South Korea's Circumcision Phenomenon
Every so often I learn some new peculiar thing about Korea. My latest discovery (let me assure you, it was through word-of-mouth and reading) is the strange case of South Korea’s circumcision phenomenon. In its over 4000 year history, the male Korean was never circumcised. Circumcision is not part of their historic religions, or their culture. But since the Korean War, and exposure to America soldiers, Korea started a strange circumcision craze. While very few men over 70 years in Korea are circumcised, over 95% of Korean men between the ages of 12-20 are circumcised. Recent research says that the male circumcision rate has overtook the birth rate. Unlike in America where circumcision happens mostly as a neonatal (baby) procedure, circumcision in Korea happens around the age of twelve. Now while it is a myth that baby boys feel little pain and are not traumatized by circumcision, I’m sure it is at a psychological level better to be circumcised as a baby than later in life. In a communal society like Korea, the power of group-pressure is exceptional and pre-teen Korean boys are forced into something that is unnecessary.Let me expand on why I believe circumcision is unnecessary in general and particularly in Korea. Korean men are made to believe that circumcision is a universal occurrence and necessity. In other words, they believe that is necessary to be circumcised (for hygienic or other reasons) and that all men around the world get circumcised. This is simply not true. Many cultures do not circumcise. It is not a health requirement [see this YouTube-video].We don’t circumcise girls to be more hygienic. We teach them the importance of personal hygiene. Shouldn’t the same go for boys? There is no reason for intact men to be “dirty”. If it is dirty, wash it, don’t cut it off! Daily hygiene routines requires brushing your teeth, not pulling them.The inside of the foreskin is made of the same kind of skin you find on the inside of your lips and the inside of your eyelids. We all agree that these surfaces have important functions. Why should we think any less if the foreskin? These surfaces are also highly sensitive and in the case of the penis considerably adds to pleasure during sex. When erect the inside of the foreskin unfolds over the penis shaft adding substantially to the overall sensitivity of the penis structure. Another myth is that circumcised and intact men gain equal pleasure. This is just not possible. When circumcised this highly sensitive zone just isn’t there anymore. Take a pencil and lightly scratch it over the back of your hand. Now lightly scratch it over the palm of your hand. The circumcised man feels the former (back of the hand). The intact man feels the latter (palm). Actually, because circumcision leaves scar tissue, the circumcised man might even feel less! Furthermore, a primary function of the foreskin is to cover and protect the glans penis (the front “head”-part of the penis), like the eyelids that protect the eyeball. With the circumcised penis the glans penis is continually exposed, becomes calloused, dry, dull in appearance and further loses sensitivity. The foreskin is not just a “flap of skin”, it is highly artery rich, highly nerve rich, and has multiple functions.Other reasons Koreans are encouraged to be circumcised is that it supposedly prevents premature ejaculation and improves the size of the penis. Really?! So the assumption is that most men in Denmark should suffer from premature ejaculation, as circumcision in Denmark is most uncommon. Even if this was the case for Korean men in particular (and I don't know why it should be different for Koreans and not for other men), surely a surgical procedure in which you cut off parts of the male anatomy is not the best solution to prevent premature ejaculation. And far from increasing penis size it actually decreases penis girth, as the outer covering of the penis is stripped away. It may even hamper full erection (read this guys testimony). Circumcision does not improve penis size, probably the inverse.A different silliness is the idea that circumcision is Christian. Circumcision done for religious reasons by the “Christian” is probably one of the most unchristian things you can do. For ancient Israel the circumcision was a covenant sign of the Messiah that was to come. Christians believe that the Messiah, i.e. Jesus the Christ, did come. Christians continuing the practice of circumcision for religious reasons are in fact proclaiming that the Messiah did not come, hence St. Paul’s rebuke that if you still want to circumcise, why don’t you just go ahead and cut the whole thing off! [Galatians chapter 5 & 6.] Christianity is not against circumcision, it is just against it for religious reasons. St. Paul said that we need not circumcision of the literal penis, but of the figurative heart. The Biblical covenant sacraments for the Christian are the Baptism, the Communion and the Sabbath, not circumcision. In any case, religious circumcision in Korea is unknown, except where done so by ignorant Christians. There are practically no Koreans that participate in the Jewish or Islamic faiths.So, getting back to peer pressure: Some parents have their sons circumcised so that they would look “like like other men”. What a strange reason if there ever was one. Imagine for a moment a country where it is customary for people to have their left eye poked out. Should parents do that to their children so that they can look the same as everyone else?Another outrageous (supposedly scientific) claim is that circumcision reduces the infections of HIV/AIDS. What these so-called scientific studies don’t emphasize is that their case studies are given thorough education about HIV/AIDS, which obviously influence their sexual habits. This is not the case for the average “control groups”. Also, such emphasis on “circumcision will lesson your chances of getting AIDS”, may in fact increase licentiousness, causing thinking along the lines of: “I’m circumcised so now I can have lots of unprotected sex.” Circumcision is not a vaccine.For some short rebuttals against the typical pro-circumcision arguments read the following. And if you can stomach Penn & Tiller's "Bullshit"-series, see this segment on circumcisions, on YouTube.
