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Atheist community role in advocating against circumcision.

Should the atheist community take a more active role in advocating against male genital mutilation (aka circumcision)? The US is the only industrialized country that routinely has physicians perform MGM. The procedure was rooted in religious origins and has been modified to be a more radical procedure based on myths. #IntactAmerica

toxdoc 5 Feb 5
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8 comments

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I am glad l was clipped. If I had had sons, I would have had them clipped. No need to respond, because there is absolutely not one fucking thing you can say that would make me feel differently. 🙂

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NO.
I don't give 2 diddly mummified cat turds where it originated.

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My two sons were circumcised because my (then) husband and I made the choice for myriad reasons. My (and husband's) lack of religion had zero influence, and I'm not sure why atheists should or would raise a banner one way or another. Let's allow individual CHOICE to be the determining factor...

@PalacinkyPDX - parents routinely make decisions on behalf of their child, and do so until such time the child is able to make their own decisions. I made the decision I felt was the best choice!

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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends male infant circumcision as a health measure. Not everything rooted in religious origins was mistaken.

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The only thing I want to say is that its origins aren't religious ones. It was adopted by religion like many other things. It's origin comes from a much less hygienic humanity. It was a pain to keep clean and an easily removable potential source of infection. Once we learned that it could be removed easily and not cause any long term problems, if done right, it became a standard. It was then adopted by religion. Cleanliness is next to godliness, so a hygenic procedure would naturally become part of their teachings.

That said, we have a much better standard of living. We don't live in a time when we only drank alcohol because there is no clean water. Our hygenic practices are much much better than in the past. It's unnecessary and really only done for vanity.. whether it's for religious reasons or social reasons.

Just a peeve of mine when someone says its origin is religious.. because it really isn't. It's one of those things, like free will and morals, that got absorbed by religion and now people think religion was its source. Since it's more of a humanity thing than religious thing, I don't think atheists should be automatically more inclined to be against it.

I'm pretty much 50/50. I see it as an unnecessary procedure, but since I am cut, I know it hasn't negatively effected me and I like mine how it is. I don't feel traumatized, disfigured, or violated. I don't feel like I was the victim of a religious belief. If I were to ever have a boy, I can't say whether or not I'd have him circumcised. Not to sound creepy, but I'd be a pretty shitty father if my son didn't see my dick. Someone has to teach him how to use it and clean it. I have a feeling that he'd develop the feeling of being different from me before he's at an age when he can understand the concept. I'd like to think that I'd let him make his own choice when he reaches that point.

@OwlInASack It's uncommon for there to be an issue, let alone death, from circumcision. Yes, it happens.. but I'm not one to fear a risk just because it's a risk.

It should be common knowledge that many ancient cultures performed circumcision, long before any Abrahamic religions. Like with all things, its history isn't crystal clear.. but it's clear that its history is more cultural than religious. [people.howstuffworks.com]

Here is even an article that is very anti-circumcision and even they state that it's history extends beyond recorded history and then was adopted by Judaism. [cirp.org]

The only issue I've had with the anti-circumcision people are when they attribute its origin to religion. Be against for real reasons.

@OwlInASack To me, it's no different than a parent having their lil baby girl's ears pierced. Sure, it's completely unnecessary is this day and age.. but like getting a baby's ears pierced, there is very little risk to it.

Let me ask you this.. are you against performing surgery to fix a minor cleft lip? That would be without their consent and a body modification. If you don't, there's a good chance that someone somewhere will think ill of your child for having a minor cleft lip. If you do, you could be robbing them of growing up and using it to their advantage.. like Joaquin Phoenix. Medically, it unnecessary. Do you support surgery to fix a minor cleft lip in a baby that cannot give their consent?

@OwlInASack What if the doctors told you it was completely unnecessary and the cleft lip wouldn't effect their life negatively aside from the social aspect? Would you have the procedure done?

@OwlInASack I honestly don't believe that you would opt to not have your child's cleft lip fixed no matter how minor.

Like I said, I agree that it isn't medically needed, in most cases, but it isn't a mutilation or violation. I don't see it any more or less barbaric than having your baby's ears pierced, or cleft lip fixed, or having webbing between their toes and fingers removed, or even getting their hair cut without their consent.

@PalacinkyPDX Like I said, I don't see much of a difference. Speaking from experience, a circumcised penis is still fully functional. Just like how your fingers still work when you trim your nails. To me, it's a useless piece of skin. Both uncircumcised and circumcised penises have their advantages and disadvantages.

That said, I would most likely wait til my son is old enough to understand and make the choice. I don't condemn anyone who chooses to have their son circumcised though. I do condemn the weird rituals around it like I've heard with Catholic priests "healing" the baby's freshly cut penis with his mouth..

2

I certainly can’t speak for everyone of course but I’ve known many of women that have said “ thank god you’re circumcised “ and not the other way around.

I’ve known plenty of people in the medical field that support circumcision due to some men having poor hygiene practices as well as being a hindrance when installing a catheter.

But if this all about some religious ideology issue then may I suggest you wait in line behind the antivaxxers who have created a real issue with humanity.

@OwlInASack Well I guess but it’s always great to hear one person speak for an entire continent though. ??????Bravo.
Truly amazing to see that you took the time to question a billion plus people a truly amazing feat indeed.

@OwlInASack Yeah I can’t argue with all of Europe. So we’re done

@OwlInASack I at least was realistic enough to speak only of my own knowledge and experience.

