Circumcision

[Melbelle]

Sure, it's up to the parents and I don't think God looks down one way or the other. And every has their opinions on the look of a uncircumcised/circumcised male. But I was just wondering since you quoted scriptures from the Old Testament what you thought about the scriptures in the New Testament regarding circumcision.

Well the new testimont just says that it doesn't matter anymore, and I agree if you do not want your child circumcised then that is up to you, I got my son circumcised no biggy, it was an in and out thing and he is fine and we are all happy. My husband is also circumsized. Now my bffe her boyfriend is not, and one of my other friends her baby is not, but like I said its up the parent, and to the child after he is old enough to make up his own mind.

 

[Katydid]

I believe that these scriptures are refering to the old covenant. What is your view on the scriptures in the New Testament that say it is no longer needed?

I don't want to discuss this here, but if you wanted to start another thread on it, I would definately explain my POV. I don't think the OP wanted to have a debate, so out of respect for her.

 

[Zoomer]

I really left the decision up to my husband. I figure who better to make a decision since I don't have a penis. He decided mainly for circumsion because he is circumcized and it is the norm here in the States. In Europe, it's the opposite. However, I think valid arguments could be made both ways and there isn't a right choice regardless of what anyone says. It's a matter of personal, religious, or social preference. I also figure that he might as well have it done as a child, just in case. Who knows if for some reason he would have to have it done as an adult, it's more painful and takes longer healing then.

 

[Vilnius]

I have to wonder if there is a link between purity and circumcision? Many people attribute the prevalence of circumcision to a time when it was advocated to reduce masturbation and the lust that necessarily accompanies it. Those who oppose circumcision use that as an argument against it. They argue that you would have to be a nut to be against masturbation, thus it is nutty to circumcise. I used to agree, because I could see no link between circumcision and masturbation. I changed my mind when I learned more about the anatomy of the uncircumcised penis. The foreskin wraps around the head of the penis, and the inside skin of the foreskin is like the skin inside one's mouth--wet and slippery. That fact, plus the fact that the foreskin easily glides over the head of the penis when manipulated, makes it rather obvious why removing the foreskin would be done to reduce masturbation. Forgive me if this is more information than you wanted, but the stimulation of a circumcised penis produces little pleasure compared to the stimulation of an uncircumcised one, unless the circumcised one is lubricated through the act of intercourse or by applying some lubrication like hand cream during masturbation.

My wife and I were up in the air on this too: I mean why remove some skin that God put there, but if God said to do it, how could it be a bad thing to do? So, I think biblicly you are OK either way. Ultimately my wife and I decided to circumcise any male children we have after 1) looking at a site that had 33 pictures of uncircumcised penises and 2)after reading about the terrible struggle boys have these days with lust in "Every Young Man's Battle" about this being "The age of masturbation" and reading in "The Sexual Man" by Dr. Hart that "...our culture has come to glorify sex. I would even go as far as to suggest that as a culture, our Western world has neuroticized sexuality. We have turned good, otherwise healthy males into compulsive masturbators and obsessional addicts."

 

[Redguard]

My wife and I had this conversation when she was pregnant. Fortunately, we had a girl.

Ultimately, the decision will be mine. And based on how I feel about the subject right now, I think that I will have my future son(s) circumsized.

I wasn't circumsized at birth. It wasn't necessarily my parent's "choice"... it just a matter of the area in Jamaica that I was born in and the proximity to the hospital, etc.

However, I suffered because of it (I won't entertain you guys with the details) and I ended up having it done at the age of 6. Yeah... ouch. I still remember it.

My wife is really queezy about the subject, but it has more to do with the thought of how painful it is, etc. She fears having to see the baby in pain.

Of course, there is also a shallow reason. Growing up through high school and college, and even as an adult, I've been privy to conversations (from women) on their preference. I've quite often heard women discriminate against intact penii... saying that they look wierd, or smell funny, etc. So now it becomes a question of male ego, and it's a thing that I'm sure will go over the heads of many women here... but the LAST thing that a man wants is to face the risk or humiliation of having his instrument criticized or questioned.

One of the things that often surprises me is the fact that it's almost always women who are spear-heading this topic. Not saying that there's anything wrong with that, but it really got to me after I came across another forum on BabyCenter about this topic.

http://bbs.babycenter.com/board/baby/1196

I mean... these women (mothers) get really NASTY with each other over this topic. It's insane... you'd think they were talking about Israel and Palestine or something.

 

[murron]

both of my boys were circ'd. there were several reasons this was done. First, it is the norm in the states and when they reach junior high I didn't want them to be uncomfortable about being different in such a personal area. Second was for cleanliness. Yup, good hygiene can be taught - but face it, until boys start being into girls, hygiene isn't their biggest concern, and there does come an age when mom and dad can't help with bath time. Third has to do with my experience as a nurse - it's more difficult to catheterize an uncirc'd penis than a circ'd penis.

It is far more traumatic to have a boy circ'd at an older age.
As far as the issue of pain. There are two common methods for it to be done. One is with a plasti-bell which is less painful but takes longer. Then there is the surgical circ. I insisted that they use a topical anesthetic on my youngest son before they numbed it - he had a surgical circ. He didn't even cry. My oldest son had the plasti-bell method and I could hear him screaming down the hall - they didn't anesthetize him.

