Circumcision: the Decision

724 Words3 Pages
CIRCUMCISION: The Decision Parents make decisions for their sons for almost everything including what schools they attend to what is good for their health. When boys grow up to be men, they are faced with some of the same decisions. The decision regarding to circumcise an infant son or not has been a topic of discussion for centuries and is very controversial. However, whether the decision is made by the parents or later in life, circumcision is recommended. The benefits of circumcision include preparation for religious beliefs, reduced health problems, and for social reasons. Many religions believe that the law of God is being followed when a boy or man is circumcised. This is very common within the Jewish and Islamic faiths. Jews believe that circumcising their sons on the eighth day is respecting God’s law that states, “You are to undergo circumcision and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you” (Bible). They also believe that by being circumcised one will be prepared for all that God has to offer. For many Muslims, circumcision is an introduction to the Islamic faith. The reason for circumcision is to be clean before God. Muslims believe that it is extremely necessary to wash before praying. Circumcision is a means to help reduce health problems in infants and men. Circumcision can help prevent urinary tract infections (UTI) due to the foreskin on the penis. According to KidsHealth, circumcised infant boys are less likely to develop an UTI, especially in the first year of life. UTIs are about 10 times more common in uncircumcised infant boys compared with circumcised infant boys (Dr. Dowshen, 2011). A number of researchers have suggested that being circumcised can help reduce the spread of (human immunodeficiency virus) HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. This is because the foreskin is at risk to manual

More about Circumcision: the Decision

Open Document