Modern Circumcision is Not Necessary, Natural, or Biblical

October 31, 2011

Big topic, people. I know. And a very controversial one at that. I know this blog post won’t be a comprehensive, exhaustive dissertation on the topic, but what I have learned about the subject is too important to keep to myself.

So here we go. It’s time to clear up a whole host of misconceptions when it comes to infant circumcision.

photo credit: Jeff Dickerson

Circumcision is Not Medically Necessary

Did you know America is the only Western nation to implement mass infant circumcision? What does that tell you about the necessity of the procedure? Only 2% of males in the world today are circumcised (9/10th of those being in America.) In 1949 Douglas Gairdner recognized the lack of medical justification for circumcision, which led to the elimination of infant circumcision in the UK. In talking with Kiwis here in New Zealand, one man in his 30s can’t think of anyone in his generation that is circumcised and another woman in her 20s wondered that it was even still widely practiced anymore. As it turns out, the rest of the world functions quite well with their genitalia in tact.

“All of the Western world raises its children uncircumcised and it seems logical that, with the extent of health knowledge in those countries, such a practice must be safe.” -former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) wrapped up an exhaustive 2 year study in 1999 and concluded that “routine circumcision of male infants was not essential to their current well-being and could not be justified on medical grounds.” (Check out this pdf for that reference and many other facts concerning the medical basis for keeping boys intact.)

So why do we do it? The International Coalition for Genital Integrity (ICGI) names ‘cultural momentum’ as the culprit. But once you learn where the practice began in the first place (below) you’ll wonder how anything this silly could be continued. (But then again, I wonder the same about lots of other things that most people consider ‘normal’ . . . )

Plus, you’ve got to follow the money trail. Let’s not forget that circumcision is a source of income for the medical community.

Where Did Modern Circumcision Come From?

So why do we amputate boy’s foreskin these days? Who decided this was a good idea? Oh, so glad you asked. Several doctors and psychiatrists in Victorian times got together and came up with the idea hoping to discourage self-stimulation. Yep, that’s right. Edward H. Dixon declared in 1845 that he had cured masturbation with circumcision. As you might have guessed, their little experiment didn’t work, but after a while, the practice just became “tradition.” More and more doctors throughout the 1800s tried to say circumcision cured everything from nocturnal emissions (wet dreams) to crooked eyes.

Diagram of the first circumstraint device

Then in 1893 Mark J. Lehman demanded the immediate implementation of mass circumcision for all American boys. In 1953 R.L. Miller & D.C. Snyder reveal their plan to circumcise all baby boys immediately after birth to prevent masturbation and provide “immunity to nearly all physical and mental illness.” Talk about a pointless tradition! And, as the website I mentioned earlier so cleverly recognizes, “there are few things so safely guarded as tradition.”

“Circumcision is a solution in search of a problem.” -Edward Wallerstein

Check out this great slideshow to see the rise and fall of infant circumcision in the US, UK, and the world, along with some really crazy stats.

What About Keeping it Clean & the Risk of Infection?

Yep, it’s true. Intact boys and men have to make sure the foreskin and entire genitalia is kept clean to avoid a risk of infection. But if you’re a woman reading this, how many folds and flaps do you have in your vagina? Do you have any trouble keeping it clean?

What’s really cool is that when a baby boy is born, the foreskin is sealed shut to protect the vulnerable glans from the urine & feces that will fill his diaper. Then right about the time babies are generally toilet trained, the foreskin begins to loosen and naturally retract. Talk about the crazy cool wisdom of God!

The same sort of skin found on the foreskin is also found in the mouth, nose, and inner genitalia of females. These are all dark and well-lubricated areas. When you change that environment for the male genitalia, you open up that male to problems like:

irritated skin
rashes
chafing
redness
bumps & blisters
sexual problems like chronic erection failure &
chronic premature ejaculation

That’s not to mention the risk of these potential side effects from the actual act of circumcision itself (see this pdf for references):

Hemorrhaging
Infections
Urinary retention (swelling from trauma of surgery & pain when trying to urinate)
Permanent bowing of the penis
Cysts
Skin tags (a cosmetic problem if there is an uneven removal of skin)
Meatitis (inflammation of the urethral opening)
Meatal stenosis (scar tissue causes urinary obstruction – occurs in 1/3 of circumcised males & not at all with intact males)
Meatal ulceration (caused by meatitis or abrasions from dry or soiled diapers – does not occur with intact boys but occurs with up to 50% of circumcised ones)
Heart failure or myocardial injury
Sexual dysfunction

photo credit: urbangarden

Circumcision in the Bible

So why did God command circumcision of His people? It obviously wasn’t for medical reasons (as we figured out above). Is this something we just accept as a “because I’m God and I said so” kind of thing? I actually don’t believe God works like that. He’s far too kind and wise and creative to throw down random commandments from his throne in heaven. (Note: Debating theology is beyond the scope of this blog, so what I’m discussing in this section might make some people angry–if the post hasn’t done that already, that is–so please take what I say with a grain of salt, if you would be so kind.)

