Merry Christmas! And Happy Hannukah, too! As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem this Christmas, it's also great to recall that He, too, was circumcised at birth. That was in accord with Jewish practice at the time, but it is also a reminder that there is something "holy" about circumcision for practicing and believing Christians. To be Christ-like in mind, body, and soul -- for many Christians -- means following the example of Jesus with this simple ritual.
Now regular readers of this blog know that I stress the medical and health advantages of universal newborn circumcision, but there is nothing wrong when other traditions, values, and customs lead you to the health-saving grace of circumcision. For many Christians, being circumcised is another way to be at one with Christ. After all, if the little baby Jesus could be a perfect God-in-man on earth without His foreskin, then so can our sons.
Merry Christmas, readers. Alleluia! Jesus Was Circumcised! Alleluia!
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"The original Biblical circumcision of Abraham's time was a relatively minor ritual circumcision procedure in which only the redundant end of the foreskin extending beyond the tip of the glans was removed. This was called "Milah". It is from this term that the Jewish Religious Covenant circumcision ritual Bris Milah or Brith Milah got its name.
ReplyDeleteFollowing "Milah", a penis so circumcised would still contain a considerable portion of the foreskin and the penis would have continued to go through its natural development since most of the foreskin would have remained intact. Protection of the glans would still have occurred. The foreskin would not be stripped back off the glans and would naturally separate from the glans gradually as the child matures, much as it would had the child not been circumcised. The sensitive frenulum would not have been disturbed or moved, and the foreskin remaining would continue to cover and protect a substantial portion of the glans, especially when flaccid, and the glans would appear as uncircumcised. There would be minimal loss of sensitivity or intended protection.
This type circumcision continued throughout the ages and during the time of Christ. The circumcision of Christ would have been this type circumcision as referred to in the bible. Indeed, biblical reference to circumcision is strictly this form of circumcision. It continued into the New Testament. It has been argued that Michelangelo's David should show David as Circumcised. Interestingly, Michelangelo presented David precisely as he should have appeared following an infant "Milah" circumcision. His glans is essentially covered with only the tip of the glans showing."
Getting into a religious argument is ridiculous, but the circumcision practiced during the times of Jesus are not like the ones performed today.
Surely any christian should respect the body given to him by God. If you believe in an all knowing and perfect creator then how do you justify cutting of a piece of a body he created? Surely you don't think God made a mistake when creating every single baby boy...
Good Grief, PD is trolling his own blog! No real Christian would repeatedly make offensive statements like PD does throughout his blog.
ReplyDelete"Good Grief, PD is trolling his own blog! No real Christian would repeatedly make offensive statements like PD does throughout his blog."
ReplyDeleteExactly. Calling something God created filthy. How that must please him! Not.
95% of Christians worldwide do *not* circumcise. In the most Christian countries in the world (places like Mexico, Poland, Brazil, Spain, Italy), the practice is almost unknown.
ReplyDeleteI always love the way commenters make assumptions about other bloggers and posters they know nothing about. Actually, I am a Christian who believes that the circumcised Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- and that includes all of you who rant on this blog! Nothing I posted is "offensive" to Christianity.
ReplyDeleteThe stupid argument that the filthy foreskin or any other disease-causing body part cannot be removed because "God created it" is another one of those illogical positions that the anti-circ fanatics often take. In my view of religion, God gave humans the power of reasoning so that in this world of disease (also God-created) we can use it to advance ourselves. As the early Jews and others discovered, circumcision is an improvement God intended mankind to discover and implement!
I appreciate the first Anonymous' discourse on early circumcision. I have heard this account before, although I am not sure what the evidence is to suggest that early circumcision was that much different from today. Even so, I doubt that the anti-circs will settle for partial circumcision!
Finally, Mark Lyndon, where do you get that astoudingly wrong figure that 95% of Christians do NOT circumcise? Even in the countries you cite, the latest figures suggest that perhaps as many as 20% of Mexicans, Spaniards, etc. are now enjoying the benefits of circumcision. Add in countries like the United States, some Asian countries, and many African countries, and I would guesstimate the number of clean-cut Christians approaches, say, one-third. In any case, it is a FACT in 2009 that more Christians than ever are circumcised!
Thanks for all the postings. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Like PD, I don't buy the argument god made foreskins, so we shouldn't cut them off. Which god? The muslim god who made the towers come down? The jewish one, who has no concern for the goyim, as they have no souls anyway? The christian one who will delight in casting his souls into hell for some eternal burning? It's all bogus. Keep your religion off my penis, thank you.
ReplyDeleteEven in the countries you cite, the latest figures suggest that perhaps as many as 20% of Mexicans, Spaniards, etc. are now enjoying the benefits of circumcision.
ReplyDeleteWhat are these "latest figures"? You'd certainly struggle to get a child circumcised in Spain.
According to the WHO, "approximately 30% of males are estimated to be circumcised globally, of whom an estimated two thirds are Muslim."
21% of the world population is Muslim, and they have a circumcision rate close to 100%. That means that about 9/79 or about 11.4% of the world's non-Muslim population is circumcised.
"Keep your religion off my penis, thank you."
I wish people would. Everyone should be able to decide for themselves whether they want part of their genitals cut off or not. If my son wants to be circumcised when he's 18 (16 if he knows what he's doing), I'll pay for it, and help him find a good surgeon. Until then, no-one's going to be cutting part of his penis off.
Seasons greetings to everyone btw, regardless of their views on circumcision.
