6/13/11

When we went to Washington D.C. in March we saw these signs outside the Capitol. It seems that all of a sudden circumcision is a very controversial issue. Maybe I'm just noticing it more now that it's a decision my husband and I will have to make. I don't remember it ever being a big thing when I was younger. I don't remember people protesting it on my college campus or on the capitol lawn, but now it's a huge deal that even Russell Crowe is speaking out about.

"Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature?" the Oscar winner tweeted Thursday. "Babies are perfect" he added.

Circumcision was originally a Jewish tradition, but in the days of the holocaust the tradition was suspended because it was a one way ticket to the concentration camps. Somehow the tradition leaked into America and became a common practice regardless of religion.

It is the parents' decision as to whether or not their son will be circumcised. For a long time it was said that it was healthier for the boy, but there really is no sufficient evidence that says one is better than the other. It is proven that an uncircumcised man can pass STDs more easily to their partner, but that's what condoms are for. It is more important for an uncircumcised boy to be concerned about hygiene down there though and what boy do you know that's worried about hygiene? LOL.

The doctors that I have spoken to really don't try to push a parent one way or another. They are very honest with their information and are happy to tell you about the research that has been done. If the parents have a hard time deciding the standard answer is, if the father is circumcised then go ahead and circumcise the baby."

Most men in the world are uncircumcised and more people today are chosing not to circumcise their babies than did 20 years ago. There is no wrong answer according to doctors and there is no wrong answer to me either. 

Before we went to our first Ministry class and heard a doctor talk about it we just both automatically thought, "yes, we will have our baby boy circumcised, because that's what people do." After we heard the doctor talk about the research and the proceedure itself we looked at each other and knew we both had the same thing running through our head, "maybe we will have to think about this more."