To hope that we can follow Iceland in banning male circumcision

[GladAllOver]

It really is time that this nasty practice is stopped.
www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/18/iceland-ban-male-circumcision-first-european-country

Bluelady - I ask again, do you agree with all historic and ongoing religious practices?

Let's assume the answer is no.

In that case, why is this one ok? Because you think it's only a minor procedure?

Not your penis, not your decision as to whether it's minor or not!

I have no wish to live in a country where people's deeply and sincerely held religious views are ridden over roughshod by people they don't affect.

Babies don’t have deeply and sincerely held religious beliefs. Babies bodies don’t belong to their parents in that way. If a child grows up and develops a deeply and sincerely held belief then they can go ahead.

I hope so too. I find it barbaric, to be quite honest. It an adult decides they want it done, fine. But doing it to children is just wrong IMO. regardless of any 'culture' or anything. its chopping healthy body parts from children..how can it be seen as a good thing?

Obviously medical reasons is different though. But there is an exception to the ban for this, so alls good.

Like banning blood letting because it doesn't fit with 21 thought or banning dunking witches because it doesn't fit with 21st thought...

I've already pointed out - possibly ad nauseum - that it's not about whether I think it's right or wrong. It's about religious freedom.

Babies don’t have religious beliefs!

So you would support mormon polygamy?

EllieMe the reason that circumcision is routine in the States, is because it is one more little procedure that has to be paid for. That's right, they routinely chop bits off little boys penises so that someone somewhere can make a bit more money.
And people think capitalism is a good thing?

Definitely a case of not your penis not your decision.
I was amazed that most American males are circumcised (Thank you sex in the city). The hygiene thing is a fallacy and quite frankly there’s a loss of sensitivity as well.
When someone going to say it reduces the likelihood of catch HIV?

It's about religious freedom.

Religious freddom is all well and good, until it involves another persons human rights tbh.

How would you feel if a new religion appeared that said it was fine/desired to chop off newborn babies eyelids so that they are more likely to see the light? Would this be fine? How about if a religion said that murder was a perfectly good response to adultery or something?

Some cultures like to chop bits off women's genitals too, what's the difference eh

Ridiculous practice, doesn't fit in with 21st century values and I give no shits if it's against someone's religion.

What about my religious freedom to drown witches?

To take an eye for an eye?

There's a million examples. You're just sticking up for this one because you see it as harmless

Bluelady

Shouldn't religious freedom work both ways? i.e. shouldn't everyone have the freedom to practice whatever religion (or no religion) they like?

How many men who were circumcised as babies grow up to be atheists or change religion? Why should they have to suffer having had their foreskins removed for a religion they don't even follow?

As others have said, there's nothing stopping anyone getting circumcised as a consenting adult.

I totally agree it should be illegal and also agree it amounts to child abuse to surgically remove part of a healthy body for absolutely no medical reason. So so sad.

I have no wish to live in a country where people's deeply and sincerely held religious views are ridden over roughshod by people they don't affect.

I have no wish to live in a world where adults are enabled to mutilate children's genitals in the name of religion and tradition.

There are some practices that absolutely should be ridden over roughshod in the name of protecting innocent children.

Re America, my little grandson was circumcised in hospital days after being born, apparently as the other poster said, it is very common . My son and his wife made the decision so that he wouldn’t look different to his friends!
My 3 sons were not circumcised as it was never a consideration in the 80’s. My exhusband born 1950 was circumcised as a baby as it was the norm then.
My husband is a Muslim and was circumcised barbarically in a traditional ceremony when he was about 8 in his own country. He is vague about it but thinks it was mainly for hygiene reasons.

DH is circumcised - it causes life long issues with sensitivity and pain (chafing) it's there for a reason. Again, widespread condemnation if something is done to a girl, if it's done to a boy it's ok and part of a proud religious tradition

MiltonBurnedtheBuildingDown

off they fuck then

Gobsmacked by the casual antisemitism and Islamaphobia here. Reporting this.

I'm not "sticking up" for it. Banning an intrinsic element of two of the world's oldest faiths has huge ramifications. Clearly I'm alone in seeing the bigger picture.

What I don't understand is why it is a religious belief. Why would the God that these particular religious groups believe in give a child a foreskin so that humans can come along and chop it off. Do they know better than their God?

What about the religious freedom of the the African witch doctors?? Can you defend them too under the your religious freedom umbrella?

Goldmandra In Judaism the babies are 8 days old. They are not going to remember it. It is hardly going to cause them intrusive flashbacks, is it? I agree it is unpleasant and am glad I am female BUT let us get it into perspective

and the PP who compared it to FGM- no, it is NOT. FGM causes serious serious damage to the girls' body and can lead to fistulas, incontinence and permanent pain. Plus the hygiene risk.

I've just looked and there was an online petition in 2016 to try and get this debated in Parliament. Sadly it only got just over 4000 signatures so the debate never took place.

Apparently the tradition in America only exists because everyone does it, because everyone does it.

So fathers want their sons circumcised because they are circumcised, and so on and so on.

Apparently it originated in misplaced ideas about cleanliness and preventing masturbation.

Blueleady - religious persecution or child persecution? - you choose.

FGM is a religious practice in some cultures - should we therefore allow it?

Well done Iceland - let us hope we follow the lead.