Cosmetic Circumcision

There are two reasons a parent chooses to circumcise their child. One is cosmetic, the other is religious. Yesterday I posted about the religious reasons. Today I will address the cosmetic reasons.

Circumcision was first introduced in the Old Testament. As a token of the covenant between Abraham and God. There was no medical reason. It was spiritual.

In today's society its commonly seen as a hygienic procedure. While at times, circumcision may have helped a small portion of the population with hygiene, there is no real basis to this. Circumcised or not, male or female, you have to be sanitary and clean.



I hear many different reasons justifying the decision to circumcise. For me, I cannot justify any reason to sexually mutilate a new born baby. But that's just me. When I hold my newborn the last thing I want to do is cause unnecessary pain by removing part of his delicate body.

The most difficult explanation for me is that a baby feels no pain. What a truly ignorant thing to say. If I came over and bit your child's finger, they'd feel it. And you would probably hit me. There are about 100 touch receptors in your fingertip. The foreskin contains over 20,000 nerve endings. Many moms report their son never even cried. Maybe they were in shock, maybe they didn't respond by screaming. How ever they respond doesn't make it any less horrific. I have seen enough videos and heard stories of babies who were screaming or went into shock.

Many parents want their child to look "normal". First only 25% of the worlds population is circumcised. So "normal" would be in intact foreskin. They want their child to look like dad. Well dad is a fully developed adult male. Dad's penis looks alot different than Jr's, no matter how you look at it. Along these lines, are you going to match all your child body parts to mimic Dad's? Will you surgically alter his ears to match his fathers? Will you send him in for a nose job? How about body and facial hair? How do you explain that to Jr? Intact or not, no two penis' look alike. When a child is of age to even notice, a simple explanation is all that is needed. Its not a big deal.

Another argument is sanitation. When a male is born his glans is closed shut. This protects him from the "dirty diapers". It starts to loosen about the age of two. Coincidentally(?) this is about the age a child begins to potty train. All children should be taught proper hygiene. The biggest medical reason seems to be UTI's. There is a decreased risk of UTI's in a circumcised male. Most studies show its about a 1% decrease. 1%. However, infections from circumcision make the rate of infection higher in circumcised males. The other concern when it comes to circumcising infants is that this is a medical procedure with risks. Taking your newborn home with foreskin intact has a 0% rate of incidence. Circumcising offers a procedural risk of about 5% or more. This includes death.

As males grow into adulthood other issues involving circumcision surface. The most common one, meaning the most notable, is the reduction in risk of STD's. I can think of much safer, more effective ways of preventing STD's. Consider this. Would the matter of circumcision be the only factor in how one contracts a STD? If you took 100 intact makes and 100 circumcised males, all STD free, and had them have intercourse with infected women, that would be a fairer assessment of the reduction of contracting STD's. HOWEVER this particular kind of study is not performed. There is just not enough evidence to use as a base for routine circumcisions.

We also have another issue circumcised adult males face. There is aesthetic/physical damage. Have you ever drawn a straight line on a balloon then blown it up? There is no way to know how newborn male penis will look in 20 years. Therefore its quite difficult to make a "perfect" cut on a foreskin. Many men are left with scarring, skin tags, sometimes too much skin is removed, sometimes too little. Men are physically and emotionally harmed by these. Circumcised males are also more likely to have sexual dysfunctions like impotence, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. These issues are hardly worth the unproven benefits some claim circumcision has.

My last point here is on consent. Physically altering a persons body for cosmetic purposes without their consent is one of the biggest infringements of personal rights. Especially one so delicate as the genitals. If an adult male chooses to be circumcised that is his choice. Most of us in the western world agree that female circumcision is sexual mutilation. Why can"t we  give our sons that same genital integrity?

Faith Based Circumcision

There are two reasons a parent chooses to circumcise their child. One is cosmetic, the other is religious. I completely disagree with the cosmetic reasons. This post will address the religious reasons in regards to routine infant/child circumcision. I wrote another post on cosmetic circumcision. 

Since I know very little about the Qur'an, I can only say that I have read it’s not actually in the Qur'an, that circumcision is just tradition. For the Jews, the Torah states 

You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, as a sign of the covenant between Me and you. At the age of eight days, you shall circumcise every male child born to you throughout the generations ... Bereishis 17:11-1

For Christians it’s found in Genesis chapter 17 

10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12And 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. 13He 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. 14And 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.

Many Jews have abandoned this practice, but some still practice it. Those that do should follow this law exactly, or not at all. The law clearly states "on the 8th day".  The male body is the strongest on the 8th day of life. His ability to fight off infection will never compare to the ability it has on the 8th day. Also the body's ability to clot blood is also the highest. The safest day to circumcise (or perform any type of surgery) is best done on the 8th day of life. Circumcision done outside of these guidelines voids the "religious exemption", except in cases of conversion. 

Now let’s discuss Christians, to which I am one. There are only two reasons a Christian would circumcise their son. They either don’t know the scriptures well enough, or they don’t care to follow them. The New Testament clearly states the matter of circumcision. It’s not allowed. 

Corinthians 7 shows us that those that were circumcised before the New Covenant, will be left as they are and those born in the New Covenant circumcision is no longer a law. 

17But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 18Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

In Galatians 5, Paul speaks of circumcision. In Galatians we read that the gospel was given to Abraham, and because of transgressions we were given the laws of Moses. We were in bondage and the Savior redeemed us. We were given liberty, freedom from this bondage. Those who still hold to this Law of Moses, deny Christ.

2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing

And here In Galatians 3

13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

These laws were a curse. Similar to the sacrifices we made with animals. We no longer keep the law of sacrificing animals yet we continue to sacrifice the blood of our newborn sons. 

Galatians 6:2As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Philippians 3:1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

In addition, in Doctrines and Covenants 74 it states 

1-5 Paul counsels the Church of his day not to keep the law of Moses; 6–7, Little children are holy and are sanctified through the Atonement.

1 For the ^aunbelieving ^bhusband is ^csanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean, but now are they holy.2 Now, in the days of the apostles the law of circumcision was had among all the Jews who believed not the gospel of Jesus Christ.3 And it came to pass that there arose a great ^acontention among the people concerning the law of ^bcircumcision, for the unbelieving husband was desirous that his children should be circumcised and become subject to the ^claw of Moses, which law was fulfilled.4 And it came to pass that the children, being brought up in subjection to the law of Moses, gave heed to the ^atraditions of their fathers and believed not the gospel of Christ, wherein they became unholy.5 Wherefore, for this cause the apostle wrote unto the church, giving unto them a commandment, not of the Lord, but of himself, that a believer should not be ^aunited to an ^bunbeliever; except the ^claw of Moses should be done away among them,6 That their children might remain without circumcision; and that the ^atradition might be done away, which saith that little children are unholy; for it was had among the Jews;7 But little ^achildren are ^bholy, being ^csanctified through the ^datonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean.

 It’s been made pretty clear that we have been instructed to no longer circumcise. Yet many Christians still do. 

There are many more scriptures and testaments of this law. If you seek more wisdom I urge you to read the Scriptures and pray and ponder over this. I hope that you will come to realize, as I have, that the old practice of circumcision, is not only forbidden by God, but in doing so rejects the sacrifice of Christ.