Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Circumcision.... my thoughts.

One thing that has weighed heavily on my mind throughout this 2nd pregnancy is circumcision. With Isaiah, our first, we chose to have him circumcised. It was something that I was very hesitant to do, but was convinced otherwise. After a very peaceful Homebirth we met with a family doctor and went through THIS very traumatizing experience. I know there will be a day that I will have to apologize to Isaiah for what I allowed to happen to him.

Thinking back on that experience, I still get very worked up about it. It is something that i DO NOT want to have to make the choice for any more of my future son(s)! If they choose to have it done themselves then that is fine, and their choice, not mine.
Even though I am the parent, I still do not feel like I have the right to permanently remove a part of my sons body that contains over 20,000 sexually receptive nerve endings. It is the most sexually sensitive part of the penis. It is an absolutely un-needed procedure that is done across America for reasons such as "looking like dad" or "looking like the other boys in the locker room so he doesn't get teased".  I'm sorry but that is such a Hitler argument, if you know what I mean. Lets say my daughter has very small breasts and she gets teased about it in highschool... does that mean I take her out to get breast implants so that she can look like everyone else. Lets say that my husband goes bald or blind at some point.... does that mean my sons must shave their heads and gouge out their eyes to be like their father??!

I remember, after the first part of Isaiah's circumcision we went to a wedding a day or 2 later. He was only 3 weeks old at that point. I took him out to the car to change his diaper and was shocked to see that he had bled through his not only his gauze, but also his diaper, onesie AND pants! At least 117 baby boys die from complications of circumcision each year.... that is more than SIDS and Auto accidents combined for males alone.
My son could have been one of them....

Most people, that know me, know that I am pretty crunchy when it comes to health. We don't Vaccinate, we don't use antibiotics, we cloth diaper, breastfeed, Homebirth, eat as Organic/Raw/sugarless as possible. We use only natural or organic body products and cleaning supplies, etc. etc. etc.
When Isaiah had his circumcision in the hospital he received an IV, antibiotics, anesthesia, Morphine, a catheter, sugar water... etc. I am not even going to get into what kind of effects that had on his body.

Now I am sure you are wondering about some cold hard facts surrounding circumcision. Could it really be that bad?
THIS is a clip of Marilyn Milos, R.N., executive director and founder of NOCIRC, discusses normal sexual function of the penis and foreskin and its loss due to circumcision.
THIS is an article on why it is worse for an infant verses an adult male to go through circumcision.
A very informative VIDEO given by a research professional.
HERE is a more humorous video on why not to circumcise.
If your still not convinced WATCH the actual procedure of a circumcised infant. I can't.
Also, check out www.thewholenetwork.org

Maybe you have another argument....
Yes, Jesus, Himself, was circumcised but He paid the price for us as Christians and we no longer have to live by the Jewish covenant law.
Gal. 3:13 ~ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Gal. 5:6 ~ For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
1 Cor. 7:19 ~ Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping Gods commands is what counts.
Acts 15:28, 29 ~ It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Romans 2:29 ~ A man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the HEART, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.


So those are my thoughts and beliefs on the subject, and i feel much better getting it out. Thanks for taking the time to read about my heart and life. I am by no means trying to be controversial, but am simply sharing something that I feel very passionate about. Like every parent, I am trying to do my best in raising my children, and this is me doing my best.

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
-Maya Anglou