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays, all. Indeed, Jesus had his weiner trimmed at 8 days old. People celebrate Circumcision (or Feast of the Circumcision of Christ) on January 1. Like the Holy Grail, there's also supposed to be a Holy Prepuce somewhere.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Prepuce
Most interestingly, the Jewish Brit Milah occurs on the 8th day. That date is so important that it eclipses Sabbath and even Yom Kippur. Jews are smart, and if I may be permitted a small pun, they don't dick around.
ReplyDeleteJesus was a Jew, commonly considered to have been born on December 25th. Not coincidentally, what date follows shortly thereafter? Oh yes, the circumcision of Christ, generally celebrated as the New Year.
That's right, even the *calendar* is based on circumcision.
I'm 35 years old, I was circumcised due to constant foreskin problems when I was 22, and I wish I had been circumcised at birth. Two years ago, I held my newborn nephew's hand during the procedure. He didn't cry at all (I insisted on local anesthetic and a Gomco clamp) but I was there for him.
The story goes Jesus was circumcised.
ReplyDeleteHe also died a bachelor. There is no record of him being too successful in bed.
He was also suicidal, as in he did nothing to defend himself charged with capital offenses.
He was also killed in an excrutiating manner.
Let's all emulate the Savior.
Judas was circumcised. Osama Bin Laden is circumcised. Hallelujah!
Any Christian who thinks physical circumcision is part of Christianity is ignoring Romans 2:29, Romans 3:30, Acts 15:10, I Corinthians 7:18, I Corinthians 12:18, Galatians 5:6, Galatians 5:2, Galatians 6:15, Philippians 3:2, Colossians 2:12, and Matthew 9:12
Thought Provoking needs to take an Anatomy and Physiology course.
ReplyDeleteMark said :
ReplyDelete'What are these "latest figures"? You'd certainly struggle to get a child circumcised in Spain.
According to the WHO, "approximately 30% of males are estimated to be circumcised globally, of whom an estimated two thirds are Muslim." '
I'd like to know as well, PD. I am assuming you silence on this question is due to the fact that you can't find these "latest figures". I'd really like to see these numbers that show 20 percent of Spaniards, Mexicans etc routinely circumcise INFANT boys, or that even 20 percent of adult men get circumcised in those countries.
Fact of the matter is, with the exception of South Korea and a few African countries, the vast majority of intact adult men don't choose circumcision for themselves, even in the United States. Circumcising 150 baby boys because ONE of those may need or want to get circumcised as an adult in unethical. You are making an irreversible decision for your son that, statistically speaking, he would most likely not make for himself given the choice as an adult.
Regarding logic and belief in God.
ReplyDeleteBelief in God could be considered logical because there is always a first cause. Deists make this LOGICAL assumption.
Christians make another leap - an illogical leap - assuming that there was a certain person in a little part of Israel at an oddly random time in the Earth's life who was God incarnate and that he carried out miracles. His life story and teachings were all written down years after this Jesus person supposedly lived. Scholars in the field of biblical criticism ahve poured over these ancient documents uncovering many inconsistencies and untruths.
PD says he is a Christian; he believes in these miracles; then he says it is illogical to assume that an all knowing, all powerful God (as Christians believe he is) would not make a mistake. Surely it is LOGICAL to think an all knowing all powerful God that,as PD believes, created humans would not make a mistake making humans. Maybe he needs to go to his University library (after all he is an academic) and look up the word "logic" in the dictionary.
As a Christian mom I felt is was my duty to have my son circumcised since God's own son is why should my son be exempt. Also circumcision is healthy.
ReplyDeleteLinda
@Linda:
ReplyDelete1) Almost no Christians circumcise.
2) Jesus was circumcised because he was Jewish.
3) The form of circumcision back then was a lot less severe than the usual form of circumcision now.
4) Most medical organizations are against circumcision:
Canadian Paediatric Society
"Recommendation: Circumcision of newborns should not be routinely performed."
http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/pregnancy&babies/circumcision.htm
"Circumcision is a 'non-therapeutic' procedure, which means it is not medically necessary."
"After reviewing the scientific evidence for and against circumcision, the CPS does not recommend routine circumcision for newborn boys. Many paediatricians no longer perform circumcisions.
RACP Policy Statement on Circumcision
"After extensive review of the literature, the Paediatrics & Child Health Division of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians has concluded that there is no medical reason for routine newborn male circumcision."
(almost all the men responsible for this statement will be circumcised themselves, as the male circumcision rate in Australia in 1950 was about 90%. "Routine" circumcision is now *banned* in public hospitals in Australia in all states except one.)
British Medical Association: The law and ethics of male circumcision - guidance for doctors
"to circumcise for therapeutic reasons where medical research has shown other techniques to be at least as effective and less invasive would be unethical and inappropriate."
The Royal Dutch Medical Association
http://knmg.artsennet.nl/Diensten/knmgpublicaties/KNMGpublicatie/Nontherapeutic-circumcision-of-male-minors-2010.htm
"The official viewpoint of KNMG and other related medical/scientific organisations is that non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors is a violation of children’s rights to autonomy and physical integrity. Contrary to popular belief, circumcision can cause complications – bleeding, infection, urethral stricture and panic attacks are particularly common. KNMG is therefore urging a strong policy of deterrence. KNMG is calling upon doctors to actively and insistently inform parents who are considering the procedure of the absence of medical benefits and the danger of complications."
Religions must be ERADICATED!
ReplyDeleteHell is eternal...
Delete