To circumcise or not to circumcise?

Question

I am expecting a son in May and my husband feels that the baby should be circumcised b/c he is. I want to know others opinions on this topic? Also, is there a Biblical reason to circumcise a male?

Answer 1

My wife and I heard all of the comments listed here.

Yes there are Biblical reasons to circumcise in Genesis.

Aside from cultural reasons, the most important comment came from our Pediatrician. He said in all his years of practice almost all urinary tract infections, or other urological issue with baby boys occur in boys that are uncircumcised.



That was about all we needed to hear and he had it done.

(for cultural reasons as well)



It was still an anxious experience, and you need to follow the doctors instructions for care at home.



I suggest that when you are ready to remove the bandage you moisten it so it comes off easier, and then blow dry.

check with your doctor about this.



PS

If you want empirical evidence, look at this small number of people and count how many know someone who had problems with infections because the person was not circumcised.



Also, look at the number of people who didn't like the idea and compare that with the thumbed down ratings! LOL

(I can't believe they are hanging around to give low ratings!

what are they trying to prove with that?)



PPS

as for greater or lesser sensitivity all I have to say is HA!

Enjoying sex is mostly in the minds of those involved, and if someone thinks this makes a difference they must not be enjoying sex as much as they should. IMHO



PP PS

Book recommendation: The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, and The Girlfriends Guide to The First Year.

My wife loved them because it stuff no one has the guts to tell you but you need to know so nothing is a surprise. She made me read it. Although I knew most of the info, it was enlightening.



PPP PS

Having the baby and dad look the same has a big impact..If your husband has brough it up and told you that he is in favor, he really wants it done and it will continue to mean a great deal to him for years to come.



Congrats on baby on the way!!!

Answer 2

I'm uncircumcised and I've never had any problems with my foreskin. Never been teased, never had any hygiene problems, no infections, no smells, etc. I'm very glad that if I were to get circumcised, the decision would be mine (though I'd personally avoid circumcision unless absolutely necessary). Besides, 70-80% of the world's men are uncircumcised, so it can't be that bad, right?



I mean, circumcisions hurt, particularly for infants I feel. Many doctors still don't use anesthesia though it's protocol (link 1). And since it's a surgical procedure, it comes with all the risks and complications (link 2), some of them very severe and still occur (links 3, 4).



And there's the thought that the uncircumcised penis is somehow dirtier or harder to clean. Well, let me debunk that myth as complete bogus. The foreskin is incredibly easy to clean and keep clean (link 5). And good hygiene reduces/prevents most of the problems associated with the foreskin like infections and such. Plus, most studies indicate that there's no significant difference between uncircumcised and circumcised men in getting STDs (and as long as one uses a condom and has good hygiene, it shouldn't even be an issue).



Also, the foreskin has a lot of nerve endings that could contribute to sexual sensitivity (links 6, 7). And several studies suggest that the foreskin may be a good thing in the sexual satisfaction/pleasure of not only the man, but the woman as well (links 8, 9, 10).



So as long as the foreskin works (which it does in the vast majority of guys), he keeps the foreskin clean (which is easy and quick), and he practices safe sex (which he should anyway), there's really no good benefit of circumcision. And it's a surgical procedure that comes with its own risks and complications, which are too often understated.



So if your son stays uncircumcised, he'll probably never have any problems with it. And if he wants to be circumcised later (or some problems develop), it'll be his choice. But, if he's circumcised and something went wrong (heaven forbid) or he doesn't like it later, he's pretty much stuck with it. So, I'd say leave it to his choice. There's no Biblical reason to have it done.



See the remaining links for some more info.

Answer 3

No Biblical reasons. It's in the Old Testament but unless you're Jewish it doesn't apply (read Paul's letter to the Galatians it is very damning of circumcision). In general I would say causing unnecessary pain is very un-Christian, also remember your son is an individual so modifying his body for your religious beliefs is a bit odd. Most men who are circumcised want their sons done too, it's just reasons of not being able to accept that they had a healthy bit removed or not wanting to think of what they might be missing, but kids and fathers rarely compare willies and they don't look the same anyway so "look like Daddy" is no excuse. In the USA they think being uncircumcised is clean or unhealthy - but most men in the world are uncircumcised and have no problems. Water and condoms work wonders for preventing diseases etc - circumcised men still have to wash and practice safe sex. Also there are risks to the surgery and an intact penis is easier to care for than the surgical wound. Not to mention you can't reverse a circumcision, but you can get it done at any age. Congrats on the baby.

