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| Ancient Egyptian Medical Tools Science Museum.org.uk |
The U S Centers for Disease Control (CDC) weighed in on
the benefits of male circumcision. Cutting children’s genitals has a long
religious and moral history, which does not always coincide with the most
recent scientific evidence. (Link to CDC pdf).
Because genital cutting is a moral issue, I reviewed
research when writing A House Divided. The focus is
of course on boys in western cultures where the practice is common. Cutting of
a girl’s genitals is widely condemned in western cultures but is common in nonwestern cultures.
Cutting boys
Cutting a boy’s foreskin (circumcision) has a long
religious history. The Hebrew Bible tells the story of Abraham’s carrying out
of the commandment to begin circumcision (Genesis 17), which set apart the Jewish
males from those in other cultures.
The first Christians were Jews but when non-Jews
converted, the question of circumcision divided the faithful. The matter was
resolved metaphorically- for non-Jews, literal circumcision was not necessary-
it was a matter of the heart (Romans 2: 29).
Moral arguments commonly focus on three issues
1. Scientific evidence points to benefits outweighing
harm therefore male genital cutting is a good and ought to be done.
2. Male genital cutting is a harmful practice. It
literally hurts boys. And in some cases, boys get infected and die. (Narvaez,
2011).
3. Male genital cutting is an optional intrusive surgical
procedure and is therefore a matter of individual rights. Boys should be
allowed to make their own decision. Parents ought not to consent to perform
optional surgery on their children without the consent of the child.
For a review of pros and cons of male circumcision, see the WebMD article.
Cutting girls
Cutting a girls’ genitals has been called circumcision by
some but others call it Female Genital Mutilation or FGM.
Some use the term Female Genital Cutting (FGC). The essential reason for the
mutilation language and condemnation is the intrusiveness of the cutting and
the harm done. Different cultures practice different degrees of cutting.
Religious people include female genital cutting as part
of their religious beliefs. According to Human
Rights Watch, the religious groups include Christians, Jews, and Muslims;
however, female genital cutting or circumcision is not part of the official
teaching of these faiths.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
the practice has been around for thousands of years. Both general health and
mental health problems have been linked to FGM. A lengthy review of the
research can be found in a WHO
report.
Moral arguments commonly focus on two issues
1. Female genital cutting is harmful and there are no
medical benefits that outweigh the harm.
2. Female genital cutting is an intrusive surgical
procedure that violates the individual rights of the person forced to undergo
the procedure.
Connections
Twitter
@GeoffWSutton
Website: Geoff W. Sutton www.suttong.com
For related issues on morality and Christian cultures see A House Divided.
Also, A House Divided Website
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