Is the circumcision of babies a human rights violation?

[NoJingoLingo]

Circumcision is an archaic religious practice. Doctors have basically lied to mothers for decades about the procedure. It is a violation of human rights and mutilation. If someone thinks they can defend this practice bring it on.

[grandpa]

Circumcision is an archaic religious practice.
Doctors have basically lied to mothers for decades about the
procedure.

Possibly, but it's less controversial than abortion anyway.

Grandpa h.

[RickSp]

Im baffled how you managed to bring that sort of comment into this discussion.

It is hilarious how some posters have the same answer for every thread. I am actually rather surprised that he didn't blame circumcision on Obama.

Jews, Muslims and some Christian sects mandate circumcision. As a male raised as a white-bread Protestant I was circumcised as a baby and find referring to male circumcision as "violation of human rights and mutilation" to be rather comically over the top. I feel neither violated nor mutilated.

[NoJingoLingo]

Possibly, but it's less controversial than abortion anyway.

Grandpa h.

It's only less controversial because religion supports one and uses it's political and financial might to push it's agenda. Do you believe circumcision would be such a common practice in this country if religion was as against it as they are against abortion?

[NoJingoLingo]

It is hilarious how some poster have the same answer for every thread. I am actually rather surprised that he didn't blame circumcision on Obama.

Jews, Muslims and some Christian sects mandate circumcision. As a male raised as a white-bread Protestant I was circumcised as a baby and find referring to male circumcision as "violation of human rights and mutilation" to be rather comically over the top. I feel neither violated nor mutilated.

Just because you don't "feel" violated or mutilated doesn't mean you were not violated and mutilated. The fact of the matter is that you were. Do you have a logical argument or would you prefer to continue down the xian style of argument?

[RickSp]

Just because you don't "feel" violated or mutilated doesn't mean you were not violated and mutilated. The fact of the matter is that you were. Do you have a logical argument or would you prefer to continue down the xian style of argument?

So now you and you alone know best about what happened to me over 50 years ago, I suspect, long before you were born? You are sole source of truth and wisdom regarding what happened to my body? What part of that isn't absurd? Give me a break.

I have no need to argue anything before you. You are the one making the wholly stupid claims. Prove your case.

[notthecheatr]

As a male raised as a white-bread Protestant I was circumcised as a baby and find referring to male circumcision as "violation of human rights and mutilation" to be rather comically over the top. I feel neither violated nor mutilated.

Same here. While I understand (and agree) that this practice should probably be outlawed and left to the choice of consenting adults, I don't personally feel that my parents did any wrong, least of all because they were doing was right but mostly because it doesn't really affect my personal life in any way.

[NoJingoLingo]

So now you and you alone know best about what happened to me over 50 years ago, I suspect, long before you were born? You are sole source of truth and wisdom regarding what happened to my body? What part of that isn't absurd? Give me a break.

I have no need to argue anything before you. You are the one making the wholly stupid claims. Prove your case.

Were you consulted on whether you'd like to have cosmetic surgery performed on you? No? Is that not a violation of your right to ownership of your body? Proven.

mu·ti·late

   /ˈmyutlˌeɪt/ Show Spelled[myoot-l-eyt] Show IPA
–verb (used with object), -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

1. to injure, disfigure, or make imperfect by removing or irreparably damaging parts: Vandals mutilated the painting.

2. to deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or other essential part.

Is the foreskin essential? Yes. Were you injured? Yes. Were you disfigured? Yes. was your penis irreparably damaged? Yes. Proven.

Case Closed.

Now as I suggested before, will you continue to deny the truth in favor of your "feelings" on the subject?

[Chaossaber314]

As I have a habit of bringing up every time this topic comes up, It tends to be a case of "Whatever was done to my penis is right and whatever was done differently to yours is wrong." These threads always seem to have a bit of a length vs. girth air to them.

[RickSp]

Were you consulted on whether you'd like to have cosmetic surgery performed on you? No? Is that not a violation of your right to ownership of your body? Proven.

Are you an idiot? Do you think it is reasonable to try to talk with a newborn child? To gain his consent?

Is the foreskin essential? Yes. Were you injured? Yes. Were you disfigured? Yes. was your penis irreparably damaged? Yes. Proven.

Case Closed.

Now as I suggested before, will you continue to deny the truth in favor of your "feelings" on the subject?

You consider this a rational argument? Ignore my first question. You've answered it for me already.

And no, a foreskin in not essential. Was I disfigured? Pretty idiotic question as well. My wife doesn't think so and I value her opinion more than I do yours.

Do want the truth?

Circumcised men and boys tend to have slightly lower rates of urinary tract infection. HIV transmission to women is lower by men who are circumcised. Circumcision also reduces infection with human papillomavirus. Circumcision reduces the risk of penile cancer in men circumcised at birth compared to never circumcised men.

But I am wasting my time, I doubt it you would recognize the truth if it bit you on your uncircumcised penis.

[RickSp]

As I have a habit of bringing up every time this topic comes up, It tends to be a case of "Whatever was done to my penis is right and whatever was done differently to yours is wrong." These threads always seem to have a bit of a length vs. girth air to them.

Personally I could care less whether a dude's penis has a turtleneck or a crew cut. Not very interesting to me.

I do object to some punk telling me that I am a mutilated victim of a "human rights violation." Talk about arrogant and stupid.

[Grogybear]

Personally I couldn't care less (edited so as to make sense) whether a dude's penis has a turtleneck or a crew cut. Not very interesting to me.


I do object to some punk telling me that I am a mutilated victim of a "human rights violation." Talk about arrogant and stupid.

Whether you agree with it or not is irrelevant. If an adult had sex with a child that would be a violation of their rights, even if years later as an adult they said they didn't care, and were in favour of the practice.

Obviously thats taking the argument to a ridiculous conclusion but its the same issue - one of consent. You can't give consent to unnecessary surgery any more than to having sex.

If you provided some actual evidence that circumcision is on balance, good for a child's health then I wouldn't think it'd be any more a violation of rights than giving a child their mmr.

I'll always be skeptical of something like circumcision that started off as cultural nonsense and that they're now trying to find excuses for using. It sounds like too much of a coincidence. I don't think that circumcision was believed to reduce HIV rates 2000 years ago. If it does work then fine , there is such a thing as coincidence but as of now i'm very skeptical.