Answer 4

Others have taken care of the bible issues, and statistics, so I'll just give you my personal experience. I'm uncircumcised, and I love it. It's really quite useful. It keeps the penis head protected, warm, and sensitive. The foreskin is super sensitive, and can provide plenty of pleasure. It's easy to keep clean. Just pull it back in the shower for 3 seconds, and let the water wash the troubles away. I've been see naked in the YMCA a million times, and no one has ever made a comment. Some people say girls like circumcised penises better, but is the girl dating the guy for his penis or personality?



Your husbands reaction doesn't surprise me, as many fathers want their son to "look like daddy." But if he was missing an arm would you cut that off too? Keep your child whole, and let him decide later in life if he wants it done. Someday in the future, he might thank you for keeping him together. I thanked my parents so...



Those are just some of my thoughts.

Answer 5

My son is due in 7 weeks and he will not be circumcised. I am not and I am 34, and have not had a single problem from having my foreskin, and I like being uncut.



A few of the things that pro-circumcision people put out above are not true:



UTI's, while this is still on the AAP's list of benefits, if you read their full circumcision statement, they aren't all that sure about this. From the AAP's website *1:

Few of the studies that have evaluated the association between UTI in male infants and circumcision status have looked at potential confounders (such as prematurity, breastfeeding, and method of urine collection) in a rigorous way. For example, because premature infants appear to be at increased risk for UTI,75-77 the inclusion of hospitalized premature infants in a study population may act as a confounder by suggesting an increased risk of UTI in uncircumcised infants. Premature infants usually are not circumcised because of their fragile health status.



Cervical & Penile Cancer *2 (American Cancer Society):

Statements about circumcision preventing penile cancer and cervical cancer are cropping up on the Internet. A two-year-old letter being circulated on the Net discussing scientific evidence regarding penile cancer and its relationship to circumcision is personal correspondence reflecting the observations of two former ACS physician staff members. The American Cancer Society does not have a formal guideline statement on circumcision

....

However, the penile cancer risk is low in some uncircumcised populations, and the practice of circumcision is strongly associated with socio-ethnic factors, which in turn are associated with lessened risk. The consensus among studies that have taken these other factors into account is circumcision is not of value in preventing cancer of the penis.



Hygiene *1:

Circumcision has been suggested as an effective method of maintaining penile hygiene since the time of the Egyptian dynasties, but there is little evidence to affirm the association between circumcision status and optimal penile hygiene.



STD's, it is really not worth mentioning, STD's come from unprotected sex. Studies showing circumcision reduces STD's have been disproved. If anything the US is mostly circumcised and has the worst STD problems of any first world county.



I personally don't remember having any problems showering at school and being teased, but I am not the type to take any crap. But this really will not be a problem in the future. Here is a link to an MSNBC Poll on Circumcision:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19296194/

43% For Circumcision

57% Against Circumcision



The Circumcision rate right now in the US is dropping and is currently around 50-50. Your child will not be the only uncut boy in a gym class.



Globally only 15-20% of men are circumcised. It was once trendy in other parts of the world but has gone away. As it is the United States is the only First world country to circumcised for health reasons. If you would like good information on circumcision with out bias, I would look to www.nhs.uk, the UK health care system.



The Old Testament says all Jews should be circumcised. The New testament says it doesn't matter, and gets you nothing.



The best reason not to circumcise your son is that it is not your penis. He will have to live with it every day for the rest of his life. While most men don't have problem being circumcised, it is more because most guys they know are. In the future with circ rates dropping, you will probably see more men unhappy to be circumcised. To be honest I would rather have a son that is unhappy being uncut, than be a parent of a boy that is unhappy being cut, as there is no undo.

Answer 6

Congrats on your baby due in May.

Seeing as you asked for opinions, here's mine. Put it this way, if I have a son one day like you, I will NOT being getting him circumsized.

There are a number of reasons for this...



1) I'm neither Jewish nor Muslim, so there is no religious requirement.



2) I'm not circumsized, and I have NEVER had any infections or problems with my foreskin, because I wash my penis in the shower every day! Whether your son is circumsized or not, he still needs to have good personal hygiene to prevent bacteria growth.



3) Last I checked there is no official medical organization in the world that still endorses circumsizion. It is seen as quite a barbaric surgery that actually produces little advantages, and many disadvantages.



4) By leaving my son's foreskin intact, he can choose whether he'd like to have HIS OWN penis circumsized when he's old enough. Circumsizion is still going to be painful, whether its done at aged 1 or 21.



