Circumcision of male babies is not a new concern. A lot of historians acknowledge the proof of this practice back in the ancient times (Ross, 2011). Ever since, circumcising has been both favored and opposed by public due to a number of reasons including religious beliefs, cultural norms, hygiene, and viewpoints concerning masculinity/manliness. It needs to be mentioned here that “circumcision ratios may differ according to race and can also be performed for religious, cultural, and medical reasons as well as due to the request of the parents” (Ozgu, Semih, Tarkan, & Berk, 2010). For instance, both Jews and Muslims practice circumcision as a religious obligation (Ross, 2011). On the other hand, even though circumcision is considered a sign of agreement between man and God, the New Testament does not refer to it as a necessity (Marshall, 2008).
According to the opponents of circumcision, it is not a medical obligation to circumcise male babies (Denniston, Hodges, & Milos, 1999). They also assert that this is an immoral practice as it causes irremediable physical impairment to men. However, this opposition is pointless as circumcision is an absolutely safe, hygienic and healthy practice that prevents various health problems. There are many health benefits associated with this practice such as the reduction of penile cancer development as well as diminished HIV risk. It also helps in the reduction of herpes, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted infections. If a boy is circumcised, he is ten times less expected to be affected by urinary tract infections (Ozgu, Semih, Tarkan, & Berk, 2010). Circumcision is not only conducive to maintain a man’s physical condition, it also helps in avoiding the risks of developing harmful conditions including joint problems, gangrene, cancer, spermatorrhoea (spontaneous semen loss) and nervous conditions (Miller, 2002). To cut a long story short, circumcision is prevalent throughout the world mostly in Islamic and Jewish countries as well as populations that belong to higher socioeconomic classes. However, it is not a common practice among the populations that belong to low socioeconomic class due to the illiteracy rates and unavailability of costs required to perform the practice. Still, it is important for parents to get their male infants circumcised considering the benefits of circumcision.
References
Denniston, G. C., Hodges, F. M., & Milos, M. F. (1999). Male and female circumcision: Medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
Marshall, I. H. (2008). A concise New Testament theology. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.
Miller, G. P. (2002). Circumcision: A Cultural-Legal Analysis. SSRN Electronic Journal SSRN Journal, 497. Retrieved March 24, 2016, from http://www.cirp.org/library/legal/miller1/#n1
Ogilvie, J. P. (2011, July 11). The debate over circumcising baby boys. Retrieved March 24, 2016, from http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/11/health/la-he-pro-con-circumcision- 20110711
Ozgu, A., Semih, T., Tarkan, S., & Berk, B. (2010). Circumcision: Pros and cons. Indian Journal of Urology Indian J Urol, 26(1), 12. Retrieved March 24, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2878423/
Ross, J. I. (2011). Religion and Violence: An Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict From Antiquity to the Present (Gale Virtual Reference Library). M E Sharpe Incorporated.
