I have been struggling with the issue of circumcision lately. Not mine, of course. That decision was made for me a long time ago. No, I am the sole decision-maker for my son, Regis Filius, who is due in January. Sometimes I get a little nervous about parenting, but I am not really afraid of it. If I make a few mistakes, what of it? I apologize, learn from it, and move on with a little more wisdom. But circumcision is a one-time decision with life-long consequences. The kid is due in three weeks and I still don’t know what I will decide.
There is no religious motivation to circumcise. Christians do not curry favor with God by the removal of flesh. In fact, Paul repeatedly warns against the "false circumcision" and the "mutilators of the flesh." However, Paul also prompts Timothy to be circumcised as an adult so as not to hinder his ministry. I’m not saying that all ministers should be circumcised, but the New Testament does not disallow the practice if you want it.
There also does not seem to be any medical advantage to circumcision. There are studies that suggest possible medical benefits (decreased risk of cancer, some issues related to cleanliness), but there is nothing definite that is widely accepted by the medical community. Further, elective circumcision violates a general principle I hold that unnecessary surgery should not be performed. How do I balance possible long-term benefits against elective surgery? No association of Pediatric Physicians supports routine circumcision. Neither do they oppose it. From a medical standpoint, it is all up in the air at this time.
There is also not strong evidence about STDs. Both sides in the circumcision debate claim that the other side is the cause of increased rates of AIDS and other STDs. Fact is, my son should not be engaged in the type of risky behavior that leads to sexually transmitted diseases. If he is, then the disease is the least of his worries. I do not say this flippantly. But there are too many parents who spend their time and energy on other things, do not train their children, and then give them condoms and depo-shots as teenagers because they "just don’t know what else to do." From the day he is born, the Regina and I will train little Reg in the way he should go. Like many before us, our primary strategy for parenting will be active involvement in his development, not shock at his actions in adolescence.
Which brings us to the most contentious part of the debate: sexuality. Both, pro-circ and anti-circ claim that they have the best sex imaginable. There are many men who actually write testimonials about how much they love (or hate) circumcision’s affect on their lives. There is also a study that indicates that American women prefer a circumcised penis. Again, Reg should not be showing his penis to a lot of women – American or otherwise – and I hope that he has the good sense to settle down with a woman who does not have a lot of experience with a lot of penises. I don’t want my boy to lack any enjoyment from sex, but I also hope that he comes to realize (with the help of good parenting) a proper and healthy view of sex as part of a larger relationship (marriage = life[man + woman]). I hope his primary concern is to love his wife as himself and not whether his regular orgasm rates a "10" or a "7".
The final argument to deal with is that of the child’s rights. Some claim that it is unethical to make a medical decision without the child’s consent. From my point of view this is just dumb. The child is a child and I am the parent. Part of my job as a caring parent is to make the medical decisions for him. He will get shots, he will get dental surgery, he will get glasses – and he will not have a say in any of it. My job as a parent is to do my best to prepare my boy for the rest of his life. The "no consent" argument is misplaced.
So, everyone has an opinion. The worlds of medicine, religion, and social custom are divided. There does not seem to be any clear evidence that would sway a neutral, rational decision-maker. I am circumcised. Do I want my son to look like me? Do I risk the possible drawbacks in the hope of some future benefit? There are three websites that may be of interest. The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages is an anti-circ site. They are very passionate about their stand, but some of their science sounds like young-earth creationists. A pro-circ site called CircumcisionInfo.com does a good job of balancing anti-circ emotionalism. The International Circumcision Information Reference Centre is a UK site that addresses more of the medical issues in a pro-circ way.
I know there are problems with Klink lately, but if you can leave me a message let me know what you think about the whole issue. What is my role as the Dad? What is best for the boy? Is circumcision preventive medicine or body mutilation? How would you decide?