What is the religious reason for circumcision?

Question

What an incredible concept! So people butcher their children as a promise to god?

But if god created man in his image, why get rid of the foreskin?

Of all the things they could remove to prove they are god's people....they chose the foreskin? why not keep your nails trimmed? keep your heads shaved? don't have pubic hair?

Ishfaq: 1. I asked about the religious side of it. 2. the 'health' reasons you have given...remain unproven.

Thank you LXV nice clear answer.

what's wrong with flesh?

Answer 1

It was a way for Jewish men to mark themselves as God's chosen people. It was important to them, as a matter of their faith, that they be unable to disguise themselves as anything but Jews (back in the days of naked public bathing - many business deals were conducted in the public baths in Roman days - it would have been hard to hide)

Circumcision was a visual and physical reminder that you were one of God's chosen and had a responsibility to act accordingly.

It was also a way of proving your dedication to God. Your suggestions (trimmed fingernails, shaved heads, shaved pubic areas) wouldn't work because none of these would involve sacrifice. A man would have to be pretty dedicated to allow any part of his penis to be removed, or that of his son's.

Also, God said this is what should be done. So that is the way it was done. (Might have been funny to watch Moses try to bargain with God. "Part of my penis? Uhh, how about an ear? I'd be willing to give you a whole ear).

For those not of the Jewish faith, it is not necessary to circumcise boys. There are certain medical arguments for it, but none really convincing.

Religiously, there was a huge debate during early Christianity about whether or not Gentiles who became Christians would have to become Jews first (and get circumcised). It was decided by the early church fathers (most importantly Paul - who also received a vision that Christians did not have to keep a kosher diet) that it would be a big stumbling block to get people to become Christian. (Which would have defeated the all-inclusive message of Christ).

Hope this answers your question

Answer 2

Stef - Female or Male? If male, and not circumcised, have you ever had sand inside your foreskin? If female - use your imagination.

Most religious laws from Jews and Muslims were an easy way of getting an uneducated people to observe rules of survival. Don't eat pig, because pigs were infested with tape-worm, don't drink alcohol (appears in the Songs of Solomon - long before the Koran) because alcohol dehydrates, which is not a good idea in the hot desert climate - and - circumcise your boys.

Answer 3

It is done as it is a why of keeping clean and there is a lot of scientific proof behind it. Men who are circumcised have fewer cancers, fewer infections and it is a useless peace of skin anyway, it just like cutting your hair or nails your not loosing anything. If God says it is the best way then I'm taking Gods word over anyone elses.

Ask any man who has been circumcised if he feels butchered? I think you will get a resounding "NO!" They would be repulsed at the idea of still having there foreskin. As for all the things you said we should trim in Islam we do, all hair is trimmed. True men have beards but they are trimmed.....

Answer 4

It was a tradition practiced by the ancient father from whon the hebrews and jews descended...

... it aimed at distinguishing those who worshiped God from those who did not....

... When our Lord Jesus came... he was born in Flesh as a jew so he was circumcised by Saint Joseph and Our holy mother Mary ... then he taught us it was the spiritual state of the human that matters not the piece of flesh down his body....

... Christianity belives in Baptisim as our way of initiation and acceptance into the church where all humans are born equal regardless of religion, gender, race or anything else.

Answer 5

I agree. If I was God, and KNEW it was better for boys not to have a foreskin, I would not give them one in the first place. Dead easy. After all 'GOD' can do anything.

Answer 6

If you maintain proper hygiene, there is no medical basis for circumcision anymore. In addition, the tip of the penis becomes desensitized and sexual pleasure for the male is greatly reduced. Try mutilating women's genitals and see how the feminists would react to that.

Answer 7

The Jewish Faith holds that circumcision is a part of their covenant with God, that He commands them to do it, and that you cannot be male AND Jewish without being circumcised.

Look up "Bris" and "Moyle" on Yahoo and you'll get a sense of the ritual involved with circumcision in the Jewish Faith.

Answer 8

just Abraham was told to do at a sign of his covenant with God he and all males in his house hold had to be circumcised

Answer 9

It is said to be a covenant between God and his chosen people. The Muslims did this practice because they were related to, I believe, Ishmael who was related to Abraham who took the covenant.

Answer 10

Circumcision represents the cutting off of the flesh and is a symbol of the utter condemnation of the flesh. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, Romans 8/8.

What is the flesh? It is the self life lived apart from or independent from God. It is at enmity with God and under His judgement.

It was a symbol given to Abraham, Genesis 18/10, of God's covenant with him when He called Abraham out of paganism to be separate unto God and out of whom God would make an holy nation, separated to Him who would bring forth the Saviour of all mankind, Jesus Christ.
Romans 4/11 tells us that Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.

Christ was circumcised the eighth day in His body according to the law but his flesh was cut off by the cross, which circumcision represents. His flesh was sinless, being perfect as the spotless Lamb of God, but He bore the sinful flesh of all who are united to Him by faith. Thus He took God's punishment for sin in the flesh (body) for all united to Him by faith. Our obedience to Him enables us to walk in newness of life in the Spirit of God and thus please God.

Thus circumcision represents the cross which cuts off the flesh, Col 2:11, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

As a symbol it has now been fulfilled in Christ and is redundant.
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God, Romans 2/28-29. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love, Galatians 5/6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, Galatians 6/16.For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, Phillipians 3/3.