Circumcision declared "An act of violence"

[Abedy 0]

I read a satirical article on a German-Jewish website today. It's in German, so to put it short: The (female) author pokes phun at a "brave" author who "dares" to stand up against a bloody religious ritual causing pain and lifelong trauma to poor boys who cannot oppose to what is done to them. Published in a quality paper, the FAZ (just like the Melbourne Age etc), have a look.
Yeah, I'm biased. Mainly because the author gives a little thought to hygienic & medical aspects but mainly uses it to shine his light into the darkness of barbaric, archaic rituals committed by both Jews and Muslims. And doing so is such an act of BRAVERY nowadays that nobody with a sound mind dares to raise their voice against religious lunacy. (Yes, I'm exaggerating...)
But the author also cites a shrink who muses about "genital trauma at the end of the Oedipal phase" - without any reliable data, even without any studies done whatsoever. (A study exploring all these aspects is being planned, the shrink is cited...)

I read most of the many replies to the article and was appalled how many of them gave support to the authors "theses" and a lot of them with great zeal blustered about "time to take stand", "we gotta put an end to this barbaric practice" etc.

To lay a foundation in English: You can find a lot of pros and cons at Wikipedia. Some of them are debated in the abovementioned article but biased etc. I consider the Wiki article at least sort of non-partisan and more or less reliable.

I wonder:
1.: Where is this discussion going here in Germany? No, don't answer, I'm afraid I anticipate what's coming up...
2.: What do Americans (both male and female) say about this topic? Since circumcision is widely practised in the States I don't think it is a heavily debated topic and not even fashionable for do-gooders etc? Anyway, I'm interested in any comments. Hope it won't boil too much (and won't raise too many Beavis-and-Butt-Headish answers, huhuh...)

P.S.: Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc. I haven't missed anything yet and think my pecker works fine for both And I indeed think it's way more hygienic. And I think if circumcision is performed under local anaesthesia by an experienced physician the risks are almost zero and outweighed by its advantages. But again, that's my personal opinion

The sky is not the limit. The ground is.

The Society of Skydiving Ducks

[kallend 1,623]

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P.S.: Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc. I haven't missed anything yet and think my pecker works fine for both

How could you possibly know what you may be missing?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Abedy 0]

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P.S.: Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc. I haven't missed anything yet and think my pecker works fine for both

How could you possibly know what you may be missing?

Right on this one. Hence I can only express my feeling that I haven't missed anything yet. I've been pleased with how "he" has worked so far But in the end it's a problem I can't solve 100%. Maybe it's pretty good so

The sky is not the limit. The ground is.

The Society of Skydiving Ducks

[falxori 0]

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I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc.

All I can say is if that's only 60%, a 100% would have given me a heart attack...

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[christelsabine 1]

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....
Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality
....

Bragger.

You just lost few mm of needless skin. My son was 3 y/o; he had problems, so surgical intervention had to be done. Today, he is a young happy man.

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[Belgian_Draft 0]

I was circumcised when I was born. Traumatic? I couldn't talk for months afterwards.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[masterrig 1]

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I was circumcised when I was born. Traumatic? I couldn't talk for months afterwards.

That's funny! Good thingI swallowed my Dr. Pepper before I read that.

As for the topic at hand, I've never had a problem. If, I lost 60% of penile functionality... I couldn't tell. I do know, the 40% I was left with was pretty damned good!


Chuck

[Coreece 190]

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I was circumcised when I was born. Traumatic? I couldn't talk for months afterwards.

You got off easy...I couldn't walk for 9 months!

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[Coreece 190]

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I was circumcised when I was born. Traumatic? I couldn't talk for months afterwards.

That's funny! Good thingI swallowed my Dr. Pepper before I read that.