Let’s think about the food laws of the Old Testament for a minute. For years I wondered what was up with “don’t eat animals without cleft hooves that don’t chew the cud or fish without scales.” Why all the regulations? I just didn’t get it. So it was like a spiritual revelation to me to read The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin and realize that God had His people’s health in mind when He set up those food laws! He didn’t create pigs and shellfish for food; they fulfill other roles in creation like cleaning up the waste of the farm and the sea.

I realize now there is still wisdom to be found in the Old Testament even though Jesus’s death and resurrection fulfilled the Old Covenant Law with all its rules and regulations and I can live in freedom. So you can imagine my confusion after learning that circumcision isn’t medically necessary and certainly doesn’t seem natural. Why would God create us with certain parts of our bodies that just need to be cut off? And why only boys and not girls?

Modern Circumcision is Nothing Like What Happened in Biblical Times

Learning this was like having blind eyes opened. Turns out modern circumcision is nothing like what happened in Biblical times. The two Hebrew words used to describe Old Testament circumcision are namal & muwl. Namal means “clipped,” like you might clip your fingernails. The word muwl means “to curtail, to blunt, to cut shorter.” There are totally different words used in Hebrew for “cut off” or “removed.”

The whole idea of circumcision as it was ordained by God at that time in history was that a little blood would be drawn as a symbol. It was a symbol of the sin of the world, which would eventually be repaid by the Messiah. God-ordained circumcision was in the same category as animal sacrifices (another symbolic tradition with blood that found its fulfillment in Jesus).

Also think about how you as a parent would feel (or felt) when you saw your son being circumcised. Imagine the pain as a parent knowing your child is having to endure. Then imagine the pain of the Father as He watches His only Son endure the pain of suffocating to death on a cross in order to take the sin of the world into hell and pay for it Himself. (But don’t forget that God never asked His people to mutilate any part of the male genitalia. Clipping a tiny bit of the foreskin to draw blood is nothing like amputating the entire thing.)

The writers of the New Testament are very clear that circumcision (along with animal sacrifices) are no longer necessary. It’s not about the body anymore. Jesus bought our freedom and if we live in Him we are no longer under the burden of the Law anymore. (Can I get an Amen?!)

If you’d like to read more about what the Bible says about circumcision under the New Covenant, check out this website that has lots of great information.

No Judgement Here, People

I do want to make it clear that if you did or do decide to circumcise your baby, I hold no judgement whatsoever. Had I not learned everything that I just shared with you, I would have done the same thing. It’s a personal decision for the parents, though I do hope that it becomes less and less of a tradition so more people can be educated on the facts.

Now it’s your turn. What are your thoughts on modern circumcision now that you have the facts?

This post is linked to Monday Mania

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Emily @ Butter Believer
October 31, 2011 at 9:29 pm

YAY! Great job, Lori!! This is perfect ammo for me to show to PH, hehe. ;)

What disturbs me the most about the whole thing is that so many Christians are holding onto it based off of OT scripture — it kind of makes me mad that “namal” and “muwi” even got translated into “circumcision” in the first place! That’s not what they were doing at all! Well, actually, I’m sure those crazy doctors who came up with modern circumcision just chose to use that word for their senseless mutilation specifically to target Christians, since it was already in the bible. Ugh!
1. Lori Winter
  November 1, 2011 at 12:02 am
  
  Thanks Emily! Hopefully PH will see the light :-P
  I totally agree with you–I hate the all the misconceptions that Christians unknowingly believe. I was one of them who had no idea. But now that I’ve learned the truth I can’t keep it to myself!
  1. Saffy
    December 16, 2013 at 1:11 am
    
    Hi Lori,
    
    You’re post’s have been very informative and at times real eye openers. Your blog on Circumcision had a few inaccuracies with regards to numbers. i.e that only 2% of males are Circumcised and that 9/10 are in America.
    The reason i say this with absolute certainty is because Circumcision is a practice carried on muslim males, and surely they number more than 2% of the male population and definitely they 9/10 DO NOT live in America!
    
    If i am not mistaken it is a practice among Jewish males as well which would mean the numbers are higher. Living in Sri Lanka which is an 80% Buddhist country, there have been instances where doctors do prescribe Circumcision on grown men because their wives/girl friends complain of vaginal infections.
    
    Just thought i’d share this with you are your readers.
    
    Have a good one, and keep up the good work
chrisgrano
October 31, 2011 at 11:31 pm

Hey Lori, very informative. Not that I’m attached to the idea of circumcision, but as a typical American male, I’ve lived with it my whole life and have never had any problems as a result. You’ve pointed out some great reasons why it’s not necessary to circumcise, but I’m not sure I understand any compelling reasons against it other than some of the minor irritation issues you mentioned with newborns. Do you have any further thoughts on that?
1. Lori Winter
  November 1, 2011 at 12:00 am
  
  Thanks Chris! It’s true that many males don’t experience any overt problems associated with infant circumcision, but there are heaps of complications that can arise like sexual dysfunction, skin tags, cysts, urinary retention, deformity of the glans, or even heart failure. (Check out this pdf for references: http://www.icgi.org/Downloads/FD2.pdf)
  Aside from that, the foreskin plays a vital role in a male’s health and development. I just don’t see any valid reason to amputate any part of the body that God put there for a reason.
2. Drew
  November 1, 2011 at 12:18 am
  
  I don’t recall ever having any problems myself either, but since removing the foreskin decreases a lot of the sensitivity, I’d have voted to keep it. I would think it’s like removing a thumb. The fingers still come in handy but how much more helpful it would be with that thumb! That’s one main reason, and I’m sure my future son would appreciate our decision once he finds out for himself after consummating his marriage ;)
3. Lori Winter
  November 1, 2011 at 4:03 am
  
  By the way–thanks for the question since it inspired me to make an addendum to the post. :)
4. Beth
  March 20, 2012 at 12:10 am
  
  Hi! Circumcision is NOT just a minor irritant to newborn boys. My husband was also circumcised and doesn’t have any “ill effects” from it; but it is a fact that circumcision gets rid of pleasure nerves (and a whole lot of other things that cannot be restored).
  