5) Because circumsizion is irreversible, I've come across a number of other guys on this website that wish they'd been left intact, but there's nothing they can do to change the fact they were circumsized as a baby.



Good luck, and don't let your husband make this important decision just based on the argument that the "baby should look like dad". Your husband may be circumsized but he also has a penis that's going to be several inches bigger and much hairier than your little son's is going to be!

Answer 7

Circumcising your son because his dad is circumcised is the poorest reason to do it.

Why in the world would you want to mutilate your son? Before you have it done, watch the video of it being done on the Internet. You will change your mind.

Bibilically speaking, unless you are a Jew, there is no reason to do it. It was God's covenant with the Jews, not non-Jews. In addition, if you have it done to follow the old Jewish law, then you are to follow all of the 0ld Jewish law.



Galatians 5



2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.



Hope this helps. You mail e-mail me from my profile if you wish.

Answer 8

Though it is a personal choice, one I believe should only be made by the person being circumcised, I could never do that to my child.



Its easy enough to look at it as how would you like to have someone come up to you and start chopping skin off of you. No medication or anything. A self aware confident child should not feel outcasted because of it.



Circumcisionis nothing but pain, torture, and takes away sexual pleasure.



I personally believe parents just dont want to take the extra time to teach personal hygine. Yes it may be a little more difacult. But it shouldnt be after you teach your child to wash themself.



Despite the denial some people are in, a baby DOES feel pain.





All it is, is cultrual. Another, I did it because he did it. Following the crowd.



But again its not up to me.



Congrats on your little boy!







Not to mention why are people so worried about starting to change there child, from the second they come out. Sickening.

Answer 9

No disrespect, but you have already asked 17 questions regarding circumcision. You seem extremely infatuated with circumcision.

But to answer your Question, No.

The Bible says God told Abraham to circumcise himself, his household and his slaves as an everlasting covenant in their flesh. "BUT" what is unclear is the bible "DID NOT" mention the word "Penis" , What was to be circumcised never was mentioned specifically, although people have insinuated all sorts of things.



The Bible says that God pronounced creation 'very good' (Genesis 1:31) and that humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Apostle Paul also said that God made every part of the body as he wanted it. (1 Corinthians 12:18).

Answer 10

I had the same question a few months back. I'm having my first boy very soon, like 2 wks for due date..My husband and I discussed it, I was in and he was out..He doesn't want our son circumsiced.by the way, he's not either. I have two brothers and I don't think they were circumsised either <--or however u spell it. They've never had problems because they weren't. He said that's the way god made him, leave him alone, if in the future when he's older and can make his own decisions, he wants to do it then he can go for it, but we won't do that to him. So I've agreed. Whatever you decide will be fine. It's between you and your husband.

Answer 11

Christianity states the circumcision is unnecessary read up about in the book of Galatians.



Otherwise, I don't think you should have your son cut. It's his penis and a permanent genital modification surgery shouldn't be performed on him without his consent. Not to mention the potential complications from the procedure which include:



-Bleeding

-Trapped/buried penis

-Meatal stenosis

-Urine retention

-Penile adhesions

-Skin bridges

-Penile inflammation



and more. Leave your son whole, he's perfect the way he was created. You husband is reacting out of security issues. He wants his son to be circumcised to validate his circumcision.

Answer 12

circumcise circumcise

Answer 13

do not circumcise, you dont want your son to go through the pain. All the people who talk about hygiene issues obviously have no idea that the majority of men in the world are uncircumcised and clean/healthy

Answer 14

Circumcision is "elective" surgery and it's a choice. I personally let my husband make the decision and he chose not to. Many people say becuz of medical reasons and becuz they don't want their son to be an outcast which is ridiculous! If u clean it good then no probs and if a woman truly loves ur son than what does it matter how his genatalia looks and why would people make fun of him its not like men just go around showing their genitals off. Just my opinion.

Answer 15

NO! Why should it be the parents decision to abuse a baby in any way? It is a barbaric custom with no medical justification. It is usually done without anesthetic and the baby screams in terror the whole 5 or 10 minutes. I challenge anyone to watch an operation with sound(they are on the internet) and stilil say it is justified.

Answer 16

I wouldn't. Yes, it's cleaner, but if your son cleans himself everyday, he'll have no problems. To me, it's just genital mutilation. It's cleaner to remove your labia, but would you do that? It should be a choice he makes when he's older if he wants circumcised.