Chuck

+1

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[virgin-burner 1]

i think it IS barbaric, my doctor wanted to do it, my mom opposed; i'm glad she did! except for some very rare cases there is absolutely no need to.

you wouldnt cut off all the fingers of your right hand if your religion would demand that?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[dirtbox 0]

was having this debate a few weeks back with some friends (9 people; 2 Canadians, 1 Aussie and 6 Americans / 6 guys, 3 girls and I was the only person there who had not been circumcised). Unlike America, it isn't very common in Australia. The anecdotal conclusions reached were that sexually, circumcision makes you slightly less sensitive. A non-circumcised penis needs to be washed more frequently. The non-circumcised penis would also be more sensitive (even painful) to rubbing on clothes if the foreskin was retracted but after circumcision more lube (moisture) was needed for sex or masturbation because the head would dry quicker.

Feeling like the odd one out I went home and did some reading and what I learnt was there is evidence suggesting circumcision to impede the spread of aids (not proven and not on a large scale but aids numbers were lower in men who had been circumcised) and other STDs. Adult circumcisions can be riddled with complications and very painful but is usually a fairly normal operation with a short recovery time.

[Coreece 190]

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you wouldnt cut off all the fingers of your right hand if your religion would demand that?

For most people it isn't a religious thing.

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[wmw999 2,122]

I'm sorry -- it sounds like you're trying to introduce open-minded research into a discussion on circumcision.

I don't believe that's allowed

Wendy P.
(I'm not circumcised

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[virgin-burner 1]

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you wouldnt cut off all the fingers of your right hand if your religion would demand that?

For most people it isn't a religious thing.

what is it then? a barbaric custom from the middle ages? nobody in europe would do that by free choice, except the jews and the muslims.. well, free choice, i dont know how free that choice is if it's done to you as an infant or a young teenage-boy..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Skyrad 0]

Its not unusual in the UK

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[dirtbox 0]

Ok Mum - in that case I change my answer to plukka plukka ducka lucka street

[Coreece 190]

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what is it then?

It makes us feel So Fresh and So Clean and helps reduce gynecological inflamations and infections.

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[virgin-burner 1]

i wonder why that is if half the american population probably has immigrated from the UK hundreds of years ago..

just because half the african woman are circumsised and have been for hundreds of years it means that it's a good practice.

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[virgin-burner 1]

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what is it then?

It makes us feel So Fresh and So Clean and helps reduce gynecological inflamations and infections.

good for you, i prefer daily showers for that feeling. or dont you have running water in your place?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Coreece 190]

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what is it then?

It makes us feel So Fresh and So Clean and helps reduce gynecological inflamations and infections.

good for you, i prefer daily showers for that feeling. or dont you have running water in your place?

Dude, I live on the Great Lakes in a teepee now, haven't you heard?...plenty of fresh clean water here.

Why do you care so much about my penis anyway?

What's next, protesting penis piercings?

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[Andy9o8 0]

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P.S.: Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc. I haven't missed anything yet and think my pecker works fine for both

How could you possibly know what you may be missing?

I'm pretty sure he just has to look.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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was having this debate a few weeks back with some friends (9 people; 2 Canadians, 1 Aussie and 6 Americans / 6 guys, 3 girls and I was the only person there who had not been circumcised).

What even the 3 girls were circumcised? Who would have thought.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[davjohns 1]

Wait...it's 60% of what it could have been? And it's gotten me into as much trouble as it has in an 'impaired' condition?

Whew! I'm glad I don't have a full-strength one. No telling who I'd be dry humping during meetings at work.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[lawrocket 3]

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P.S.: Yes, I am circumcised. So I do not know whether it's true I lost 60% or so of my penile functionality etc. I haven't missed anything yet and think my pecker works fine for both

How could you possibly know what you may be missing?

I can read about prepucephimosis and paraphimosis. I miss them like I miss a stomach pump...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[DARK 0]

i dont think it should be done to every kid as soon as they are born as there is simply no need for it, but i dont think it is as massive a deal as the anti cut people make it out to be

im glad im uncut, its nowhere near as common in europe and ireland as it is in the states(one of my mates is circumcised and he got it done for medical reasons at age and he prefers it. good for him

if your have a dirty dick cut or not its because your a dirty basterd, no other reason.