Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 9 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 5 months ago by
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As with so many jewish religious laws this one has to deal with health. For example, the reason that pork is not kosher is one of health. The reason boys are circumcised is to prevent infection, the same reason it is done in hospitals all over the US. How the ‘healthy’ religious laws became religious laws I have no idea, but I suspect it was the result of some smart rabbis.
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Name : Beth23167, City : anchorage, State : AK, Country : United States,The basis for the Bris Milah (circumcision) in Jewish law is contained within what you would call your Old Testament: Gen 17:9-14 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thyseed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be atoken of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Also: Lev 12:1-3 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. There are also references in Deuteronomy, Joshua, Jeremiah, et cetera. So yes, circumcision is a sign that one has a covenant with G-d. There are also numerous references in Torah about circumcising one’s heart for G-d…in other words, making one’s heart willing to accept the covenant with G-d. G-d doesn’t have ‘concerns’ with the male penis. It’s just a way for those who wish to make a covenant with G-d to prepare their young sons according to the G-d’s wishes and Jewish tradition. Incidentally, most American hospitals circumsize a newborn son unless the parents request otherwise. It was thought that circumsized penis’ were less prone to infection, although this is up for debate in the medical community now.
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Name : Whitty__, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States,Circumcision is more symbolic than physical. It is a cutting away of the old nature, the sinful nature so that the circumcised one can live for God. Deuteronomy 10:16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. Deuteronomy 30:6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Joshua 5:2 Jeremiah 4:4 Genesis 17:10-14 is the origin of circumcision, and from there, you again can see that it is primarily symbolic. Yes, it is a covenant that is performed physically. It is an agreement between Abraham along with his household and God.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,What is the story behind the reason that Jewish males are circumcised? I have heard that it is a “covenant with God.” Why would God be so concerned with the state and appearance of the male penis? Why would God create the penis to be such that he wants it to be altered soon after birth?
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Name : Greg P., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 22, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,You could ask many other questions: If we were born naked why is God interested in modesty? Why does our society subject young girls to the pain of earpiercing? Why do others painfully tattoo themselves, shave their legs, or have fat surgically removed? Ultimately the answer is that cultural-religious standards are arbitrary and none are directed by an infinite rationality. All human groups change their physical appearance to some extent and cross-cultural practices only make sense ‘in context’ and according to their own ‘internal logic.’ Traditionally circumcision is the symbol of God’s special relationship with the Jews. Sociologically it is a means of group self-identification, a way for the Ancient Hebrews to demarcate themselves as a people. Moreover body alteration is just one form of cultural diversity that creates meaning in the lives of cultural participants. For Jews today circumcision is a powerful way to establish continuity with their ancestors, many of whom died defending their right to continue the custom.
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Name : Tamar-L, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 25, City : Louisville, State : KY, Country : United States, Occupation : Librarian, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Circumcision is the oldest Jewish ritual and the exact reasons have been lost. There are various theories. Jews were identified as being different from the pagan tribes (also a reason why Jews should not be tattooed). There is the matter of the perceptions of health reasons, etc. Circumcision does not induct a boy into being Jewish, being born does that. Circumcision is a sign of belonging to the Jewish faith. There are other theories of the origin, but they are lost in history.
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Name : Barry23474, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA, Country : Canada,Sammy, I think a rabbi would say if God had designed the male body pre-circumsized, He would not have been able to establish His commandment.
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Name : M.W., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 22, City : Cleveland, State : OH, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College,The first thing that you must understand is that Jews do not ask other people to observe Jewish law. Nobody asks that non-Jews should be circumcised. Jews have special responsibilities and must be more obedient of God’s wishes than non-Jews. The original, mystic reason for circumcision is not lost to history at all. Circumcision is symbolic of the relationship between a Jew and God. Ask yourself this question: If God created us the way he wanted us to be, how come we didn’t spring from the womb fully grown, beautiful and totally obedient? The reason is because as strange as this must sound to someone who isn’t Jewish, man is a participant in his own creation. God partially creates you with a plan in mind, you have to do the rest. The Torah (the Jewish bible) insists that Jews be circumcised, so our parents help us reach this first step. The most interesting part of this, however, is the effect that being circumcised creates in a Jewish man. Because these days, most men in the world are not circumcised, a Jewish man self-consciously keeps himself covered, and this helps us to be more modest. Non-Jewish women who don’t normally see a circumcised penis are sometimes startled and offended by it. This helps us to get married to Jewish women.
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Name : Anonymous23687, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 26, City : Farmington Hills, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Computers,I have seen several men without clothes and none were Jewish. All of them were circumcised. In fact, I have heard that most men in this country are circumcised at the hospital shortly after they are born. The only difference is that for Jews it is a religious custom which is preformed by a rabbi, not the doctor.
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Name : Jacqueline-C21003, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I heard that Muslims are circumcized too. A jewish man can marry a non-jew, but a jewish female has to marry a jew, for her kids to be jewish. Kinda not fair if you think about it.
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Name : Anonymous25732, Gender : M, Race : Asian, Age : 33, City : Toronto, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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