Circumcision MEGA MERGED poll and discussion

[Stp04]

yes... but *why* are you happy with it?

I am happy with it for a lot of the reasons Johnny1 mentioned but primarily because I like the look more than an uncut penis. While there are many arguments against it suggesting that it is genital mutilation and leads to decreased sensitivity, I don’t feel mutilated or scarred and I am still extremely sensitive. I don’t think that having a circumcision has hindered me sexually in any way.

 

[Cloudy]

Uncut hard to clean? It super easy to clean.

 

[Gldm]

Cut and unhappy about it, though I don't start crying every time I unzip my pants or anything. If people want to cut parts of themselves off that's fine, but don't do it to people too young to consent.

I hate when people start these bogus arguments about why circumcision is desirable or even necessary. If there wasn't a good reason for a foreskin to be there, evolution would have ditched it long ago.

Usually I take their arguments word for word and start using them as a case for giving all baby girls mastectomies as infants. "Oh we don't really need that organ anymore in civilized society. People won't think it's odd or bad looking once the majority are that way. The loss in sexual sensitivity isn't real or doesn't matter if you've never had sex with it anyway. It will reduce the risk of cancer later in life." etc. Nobody would take those arguments seriously but they're just as valid as when used in favor of circumcision. I.e. not very.

If I have sons (and I plan to) and they want to cut it off, fine. They can do it when they're 18. I won't stand in the way, it's their bodies. But this whole irreversible surgery to people who can't even agree to it makes me pretty angry, and the arguments in favor of it are weak at best.

 

[bromance]

I'm cut and have no qualms about it whatsoever.

 

[Stp04]

If I have sons (and I plan to) and they want to cut it off, fine. They can do it when they're 18. I won't stand in the way, it's their bodies. But this whole irreversible surgery to people who can't even agree to it makes me pretty angry, and the arguments in favor of it are weak at best.

Religious reasons are hardly "weak" it has been Jewish tradition for thousands of years without a any significant problems. It is also not entirely irreversible. There is an entire movement involved in foreskin restoration without surgery and if your that pissed off about it why don’t you give it a try.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3543481/page/2/

http://www.circumstitions.com/Restore.html -NSFW

 

[Pander Bear]

I will be buying a restoration kit when i have the ducats for one.

And as for religious arguments being "hardly weak": yes and no.

I'd say that Jewish circumcision's case for being important and necessary to the faith is severely weakened by certain stripes of christianity and Islam's insistence on female circumcision. And, as an agnostic and a materialist, I'm inclined to examine jewish circumcision as less of a sacred covenant with god, and more as a marker, like a brand on cattle, that marks someone as a jew to non jews, in order to keep them from losing their jewishness as a consequence of marrying outside the faith.

Finally, the idea that God wants you to perform a medically unnecessary, potentially damaging, penis desensitizing modification to your body if you want to be his buddy... well that just seems fucking retarded to me over here in the 21st century.

 

[Stp04]

I'd say that Jewish circumcision's case for being important and necessary to the faith is severely weakened by certain stripes of christianity and Islam's insistence on female circumcision..

Female circumcision has NEVER been a part of Christianity. There is NO reference to it anywhere within the Christian community except in Africa where female circumcision existed before converting to Christianity and is practiced for cultural reasons, not religious ones. Furthermore Islam as a whole does not advocate female circumcision, it is strictly forbidden by Shiites and is not a formal practice in any sect of Islam to begin with. Please check your facts before making misleading statements such as these because for the most part they are false.

 

[Pander Bear]

that's why I said "various stripes", ass. The bible doesn't say that regular every-day people can have the holy spirit enter them, prompting them to speak in tongues, but that doesn't stop charismatics and seventh day adventists from doing it.

That said, northern african islamists and copts do practice female circumcision, and they do couch it within spiritual/religious terms. Whether its endemic to the faith is irrelevant. The Koran doesn't explicitly mention suicide bombing either.