  It also makes the penis more uncomfortable for women during sex (a circumcised penis is shaped like a barb and having an intact penis helps the penis to glide more smoothly during ).
  
  There are at least 100 deaths per year due to male circumcision; and many more botched circumcisions, cut off penises, and infections. Studies have also shown that babies suffer emotionally from being circumcised and it is my understanding that circumcision can hurt like he**.
  
  We are 100% happy that we did not circumcise our boy and we will never do it.
  
  Here is a blog post I did about it. I am not in favor of circumcision and the research I found about it horrified me. (I am not trying to spam this awesome blog, but I really found out some crazy stuff when I did research on my circ article):
  
  http://thecrunchyhousewife.com/circumcisions-dirty-secret-the-big-business-of-being-cut-and-its-sordid-history/
  
  Thank you for your article!
5. Callie
  October 30, 2013 at 8:40 am
  
  My opposition is not just the relatively small risks of irritation or serious injury or death. When you see circumcision as something elective and unnecessary, as it is, you then start to wonder, do boys and men have an actual RIGHT to their own intact genitals? Just as women do, do they deserve to make their own decisions about permanent alterations to healthy and purposeful parts of their body? I believe so. But if you have the opposite opinion, why? I mean, when you set aside all the things we thought we knew to be true and “good” about routine infant circumcision, when you are informed and educated with accurate information about the functions of the foreskin and the real complications of circumcision, why should we parents still be taking that genital tissue away.. out of our own personal preference? Why doesn’t our son, a future man, get to make that call for himself. So, to answer your question, I see it as a human rights issue that most Americans don’t happen to recognize (yet). Much like women’s right to vote, a black person’s right to drink from any water fountain, etc. I hope that I’ve offered some good insight. :)
6. Sylvia ER nurse
  August 9, 2015 at 7:12 am
  
  Chris- it is a very painful procedure also. Babies end up vomiting from pain. I’m a nurse so have had to watch them and I can’t stomach them. The babies have pain for 8-10 days after and many refuse to breastfeed after. Also, women who have cut partners have higher rates of dysparunia -painful sex- due to the loss of mechanical lubrication(the gliding function of the foreskin)- which is why Americans often require lubrications for sex.
7. TC
  April 28, 2018 at 7:56 am
  
  Vaginal infections after intercourse with an intact man comes from poor hygiene practices either from the female or male. The same with a circumcised man if the cleaning practices aren’t good. Infection can be contracted from and given to either partner.
8. Ashley Smith
  June 21, 2018 at 11:19 pm
  
  120 babies die on average every year in the USA from circumcision.
9. AleXander
  August 13, 2019 at 5:01 pm
  
  The mechanics of sexual activity are changed dramatically with circumcision, from rolling to rubbing. For the most part intact men do not need to use lube. The sliding/gliding motion of the foreskin over the glans and corona is deeply pleasurable for the male – and makes initial insertion of the penis easier and more comfortable for both partners.
  More detailed information here: https://foreskinfunction.org
Peggy
November 1, 2011 at 7:55 am

I’m curious if during your research you made any distinctions in environment — at a bris with a community of supportive people versus a sterile medical environment (hospital)? I ask this because I once read a debate on this same topic on an online forum, and one reader described her experience while attending a bris. Said the baby made a sound like a hiccup and fell asleep.
1. Lori Winter
  November 1, 2011 at 11:52 pm
  
  I’m not sure that what I researched did make a distinction in environments, but I’m not sure it would change my mind on doing it or not doing it for my child. Obviously a parent would want their child to experience as little pain as possible at any point, but why even bother with a procedure that is clearly not necessary? Just my take on it.
beyondstress
November 1, 2011 at 10:47 am

Hi Lori,
Thank you for posting this! I have a small blog on Peace and in my exploration of Peace I have come to believe that one of the reasons we have a Culture of Violence is that we remain unaware of how we inoculate our children’s lives with violence. Parents, the very people that are supposed to Love and protect children are often responsible for their first experiences of violence. This is not because parents want harm to come to their children, but because they receive so little instruction on how to raise children they often fall back on tradition (the way it was always done). I have found that circumcision; along with spanking are a couple of the primary ways society introduces violence to children. If we continue to plant seeds of violence, how can we hope that Peace will grow instead? I am, however, very grateful that more and more people are becoming aware of how some of the traditions are questionable, and are finding the courage to stand up to them. I believe this post may inspire others to stand up to this questionable tradition. Thank You!!