Answer 17

We did it so our kids wouldn't get picked on in school. I don't know about everywhere else but where I'm at it happens. Most parents don't want to believe their kids will get picked on if other boys know they aren't cir'd. My oldest is 8 and even in the 3rd grade he tells me about stuff kids do to other ones. I know a lot of people consider it mutilation but I don't. It's a very personal choice. I know it's not my body. I also don't like the way men who aren't done look down there. Sorry, personal opinion. I don't know about a biblical reason. This website is the ONLY place I have ever gotten slack for circumcising my kids. It was never an issue for us as to whether or not they were getting done.

Answer 18

not to



... unless there is religious reason to.



the health benefits are not as good as people want to think they are.



NO medical association in the world endorses it's routine practice without cause. I see it as a cosmetic procedure (when not a religious one). It can also be compared to removing an infant's tonsils in the "what if" chance that they get an infection that is sooo bad, they require removal. The tonsils are much more likely to need surgery, not the male foreskin.



http://nocirc.org/

Answer 19

I believe you should leave your son intact. First, there is a biblical reason NOT to do it. Jewish people circumcise because of Abraham's covenant with God. When Christianity came about, there was a great debate about whether gentiles should have to be circumcised to be christian. In the end it was decided that due to Christ's sacrafice Christians only needed to be "circumcised in the heart". Even if you look back on the abrahamic tradition, there are LOTS of bible rules noone follows anymore. do you keep kosher for instance? So no, there is NO biblical reason to do this.

Moving on, first notice how many respondents can't spell "circumcise" correctly. Do you really want to take advice from people who can't even spell the word? There are no good reasons to circumcise but lots of good reasons NOT to. First, lets adress your husband's reason. Ask him when was the last time he saw HIS father's penis? This matching penis's thing is realy disturbing. Even if the kid sees Dad's penis he's going to notice that its much bigger and hairier before he notices that Dad has been cut. What if the boy has brown hair and Dad is blond? Are you going to dye it? Of course not. If Jr. asks just exlain that when Dad was born they performed an operation on his penis and thats why it looks different, but because it hurts and its not nessecary you decided not to cut him. Next, cleanliness- circumcision actually makes it HARDER to clean an infant's penis! With an intact boy the foreskin is fused to the head until sometime in late childhood. All you do is wipe the outside like a finger. By contrast, with a circ'd boy you have to clean the wound carefully, cover it in vaseline, maybe even make sure that the raw edge doesn't stick to the head (I've heard of MANY parents having to do that months after the procedure.) It is far simpler for a man to roll back his foreskin and rub his penis clean (even feels good!) than for a woman to clean here vulva and labia. Female children learn to clean themselves just fine, male children are no different. On top of that, it HURTS! can you imagine having an open wound on your genitals while wearing diapers? Ouch! For the actual procedure many doctors still don't use ANY pain control, those that do often give inadequate pain control, and the baby's get nothing for pain at all while the wound heals. An adult undergoing this procedure would be given more than adequate anesthesia and heavy pain relif medicines for the healing period. Just because he "won't remember it" is no reason to inflict that type of pain on a child. An alzhiemer's patient wouldn't remember either, but we still give them adequate pain relief. For those who say it doesn't hurt- they've done studies that show that not only do boys show great signs of distress during circumcision (through heart rate and respiration data), but circumcised boys show a much greater pain response when given routine vaccinations 6 MONTHS after the procedure than girls and intact boys. A baby that sleeps through the procedure is likely in shock from the pain. There are NO health benefits to circumcision. No health organization in the world reccomends it for infants and the US is the only 1st world country that still routinely cuts newborn boys. Some studies have shown a decrease in the amount of UTI's in the first year of life in circ'd boys, but the Data is widely thought to be flawed (most babies included who were intact were intact simply because they were ALREADY sickly). Even if it is true, the UTI rate for little boys is about 1%. Girls get UTIs at a much higher rate and we treat them with anitbiotics, NOT surgery. In addition, a recent study suggests that there is a 12% increase in the risk of contracting MRSA in circumcised boys simply because it leaves an open wound on the body. MRSA is far deadlier than a UTI. This means that while 1 in 100 boys left intact may get a UTI, 12 out of 100 cut boys are at risk to contract MRSA. It does NOT prevent cancer, HPV, or HIV. Good hygenie and condom use have much higher rates of prevention for cancers and infections. In fact, HPV is almost universal in the american adult population which is, thats right, circumcised! Cutting your boy will not prevent him from getting any of those things. In america, where Circ rates have traditionally been high, we have much higher rates of genital cancers, HPV and HIV than in countries were circumcision is NOT practised. Furthermore, circumcision removes the most sensitive parts of the penis, which are located on the foreskin. By contrast, on a circ'd man his most sensitive spot is often his scar. Sexual disfunctions later in life have also been linked to circumcision. Your son should have plenty of intact peers (the circ rate is about 50% in america right now) and even if he doesn't teasing shouldn't be an issue. First, why would other kids be looking at your son's penis? By the time they are old enough to be changing together in school, no boy would want to be caught looking at another's penis! Second, if you educate your son about the benefits of being intact, he should be secure in his status. Finally, who is to say what women will or won't like better 20 years from now? Just because women seem to favor cut men at the moment doesn't mean they will in 20 years. And any woman who judges a man by his penis is not the sort of woman you want for your son anyway. In closing, if your son grows hating being intact, he can allways get circumcised later, giving his full consent and with adequate pain relief. On the other hand, if he grows up hating being circumcised (and some men do), you can not ever replace the foreskin. Once it is amputated it is gone for good. This is not your decision to make. Leave the boy alone and be supportive of whatever decision he chooses for HIMSELF and HIS body when he is old enough to consent. -Neb

