Circumsicion+and+the+Mark+of+God's+Covenant

Judaism
 * Circumcision in Religion **
 * [[image:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pashdf8IiYY/S78-AXeVW-I/AAAAAAAAA_E/6Leb9gUdiVs/s1600/circumcision.jpg width="323" height="219" align="right"]]
 * //per'iah// (the baring of the glans)
 * Circumcision is different today than it was in the Bible. Today's circumcisions conducted on newborns are more invasive than those performed in the Bible.
 * God told Abraham to circumcise himself, his son and his slaves. He called this the Everlasting Covenant of the Flesh (Genesis 17:10-14)
 * To join the celebration of Passover, any male had to be circumcised.
 * Christians are not part of this Covenant.

[|Christianity]
 * Circumcision and Salvation are not related.
 * Circumcision is not a requirement for Christians.
 * [[image:http://copiosa.org/images/circumcision.jpg width="507" height="350" caption="The Circumcision of Jesus"]]

Circumcision in the Bible
//Luke 1:59-60 Circumcision of John the Baptist.// On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zecheriah, but his mother spoke up and said,n "No! He is to be called John." > //Luke 2:21-39. Circumcision of Jesus.// On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. >

//John 7:21-24 Jesus teaches at the feast.// Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. Yet because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment." >

//Leviticus 12:3// On the eighth day, the flesh of the boy’s foreskin shall be circumcised.

Circumcision Today
In today’s world, many of the rules in Leviticus, such as being unclean after childbirth and what animals are considered clean to eat, seem outdated. In fact, to the modern reader this chapter of the Bible is “meaningless and repulsive” (Douglas 57). Many of the laws seem arbitrary and quite random. So how has this book been interpreted? How can these interpretations be applied to circumcision? To some scholars the rules in Leviticus are irrational because they are arbitrary (Douglas 56). This outlook has been justified by the lack of order to the chapters. The lack of cohesive thought on why certain things are unclean and the rules associated with uncleanness make the rules look like decrees used simply to control the population (Douglas 58). If this is the case then circumcision is also arbitrary and has no real religious significance. Other scholars see Leviticus as a book that is merely trying to create order, just as God did in the beginning. To them, the rules in Leviticus function as “allegories of virtues and vices” (Douglas 58). Animals that are forbidden to eat are so due to a particular reason. For example, mice cannot be eaten because they are seen as destructive to property (Douglas 59). Other animals are either good or bad to eat due to the morality (or lack thereof) that they represent. The problem with this view is that each rule has a different explanation. There is no overarching moral lesion to be learned and each rule must be taken on its own. Furthermore, how can this view be used as a justification for circumcision? What is circumcision an allegory for? A final interpretation seen Leviticus as focusing on the ideas of holiness and wholeness. By following the decrees in the chapter, Israelites are trying to achieve “the physical perfection that is required” to be considered clean (Douglas 63). By following the decrees of Leviticus, man is striving for perfection. Leviticus provides a physical way to express holiness and the wholeness of the body (Douglas 65). In other words, man is physically attempting to become complete. The idea of completeness goes back to the idea of order and the “categories of creation” (Douglas 67). So the seemingly arbitrary rules are an expression of the attempt to be completely holy in God’s eyes. According to this argument, circumcision would be an expression or holiness. Circumcising your son would be akin to taking a step to making him whole.

Medical Ideas on Circumcision
Circumcision in our culture is often viewed not from a religious standpoint but strictly a medical standpoint. When thinking only in a medical sense, there are important things to keep in mind. It is often a controversial debate, even in the medical world. To some, there are clear advantages to circumcising men. Others believe it is wrong to perform the medical procedure to children who cannot decide. Obviously, in this example, there is a definite controversial debate. media type="youtube" key="HBrCo5k1K_Q?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

Male Circumcision vs. Female Genital Mutilation:
Definition of Circumcision: **cir·cum·ci·sion** **//–noun//** **1.** an act, instance, or the rite of circumcising. **2.** [|clitoridectomy.] **3.** spiritual purification.

// World English Dictionary // [|Circumcision] –n 1. a. a surgical removal of the foreskin of males b. surgical incision into the skin covering the clitoris in females c. removal of the clitoris 2. the act of circumcision, performed as a religious rite by Jews and Muslims

//Male Circumcision// The practice of male circumcision is rooted in the religious traditions of Jews and Muslims. The practice is seen as a form of “spiritual purification” and is related to the concept of cleanliness. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis. At one time, the medical community viewed circumcision as a definite positive. Today the medical world tends to think that circumcision is not a big factor in the future heath of males. The procedure also does not affect the sex life of the male. Removing the foreskin is not a factor in sexual performance, although different partners may have different preferences. The decision to get your child circumcised is a personal choice. However, opponents of the procedure believe that it is not fair for the parents to decide if their son should be circumcised when he is at an age where he is not capable of weighing in on the decision.

//Female Genital Mutilation:// Also known as female circumcision or genital cutting, this practice is much more culturally based than religious based. In many cases, the practice is used as insurance against adultery. It is a direct reflection of the ingrained gender inequality in the cultures that practice it. The UN and the World Health Organization view female genital mutilation as a human rights violation. Female genital mutilation is primarily practiced in Africa. Unlike male circumcision, female genital mutilation is usually done without anesthesia and when the girl has reached the age of puberty. The procedure, whether it involves the removal of the entire clitoris or not, affects the ability of the female to orgasm normally. It also makes women more likely to contract a disease. Sometimes the procedure results in death. There are absolutely no medical benefits to female circumcision.

I have not religious view on the practice of male circumcision. I am not religious and I was not raised Jewish or Muslim. I didn’t even really realize that circumcision (for males) was based on religion until late in my life. I do have strong views on female circumcision. I am an anthropology major and I am also a feminist. Anthropology today is placing more emphasis on using anthropological insight to help facilitate change in cultures where some practices violate human rights. DU especially is dedicated to this type of anthropology, which is called Practice Theory. From my personal perspective, I am deeply opposed to female genital mutilation because I see it as a blatant expression of gender inequality.

**Circumcision Around the World**
Circumcision has changed quite a bit over the years in many different cultures. As one can see from the picture above, it is commonly practiced in the United States, Canada, the Middle East and Western Europe, Indonesia and Africa. One of the reasons it has become so popular in several of these regions is because it is thought to help prevent the contraction of HIV. As HIV runs rampant across much of Africa, doctors are constantly preaching for males to be circumcised at the least to prevent the spread of the disease. It is estimated by the World Health Organization that about 30% of males worldwide are circumcised and from that, about 66% are Muslim.

These numbers are pretty intriguing as it is such a common practice here in the United States. A survey conducted here in Denver, Colorado showed that many parents chose to have their son circumcised for social reasons citing that they didn't want him to look different. Due to so many parents choosing to have it done 20-40 years ago, a wave of support behind it has carried through to modern society. Growing up, boys don't really learn about it or any difference between themselves or their friends until one comes in contact with it. From their, parents usually explain to their children what it is and why they or their friends might differ. Because it has become a social norm here in the U.S., religion has played a very little role for many in someone being circumcised or not.

Circumcision for non-religious reasons is not as prevalent in other countries around the world as it is here in the United States but it is still fairly high. Every country has their own culture and social norms and circumcision is one in which I would say the U.S. differs from others in. Here in the U.S., it is almost expected that a male is circumcised, however, in Europe and countries like Spain, France or most of Europe, it is nearly the opposite. Additionally, in South America and Russia it is much more uncommon than other areas of the world.