The H Word: Holistic Health, Humor & Happiness

Monday, June 27, 2005

Circumcision – Is it Ever Necessary?

I felt compelled to write this article based on a great lecture I heard recently and several conversations I had about the subject of male circumcision and more importantly, why it's still practiced. It's a little bit long for a post but if you find time to read it, please share your thoughts about this very controversial topic.

Circumcision – Is it Ever Necessary?
by Chyrene Pendleton

I had the privilege of listening to a very interesting lecture at a holistic event about something I never really thought about, the practice of circumcision on male babies in the U.S. I learned that doctors do this on a routine basis, charging anywhere between $150 and $300 per male baby to not only remove a large part of his penis, but do it in an inhumane way. The doctors generally reassure parents that this is the way to go, for cleanliness or the prevention of disease.

Now, I don’t believe a mistake was made when man was created, do you? Even if one doesn't believe in creation, nature just doesn't repeatedly make what doctors are considering to be faults in baby boys that must be fixed. I understand that those of the Jewish faith regularly circumcise the male child but according to what I have learned, they only remove a very small portion of the foreskin at the tip of the glans. Doctors in the U.S. remove the whole thing which is a lot of skin and amounts to approximately the size of a 3 x 5 inch index card in an adult male! Many times they accidentally remove even more skin than this and boys grow up with either painful erections or their erections are bent because the skin is stretched too tight. Both men and women usually believe that's just the way some penises look and never question it. There can be other complications also. Circumcised males grow up never knowing that they lost a natural function of the penis and lost a great amount of sexual pleasure.

Females are born with the same exact thing as males have, a foreskin called a prepuce and the same smega, which is just some dead skin. In the U.S., it would never cross the doctor's or parent's mind to cut off part of their baby girl's genitals for cleanliness. It just doesn’t happen. Some countries today practice circumcising and castrating female babies but cleanliness is certainly not the reason. I believe this practice is abhorrent and something needs to be done now to end it. During the lecture, the speaker said Clinton made circumcising female babies illegal in the U.S.

I heard and read about how the babies are circumcised in this country. Their arms and legs are strapped down to a restraint board and during the procedure, they scream in pain and terror. This makes my heart go out to all male babies in this country and elsewhere where this is practiced. I learned that only until recently in the U.S. did doctors begin using some kind of anesthetic for the baby but this is not a common practice.

What a way to come into the world! So I wonder, what affect does this practice have on males about themselves and their self-worth? How has this traumatic experience manifested in the male's life while growing up and as a man? And why is this still being practiced in America?

Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The lecturer gave me a book written by Thomas J. Ritter, M.D. and George C. Denniston, M.D. called, “Doctors Re-examine Circumcision”. It seems that many physicians around the U.S. are now speaking out against circumcision.

"The United States is the only country in the entire world that routinely circumcises most of its newborn males for other than religious reasons.” [p. 16-1]

It contains pictures and diagrams of circumcision procedures, including pictures of mistakes with the procedure, resulting in a deformed penis or no penis at all. In the event of an accidental, complete amputation of the penis, which apparently happens, the doctor would just create a vagina. The book also has pictures of what a penis is really supposed to look like and all of the benefits an natural, uncircumcised penis has. It examines the many myths people have been told over the years of why circumcision is "necessary".

“What moral or legal right does any parent have to remove a valuable and normal segment of another human being’s body?” Would it be moral or legal to remove the tip of every male’s left little finger, or to knock out a front tooth, because it was fashionable and everyone else was doing it?” [p. 13-1]

The good news is that there is a movement of circumcised men around the country to grow their foreskins back! A man is actually able to regain a large amount of sensitivity after growing back what was taken from in the first place, without his consent. Our bodies are truly miraculous! More information is available in a book called, "The Joy of Uncircumcising: Restore Your Birthright and Maximize Sexual Pleasure" by Jim Bigelow, Ph.D. There is also a website called, Restore Yourself! A Handy Kit for Circumcised Men at:

http://www.restoreyourself.com

Here is a quote from the website:

"You should feel increased sexual sensitivity on the glans of your penis within 30 days. It may take three months to see new skin. Within nine months, you will probably find that you can use your new skin to stimulate your glans."

Since the lecture, I've shared this information with many men and women. I believe the more we examine and talk about this practice of circumcision, the more something can be done about ending it, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world.



© 2005 Chyrene Pendleton

As Featured On Ezine Articles

Chyrene Pendleton, Metaphysician, Numerologist, Dowser, teaches several workshops on topics including prosperity and abundance, numerology and dowsing. Her articles have been featured in many mainstream and spiritual journals over the years and in her free, online Ezine called, The Isle of Light.

Chyrene is the owner of The Isle of Light Inc., a spiritual, metaphysical online spiritual center dedicated to assisting all to become more empowered and enlightened in a wide variety of ways. She is a certified television show producer and co-produced and hosted The Isle of Light television talk show in Denver, Colorado, which continues to air biweekly. Chyrene is also the producer and host of The Isle of Light Internet radio talk show which airs 24 hours each day at Live365.

Chyrene Pendleton’s websites can be found at:

The Isle Of Light
http://www.theisleoflight.com

The Isle Of Light Internet Radio Talk Show
http://www.live365.com/stations/avalon22

Prosperity is a State of Mind
http://theisleoflight.blogspot.com

4 Comments:

  • Sort of a sensitive subject you raise here Chyrene. I'll try to put in my two cents worth in a delecate fashion.

    As a circumcised male (Catholic upbringing) I have no problem with having had the procedure done as an infant. My memory is rather hazy of the first few days so I'm not sure of the method used. I do not believe there was any long term trauma from the procedure. I could blame every error I've made through life on it but...

    It is troubling to hear of some doctors removing too much foreskin. I would suggest that goyim doctors that are going to perform the surgery must undergo classes at the local synagogue. I do not see the procedure being outlawed soon.

    By Blogger prying1, at Tue Jun 28, 01:25:00 AM PDT  

  • Thank you for your comment. Yes, it is a sensitive topic. I've heard various points of view from men and women I've spoke to about this. I have learned circumcision in this country is not required or promoted by Christianity so that is not the reason for this practice The main reason for circumcision in the U.S. is money and doctors have written about it. So, you're probably correct, it won't be outlawed anytime soon, as long as there is money to be made. Here is one quote from one of the books I mentioned:

    "Country-wide then, doctors are collecting as much as $240 million yearly to perform 1.2 million needless operations upon 1.2 million normal penises."

    By Blogger Chyrene Pendleton, at Tue Jun 28, 11:43:00 AM PDT  

  • We did not circumcise for many of the reasons you listed. My half-brothers are not circumcized, either, and while I didn't grow up with them I had a little experience changing their diapers, etc.

    When I was pregnant I asked one of them (he was grown at the time, and we talk about everything now) if he had any problems in the locker room with people staring or making fun of him, since that's a common argument for the procedure.

    He told me that if some guy is staring at your penis in the locker room, people are way more likely to be wondering about HIM than about you! He said that it had literally never once been an issue...

    By Blogger Jen, at Thu Jun 30, 12:26:00 AM PDT  

  • Thanks Jen for your comment and sharing about your family. Yes, being seen as "different" is one of the arguments for what is actually a mutilation, an amputation of the penis.

    If guys really knew what they were missing (in more ways than one), they might consider re-growing their foreskins. The fact that they actually can makes me feel good. Apparently, there is a movement of males in the U.S. doing just that.

    By Blogger Chyrene Pendleton, at Thu Jun 30, 12:53:00 AM PDT  

Post a Comment

<< Home