 

[LynnMcG]

We had our son circumcised. I think primarily because my father-in-law had to be circumcised as an adult and it was incredibly painful. My husband didn't want him to have to endure similar pain.

 

[Mrs. Enigma]

My son is not circumcised. I did not see the need to ghack him up for looks reasons, and I don't want to put my baby thru that. Being born is uncomfortable enough. My son is almost 6.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Haven't got kids yet, and I'm not married (yet), but my bf and I have talked about this.

We're having our boys circumcised. I had plenty of reasons as to why I wanted them done, but was perfectly happy leaving it up to him. He wants him done for a 'frivolous' reason - he's done, and has no problem with it, and saw lots of guys growing up being teased cos they were left 'intact'.

Mine are more medically based.

I am a theatre nurse, and see too many issues every week with older men who aren't done. I also see the issues coming from the majority of young men coming in to have them done. I'd rather do the 'prevention is better than cure' and have it done. Just from my experience, the numbers of 'older' circumcisions are increasing, and I'd prefer having that resolved from early on.

A lot of people mention cutting it off. Well, I'm not sure about America, but in Australia, the most popular method is the 'plastibell'. You can read how it works here HERE

As I hate doing stuff without research to back it up, I looked at the various methods, and reasons for/against, my bf and I have decided to do the plastibell method, with the use of EMLA cream.

Plus, if we were to ever go to the mission field (which is possible), having him circumcised will certainly help in maintaining hygiene and cleanliness.

And my selfish reason is below...

I've seen both, many MANY times, and to me, a circumcised penis looks much cleaner, healthier, and tidier than a non-circumcised. Most girls I know, who have seen more than one, agree...

Sasch

 

[Katydid]

A lot of people mention cutting it off. Well, I'm not sure about America, but in Australia, the most popular method is the 'plastibell'. You can read how it works here HERE

Both mine were done with the bell. To me it seems very safe.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Oh another thing,

If you do choose to go the circumcision route, have a chat to the hospital about donating the foreskins for burns research. There are some new synthetic skins being developed now from the oocytes of the foreskin.

It's still in early days, and requires a lot of testing of a particular foreskin to see if it is 'suitable' for use, but at least you can find out!

Better than it getting disposed of and not being useful for something else!

Read about Transcyte HERE

Sasch

 

[RedTulipMom]

Neither of my boys are circumcised. I did alot of research on it and felt it is unneccessary. I even asked my OBGYN if it was medically necessary and he said that it is not. Why put the child through the pain for no reason. thats my opinion! It is much more common now not to circumcise. As you can tell from this thread!
karen

 

[Katydid]

I'm sorry, I might be speaking out of turn, but I don't think the OP wanted a debate, if I am wrong, then she could, please, correct me. Anyway, attacking someone's post is starting a debate, and we may want to be careful about that. I have seen many of these conversations turn into heated debates because the feelings are so strong on both sides. Just a thought.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

I understand where you're coming from BI...

It's just cos in my line of work I've seen so many issues due to boys not being done, and an increase in the men coming in with problems due to not being done (that is on a par with the increases in men not being 'done'), that my FH and I have decided to go down this path.

It's not nice for the guys at that older age, and the commonality of these treatments being on my theatre lists nowadays, especially for men under the age of 30, has made me realise that maybe God had a good idea when he put this as a law back in Levitical times.

It's amazing how many of those laws actually were quite sensible! That's not saying that we should adhere to them all as strictly as what used to be required, but it's interesting, at least in my opinion, that there are some pretty good medical reasons for a lot of those laws...

Sasch

 

[Cherub8]

Hygene is not an issue. If an uncircumcized man can get into the shower once per day, or even once every other day for that matter, he will be perfectly fine. I speak from experience. As a young child I had few very minor issues, but nothing that didn't correct itself by age ten or eleven. If hygene were the issue, then one could just as easily argue for the immediate removal of labia on female infants. :o

Circumcision accomplishes nothing, unless one were to consider damage to thousands of nerve endings and blood vessels an accomplishment. Personally, I do not plan on amputating any part of my child. If for some unfathomable reason they later wish to endure the horrors of the Sheldon clamp, by all means, that is their decision. The point being I do not feel cutting off certain parts of their body is my decision to make.

My 2 cents. I respect all other views.

God bless.

 

[Cherub8]

and saw lots of guys growing up being teased cos they were left 'intact'.

What is the circumcision rate in Australia? Isn't it about 10 percent? The reason I ask is, it seems to me that the tides will turn. In-tact will become "normal," and circumcized will become "abnormal." Know what I'm saying?

 

[lsrichey]

My son is and it was no big deal but much easier to take care of as he got older. I have a friend whose son is not.

 

[MyLittleWonders]

Both of our boys are circ'd and any future boys will be also. The first two were for the slight advantage health-wise; any future boys will be done on the 8th day as God set forth in Genesis. (We - my husband and I - believe that as grafted in and adopted children of Abraham's we are part of the covenant.)

 

[Cherub8]

We - my husband and I - believe that as grafted in and adopted children of Abraham's we are part of the covenant.

Does that mean you are a Jew who became a Christian?

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Judging by your denominational icon - you're a messianic jew?

That is awesome! God bless you! I've met some pretty incredible MJs in the past, and they are just a HUGE blessing!

Sasch