circumcision in modern greece?

[Nikolas222]

hi

i was studying in religion class the practice of circumcision. one of the things that the teacher said was that ancient greeks thought that circumcision was mutilation of something perfect.

Because Paul discusses the unimportance of certain older practices with the gentiles, it seems that the Greeks would not practice circumcision today.

But my friend said it is common to Orthodoxy to execute this practice

what is the norm in Greece?

 

[OnTheWay]

hi

i was studying in religion class the practice of circumcision. one of the things that the teacher said was that ancient greeks thought that circumcision was mutilation of something perfect.

Because Paul discusses the unimportance of certain older practices with the gentiles, it seems that the Greeks would not practice circumcision today.

But my friend said it is common to Orthodoxy to execute this practice

what is the norm in Greece?

While I can't speak specifically for Greece, in dealing with Europe as a whole virutally no one (that isn't Jewish/Muslim) receives circumcision. The practice is somewhat more common on the Islands, but on mainland Europe circumcision is really only something done by Muslims and Jews. I would assume this is the same for Greece.
In the US however, there was a medical myth that circumcision had hygenic value and become very common. Not having recieved circumcision myself, well let's just say I found out some interesting things when they started making us shower after PE in high school.

 

[EricTheRed]

Well I cant speak for all the US. I have recieved circumcision.

 

[OrthoTauf]

While I can't speak specifically for Greece, in dealing with Europe as a whole virutally no one (that isn't Jewish/Muslim) receives circumcision. The practice is somewhat more common on the Islands, but on mainland Europe circumcision is really only something done by Muslims and Jews. I would assume this is the same for Greece.
In the US however, there was a medical myth that circumcision had hygenic value and become very common. Not having recieved circumcision myself, well let's just say I found out some interesting things when they started making us shower after PE in high school.

In my years of junior high swim and gym classes, I never saw but a single example who wasn't. Extrapolating that to my high school, that would work out to roughly 99.6% of the school's approximately 800 boys were circumcised.

 

[gzt]

The reason a lot of Americans are circumcized is because of an odd late 19th and early 20th century hygienic notion. Outside English-speaking countries, it isn't practiced.

 

[RobNJ]

And since most Americans had it done by a doctor, instead of a Mohel, we didn't even get any wine out of thr deal

 

[gzt]

Oy!

 

[Petronius]

hi



But my friend said it is common to Orthodoxy to execute this practice

It is NOT COMMON to Orthodoxy to execute this practice and circumcised Orthodox men are only those who converted later from a cult that required this...
Even I am not from Greece, I can state 100% sure that this is not common among Orthodox men other than above.

We must behave gentle on this forum with questions of the kind, but in other forums, the inquirer of such a question would be, for sure, a target for a lot of sarcasm....
I am not awre that circumsicion, was even practiced for hygienic reason on continental Europe.

 

[gzt]

Yeah, outside America and perhaps some other English-speaking countries, it isn't done. It's only done in America because of some LIBERALIST MYTHS.

 

[EricTheRed]

come on guys, Everybody is doing it. Join the in-crowd

 

[OnTheWay]

Yeah, outside America and perhaps some other English-speaking countries, it isn't done. It's only done in America because of some LIBERALIST MYTHS.

In the United Kingdom and down under (no pun intended) the practice, while not nearly as wide spread as in the US, did have a sizable minority of non-Jews/Muslims that were circumcised. You can even find groups of men that blame all of their life's problems on having been circumcised.

 

[repentant]

I am, has nothing to do with a cult. Doesn't matter either way. Hey Jesus was, why can't we be?

 

[OnTheWay]

I am, has nothing to do with a cult. Doesn't matter either way. Hey Jesus was, why can't we be?

I don't think anyone says you can't be. There are cases where it is medically necessary if the forskin is too tight. However, it is not a requirement of Christianity and the new covenant we live under to be.

 

[Maximus]

The medical reasons for circumcision aren't myths; however, one can keep himself clean and avoid many of the problems associated with not having been circumcised.

We had a couple of locker room terms in my high school by which we described the circumcised and uncircumcised.

I started to post them but figured they might offend someone.

 

[prodromos]

When my son was born here in Greece, the doctors didn't ask us whether or not we wanted him circumcised. So he still has his foreskin.

John

 

[Annoula]

To answer your question:

Circumcision is NOT practiced in Greece.

at least for religious issues.

there is no religious tradition that asks for circumcision.
i have many cousins and nephews and i know there is no such requirement. i am talking about cousins and nephews because i have seen them getting born, baptismed and i have seen all the religious-traditional associated with a newborn.

in Greece we consider it a Jewish practice that is not "needed" for any religious reason.

from a medical perspective, i cannot comment cause i have no idea.


PS ask your friend who says that circumcision is common in Orthodoxy to give you his reasons


PS Jewish people may have practiced circumcision for healthy reasons. i suppose the ancient Greeks have already formed cities with better hygiene conditions, thus they did not find that practice of any use.
i don't know if the Greeks considered it as mutilation of something perfect, but considering their admiration for the human body...i find their point of view valid.