Peace and love, Dan
1. Lori Winter
  November 1, 2011 at 11:54 pm
  
  Thanks for your comment, Dan! I agree that what children experience (whether or not they even remember it) can have an impact later in life–whether emotionally, spiritually, or physically. I too find circumcision to be a questionable and needless tradition with roots in pseudoscience.
2. Suzanne
  August 25, 2012 at 5:50 pm
  
  For you to equate circumcision with violence is very misleading. One of the communities that have the least crime and violence are Jewish Orthodox communities where circumcision is performed all the time.
  1. Lori Winter
    August 31, 2012 at 2:20 pm
    
    Hi Suzanne – I realize your comment is meant for beyondstress above, but I would definitely want to clarify my view and reiterate the difference between traditional Jewish circumcision and MODERN circumcision, which are two very different things (you may have already seen my other article concerning the differences – https://www.laurelofleaves.com/2011/12/is-circumcision-a-christian-thing-to-do/)
    Thanks for joining the conversation!
  2. Lorinda
    January 27, 2019 at 9:09 pm
    
    Thank you Suzanne!!! I am a christian jew and all of my sons are circumcised with no regret. No guilt. Much of my sons didnt even realize it was happening. I think there is more to circumcision than merely a reminder of sin or that it is completely unneccessary, but i will not debate the issue here. While i know hospitals in America do it very differently and take waaay too much off, for those that feel they want to do circumcision, but are concerned about going the traditional medical route, here is that better way.. for some it may be not to do it at all, for others it is to go to a bris or have a mohel come to your home. They do not remove anything that affects nerves, or glands in any way. For those equating it to violence. This is a very unpleasant and potentially harmful blanket statement that can lead to some really offputting attitudes toward certain cultures.
    1. Peter
      April 30, 2020 at 2:22 am
      
      Dear Lorinda, This is human rights issue more than just cleanliness or biblical thing to do. Your boys were like ‘Tabula rasa”. They didn’t know anything about violence you consenting them to do. Anything the mohel took off affects the nerves. I know the biblical mutilation cut off just tip of the foreskin, but it is still circumcision. Do you think you own their body, cause you feed them?
    2. Circ Du So-long
      May 3, 2020 at 2:52 am
      
      Some rabbi’s suck it after they cut it. Boys have contracted herpes and died from this. The amount of skin, in this instance is irrelevant. The rape and disfigurment of a child shouldn’t be protected under religion. If it were the girls… none if you women would dare justify even a papercut on thier genitals, let alone a tongue bath afterward.
      
      You know the boys have to have an erection to get a proper circumcision, right?
      
      Religious freedom has always just boiled down to being free to abuse the weakest members of our society.
      
      Cut it up, dont let them feel pleasure from it (masturbation is a sin, right?), “if you spare the rod, then you spoil the child”. . . All of this religious freedom is a fantastic way to give the state a justification to take ownership of children at birth. They’ll claim they are protecting them from thier parents and use stuff like circumcision to get there. The circ fight will be lost regardless… They’ll all have foreskins in the dystopia. Why dont you just back off and let a child have his skin and live naturally. You can cut off the tip open or off if the thing is fused shut. And only the tip.. Other than that, can you and your doctors and religious figures bring yourselves to finally get your hands out of the boys’ pants?
      
      Why are all these religious leaders so interested in touching penises anyway? I think I’ll raise my boys catholic. They’ll thank me for a blowjob from a priest at 13 instead of meeting a rabbi with a knife.
Adam Houston
November 1, 2011 at 11:34 am

Lori, I think your post is great and the facts presented are solid and well-documented. But I do think you overreach a bit in your conclusion. There’s a big difference between “not medically necessary” and “medically harmful”. While “possible complications” that you listed abound, INCIDENCE of such complications related to circumcision in a sterile environment remains exceedingly low – lower than or equal to the unique complications that are only possible with intact male children (problems related to foreskin retraction, etc which are present in the low single digits according to the AAP). Just as you’ll find with the vast, VAST majority of “culturally normal” American males, I’ve experienced no problems at all. I have no memory of any pain from the procedure.

With there being no clear medical indication one way or the other, and babies not being able to offer their rational thoughts about the decision, it falls to parents to educate themselves and then make an informed decision. I would be disappointed had my parents not chosen to circumcise me (and they did debate it). I feel they made the right choice for me. If someone else chooses not to circumcise their child, after considering the issue prayerfully and logically, great! It is certainly not necessary! But if someone chooses to circumcise their child after conducting the same research and prayerful consideration, that’s great too. It really is a personal choice between two largely equal paths – and not some type of horrific, complicated torture as your post seems to indicate.

