Are circumcisions mandatory

Answer 1

The reply on this page was full of URL's which is not permitted So I have placed the whole contents of this reply on the discussion page to this answer with the URS'sif you are interested in following them up.

No, it isn't. There is no medical association in the world which recommends it on health grounds. It is not needed for the baby to be healthy. The foreskin is a functioning part of the penis. Without it it doesn't work as it should. It also makes after care harder, there is risk of complications and it inhibits the mother-son bond because the boy will be in discomfort for some time. as a mater of fact the operation can lead to post traumatic stress syndrome with serious psychological ramifications. Here is some more information:

Have a watch of this 20 minute video by the nocirc organisation. It is very informative:

In regards to care. Care is a lot easier with intact, (non circumcised) boys as there is nothing to do. The foreskin is not retractable in infancy so it should be left alone. No cleaning under it or pulling it back is required. This medical page explains further:

Circumcised boys actually require a lot more care.

Firstly, all newly circumcised boys are in discomfort because there is an open wound. The wound is susceptible to infection. It can also become irritated by ammonia in the urine - which provides more discomfort for the baby.

One common problem is a skin bridge. The skin left over after the foreskin is severed can reattach to another part of the penis the torn surface of the glans for example. resulting in an adhesion (see link below for pictures of this and other complications). Very little of this is told to you. Do you really want all this hassle when there is no need for it?

(Look around the circumcision site - it has a wealth of information.)

The psychological effects of circumcision are open to dispute, but I cannot imagine them being anything other than negative. It certainly won't help you bond with your child - especially in those crucial early months:

(Look around the cirp site- it has a wealth of information.)

The foreskin serves a sexual purpose. The negative sexual effects are rarely mentioned or worse, denied. Circumcision removes a functioning part of the penis. Many circumcised men do not even know what they have lost - especially in the USA where it can be a taboo topic - what with men having fragile egos and all.

As someone with a foreskin, I value it. It contains many specialized nerves on it's underside. When the foreskin is moved up and down it is very pleasurable and prompts the release of all sorts of feel-good hormones. Circumcised men cannot masturbate as easily as there is no gliding effect. If they try it without an artificial lubricant then it may chafe , become red and sore. I think this is terrible - to worsen the sexual lives of someone without their consent. This site shows the movement of the foreskin in masturbation (graphic). It also contains a 20 minute video on the function of the foreskin:

Without the foreskin protecting the glans, circumcised men lose further sensitivity. The glans (head of the penis) dries out. It also brushes on underwear which causes the skin to toughen -sort of like when you walk bear feet - the skin hardens. This page shows pictures (graphic):

There are good reasons to believe that sex is better for the woman as well, if the man has his foreskin intact: This site is an educational one on why it is

Men in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy, along with the rest of Europe don't get circumcised and they all do as good if not better than countries where circumcision is more common. So all in all it is best to be as nature intended. No medical association actually recommends non therapeutic infant circumcision. Check out this site for frequently asked questions:

Here is some other information you might find useful:

History: Non religious circumcision only started in English speaking countries in the late 1800's. The main reason was to prevent masturbation. More info can be found at this at this site:

Rates of circumcision:

In Canada and Australia the rate has dropped to less than 10%. In Britain the rate is less than 1%. Only 20-25% of the world are circumcised, 2/3 of these are Muslim.

Answer 2

No it's voluntary surgery & entirely personal preference, disregarding for the sake of this answer the religious mandate for Jews. However, it should be done early if it is to be done. Insurance never covers but is usually just 200.00 (thereabouts) for the procedure. Women seem to like it equally both ways but for hygiene reasons I think it's a good idea. In the US, I think there are more circumcized men than uncircumcized.

Parents and parents-to-be should learn as much as possible about circumcision, and they should realize that there is a reason that insurance does not cover it. It is considered an elective cosmetic procedure. The fact that it is cheaper to perform on infants amounts to a very cynical justification to do it routinely. If it is elective and NOT medically indicated, shouldn't the boy have something to say about it?

Answer 3

No it is not. a minority of the worlds men between 15% and 20%are circumcised and the majority of those that are have had it done at the behest of their parents or guardians for reasons af religion or culture. the remainder are people from english speaking cultures including British comonwealth countrys whwere the practice is rapidly disapearing and the United States of America where the practice is lessening but more slowly. There is no reason involving health exept in the most dire and unusual circumstances to remove the pepuce from a healthy penis. As a matter of fact there is every reason to leave it alone as it is an important pat of the performance and the natural maintenance of the penis.

Answer 4

No. not if you are looking for any physical or health benefit. circumcision increases the chance of problems with the penis and reduces it ability to give pleasure.

Answer 5

Both.

As an adult it's an option. If you are married and have decided to have no more kids it might be considered a obligation to your wife.

Answer 6

Normally it is not required. Sometimes it is needed to correct phimosis, which is the foreskin closing up and interfering with urination.