Why did God create useless body parts?

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Useless isn't the right word. Some of our anatomy isn't critically necessary to our survival, and then there are parts of our anatomy which are vestigial--vestigial doesn't mean useless either. The tailbone is vestigial, because our ancestors had tails; but the tailbone still serves a function for us.

-CryptoLutheran
Some of us don't believe our ancestors had tails. We believe the tailbone does today exactly what God purposed for us from beginning.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: fwGod
Upvote 0

ViaCrucis

Confessional Lutheran
Oct 2, 2011
37,341
26,785
Pacific Northwest
✟728,115.00
Country
United States
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Others
Some of us don't believe our ancestors had tails. We believe the tailbone does today exactly what God purposed for us from beginning.

Yes, I'm aware some subscribe to that position.

-CryptoLutheran
 
Upvote 0

coffee4u

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2018
5,005
2,817
Australia
✟157,641.00
Country
Australia
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I'm not sure there are many useless body parts, if any at all. Gallbladders are used for digestion, the appendix and tonsils form part of the immune system.

Even the foreskin, which was commanded by God to be removed as an Old Testament covenant sign (and which is routinely removed for health reasons today), is claimed by some to have a protective or sexual function. (But even if it doesn't, it could be argued this part was created for its removal as a covenant symbol).

Up until 300 BC, the ritual only removed the tip. What came in later was from men not God. It was recorded that Jewish men had pulled their foreskins down in Greece and tied them down to try and imitate the Greeks in the games. This incensed the Jewish elders who brought in the periah which was the total removal of the foreskin.
It is only routinely removed in the US. Europeans don't and it's uncommon here now except for the Jewish and Muslim community. I don't think it's too popular in Canada either.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: Thera
Upvote 0

Jonathan Walkerin

Well-Known Member
Feb 12, 2019
3,720
2,772
44
Stockholm
✟72,396.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
It is only routinely removed in the US. Europeans don't and it's uncommon here now except for the Jewish and Muslim community. I don't think it's too popular in Canada either.

It is considered mostly child abuse here.....if someone wants to get cut for their faith let them be old enough to actually understand what they are doing and why.
 
Upvote 0

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Up until 300 BC, the ritual only removed the tip. What came in later was from men not God. It was recorded that Jewish men had pulled their foreskins down in Greece and tied them down to try and imitate the Greeks in the games. This incensed the Jewish elders who brought in the periah which was the total removal of the foreskin.
It is only routinely removed in the US. Europeans don't and it's uncommon here now except for the Jewish and Muslim community. I don't think it's too popular in Canada either.
The scriptures indicate that the foreskin was to be circumcised for all males. Whether this was all or just the tip I'm not sure, but my point was, that if even the Creator was willing to dispense with it for all His males as a covenant sign, and if it is routinely removed today for health benefits in some societies, yet even foreskin is admitted to have some use, how much more do all the other body parts certainly have a use (e.g. appendix, tail bone, gall bladder, male nipples etc.)

It is considered mostly child abuse here.....if someone wants to get cut for their faith let them be old enough to actually understand what they are doing and why.
I thought the only country to outlaw circumcision was Iceland. I know female genital mutilation is child abuse and outlawed around the world, but I personally believe that female genital mutilation is far more damaging than circumcision. I disagree that circumcision for health, religious or possibly even cultural reasons is child abuse, but believe I do understand your preference for consent.
 
Upvote 0
Sep 19, 2019
232
516
Midwest
✟32,516.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
The scriptures indicate that the foreskin was to be circumcised for all males. Whether this was all or just the tip I'm not sure, but my point was, that if even the Creator was willing to dispense with it for all His males as a covenant sign, and if it is routinely removed today for health benefits in some societies, yet even foreskin is admitted to have some use, how much more do all the other body parts certainly have a use (e.g. appendix, tail bone, gall bladder, male nipples etc.)

I thought the only country to outlaw circumcision was Iceland. I know female genital mutilation is child abuse and outlawed around the world, but I personally believe that female genital mutilation is far more damaging than circumcision. I disagree that circumcision for health, religious or possibly even cultural reasons is child abuse, but believe I do understand your preference for consent.
It is child abuse even if the law doesn't say so.
 