Your use of a word like “amputate” (drawing mental images of the loss of a critically useful appendage such as an arm or leg) when “remove” is an equally accurate, less charged synonym, is one such example where I feel you are doing something other than your stated goal of “presenting the facts” so that people can make their own informed decisions. You are basically saying, in your conclusion, that you aren’t judging parents who choose to circumcise their boys but “once you know the facts I just gave you, you surely wouldn’t want to do this” (paraphrased of course). To me, based on your own obvious bias against circumcision, your claim of no judgement rings a bit hollow. But, again, it’s a valuable post on an important topic, and I agree that parents need to understand that it’s entirely their choice. There’s no need to blindly follow “tradition” (in America at least). But please don’t overreach into saying that it’s harmful. It just isn’t.
1. Lori Winter
  November 2, 2011 at 12:07 am
  
  Hey Adam–thanks for your comment! I do want to address what you said about my ‘no judgement’ section ringing hollow. While it would indeed make me really sad if someone close to me chose to circumcise their child after learning what I have learned (and hopefully conveyed in full above)–but I remember being in the dark so to speak about this subject not too long ago.
  Would it make me really sad if someone close to me decided to circumcise their baby boy after learning about it? Yeah, it would. But I do actually have some really close friends who are very committed to a natural lifestyle who chose to circumcise their baby. There were extenuating circumstances (which I won’t share since it’s really not my place to do so), so I fully recognize that it’s a personal decision. If I (or they) had known then what I know now, would that have influenced their decision? I’m not sure. But that’s totally OK.
  Don’t feel like you have to answer this next question since it is rather personal, but I’m curious. Why are you glad that your parents made the decision to circumcise you as an infant?
  I guess in closing, the question I really want to pose is–why would anyone even bother with a completely unnecessary procedure like circumcision? You talked about it being two equal paths, but in reality, circumcision leaves the baby without their foreskin. They may or may not miss it later in life or have problems, but the same thing could be said if doctors suddenly claimed that ‘removing’ the left pinky toe at birth could cure near-sightedness. Of course it doesn’t cure anything, so why would people continue to do it (the risk of any possible negative side effects aside)? Does that analogy make sense?
2. Circ Du So-long
  May 3, 2020 at 2:54 am
  
  Amputate is the term. Cut off by surgical operation.
planeta
November 1, 2011 at 3:42 pm

I agree with Adam Houston.
Ditto.Ditto. Ditto.

There is very little original research or thought in this blog piece, and a whole lotta personal preaching instead.A whole lot of Blah, blah,
blah-ing with passion. And a lot of personal religious soap box, soap box, soap box from your own personal relious stand.
You can’t Google and Youtube everything you want to talk about and have us take it as serious science.
Please back up your emphatic statements and do due diligence by exploring both sides of the issue with equal respect.
Stop quoting other people’s online nonsense and putting it together in a hodge podge of ideas and calling it “truth”.
By doing your own investigating and starting by telling the truth of *both* sides of the issue equally, you actually may surprise yourself about this topic. And you will serve your community with a greater dose of reality than the hysterical outburst you offered to us in our inbox today. Thanks!!
1. Sarah
  November 14, 2011 at 1:18 am
  
  “You can’t Google and Youtube everything you want to talk about and have us take it as serious science.” Google is simply a search engine, and you can use it to arrive at everything from whacko porn websites to the Library of Congress.
  
  “Please back up your emphatic statements…” You mean by linking to a statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics after 2 years of research?
  
  While you obviously do not agree with this blogger’s conclusions, your own comment smacks of the kind of “hysterical outburst” that you accuse her of. I still haven’t made my own decision regarding circumcision, but I have to tell you that after more than 7 years of looking into this question (I have 3 girls, but we have returned to this question with each pregnancy), this particular posts is one of the calmest and most rational ones that I have read against the issue of circumcision. The author quotes medical facts, a respected physician association, and the .pdf file about potential side effects has 2 full pages of scientific references – 99 references to be exact! That’s a whole lot of the science you are screaming for.
  
  Do I agree with all of her conclusions? Not necessarily. I believe that her assessment that, “The writers of the New Testament are very clear that circumcision… are no longer necessary” is flawed by a misunderstanding of the issue the apostle Paul was addressing. However, this particularly applies to my situation as a Jewish believer in Jesus. I do not believe that gentiles are under any obligation to circumcise their children. However, her overall reasoning is sound and her presentation is relatively inoffensive, which I appreciate. As for the religious nature of her argument, the discussion is written from and addressed to those who believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and who use it to make decisions. If you want to debate that, you are on a while other issue than that which is addressed in this post!
  
  I would like to respectfully suggest that you look at your own response and weigh how much science it contains versus its angry personal passion. I, for one, appreciate this post, and will consider her arguments if we ever do have to make this decision.
  1. Lori Winter
    December 14, 2011 at 3:00 pm
    
    Sarah, I just wanted to let you know I’ve written a new article that focuses more on the topic from a religious perspective. I think you might find it interesting as a Jewish Believer in particular, so I wanted to share it with you! :) http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2011/12/10/guest-post-is-circumcision-a-christian-thing-to-do.html
Leon @ Organically Thought
November 3, 2011 at 9:30 pm

WOW great post! I was reluctant to read it but I am glad I did. About two years ago I had a debate with a close friend. He was saying some of the things you have here and I would not here it. Up until I read this nothing would stop me from circumcising my son. Your covering the health, nature and biblical points has completely changed my mind. Although I can’t seem to shake the cosmetic factor that must have been burned into my mind as an American boy who has been circumcised (unfortunately). Non the less when the decision come to my wife and I my vote will me no. Thanks again.
1. Lori Winter
  November 15, 2011 at 5:26 pm
  
  Hey Leon–thanks so much for your comment. That’s super encouraging to me! Best wishes for you, your wife, and your future family!
Sarah
November 14, 2011 at 1:21 am

