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== Introduction ==
Non-therapeutic [[Circumcisioncircumcision]] is often performed on consenting adults and on non-consenting children for cultural or religious reasons. In the cultures and religions where it is practiced, circumcision may be a norm, recommendation or even a requirement. This page analyzes how circumcision is viewed in different cultures and religions.
== Culture ==
=== America ===
Circumcision, particularly male infant non-therapeutic circumcision has become entrenched in American culture. Beginning in the Victorian period, men and children were circumcised to make [[masturbation]] difficult, because [[masturbation]] was seen as the root of many diseases. Circumcising newborn infants grew into a trend which peaked during the 60's and 70's. Movements to end circumcision began in the late 70's, and the rate incidence of circumcision genital intactness has dropped increased significantly. Medicaid unlawfully pays for medically-unnecessary, non-therapeutic circumcision in many states and that keeps the incidence high. Be that as it may, at 7570% the American male population remains largely circumcised at large, in most states and 1.2 1 million male newborns are circumcised every year.
=== Africa ===
=== Australia ===
Subincision is practiced by native Australians. This involves slitting open the underside of the penis, revealing the urethra. The wound may be reopened and extended to cause renewed bloodletting, making this possibly the most dramatic of all male genital mutilations.<ref>Gould, Richard A. ''Yiwara: Foragers of the Australian Desert.'' New York: Scribner’s, 1969.</ref><ref>Ro´heim, Ge´za. ''The Eternal Ones of the Dream: A Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Australian Myth and Ritual.'' New York: International Universities Press, 1945.</ref>The incidence of circumcision in [[Australia]] has declined to about 4 percent of newborn boys. Intact males have been in the ever-increasing majority for many years.
== Religion ==
=== Christianity ===
The Christian Fathers considered the question of circumcision at the [[Council at Jerusalem]] in 49 A. D. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they omitted circumcision from the list of requirements to be Christian.<ref>Acts 13:1-30</ref>
Circumcision is expressly forbidden to gentiles. Whereas Jews adhere to 613 laws and commandments, called "mitzvots" in Hebrew, Christians are supposed to be saved by the blood and grace of Christ, hence the name "Christ-ian." At various points in the New Testament<ref>The Holy Bible</ref>, Christians are told to either follow the law, or be saved by the grace of Christ alone.
The Christian Bible contains two sections. The first section, called the ''Old Testament'' was originally written in Hebrew. It was the Jewish Bible and contains may passages that favor circumcision. This requirement has been abolished for Christians by the New Testament. The second section, called the "New Testament", is the Christian addition to the Holy Bible. It contains the correct information for Christians. Some new or ill-informed Christians may be confused by the differences in the two sections.
Circumcision is erroneously believed to be a good "Christian value" by Christians in different parts of the world, including the United States{{citation needed}}], South Korea {{citation needed}}and the Philippines {{citation needed}}.
=== Judaism ===
Modern Jewish scholars have found that circumcision is not even mentioned in the earliest, “J”, version of Genesis nor the next three rewrites by other authors. Most importantly, the story of Abraham is there in its entirety, except the part about the Covenant being “sealed” with circumcision. So do not be afraid of divine punishment. God did not mandate circumcision.<ref name="Britshalom"/>
Further, being circumcised is not a condition of being Jewish. Girls do not need to be circumcised to receive the gifts of covenant, i.e., receiving bat-mitzva. A boy is considered to be Jewish if his mother is Jewish from the moment he is born. In fact:
* A boy may be excused from circumcision permanently if his health would be endangered by it (for example, hemophilia).
* In Sweden, 60% of Jewish boys are intact.
* Many Soviet Jews, left intact for fear of communist persecution, have chosen to remain so, even though communism no longer exists.
* Some Jewish parents are electing to have a non-cutting, harmless naming ceremony, frequently called "Brit Shalom" instead of a ritual circumcision.
* Contrary to popular opinions, an intact boy may have a Bar Mitzvah. As one rabbi simply put it, “We don’t check.”
* Since many American Christians practice circumcision, it does not distinguish the Jewish boys from the non-Jewish.<ref name="Britshalom"/>
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