off the head of your penis.
Female circumcision in this manner leads to lifelong pain for the victim.
The thing that makes me angry beyond comprehension is that the perpetrators of this crime are often the women who have had the same thing happen to them when they were young.
They do this because they feel that it should happen to other people, since it happened to them; it's almost like a sick form of revenge.

I could talk so much more about the subject, (I'm a firm opponent of ignorant tradition)
but it's pissing me off too much just thinking about some of the atrocities that happen to children around the world.

And to the OP,
I'd definitely like to hear your debate for the benefits of female circumcision;
unless you pull out some miracle argument, I think you're completely wrong.

[the_enigma]

why do religious ppl do it anyway? wat are the benefits for and against it? and like someone said up there ^ the kids not gonna remember it anyway so its not so bad. i dunno - need more facts

[HERMIT]

All I can say is thank god that I was way too young to remember the circumcision. As for the exorcism, that's a different story.

[MythnoonA]

why do religious ppl do it anyway? wat are the benefits for and against it? and like someone said up there ^ the kids not gonna remember it anyway so its not so bad. i dunno - need more facts

http://www.circumcisioninfo.com/circ_world.html

female circumcision is mutilation. Boy people might feel the male version is too, but it isn't exactly the same thing.

[BlissX]

I would do it. It looks nicer, simple as that. I'm not damaged and have no memories of excruciating pain.

I'm also an atheist. (har har if you cry paradox, atheism ≠ damaged)

[be_mellow]

No, I saw documentaries of how they do it in Africa and it's painful. I don't want my child to go through that kind of pain.

[Yubumsuk]

babies dont develop memories before the age of 2 or something

But they do develop a lot of their personality. Trauma during infancy can have a life-long effect.

Many societies around the world don't circumcise them as new-borns, either. In Turkey they do it around age seven; in much of Africa it's done at the onset of puberty (like with girls). Even in Korea it's commonly done when they're in elementary school, though here it's done under full anesthetic.

[the_enigma]

ok so i just read: circumcised males and their partners have less risk of certain cancers. do non-religious boys get circumcised too? gosh im so ignorant on this topic.

[derrek]

I'm clipped, I don't remember it, and I'm glad I was. I don't want to look like an ant eater.

[the_enigma]

omg wat a disturbing image...

[Pogichinoy]

Off with their heads!! xD

Just make sure its safe though.

[HERMIT]

I'm clipped, I don't remember it, and I'm glad I was. I don't want to look like an ant eater.

Interesting observation.
Hell, I already have a triple chin.
I guess if anything, I should feel fortunate that my thingy doesn't have one too.

[the sweetest prince]

My anteater rocks. I love my mans ant eater too.

[Meenuh]

I don't know about male circumcision but i've read stories about female circumcision mainly from Africa. What a horrible thing to do! The one I read, they don't even do it to the girls when they're babies but they do it when they're older! They think that if a woman can't feel pleasure they won't stray off to other men when they marry. They say that it is painful for them to have intercourse.

I don't think I would force anything like that on my son or daughter unless it is necessary.

why do religious ppl do it anyway? wat are the benefits for and against it? and like someone said up there ^ the kids not gonna remember it anyway so its not so bad. i dunno - need more facts

I'm assuming it would be because of the covenant between God and Abraham.

[Tuffcore]

If the procedure is done properly, then there shouldn't be any negative effects on the baby. Supposedly, uncut men can hold back longer during sex and not have any premature accidents. The skin is designed to protect the sensitive areas. Other than that, there's not much else to consider because the modernized world is clean enough.

I'm assuming it would be because of the covenant between God and Abraham.

I don't remember the scripture exactly but yea, it's something like that.

EDIT:
http://www.genesis.net.au/~bible/kjv/genesis/

Chapter 17

17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.