Thank you for this post. It is well-written, well-researched, and relatively unbiased (which I have to say is rare in an anti-circ post). I particularly appreciate your linguistic references. I knew I had heard about the difference between Old Testament and modern circumcision, but I could not find the original article I read it from. I’ll be bookmarking this post for future reference.
1. Lori Winter
  November 15, 2011 at 5:28 pm
  
  Thanks Sarah! I really appreciate you stopping by to read and comment. :)
Renee
November 30, 2011 at 7:42 am

interesting post, but i have to agree with Adam Houston that it is a bit biased–the tone toward the end especially. it is important that parents be informed when making Any decision when it comes to their child’s health, but some of the conclusions here can’t be proven. sexual dysfunction? really? there are too many variables to conclusively state that circumcision as a child could cause dysfunction as an adult. there is no way that they could scientifically prove this, unless their test subjects all led identical lives, aside from the circumcision or lack thereof, physically and emotionally from birth to adulthood. a lot of this “research” even from reputable sources is still conjecture. all that said, i think its fine to have an opinion on this type of thing–as a parent, you’ll need to feel like what you are doing (or not doing) is best for your baby. its just overstepping a bit when you say that it is a fact that not circumcising is BEST. (and i’m not coming from the perspective of a parent that has had their son circumcised–i only have a baby girl, so i’ve not had to make this decision yet)
1. 'Becca
  May 22, 2012 at 12:07 pm
  
  Renee, a former boyfriend of mine simply did not have enough skin to comfortably cover his adult erect penis. His skin was very tight, painful, and would sometimes split and even bleed. Every erection pulled his scrotum forward almost halfway up the shaft. Now, of course people can grow more skin, and of course he had a lot more skin than he must have had as a newborn. But he had a ring of what was visibly scar tissue all the way around his penis, and it was in and near this area that the skin was most painful. Scar tissue impedes normal skin growth. Most men I’ve seen have two different shades of skin on the penis, with the part farther away from the body that was once covered by foreskin being more pink, but the two sections are separated only by a line where the color (and sometimes the skin texture) changes. This man had a scar.
  
  I cannot think of anything other than circumcision that could have caused that. While it did not cause total sexual dysfunction, it meant that his arousal always was accompanied by at least a burning sensation if not outright pain, and he had to be careful of his skin both during sex and in daily life, like choosing clothes that didn’t rub and keeping clean without irritating broken skin.
  
  His circumcision must have been done poorly. I realize most of them turn out better. But WHY RISK such problems for NO REASON?! My son is intact, and we’ve never regretted that decision. He’s now 7 years old and glad to have his entire penis.
  1. Wendy
    July 7, 2016 at 2:10 pm
    
    Becca,
    In reply to your former boyfriends tight skin problem – poor guy. My son was born with a slight deformity – hypospadius, which is the urethra having a larger opening; while at the urologist /surgeon having that checked out, he said there was another problem – his skin was too tight on the top and that it would affect him sexually as an adult and would even cause his penis to curve the wrong way and tighten while erected. I’m so grateful this was caught. If it hadn’t been for the hypospadius, it wouldn’t have been. All that to say, the surgeon said it had nothing to do with the circumcision (which he commented was done beautifully by a rabbi). He was just born that way. My son can actually live just fine as an adult male without the hypospadius being corrected, but we will have to take him in for corrective surgery to add skin on top for the tightness.
    Hope that helps anyone else out there with the same issue – at least in my sons case, it was not related to his circumcision.
2. Circ Du So-long
  May 3, 2020 at 3:18 am
  
  Women should leave this up to the men. Your opinion is irrelevant.
  
  Now lets talk medical. If women are at risk for breast cancer, shouldnt we be removing all girls’ buds as early as possible to make sure this can be avoided? The “research” on the benefits of circumcision ride along those lines, and with much less frightening possible medical conditions justifying the procedure.
  
  I hope nine years later you now have seen enough proof of the sexual dysfunction problem. What parts of the world use viagra the most? The ones with the highest rates of circumcision.
  
  A lot of circumcised men don’t always get fully erect even during masturbation. The lack of arousal during sex from those with psychological trauma rarely extends to masturbation. For whatever reason, people with psychological sexual problems usually only experience it when a partner is around. This the first metric before treatment. Can you maintain an erection when you are alone? Yes indicates psychological trauma and no indicates a phsysical problem. This issue, in circumcised men, progresses with age. Some will lose sensation in thier 30s! Most later in life. Most men don’t know why it happens and are embarrassed of it so they won’t speak about it.
  
  Sexual dysfunction from psychological trauma is far less common than from circumcision. The numbers of men with sexual dysfunction are huge. The radio and tv ads for performance drugs do not target women. The numbers of circumcised men are huge. The numbers of women with the same type of dysfunction (unable to maintain arousal) are miniscule in comparison. And usually resolved without a chemical stimulant for sex. Circumcised men don’t leave therapy over this without an injection or a pill.
  
