The Cruelest Cut?

Circumcision probably began as scarification – a rite meant to reinforce loyalty to a man's tribe by making him look irreversibly different from men in other tribes. It is believed that some ancient Egyptians were circumcised as a sign of social status. But little else is known, since circumcision was not formally documented until the Hebrew texts.

The beginning of the tradition of Jewish male circumcision is documented in Genesis 17. Here, God directs Abraham (and male members of Abraham's community and their servants and slaves) to be circumcised eight days after birth. It's likely early circumcision procedures cut off only the prepuce (the end of the foreskin), exposing the glans (head of the penis). It was not until the Hellenistic period, in 140 CE, that Jewish circumcision removed the entire foreskin.

So What's a Good Christian – or Muslim – to do?

Because they considered it offensive to expose the glans, the Greeks and Romans, who ruled the "known world" around the turn of BCE to CE, had a big problem with circumcision. They believed that an elongated, tapered prepuce symbolized morality, virtue, beauty, and health. If a prepuce was small at birth or had been removed in a ritual circumcision, they considered it to be diseased – lipodermos. And those who didn't measure up could usually be "fixed" with topical medicine, surgery, or traction. But when the hitherto uncircumcised Romans and Greeks started converting to Christianity, the early Christian community was in turmoil. What should they do about all of these "unshorn" men? Should they be allowed to become part of the Christian group, or not?

The controversy led Paul to address the issue in the First Letter to the Corinthians 7:18–20:

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's command is what counts.

Paul wrote further on the subject, possibly, because, in addition to being a former Jew himself, he was an educated Roman citizen. He understood the strong opposition of the average Roman (or Greek) male to being circumcised and being thrust into what they considered to be a state of perpetual lewdness. So circumcision did not become mandatory for Christians.

Muslims, on the other hand, revered Abraham as a prophet and tended to follow his teachings. While circumcision is not mentioned in the text of the Koran, it is strongly recommended in the Sunna writings (traditions of the prophet, which are the second recognized source of Muslim law after the Koran) as a means of cleanliness. Also, the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed support the practice of circumcision. Therefore, circumcision became common for Muslim males, though they were not restricted to the eight-day rule and generally could be circumcised at any time up to marriage.

Why Circumcise Today?

Outside of Jewish and Muslim religious circles, circumcision was not really followed in Europe until the Victorian era. During this time, circumcision was believed to be a punishment for, and preventative measure against, masturbation, which was believed to cause insanity. In America in the 1870s, many medical professionals believed that circumcision could be a cure for cancer, a treatment for paralysis, or could inhibit the spread of syphilis. From the 1880s, therefore, circumcision was performed on American infants as protection from disease. It was also proof that the child had been delivered in a real hospital, and, therefore, it became a mark of higher social class.

Medically, Victorian physicians weren't far off the mark. Circumcision does prevent some disease: such as UTIs; some STDs (e.g., syphilis, herpes), which are more common in uncircumcised men; and the very rare, yet aggressive, penis cancer that is almost unheard of in circumcised men (who had the procedure done as infants). Circumcision may also be performed for immediate medical reasons, including phimosis (non-retractable foreskin), acute balanoposthitis, and paraphimosis.

Today, according to Netdoctor.co.uk, about 80% of US males have been circumcised, mostly for non-religious reasons. However, the frequency seems to be dropping, from around 63.9% of neonates circumcised in 1990 to 55.1% in 2003. In 1996, The Health Law Update (Australia) suggested that adults who were circumcised in infancy may have the right to sue parents or healthcare professionals who carried out the procedure, claiming that it has violated their rights as individuals. (And I want my tonsils back.)

Non-medically, some parents just want little Johnny to look like dad, so that they won't have to answer any difficult questions from their son. It's also easier for a man to keep a circumcised penis clean.

Whatever the reason, religious, moral, medical, or cosmetic, it's impressive that, for centuries, there has been so much significance attached to such a small flap of skin.

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