  • Useful
Reactions: Thera
Upvote 0

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
It is child abuse even if the law doesn't say so.
So you hold that all Jews and Muslims having male children, and a large number of Christians, in addition to many others in Western countries, are child abusers? I consider child abuse to be too serious a term to use for those who only want the best for their children.
 
Upvote 0

Jonathan Walkerin

Well-Known Member
Feb 12, 2019
3,720
2,772
44
Stockholm
✟72,396.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
I consider child abuse to be too serious a term to use for those who only want the best for their children.

Most of the people want what they consider is best for their children. This includes beating up their kids, withholding needed medical operations like blood transfers, isolating their daughters, marrying their 13 year old daughters to 60 year old men, female genital mutilation, shutting them down to underground bunkers for 25 years in the fear of apocalypse and whatnot.

Most of this stuff is indeed abusing the child physically and/or mentally while leaving scars that persist for life.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Thera
Upvote 0

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Most of the people want what they consider is best for their children. This includes beating up their kids, withholding needed medical operations like blood transfers, isolating their daughters, marrying their 13 year old daughters to 60 year old men, female genital mutilation, shutting them down to underground bunkers for 25 years in the fear of apocalypse and whatnot.

Most of this stuff is indeed abusing the child physically and/or mentally while leaving scars that persist for life.
I still think it's too harsh calling circumcision child abuse. Where I grew up, circumcision was just a medical procedure done to males at birth, and uncircumcised boys could be made fun of. Perhaps in that case, it is child abuse to leave a male uncircumcised to be teased by his class mates?

If circumcision is child abuse, where then does one draw the line? I disagree with vaccination and believe it to be detrimental. If this belief is true, does that mean more than 75% of parents (those who vaccinate) are also all child abusers?
 
Upvote 0

coffee4u

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2018
5,005
2,817
Australia
✟157,641.00
Country
Australia
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I still think it's too harsh calling circumcision child abuse. Where I grew up, circumcision was just a medical procedure done to males at birth, and uncircumcised boys could be made fun of. Perhaps in that case, it is child abuse to leave a male uncircumcised to be teased by his class mates?

If circumcision is child abuse, where then does one draw the line? I disagree with vaccination and believe it to be detrimental. If this belief is true, does that mean more than 75% of parents (those who vaccinate) are also all child abusers?

So you think cosmetic surgery is the answer to bullying and hatred. No wonder America is obsessed with cosmetic surgery.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
So you think cosmetic surgery is the answer to bullying and hatred. No wonder America is obsessed with cosmetic surgery.
You don't need to think in extremes. Teasing isn't bullying and hatred. And I'd class circumcision more as a medical preventive practice than cosmetic surgery, as it's only excess skin, afterall. Would you class removing a wart or a bunion as a cosmetic surgery?

But, getting back to the topic of this thread, I think we both agree the excess skin still has some sort of use, whether for protection of the male parts during the birthing process, or afterward as others claim. And if even this excess skin that is commonly snipped off at birth has some use, it's a fairly safe bet that all other body parts have uses, also.
 
Upvote 0

coffee4u

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2018
5,005
2,817
Australia
✟157,641.00
Country
Australia
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Excess skin? Have you ever read the functions of the foreskin? It's specialized skin, mucosal on the inside like the eyelid, makes antibodies and adds lubrication. At birth it has a sphincter muscle on the end that keeps the inside closed and clean while the boy is in nappies. That thing opens when they pee, and they can pee very well and far, I can attest to that when my son was a baby lol. You realize just about all Europen men have foreskins right? America is pretty much the only country these days that practices newborn circumcision for non-religious reasons.
I believe all body parts have a use and if we think they don't then it needs further researching. I also believe each person has a right to all of their body parts unless something was wrong with it and it needed removing. As for cosmetic surgery like circumcision or other permanent surgery, adults can decide if they want bits lopped off or changed because hopefully they know what they are doing and if there are side effects, well it's their own fault. Children should be left alone. I wish that I hadn't had my ears pierced as it gave me a metal allergy, but at least I decided on it. I can only wear gold. At least I know if something is genuine gold right? That's about the only good of that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thera
Upvote 0

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Excess skin? Have you ever read the functions of the foreskin? It's specialized skin, mucosal on the inside like the eyelid, makes antibodies and adds lubrication. At birth it has a sphincter muscle on the end that keeps the inside closed and clean while the boy is in nappies.
I didn't realise foreskin had muscles in it. Hard to argue it's just excess skin if it contains a muscle.
 
