Changes

In the past, this circumstance was used to make it harder for boys to masturbate and [[masturbation ]] less fun, as [[masturbation ]] was viewed as immoral and was assumed to cause a variety of diseases. More on that can be found in the chapter "[[Circumcision#Historical_background|Historical background]]". Today, it is known that [[masturbation ]] has no negative health effects, but can contribute positively to the child's sexual development. Sexuality is no longer a taboo nowadays, while [[masturbation ]] is considered to be a natural part of human sexuality and is no longer seen as immoral. Therefore, circumcision for moral reasons - which would only affect boys too young to give informed consent - is no longer justifiable nowadays.

Some people claim that circumcision has prophylactic benefits. Especially in the USA those arguments have persisted for more then a 100 years, with ever changing diseases circumcision is said to protect against. At first, these were diseases where [[masturbation ]] was believed to be the cause. After bacteria and viruses had been discovered, arguments changed, and one after another miscellaneous diseases were cited.

* Orgasm problems: In the wake of reduced sexual sensitivity, due to the loss of sensory tissue and gradual keratinization of the surface of the [[Glans penis|glans]], orgasm problems may develop with increasing age. In this case, the sexual arousal created by intercourse or [[masturbation ]] is not enough to achieve orgasm. A preliminary stage of this late effect is the prolonged time circumcised men need to reach an orgasm. This is often fielded as the "cut men have more endurance" argument for circumcision.

In Christianity, circumcision is only common in a few orthodox churches. Nevertheless, Christian moral notions had decisive influence on the spread of this practice. In the puritan influenced USA, circumcision of children was popular in the 19th century as a means to prevent [[masturbation]]. In those days, this so-called ‘self-abuse‘ was not only considered immoral, but was supposedly responsible for a variety of diseases. Even the mere existence of a [[foreskin]] was linked to many illnesses. Among them one could find syphilis, epilepsy, paralysis of the spine, bed wetting, scoliosis (spinal deformity), paralysis of the bladder, club foot, nerve pain in the lower abdomen, tuberculosis and lazy eye. One of the best known advocates of child circumcision was [[John Harvey Kellogg]], co-inventor of the Corn Flakes bearing his name. In 1888, he wrote:

}}</ref>, in the late 1960s it was neuroses<ref>Morris Fishbein calls for circumcision to prevent nervousness and, of course, [[masturbation]]. {{REFbook

Though the practice of ritual circumcision of males, both consenting and non-consenting, has existed for millenia, the search for "potential medical benefits" began relatively recently. Initially, circumcision was adopted as a way to stop boys and men from masturbating, where mastubration was seen as the cause for many diseases. As the myth that circumcision prevented [[masturbation ]] became debunked, advocates of circumcision began the great search to find the "medical benefits" of circumcision.