Yeah, even though it's become generally accepted over here, after watching the Penn & Teller vids I realize that it is pretty fucked up (and I kinda wanna buy a PUD
)
Nice that you finally agree, Marcus, even though I prompted you with this information when I converted to Judaism
Next time you come across something you seem extremely sure about, please get your facts and research straight.
Even though I identify as a Jew, I'm actually against circumcision. I might be okay with a mohel doing it (because they cut dicks for a living) but I'm completely against a doctor doing it in a hospital environment (do you really want some overworked and stressed out doctor caring for 20 other infants taking a scalpel to your son's penis? I think not.) Also, doing that shit in a nasty-ass hospital opens up your child to infection, even with the revised, more simplistic metal band methods. Check out this delicious infection caused by MRSA:
http://www.circumstitions.com/Complic.html
In hospitals, male infants are strapped down before getting cut (majority of the American guys cut in a hospital setting before the 1990s were probably circumcised in this fashion.)
It REALLY pisses me off that most American males have such flippant attitudes regarding circumcision without knowing the medical and social reality of it. Majority of the world is uncut, evolutionarily speaking, there is a reason why you have a foreskin.
Although circumcision is seen as the first rite into entering a covenant with G-d, the Bible provides no definitive instructions as to HOW it should be performed (for all we know, circumcision in the religious sense could be pin prick.) Our only way of knowing circumcision today is through the Talmud (or the Oral Law, meaning the Torah as interpreted by sages.) Back when bathing was not the norm and disease was more of a concern, I can understand why circumcision would be desirable. Muslims and Jews performed such rituals because it behaved as a cultural identifier and helped with by supposedly preventing the spread of bacteria and infection. (Jews usually perform the rite of circumcision seven days after birth, Muslims vary by observance and tribe, some boys are circumcised at puberty.) Studies though in the modern day provide conflicting information on this. In the US, circumcision did not become the sexual standard until the early 20th century as it was thought to discourage masturbation, preventing sexual deviance among males.
Circumcision has been thought to prevent the spread of AIDS (foreskin sometimes tears during sex.) Also, having worked with infants, it's a little easier cleaning a baby boy who has been cut versus uncut. Dead skin can build up, preventing the foreskin from retracting, such will cause infection, like UTIs. I also dated a Russian Jewish fellow for a while who encountered this problem when he started puberty. So much dead skin and excretion had built up on his penis, he was unable to pull his skin back, causing tearing and excessive bleeding. His mother chose not to cut him for political reasons; growing up in Russia before the fall of the Iron Curtain was not such a great time for the Jews. Identifying as little as possible with the community worked to one's advantage, there for no circumcision! Also dated a Chinese guy who snapped his skin bridge between the penis and foreskin while fapping too hard in high school. I think he eventually was circumcised in college, because he kept injuring his skin bridge, and not just from masturbation, but having sex. On one occasion I remember him telling me the wound became infected and needing to go on antibiotics. I felt pretty bad for him. And from a women's perspective, it honestly feels more cushioned having sex with an uncut guy versus one who is cut (not to say that it is better, but it definitely brings the pain factor of entry down.) It is also super soft and cute.
Genital herpes in an infant circumcised via Orthodox ritual
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/...-in-new-york-due-to-risk-of-herpes-infection/
Orthodox mohels infecting infant boys with herpes (in Orthodoxy, the mohel usually will suck the blood right after the incision)
Ritual circumcision in Sephardic Jews
Circumcision of a 5 year old boy on Bizarre Foods, and yes, the grandfather eats the freshly cut foreskin. Yum.