Answer 20

Ok, don't worry about what some 2000 year old book says about your baby born in 2007. This is modern times and it comes down to this. Do you want your son to have unsightly foreskin for the rest of his life? And do you want him to increase his chances of giving cervical cancer to his sexual partner? If not, get him circumcised. It's the smart thing to do.

Answer 21

it's totally up the parents.

Some doctors will say do it, because it will be easier to clean later in life, and also less chance of infection ( read somewhere that uncircumcised men have a higher rate of std's...not sure if that's true)

but then, others will say, don't because it'll be better for him sexually, and who knows how much it really hurts the little ones, blah blah..

I would do it, but it's up to you :)

Answer 22

There's a biblical reason not to.

God made the baby the way he is, leave him whole. Let him decide when he's grown if he wants to have it done.

Answer 23

circumcise

Answer 24

There is medical date that says you should and there is medical data saying you shouldn't.



Go with how you and your husband feel. The only thing I can add is that even if it's strictly for aesthetic reasons, you may want to do it. If he decides that later in life he doesn't like how it is, it is a much more painful procedure with more risk for infection (no mom to wipe).

Answer 25

Don't do it lol. It's kind of weird to think of it like this, but he'll get a lot more pleasure if you don't.

Answer 26

I had my son done as it meant that it would be easier to keep clean! A friend of mine has a little boy the same age ( 3 1/2 ) and he has had numerous infections because he is not done!

Answer 27

It's customary now for hospitals to circumcise, but they wont if you request it. I don't know the biblical reason but there are definite health benefit from being circumcised.

Answer 28

You should. It is so very common for boys to and I think it was help him later on in life when he finally decides to settle down with a girlfriend, get married, etc. In Jewish religion, we have a ceremony called a bris where the boy who is 7 or 8 days old gets circumcised and he the rabbi gives him his jewish name. It's a whole big ceremony.

Answer 29

This is completely up to you and your husband.



I did get my boys done but it was mainly because my brother wasn't and ran into a lot of problems as an adult. I don't want my boys to have to deal with that.

Answer 30

Jewish people believe u have to im not sure for what reason tho. My reason is because its healthy and it helps keep the penis cleaner and less prone to infection. Men's reasons are because they dont want their kid to look weird. I would let ur husband have his wish its a man thing. LOL

Answer 31

it is your choice and my son is circumcised and I personally find it cleaner and we chose it for hygiene purposes, not for religious purposes.

Answer 32

He should be cirrcumsised because his penis will be easier to clean and when he grows up and gets married it will be much more attractive and appealing, and not give the lady an infection if he is circumsised. For right now though it's your decision and when he grows up if it isnt already then he can chose to have it done.

Answer 33

i think you should.

Answer 34

i think you should. i dont see how it can be compared to removing tonsils. its a lot cleaner and it will be easier for your son when he grows up.

Answer 35

You should, It is in the Bible, It was God's Covenant with Abraham

Answer 36

Just for cleanliness sake, I say get him circumsized.

Answer 37

In bible times, it was just customary. It was how you were initiated as a Jew.

These days, it's to prevent bacteria growth.

Answer 38

Yes you should circumsize your child. That is the standard thing to do and the kid will feel weird when he grows up and looks different. If I had a boy I would definitely do it.