  The reason psychologists didn’t put two and two together early on, with men, is because everyone is cut. It is glaring now, but easy to overlook when it seemed normal.
Heather @ Life, gluten free
December 1, 2011 at 12:00 am

Good for you, Lori! Awareness is key. It’s so good to see people spreading the word about important issue like this one!! Thank you :)
Is Circumcision a Christian Thing to Do? | Laurel of Leaves
December 15, 2011 at 1:06 am

[…] Real Food Diet Cookbook Giveaway!Modern Circumcision is Not Necessary, Natural, or Biblical5 Ways to Multi-task with Coconut OilWhen Did Gluten-Free Become Trendy?Lose the Shoes Series […]
Guest Post: Is Circumcision a Christian Thing to Do? | Modern Alternative Mama
December 30, 2011 at 10:48 am

[…] If you’d like to read more about circumcision as a medical procedure, check out my recent post: Modern Circumcision is Not Necessary, Natural, or Biblical. […]
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking
January 7, 2012 at 6:28 pm

Oh this is such a great post! I so totally agree!
Jrobledo
April 13, 2012 at 9:45 pm

I just found your site through foodrenegade and while browsing came upon this article. Thank you so much for posting. When we were preparing for my first son 10 years ago, my hospital-based midwife asked if we were planning to circumcise. I hadn’t thought much about it, but supposed it was the “thing to do”, although my first-generation American husband is not circumsised. But my dad is, my brother is, and my older sister’s sons (born before mine) are, too, so I just assumed that was the right thing to do. However, my midwife encouraged us to research it a bit more before making the decision, and ultimately we decided against circumcision. I am so thankful we did. I wish more people would think about their choices and not always assume that modern society or even modern medicine always has the right answers!
1. Lori Winter
  April 13, 2012 at 9:57 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing your story! It’s always encouraging to hear things like that. Hopefully this post and your testimony will encourage others to research the issue themselves as well.
Hanna
April 14, 2012 at 5:38 pm

Circumcision is Not Medically Necessary?
My cousin was medically circumcised at the age of 13. Religion had nothing to do with it.
It has also been proven that circumcision helps prevent the transfer of STDs (in sexually active adults so I dont know how a 2 yr pediatric study is going to show that).
Its not that one side is right and one side is wrong, Im just saying that its not clear cut black and white.
1. veronica
  May 12, 2012 at 4:08 pm
  
  yes, and when lori asks “But if you’re a woman reading this, how many folds and flaps do you have in your vagina? Do you have any trouble keeping it clean?”, the answer is yes. and that is why women are much more prone to developing infections and contracting diseases.
  
  and this quote, “Only 2% of males in the world today are circumcised (9/10th of those being in America.)” i just don’t believe at all. those numbers would mean (i think) that only one fifth of one percent of males in ‘the rest of the world’ are circumcised. but muslims make up one fifth to one quarter of the world’s population (most of them outside of america) and in islam it is a religious obligation for baby boys to be circumcised, so much so that some uncircumcised male converts opt for circumcision as adults.
  1. Circ Du So-long
    May 3, 2020 at 3:22 am
    
    Women are more prone to yeast infections because if the length of thier urethra. My neice gets them when she wont get up at night to go urinate. Its not about cleanliness in this case, but biological differences. And when you get an infection you get antibiotics not amputation!
2. Circ Du So-long
  May 3, 2020 at 3:25 am
  
  It isnt medically necessary for every child being born was the point you so conveniently overlooked. Of course if there IS a medical necessity, whatever has to be done it going to be done. Should a boy have a fusion, open it up. You still don’t have to remove half of the skin from his penis to correct these issues.
3. Circ Du So-long
  May 3, 2020 at 3:34 am
  
  There is zero proof that this procedure limits STDs. Condoms do that.
  
  This is very clear cut and let me explain it to you in no uncertain terms: HIS BODY, HIS CHOICE!
  
  Without an imminent threat to his well being circumcision is nothing short of child abuse and may be sexual assault. You do know they have to be erect to be circumcised, right? A quick hand job on an infant doesn’t bother you so long as the hand is in a latex glove attached to someone who went to medical school i guess.
CIRCUMCISION: IS IT REALLY NECESSARY? « Paradise Wellness
August 25, 2012 at 2:35 pm

[…] Modern Circumcision is Not Necessary, Natural, or Biblical […]
1. Suzanne
  August 25, 2012 at 6:14 pm
  
  Once you bring up your beliefs of what God wants, then you’ve created a debate. (your quote – ” Debating theology is beyond the scope of this blog”) Circumcision is a religious belief for many people who do not believe that “Jesus’s death and resurrection fulfilled the Old Covenant Law with all its rules and regulations.” And, circumcision has been practiced the same way for thousands of years. I suggest you speak to some Rabbis to get your facts straight.
  1. Circ Du So-long
    May 3, 2020 at 3:36 am
    
    The same way? How come some rabbis put it in thier mouths and others dont? Things change. This will, too. Your religion is failing you if you cant stop unnecessarily spilling blood for it.
Jo
September 9, 2012 at 5:29 am

Having a woman try to understand the benefits/risks of circumcision is like having a man decide for his wife whether to have a natural child-birth or not. As previously mentioned, this is not a clear cut issue in which either side is considerably better than another. It truly is personal preference, sans the influence of tradition and religion. Some opt for circumcision because of hygienic reasons, others remain intact for the look of it. Either way, it will still be able to function just the same. Weighing the options between being intact and circumcision is almost as effective as surveying every man and finding out if circumcised men have more sex than uncircumcised men. Mind you, research itself can be altered. Statistically speaking, to gain the results one desires, it’s just a matter of ommiting or altering a sample. So research and whatever type of references you can find aren’t reliable either. To be honest this shouldnt even be an issue, there shouldn’t be a debate or bullshit responses about what’s better. Circumcise or not. That’s it. Do you want your dick to be showing or do you want foreskin? Like I said, you can argue what’s better in terms of child-birth (natural or hospital) but either option is just the same right? Or are you gonna present numerous research studies explaining why one is better than the other?
1. Circ Du So-long
  May 3, 2020 at 3:47 am
  
  This analogy stinks. The mother is choosing where to give birth. Is the baby choosing whether “his dick is showing” ? No that decision is robbed of him.
  
