Thursday, April 16, 2009
To snip or not to snip? -- that is the question
As if New York does not have enough problems, there arises yet another kerfuffle over the manner in which Orthodox Jews in New York are performing “do it yourself " circumcisions.
Albeit a Jewish tradition, sanctioned, it is claimed, by Abraham, there are outcries from some in the big apple that the procedure is barbaric, excruciatingly painful and well, just, plain cruel to children.
I hesitate, in this family oriented daily, to
describe the in-house procedure, except to say that a proper circumcision by licensed professionals is a mere bagatelle compared with the "do it yourself" ritualistic removing of excess manhood from a new born.
The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, (a practicing Jew) finds himself in the untenable position of protecting freedom of (his) religion on the one hand and quelling the demands for criminal prosecution on the other.
For at least a century medical professionals and scientists have been at loggerheads pro and con to the procedure.
Even though recent studies indicate that circumcision reduces the incidents of aids by contact, the war over its medical utility rages on.
Cultural Anthropologist Leonard Glick has devoted much of his life to this subject and has published scholarly works on the procedure.
He writes with deference about those who practice this ritual while also establishing, in painful descriptions, how the health benefit is often over-stated.
The procedure, according to Glick, is not only extremely painful, it is irreversible and the newborn child cannot consent.
Glick cites the 12th century Jewish physician and Philosopher Moses Maimonides who wrote “If at birth a member is taken away, made to bleed and lost forever, it indubitably weakens the person so deprived.”
There are some who believe that attacking circumcision (for any reason) is tantamount to attacking Judaism.
Jews take their argument for the procedure to a higher level by postulating that the Abraham-style (not described above) circumcision points up the dichotomy of Jewish religious ritual and Christian hypocrisy.
http://www.fayettedailynews.com/article.php?id_news=3377
Albeit a Jewish tradition, sanctioned, it is claimed, by Abraham, there are outcries from some in the big apple that the procedure is barbaric, excruciatingly painful and well, just, plain cruel to children.
I hesitate, in this family oriented daily, to
describe the in-house procedure, except to say that a proper circumcision by licensed professionals is a mere bagatelle compared with the "do it yourself" ritualistic removing of excess manhood from a new born.
The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, (a practicing Jew) finds himself in the untenable position of protecting freedom of (his) religion on the one hand and quelling the demands for criminal prosecution on the other.
For at least a century medical professionals and scientists have been at loggerheads pro and con to the procedure.
Even though recent studies indicate that circumcision reduces the incidents of aids by contact, the war over its medical utility rages on.
Cultural Anthropologist Leonard Glick has devoted much of his life to this subject and has published scholarly works on the procedure.
He writes with deference about those who practice this ritual while also establishing, in painful descriptions, how the health benefit is often over-stated.
The procedure, according to Glick, is not only extremely painful, it is irreversible and the newborn child cannot consent.
Glick cites the 12th century Jewish physician and Philosopher Moses Maimonides who wrote “If at birth a member is taken away, made to bleed and lost forever, it indubitably weakens the person so deprived.”
There are some who believe that attacking circumcision (for any reason) is tantamount to attacking Judaism.
Jews take their argument for the procedure to a higher level by postulating that the Abraham-style (not described above) circumcision points up the dichotomy of Jewish religious ritual and Christian hypocrisy.
http://www.fayettedailynews.com/article.php?id_news=3377
Comments:
Jews have been circumsizing their children since the first Jew - Avrohom Ovinu.The Arabs also do circumcisms, since they also descend from Avrohom. Anyone who wants to curtail Yidden from doing this basic mitzva is definitely an anti semite or a non believer in Hashem.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by 
: April 17, 2009 1:01 AM
: April 17, 2009 1:01 AM
Mayor Bloomberg a practicing Jew??? Whom are they kidding?
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : April 17, 2009 2:49 PM
: April 17, 2009 2:49 PM
why are they using the rambam's words against him
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Comment Credit ---This article posted by : April 19, 2009 12:35 AM
: April 19, 2009 12:35 AM
