Have you heard about the recent ruling by a German court that basically made circumsizing boys illegal? This has obviously caused an uproar in the German Muslim and Jewish communities, where circumsion is an essential part of their religious beliefs.
The
BBC had
this article that examined the situation in Germany, posing the question: "Is it a parent's right to choose?"
The court claims: "The child's body is permanently and irreparably changed by the circumcision. This change conflicts with the child's interest of later being able to make his own decision on his religious affiliation." One newspaper compared circumsion to female genital mutilation.
I'm not convinced by these arguments. I'm cut and certainly don't remember such bodily harm when I was only a few days old (besides, coming out of the womb is a pretty big shock to a baby's body as well). I also agree with three arguments against the ruling in the article:
- It warns that circumsion procedures could be carried out in more dangerous situations now, putting children in harm's way.
- What about piercing the ears of little girls (or boys)? Isn't that a similar situation where there is bodily harm done without a child's understanding consent?
- What about the Christian ritual of infant baptism? Isn't that forcing a child into a religion they are not free to choose?
Obviously I'm fine with circumsion; I believe it is a personal choice by the parents to make for their child whether to perform circumsion or not; after all, no child is able to make any sort of decisions when they're infants, and the parents are parents and guardians for a reason.
What do you think? Did the German court make the correct decision or have they taken things too far?