Red Wolf wrote
I firmly believe you're wrong about this... I'm not going to debate your other philosophical ideals because thats you're right to believe in whatever you want...
In what sense am I wrong about this? What is the specific detriment to a child that you feel is conferred by circumcision? I gave my specific reasons, which of them is wrong?
However the idea that no pain was felt is clearly wrong and I don't believe that a person without a medical background is qualified to state that "no pain was felt".
I did not say that no pain was felt, I said it was not torture and that the pain was not excessive. I feel qualified to say this as I
held both of my sons while they were circumcised, both within the last few years. I dont see what would make anyone more qualified, excepting perhaps a moile. My father is a medical doctor, and held his two sons while they were circumcised. He concurs if that makes you feel any better.
Clearly it's excruciating pain and most medical studies will show this.
Clearly ??? Have you personal experience with this ??? link to said studies ??? How is this measured in an infant anyway? You are showing your unfounded bias here. I am quite sure that birth was much more painful for my children than circumcision, care to refute that? I also assisted in the births of both my children. What is your experience in this area?
In any case it is not clear to me how even if it were excruciating pain that would make any difference. You commit your child to a life in which he/she is guaranteed to feel the full gamut of pain and pleasure when you decide to have one. That is part of being human. One just hopes the child lives long enough.
As I said in my earlier post, for me it is not about belief but about ritual and being human.
Take a razor blade to your ear and start cutting - see how much pain you feel.
Please, that comment seems quite infantile to me. I have had much worse experiences than a bit of a razor blade cut to the earlobe. The most painful experiences by far are emotional (for the vast majority of humans). I worry much more about my childrens experiences with social acceptance and unrequited love than I do about say
a broken arm.
Pain is part of the human experience, and is often part of ritual experiences for a good reason. It helps bring together the duality that makes up all of us, mind and body. The existence of transitory pain is not a reason to do, or not do, something worth doing.
You may not want to circumcise your children, that's fine with me, but I have seen you offer no substantial reason why a child should not be circumcised. I have yet to see one in this thread, nothing substantial enough to even need 'discounting'.
Most women will agree with you - remember the sienfeld episode where Elaine compares men's bodies to a jeep?
Heh, not that it matters but Elaine expresses a preference to the circumcised unit in that episode.