You spoke on behalf of a whole fucking continent therefore you stepped way beyond the scope of discussion.

You instead attempted to challenge my statement with a do I dare say it “ Trump like “ statement of grandeur.
So no you don’t know every standard or measure in Europe let alone how most people in the states feel about it.

And any medical professional that doesn’t communicate with their patients about their hygiene especially if they’re fucking lazy and with a Bacterial filled toe jam crusted between the head of their penis and it’s foreskin shouldn’t be a medical professional because they apparently don’t give a damn.

So to end this nonsense and put it and myself to bed. I honestly don’t give two flying fucks about another man’s penis! Which is why once again i spoke from only my PERSONAL experience.

But if every other man in the world wanted to be uncircumcised then so be it but I’m pretty positive that if their lady or male partner was to have an uncircumcised penis in their face they’d would most likely wouldn’t want to go back to the “ European “ standard.
Like I said I’ve never once heard “ damn why aren’t you uncircumcised? “ actually just the opposite sir.

But anyway while I’m sleeping maybe you can start reaching out to the rest of your continent and verify the accuracy of your statement. Ok there buddy?
Ok??

@OwlInASack You don’t want a discussion; you just want to bludgeon anyone who engages you with your opinion. You are the KING of whataboutism, in all your posts.
Here’s my experience and view, just mine. Don’t care who likes it or hates it, and I’m sure AF not going to tell anyone I know what’s right for them.

When my son was born, my dad shared his experience. He was born at home. For 18 years, had infections and problems with his penis; he was circumcised at age 19 which was painful and traumatizing to him. He was taught care; he was clean. He still had problems severe enough to medically need the procedure.
I chose to have my son circumcised at birth. He slept through it, healed quickly, and at age 37, has never had a dick problem nor complained about it being done.
As his mother, it was my choice.

I was a maternity RN. Many newborns sleep or suck a pacifier through it; others cry. They get local anesthetic. No parent is coerced or talked into circumcision, in the hospital where I worked.

As a woman, I won’t have sex with an uncut man. I tried and it was all I could do not to puke at the smell. Showers etc didn’t help. Now I ask beforehand and if he’s uncut: nice to have met ya, bye. I’m not body shaming: it’s my preference and my choice to make.

Intactivists ARE creepy. Way too presumptive, intrusive, and their fixation on infant genitals is disturbing. Proselytizing is worse than any religion, too.
My feelings.

@OwlInASack Sigh.
Intactivists: anti-circumcision fanatics who wear bloodied-looking clothes and carry signs(a bunch were at the Super Bowl); proselytize to all, including pregnant strangers, about genitalia, mutilation, penis care, etc. I’ll find a post from one of their pages here shortly. Creepy folks, the ones I’ve talked to online. INTACTIVISTS are intrusive and presumptive.

WTF river of irony? You’re drowning in it! I’m giving my own experience/opinion, I stated clearly it was only mine and I’d never presume to convince another person to see it my way.

Suggest otherwise? Of course. I also investigated the procedure myself while pregnant. As a nurse, if asked I answered questions from parents; not my job to preach to them. They were informed that it’s an elective procedure, and of the possible complications. I have been asked what I think, what should be done? by parents. Again, I told them it was their choice, (and if in doubt, they could wait since it’s elective); I gave them detailed information.

@OwlInASack Dude what’s with the quoting of every word that someone says?? We know what we said but it’s your so whatever.

I prefer intact penises, but I would never say that to a man who is circumcised! He can't do anything about it, so that would be quite cruel.

@bellafonte Intact? That’s a new one but hey at least you’re only speaking for yourself and to each their own just enjoy the smegma though ?

5

This procedure isn’t performed routinely. It’s a choice parents make for their children for a variety of reasons. I fail to see how it has anything to do with atheism.
This is not something that should be done as an adult. It then becomes a major procedure with several weeks of recovery, requiring stiches, higher risk for infection.
I’m not sure where you got your information about it becoming radical. It takes less than five minutes in a controlled environment. The procedure has become fine tuned, as it were in Canada and the US.
Do not for a second compare male circumcision with female genital mutilation. The whole purpose with girls is to remove any possibility of sexual pleasure, it’s control over a woman’s body by men.. essentially so women won’t cheat.

@OwlInASack there’s been several studies done on this issue. Circumcised men have lower rates of UTI’s, STD’s.
To each thier own.. insurance does not cover this. Parents pay for this out of thier own pocket.
[cancer.org]

@OwlInASack
Since hemophilia is inherited, an infant born from a hemophiliac father(and/or disease in the mothers family) would be tested at birth(if not before) and no elective procedure would be done.

@OwlInASack Of course it happens; no system is perfect. Plus your source is not exactly unbiased. I’m not arguing that complications don’t happen; they do with any procedure/treatment/meds.

@OwlInASack [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

@OwlInASack Then dude, don’t have it, and don’t circumcise any of your sons.
It’s like abortion: hate abortion? Don’t have one.

@OwlInASack A study by the National Institute of Health on whether elective male circumcision of newborns is beneficial.
Spoiler: it is.

@OwlInASack screenshots of the super bowl protests

@OwlInASack ahaha. I was expecting that.
Closed minds refuse to see anything but what supports their own delusions.
So, whatever. Have a good night.

0

Atheism isn’t humanism or any other moral philosophy. One would hope that we would all be willing to address abuses like this now that we are free of religious dogma, certainly. I definitely oppose it.

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