I took pains to not slander any faith in that post, and I resent the implication that I'm either too bigoted or too uninformed to know better.

Good Day.

 

[Stp04]

Your missing the point I understand that you said "certain stripes of Christians". What I’m trying to say is female circumcision was around in various parts of Africa as a cultural practice long before Christianity came around. When they converted to Christianity they continued this practice outside of Christianity because it was still culturally significant to them. It has nothing to do with their belief in Christianity, and to speak of it like it does is wrong.

that's why I said "various stripes", ass. The bible doesn't say that regular every-day people can have the holy spirit enter them, prompting them to speak in tongues, but that doesn't stop charismatics and seventh day adventists from doing it.

There actually is reference in the bible to speaking in tongues (Mark 16:17)-"And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues” Certain denominations of Christianity take the bible quite literally and use this as their reference.

I understand that you in making some of your previous statements that you were trying not to slander any faith and I respect that. I do not think you’re a bigot nor was I trying to imply that you are one with my previous post. However some of the things you have said are uniformed and calling me an ass is not going to do anything about it.

 

[swilow]

I hate when people start these bogus arguments about why circumcision is desirable or even necessary. If there wasn't a good reason for a foreskin to be there, evolution would have ditched it long ago.

Why do we have an apendix? Why do males have nipples? Why does cancer exist? Evolution doesn't always mean that the 'best' things are kept; all it means is that whoever had these things was able to propagate more.

In times when males weren't clothed there was a point the foreskin I'm sure; nowadays the only reason to keep it is also aesthetic; but the reason to lose it is about health.

I was cut when I was a baby; in a way thats a mercy; my cousin developed a lot of urinary tract infections as a child, and had to be circumcised when he was twenty. I'm glad I didn't have to experience that. People comparing circumcisions to removing an ear are pretty far off. I had another cousing born with six toes on one of his foot; they removed the toe because it was neccesary for him to walk properly but according toyou guys it should have remained, crippling him for life- if you removed an ear, for some unknown reason, your childs health would suffer. Circumcision and ear-removal or body mutilation are very distinct in my mind.

 

[firewarner]

i got circumcised on wednesday.... its sunday now...

i got it done for medical reasons there really isnt any reason to get it done unless its necessary!

 

[Curious87]

I Dont think circumcision is a bad thing, but I was watching some sex show, and I guess if your not circumsiezed, it feels better for sex for the girl, but its kind of ugly looking, so I dont know haha

 

[supertrav77]

You only get a finite number of thoughts to think in this life. Why waste them wishing that your penis were something it's not and (in many cases) never can be? Get over it, already

 

[moonyham]

i got a nice piece of skin around my knob, feels great!

foreskins ftw!

 

[Gldm]

Religious reasons are hardly "weak" it has been Jewish tradition for thousands of years without a any significant problems. It is also not entirely irreversible. There is an entire movement involved in foreskin restoration without surgery and if your that pissed off about it why don’t you give it a try.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3543481/page/2/

http://www.circumstitions.com/Restore.html -NSFW

Pretty weak to me for something like that. I think the only reason should be if there is a definite health issue, which yes some people have.

And yes I've been aware of the restoration groups for some time. But not everyone is very well suited for it anatomically. The way I'm built would make most of the current restoration methods impractical, I already looked at them.

Why do we have an apendix? Why do males have nipples? Why does cancer exist? Evolution doesn't always mean that the 'best' things are kept; all it means is that whoever had these things was able to propagate more.

In times when males weren't clothed there was a point the foreskin I'm sure; nowadays the only reason to keep it is also aesthetic; but the reason to lose it is about health.

I was cut when I was a baby; in a way thats a mercy; my cousin developed a lot of urinary tract infections as a child, and had to be circumcised when he was twenty. I'm glad I didn't have to experience that. People comparing circumcisions to removing an ear are pretty far off. I had another cousing born with six toes on one of his foot; they removed the toe because it was neccesary for him to walk properly but according toyou guys it should have remained, crippling him for life- if you removed an ear, for some unknown reason, your childs health would suffer. Circumcision and ear-removal or body mutilation are very distinct in my mind.

