Circumcision: Yea or Nay

Is circumcision of males (and just males) a truly barbarous thing? Or is it just another of those things we do to our bodies that is faddish?

The the pro corner we have religous reasons. Jews are circumcised because God told them too and in the United States (and to a lesser extent Europe) many Christians are too. We also have reasons for circumcision in hygene and health. Typically it is done when the male is a baby and woun't have any long lasting mental scars.

Con: It alters the body. Wheather you think the body is modeled after God or just from evolution, males are born with a foreskin. There is also some question about sensitivity in that males whore are uncicumcised may have more sensitivity in the glans.

There is an operation now where a foreskin can be attached made out of other skin.

So is it good or bad? I really don't have a problem with it. I'm circumcised. Most men I know are. It was done ostensibly for religous reasons and I haven't had any adverse health effects. It was done when I was just days old. At least when my sister had her ears pierced she was a year old and it was far more traumatic.

 

Studies have shown it really doesn't matter one way or the other so take your society into consideration.

Childhood is tough enough. If you're different in any way, you're gonna get laughed at in the shower room. Why make it something ultra sensative? So, if you're a boy in the U.S. then yes. If you're a boy in most European countries then no.

 

I'm not circumsized, and I'm glad I'm not. I probably won't have any sons I may have circumsized, unless the mother insists on it or somesuch.

 

Ditto on that Saint.

 

I'm circumcised, and from what I understand it's common practice now in the U.S. It's never bothered me. In fact, I've never really spent much time thinking about it one way or the other.

 

I don't mind as long as my bit is going to help an undersized fella. I'd like to think I made a difference to a fella with a small Mr Happy somewhere out there.

 

My son isn't circumcised. I didn't see any need for it. My friends did circumcise their son and I'm here to tell you it hurts the baby for weeks.

 

I had the circumcision when I was older (5 I think) for a reason I can't remember now. It hurt like hell, especially when I had to go to the lavatory. I remember it all. But I don't have a problem with it.

 

Other than conformity, there really isn't a good reason to do it.

 

And there's the rub.

I'll tell you this. After the horrid childhood I had with being constantly teased and tortured, I'd have my son circumcised in a heart beat if I thought it would save him one incident of being mocked in the showers or rejected by some girl.

 

I never faced any of that mocking. I've never even had a g/f bring it up unless I did.

 

I was circumcised,but I was just days old,and my mother told me it was done for hygene reasons. I don't mind it,becuase it's no big deal.

 

I'm circumcised, but I don't know if I will have it done to my son. My 6-week old nephew was circumcised and he was crabby for days. It doesn't seem to bother him now, but that little thing they put on it made me cringe whenever I saw it.

 

The religion thing is a legit reason.

Circumcision for hygiene is nothing special. If you are clean, then a foreskin wont make a difference.

 

Circumcision is usually done:
a) for religious reasons
b) because that's the thing to do

There is a claim that it gives the genital area better hygene. Is this actually true?

EDIT: nevermind

 

Most evidence suggests the hygeine argument is basically moot. It doesn't make a difference, unless you never show or clean.

 

I think I read somewhere that while it doesn't make a difference hygiene-wise (as long as you have god hygiene habits to begin with), over 95% of penile cancer cancer cases occur in uncircumcised men.

Edit: Penile cancer is very rare, but the treatment is amputation. Ouch.

 

well, I think it's fairly easy to use some logic and say, well, if it were dangerous, then why do we have it in the first place?

 

I think circumcision is a good thing for religious reasons and you're less likely to get caught in your zipper if your circumcised. Seriously, they told us that in freshman health class.

 

I'm uncircumcised. I think that it's kind of funny that we use that word to describe the natural state, rather than just normal. One thing that I find odd is that my older brother and my younger brother are circumcised, but I don't know if I want to ask my parents why I am the exception. If I ever have a son I'm nearly 100% sure that he will not be circumcised, unless my wife has a very strong reason to do it.

 

I'm 29 and never been caught....

 

There's no real health reason to have a child circumcised unless there is an abnormality.

I honestly don't think religious reasons are justifiable either.

 

Yeah, why should people be able to practice their religions? I mean, geez, what's up with that?!

 

Couldn't they just cut toenails off or something similar?

 

Yeah TFU! Right-on! Who said human sacrifice was a bad thing? It's an expression of religion, damn those do-gooders!