Upvote 0

Jonathan Walkerin

Well-Known Member
Feb 12, 2019
3,720
2,772
44
Stockholm
✟72,396.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
I disagree with vaccination and believe it to be detrimental. If this belief is true, does that mean more than 75% of parents (those who vaccinate) are also all child abusers?

That you disagree with vaccination does not make it child abuse. It just makes you appear ignorant and uninformed. The advantages of vaccinations have been throughly shown to outweight any possible side effects.

That you can even afford this attitude is because of other people taking vaccines and keeping the herd immunity in acceptable levels. Basically you are just a freeloader.

Keeping in topic...certainly there are other practises that are even more immoral then chopping up your infant but it promotes ancient practices and customs we know are unhealthy, unneeded and indirectly also support other forms of mutilations like female genital mutilation. Barbaric stuff.
 
Upvote 0

coffee4u

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2018
5,005
2,817
Australia
✟157,641.00
Country
Australia
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Let's not forget foot binding and cultures where they add dozens of rings to elongate the neck. I read once that if they were to simply remove them their necks would break easily. People do all kind of odd things in the name of beauty or cultural conformity.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Thera

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2019
507
336
Montreal
✟52,709.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Messianic
Marital Status
In Relationship
That you disagree with vaccination does not make it child abuse. It just makes you appear ignorant and uninformed.
The same can be said regarding one ignorant and uninformed about circumcision. Just because one has a different opinion on a controversial topic doesn't make one a child abuser.

The advantages of vaccinations have been throughly shown to outweight any possible side effects.
Were this true, they would be subject to the same standards as other drugs. They are not.

That you can even afford this attitude is because of other people taking vaccines and keeping the herd immunity in acceptable levels. Basically you are just a freeloader.
I have no problem with you believing I'm a freeloader because I don't pay homage to the vaccine religion. It in no ways proves the superstition.

Keeping in topic...certainly there are other practises that are even more immoral then chopping up your infant but it promotes ancient practices and customs we know are unhealthy, unneeded and indirectly also support other forms of mutilations like female genital mutilation. Barbaric stuff.
I think most would agree with this statement, because FMG involves damaging a very important body part.

Let's not forget foot binding and cultures where they add dozens of rings to elongate the neck. I read once that if they were to simply remove them their necks would break easily. People do all kind of odd things in the name of beauty or cultural conformity.
As above. I think it's fairly obvious to recognise the usefulness of feet and necks.
 
Upvote 0

Jonathan Walkerin

Well-Known Member
Feb 12, 2019
3,720
2,772
44
Stockholm
✟72,396.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
I think most would agree with this statement, because FMG involves damaging a very important body part.

Yeah, newsflash, most of the men also consider their genitals to be "a very important body part"
 
Upvote 0

Petros2015

Well-Known Member
Jun 23, 2016
5,088
4,321
52
undisclosed Bunker
✟287,561.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
I've got to get some gallbladder testing done because it's causing me some discomfort. It may or may not have to be removed. As most people are aware, we can live without it. That got me thinking about other things such as the appendix (which is especially useless and heinous, as it does literally nothing but can take your life) and tonsils. Things that are mostly useless and pointless but can cause severe problems. Why? Why even create them?

Most things served a use under different environmental circumstances, I think. When our food intake was different, these organs helped us. My dad had gallbladder removed, was incredibly painful. But our food intake has changed a lot. Not much butter in the old hunter-gatherer days for example before we had massive cattle-farms and milk and butter on every shelf (gallstones caused from calcium buildup or cholesterol). Plus, in the old days, I doubt many people actually lived long enough to develop them or die of appendicitus... no anti-biotics, immunizations or modern medicine.

So I guess the question is more 'why hasn't God removed them after we went our own way?' more than why did He create them in the first place. The second part of the question kind of provides it's own answer. The price of going on your own way is doing things your own way.

And some things, it's possible they aren't as useless as we think they are

What is the function of the human appendix? Did it once have a purpose that has since been lost?
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Jonathan Walkerin

Well-Known Member
Feb 12, 2019
3,720
2,772
44
Stockholm
✟72,396.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Upvote 0