That's my point. If it was some horrible danger that's threatening lives, it would have been bred out. I don't see people removing male nipples to reduce male breast cancer, even though it exists. Why don't we take out the appendix and tonsils at birth then? Because there's no reason to unless a problem manifests itself, so the trauma is unnecessary. Some people are going to have medical reasons they need a circumcision, fine, I get that. But it doesn't mean the majority should have unnecessary surgery as a preventative for it.

 

[huntmich]

Did anyone read my fucking post? This is all a stupid argument that no one should be getting so heated about. The difference in sensation is minimal, so if you're circumcised and wish you weren't, you aren't missing some crazy mind-blowing sex. And if you are circumcised and wish everyone else were, foreskin is not dirty; being dirty is dirty. And if you aren't circumcised and wish everyone else was, cut penises aren't ugly, nor am I some desensitized freak.

Jesus Christ people, stop worrying about what everyone else's cock looks like. It's not that big a fucking deal!

 

[garuda]

Its a human rights issue, and the current situation at least in the US is in direct violation of the 14th amendment.

If you are born female you are guaranteed genital integrity by law, be born male however and there is a good chance of being mutilated.

Huntmich the argument is not only about sexual sensation, its about cosmetic surgery on the genitals which carries risks and is non-consensual.

A lot of areas have laws against ear and tail docking on domestic dogs, goddamn dogs are afforded more rights then male infants!

 

[garuda]

Why do we have an apendix? Why do males have nipples? Why does cancer exist? Evolution doesn't always mean that the 'best' things are kept; all it means is that whoever had these things was able to propagate more.

The appendix plays a role in the immune system, males have nipples because all fetuses start out female and it is a rush of hormones that starts the development toward male, cancer happens when mechanisms to stop out of control cell division don't work.

I understand your point that something that does not inhibit reproduction is likely to stay around, but to suggest the foreskin is a useless remnant ignores known science and is a ridiculously cultural centric view.

 

[garuda]

I will be buying a restoration kit when i have the ducats for one.

And as for religious arguments being "hardly weak": yes and no.

I'd say that Jewish circumcision's case for being important and necessary to the faith is severely weakened by certain stripes of christianity and Islam's insistence on female circumcision. And, as an agnostic and a materialist, I'm inclined to examine jewish circumcision as less of a sacred covenant with god, and more as a marker, like a brand on cattle, that marks someone as a jew to non jews, in order to keep them from losing their jewishness as a consequence of marrying outside the faith.

Finally, the idea that God wants you to perform a medically unnecessary, potentially damaging, penis desensitizing modification to your body if you want to be his buddy... well that just seems fucking retarded to me over here in the 21st century.

Restoration can give you back the gliding mechanism but it will never replace the unique structures and nerves lost forever. I'm only trying to shoot down the idea circumcision is no big deal since restoration exists, its only a way to minimize an already bad situation and is not a perfect solution.
Also a lot of the "kits" can be replicated quite easily with a little imagination for nominal cost, look into "T taping" cost in materials is under 5 dollars.

Funny historical anecdote but the modern Jewish circumcision(which is the same as medically performed ones) only became so severe after Jews in the roman empire would restore their full foreskins to compete in athletic events.

At the time events were held in the nude, and any glans showing was considered obscene. Jewish circumcision at the time only involved removing the tip of the foreskin. Angered by Jews restoring the rabbi community at the time instituted the more radical circumcision that has existed until this day.

 

[Pander Bear]

I'm interested in sheding the keritonized skin on my glans, and maybe getting one of those shiny european looking ones. The glide and the additional girth from the additional pushed back skin will be icing on the penis-shaped cake.


I don't *miss* the sensitive tissue, that's impossible. I do wish the choice to remove it was left up to me, though.