Male circumcision could be outlawed in Denmark
Male circumcision could be outlawed in Denmark
By Erlingur on Dec 2, 2008 in Culture, Music and the Arts, Denmark, MBL, Politics, Society
The Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper has reported that several parties in the Danish Parliament are considering legislation that would ban circumcision on boys as well as girls. After an intense week of discussions by MPs, it appears that the proposal for a ban covering both genders is gaining traction.
Although the Social Democrats, the Liberal Alliance, and the Red-Green Alliance have already gone public with their support for the ban, the Danish People’s Party is calling it a “tyranny.”
“It’s completely ridiculous to compare the circumcision of girls - which is a barbaric mutilation - with that of boys, where it’s just the removal of a skin flap,” said Jesper Langballe of the Danish People’s Party.
However The Copenhagen Post reports that the party’s own health spokesperson, Liselott Brixt, says she supports the circumcision ban, stating “a lot of parents want it done to their children because they themselves had it done. But we’re living in the present and it isn’t fair to expose healthy children to religious circumcision.”
At the centre of the debate is the question of religious freedom. Female circumcision was outlawed in Denmark because it was deemed a too-common practice among some Muslim immigrants. But Jewish tradition demands that boys be circumcised, and many Christians and Muslims support the practice as well. Denmark’s Ethics Council has criticised the practice, suggesting boys should wait until 15 to decide for themselves, the age at which a child has sole legal control over his or her body in Denmark.
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2008/12/02/male-circumcision-could-be-outlawed-in-denmark/
By Erlingur on Dec 2, 2008 in Culture, Music and the Arts, Denmark, MBL, Politics, Society
The Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper has reported that several parties in the Danish Parliament are considering legislation that would ban circumcision on boys as well as girls. After an intense week of discussions by MPs, it appears that the proposal for a ban covering both genders is gaining traction.
Although the Social Democrats, the Liberal Alliance, and the Red-Green Alliance have already gone public with their support for the ban, the Danish People’s Party is calling it a “tyranny.”
“It’s completely ridiculous to compare the circumcision of girls - which is a barbaric mutilation - with that of boys, where it’s just the removal of a skin flap,” said Jesper Langballe of the Danish People’s Party.
However The Copenhagen Post reports that the party’s own health spokesperson, Liselott Brixt, says she supports the circumcision ban, stating “a lot of parents want it done to their children because they themselves had it done. But we’re living in the present and it isn’t fair to expose healthy children to religious circumcision.”
At the centre of the debate is the question of religious freedom. Female circumcision was outlawed in Denmark because it was deemed a too-common practice among some Muslim immigrants. But Jewish tradition demands that boys be circumcised, and many Christians and Muslims support the practice as well. Denmark’s Ethics Council has criticised the practice, suggesting boys should wait until 15 to decide for themselves, the age at which a child has sole legal control over his or her body in Denmark.
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2008/12/02/male-circumcision-could-be-outlawed-in-denmark/
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