Besides religious reasons what is the purpose of male circumcision?

Answer 1

Today no major medical association recommends the routine circumcision of infants. In the early 20th century circumcision was promoted as a way to help keep the penis clean; however this view is no longer supported by physicians. Most boys can not retract their foreskin until around age 3. This is normal. Once the boy can retract the foreskin he should wash the head of his penis just like any other part of the body like between the legs or behind the ears. All that is needed to keep the penis clean is to wash when taking a shower or bath. Circumcision was originally popularized in the United States in the 19th century as a method to keep young boys from masturbating. While circumcision does make it more difficult and less pleasurable to masturbate, it was not effective at getting boys to stop doing it. In the 21st century, campaigns have been in place to prevent routine female genital mutilation (also known as female circumcision) common in certain parts of Africa. This movement has identified human genital integrity as a human rights issue and has come to oppose human genital mutilation in both males and females. While western physicians are horrified by the routine removal of the labia in female circumcision in Africa, many continue to routinely practice circumcision on their infant male patients. In the United States in the 1970s and 1980s around 80% of male infants were circumcised. By 2007 the rate of circumcision in the United States was below 40%. In increasing numbers, both parents and physicians are deciding to avoid circumcision of their newborn infants.

Answer 2

Medical

In very rare cases circumcision may be performed as treatment for some medical conditions, such as severe phimosis or chronic infections. Circumcision, like any surgery, has risks of adverse medical events including surgical error, severe pain, infection, and prolonged bleeding. There is a small chance that surgical complications may result in death, but this is very uncommon.

No major medical association recommends routine (without specific indication) circumcision.

Religious

Religious circumcision is most notably practiced by Jews. It is justified by the Torah (Old Testament) describing it as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham.

Muslims also widely practice circumcision. It is not mentioned in the Quran, but some sources state that Mohammed was born without a foreskin, which leads to some debate among Muslims on whether it is really required.

Most other religions including Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism do not require circumcision.

Cultural

Circumcision is a cultural practice in several areas of the world. Long standing traditions of circumcision are common to peoples of Africa and Middle East. Some African tribes, as well as some Islamic peoples, perform circumcision as a rite of passage marking a boy's transition to manhood. In case of Muslims the practice usually pre-dates the adoption of Islam.

In the West circumcision was popularized in the late 19th century as a method to keep young boys from masturbating. It was also claimed to cure or prevent a number of diseases, from bed-wetting to insanity. It was eventually proven to be ineffective for all of that, but by the time that happened the practice of routine infant circumcision became widespread in the United States. Often parents wanted to have their children circumcised because they have been circumcised themselves, or in order to "fit in" with their peers. Even more often, very little thought went into it and the reasoning went only as far as "everybody does it".

However, circumcision rates have been declining. Doctors no longer recommend routine infant circumcision, and as a result the rate of circumcision in the United States is falling. In the 1980s up to 80% of newborn males were circumcised. By 2007, less than 40% of newborn males were circumcised.

Cosmetic

Some people simply prefer the look of a penis without a foreskin. Some others like the feeling better. There is also an idea that a circumcised penis stays cleaner, although it is debatable just how hard it is to keep an area that size clean. These are all subjective views and a matter of personal opinion and taste, just as any voluntary body modification. In this sense, circumcision is cosmetic surgery, and having it performed on children raises some concerns, as outlined below.

History

Circumcision is a very old practice. There is evidence that it has been practiced in ancient Egypt, although it is not clear for what reason. There is a school of thought that proposes that circumcision initially became widespread in hot climates with limited access to water as a method of improving hygiene and preventing some diseases such as yeast infections. Religious authorities generally reject this opinion. Another school of thought suggests that the original reasoning behind the Egyptian practice of circumcision was to set one apart from the rest, which was then emulated by Jews as a status symbol. There is no conclusive evidence to prove or disprove these theories at this time.

Controversy

There are a number of groups opposing circumcision on medical, ethical, and sometimes religious grounds. Generally, they point out that circumcision other than to treat a specific condition has no proven medical benefit. They also state that the foreskin is an important part of the penis in that it protects the glans and is a major erogenous zone in its own right. Circumcision can decrease the sensitivity of the penis, which may impact sexual activity. most men are of the opinion that having a foreskin can make sexual intercourse a better experience for both the male and the female. There are particular concerns about infant circumcision with regard to pain and changes in the brain as a result of trauma.

Ethical concerns mostly apply to infant circumcision as well and revolve around performing elective surgery on someone unable to give consent. Opponents of circumcision view those circumcised infants as victims and consider circumcision to be genital mutilation.

Religious opposition states that the New Testament revises the need for the physical sign of the covenant. Some religions expressly forbid surgical body modification of any kind, and thus oppose circumcision.

Answer 3

There are in fact no medical reasons for infant circumcision. circumcision to prevent penile cancer for example makes about as much sense as amputating the legs to prevent thrombosis in the blood vessels of the toes. penile cancer occurs in about 1 in 100.000 thousand very old men that are not being maintained under sanitary conditions. Circumcised men have a higher incidence of sexually transmitted diseases so that is not a reason for the removal of the of the prepuce. babys that are not circumcised have no more chance of urinary tract infections then those that are unless the foreskin is forcibly retracted by unknowing doctors. and in any case these infections are easily treated with medicine Rather then surgery.

Protect against infections of the urinary tract and the foreskin, prevent cancer, lower the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases, and prevent phimosis.

Phimosis is simply fixed by stretching the foreskin for which it is designed

Answer 4

Here are 3 reasons:

1. Not being circumcised at birth

2. Difficulty washing

3. Bad infections

Answer 5

G-d instructed Abraham to circumcise himself and the males in his family to indelibly etch G-d's covenant into their flesh.