  More sex? No. More pleasure. Easy to figure out. Ask any man who was circumcised after puberty.
  
  This debate left the whole cosmetics angle die a long time ago.
  
  There are industries around procuring that amputated skin and profiting from it. You can grow a mile of skin from an infants foreskin. Not to mention the foreskin in lotions, ointments and facial treatments. has in lotions and ointments. Each infact foreskin can grow cells for years and is worth about $100,00. Where’s the college fund for each circumcised baby? Were the parents paid. This is why we cut the boys and not the girls. The rabbit hole is deep, my friend.
  
  There are several medical reasons, immediately and later in life, that are severe enough to avoid the procedure unless imminently necessary.
Angela
September 14, 2012 at 7:21 pm

I am not sure where to begin… We are all human beings. One sex can most certainly understand the anatomy and function of the other. To Jo and anyone else out there who thinks that the sides are the same: the newborn is being tied down and cut. He screams and screams until he can bare it no longer and withdrawals into himself. That is the only way he can deal with the pain which is the same response from humans that have been tortured. Some babies cry longer than other…that silence you hear is NOT from an absence of pain, but from an inability to process the extreme pain-it is a survival mechanism. What I am discusted about is the fact that parents especially mothers will not go in the room to see the procedure because they don’t want to see it-it is that disturbing! Yet these little ones are forced to go through it…there first experience with their genitals involve such excrutiating pain. To justify this procedure done to newborns is an abomination in the eyes of God. His sacrifice means nothing then. And Jo- a natural childbirth is best unless there is a medical reason for interventions which can then truly save the life of the mother and baby:) more women and babies are put in danger because of routine interventions all because we humans think we know better.
1. Anon
  August 18, 2019 at 11:31 pm
  
  This was the experience I observed with my sweet son, and it cuts me to the heart to think of it. It was not my choice. My husband forced the decision. Our marriage was more important to my son’s future well-being than protecting him from that torture. It was so traumatic, however, that I would rather stop having children than risk having to do that again.
RAnon
November 22, 2012 at 4:36 am

I have read that in the 3 oldest existing copies of the Torah that there is no mention of circumcision being part of the covenant between God and Abraham – the reference to circumcision was inserted some 1000 years later. Unfortunately I do not now have the reference to this claim. Has anyone else heard of it? If true, it rather makes nonsense of the Jewish claim for circumcision to be a necessary rite.
tigerx143
November 28, 2012 at 1:48 am

i agree with lori in that circumcision is not natural or medically necessary. coming from the medical field myself uncircumcised adults have no problems keeping it clean and as a women it does feel better then a circumcised male. my mother who is a doctor also agrees in that there is a study that it does traumatize the baby. and for everyone who is basing their studies off of 2-3 year old research for medicine, please realize that medicine changes every year. nurses and doctors or anyone in that field have to take classes each year and tests to keep in the times. i am a proud parent of two boys whom are both fully intact and i believe wholeheartedly that if they feel they want that procedure done its their choice to harm their bodies not mine. as for those who believe it hurts them less as babies then when they are adults is mistaken, an adult or teen can handle the pain and know why its happening unlike an infant that all they know is mommy and daddy are holding their hands while someone causes an immense amount of pain. aren’t we as parents supposed to protect them from harm rather then cause it.
tigerx143
November 28, 2012 at 1:56 am

o and STDs are a blood borne pathogen, they come from the sperm and discharge of a women not from the skin….that was a stupid response written by an uneducated person….wow
Tahnia
February 15, 2013 at 11:01 am

Thank you so much for this article! I’m having a baby. I don’t know if I’m having a boy or not, but reading this & other literature on the subject makes me more confident in the decision to not have my child circumcised.
Just a Medical Procedure? | Wellness Mama
February 19, 2013 at 4:35 pm

[…] Certainly, as circumcision was/is a part of Jewish belief and teaching, there is a religious aspect to some parent’s choice to circumcise or not. What I did find fascinating in my research was that the circumcision done in biblical times was likely very different from the one done today. As this writer explains: […]
Saving Our Sons
February 21, 2013 at 9:17 am

Thank you so much for this fantastic write-up on a subject that is all too often ignored.
kai
March 18, 2013 at 11:17 pm

You know what bothers me most about this? That parents make a decision basedon what they want. It should be the child’s choice, for its his body after all. Yet parents just don’t give a shit. It makes me beyond angry

It makes me so sad to think about. Especially knowing poor baby boys are tortured. I’ve read stories where they cry so much from the pain that they pass out. Plus they’re being robbed of all the nerves that are for pleasure.
:(