Circumcision

Pointless Posts, Raves n Rants, Obscure Opinions

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Rose2020
Scholar
Posts: 390
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2022 9:54 am
Has thanked: 36 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Circumcision

Post #1

Post by Rose2020 »

Reading Exodus Chapter 12 verses 43 to 49 I cannot help but wince.
Circumcision must have been very painful in those times, no anaesthesia. The risks of severe pain, infection. Yuk! It must have been dreaded by men. I still cannot understand why it was and still must be necessary for Jews, in order to worship God. It sounds barbaric to put babies and even grown men through it. So do Jews now do it in hospital with proper medical care?

I think Paul in the New Testament did away with it, what a relief!

User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Re: Circumcision

Post #2

Post by Tcg »

Rose2020 wrote: Mon Sep 19, 2022 11:02 am Reading Exodus Chapter 12 verses 43 to 49 I cannot help but wince.
Circumcision must have been very painful in those times, no anaesthesia. The risks of severe pain, infection. Yuk! It must have been dreaded by men. I still cannot understand why it was and still must be necessary for Jews, in order to worship God. It sounds barbaric to put babies and even grown men through it. So do Jews now do it in hospital with proper medical care?

I think Paul in the New Testament did away with it, what a relief!
Wait. Paul nullified the O.T.? Why then does the Christian Bible still include it? Why did Jesus claim the law will never pass away? Not even a dot or a dash.


Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

User avatar
Miles
Savant
Posts: 5179
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:19 pm
Has thanked: 434 times
Been thanked: 1614 times

Re: Circumcision

Post #3

Post by Miles »

Rose2020 wrote: Mon Sep 19, 2022 11:02 am Reading Exodus Chapter 12 verses 43 to 49 I cannot help but wince.
Circumcision must have been very painful in those times, no anesthesia. The risks of severe pain, infection. Yuk! It must have been dreaded by men. I still cannot understand why it was and still must be necessary for Jews, in order to worship God. It sounds barbaric to put babies and even grown men through it. So do Jews now do it in hospital with proper medical care?
For grown men it probably was, but for a regular Jewish circumcision, which was to take place eight days after birth, I doubt it registered much. As for where it takes place, Wikipedia says "It is customary for the brit to be held in a synagogue, but it can also be held at home or any other suitable location." The web site also says "Most prominent acharonim rule that the mitzvah of brit milah lies in the pain it causes, and anesthetic, sedation, or ointment should generally not be used. However, it is traditionally common to feed the infant a drop of wine or other sweet liquid to soothe him."


The reason for it can be found in Genesis 17.


.

User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Re: Circumcision

Post #4

Post by Tcg »

[Replying to Miles in post #3]

My son was circumcised. I must admit that being from the U.S. I never gave it much thought. It was like, buy the crib, read the books, take the Lamaz classes, get the circumcision. Not sure what I would have done if I had given it more thought. I did stay with him and held his hand during the procedure, and I can state without question that it indeed is very, very painful. What a welcome to life.


Tcg
To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

- American Atheists


Not believing isn't the same as believing not.

- wiploc


I must assume that knowing is better than not knowing, venturing than not venturing; and that magic and illusion, however rich, however alluring, ultimately weaken the human spirit.

- Irvin D. Yalom

User avatar
Miles
Savant
Posts: 5179
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:19 pm
Has thanked: 434 times
Been thanked: 1614 times

Re: Circumcision

Post #5

Post by Miles »

Tcg wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 2:01 am [Replying to Miles in post #3]

My son was circumcised. I must admit that being from the U.S. I never gave it much thought. It was like, buy the crib, read the books, take the Lamaz classes, get the circumcision. Not sure what I would have done if I had given it more thought. I did stay with him and held his hand during the procedure, and I can state without question that it indeed is very, very painful. What a welcome to life.


Tcg
Sounds just like my parent's train of thought in explaining how I, a protestant-in-waiting, was circumcised---don't remember any pain of course. It was the neighborhood thing to do I guess. In fact, as a kid I remember going to the local swimming pool where, in the enormous men's changing room, it was evident that the vast majority of patrons were circumcised, and nary a synagogue within ten miles. About the only exceptions were the few Catholic kids who showed up from time to time. We always thought, "Ugh! Glad I'm not Catholic."

,

Post Reply