Why do Jews push and push and push this?
March 26, 2009 Circumcision, Jewish Community
Deborah Kotz writes in U.S. New and World Report,
“To snip or not? Any parent of an infant son faces this circumcision question; for some, like me, it’s a no-brainer.”
Okay. You and your readers know what is truly motivating you. Religion. So why not skip thee whole article entitled, “Why Women Should Favor Circumcision: To Prevent HPV Infection“?
Why do so many Jews — who ultimately, are motivated by religious and/or cultural sensibilities — feel the need to convince gentiles that male circumcision is such a wonderful idea?
Frankly, when I read a Jew advocating for circumcision for “health” reasons, I have learned to expect it to be one-sided and highly selective in terms of evaluating evidence.
I know it seems like Kotz is being honest about her bias, but at the risk of sounding cynical, but I don’t think she means it quite as “in full disclosure” as we might want it to mean. Rather, I think it is the usual, self-congratulatory, “And we Jews have known of its health benefits for thousands of years, and only now is the West catching up!”
12 comments
Yeah, I find it quite peculiar that even though circumcision is this “highly regarded covenant” for Jewish people, somehow they still feel the need to defend this practice with “studies that show, blah ba-blah…”
Is culture and religion simply not enough anymore? Would that studies show circumcision actually serves no purpose, or that it might actually be detrimental to a man’s sexuality, would Jews actually consider abandoning the old covenant? Or would they change their tune to “Well, it’s what our god says so…”
So do Jews circumcise their children out of tradition? Or because they believe the crock that there might actually be some “medical benefit?” Which is it? You can’t do both, as they cancel each other out. You either believe circumcision is this “grand covenant”, or you believe “studies are compelling.”
To me, the need to conjure up “studies” indicates doubt. As if somewhere in the back of the minds of Jews, they do actually hear the shrieks of agony their children emit as a mohel mutilates their organs, and they do feel that there might actually be something wrong with this practice. That it is “holy covenant” should settle the matter. But yet, when they see a study that doesn’t even concretely vindicate male infant circumcision (it MIGHT or COULD prevent such and such by like 20% or so…), they grasp at it and exacerbate the results that indicate that there just might be something good about what their faith commands, without considering the flaws and biases ofthe studies. They breathe a sigh or relief and then feel happy that they have found something for their arsenal of alibis for infant circumcision, The Torah, of course, being number one.
The need to defend faith with “science” always leaves me baffled. If someone believes something, fair enough. But faith is the belief in something irrational that cannot be demonstrably proven; using science to ratify an act of faith completely defeats the purpose. Is the “covenant” simply no longer a good enough reason for Jews to circumcise anymore? Are they losing their faith and are thus seeking to reafirm it through “studies?” Or is it, as the author of this blog suggests, arrogant self-congratulation? Or both? (Faith re-assurance through self-congratulation in the presence of goyim?)
Even if circumcision were shown in studies to have a potential for harm, Jews would still have to circumcize their children.
Even if studies were to show that a diet rich in pork lengthened lifespans and cut down on heart disease, Jews would still not eat pork.
Studies have nothing to do with faith. This is just another example of people breaking down the line between faith and reasion because they are weak in the former and therefore need the latter to bolster it.
Heheh, “Kotz” means “purge”.
Greetings, Kelsey!
I bring you the following:
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....41879.html
oooo. Now what?
[...] people to do it and that there are no real studies that prove that it helps anyone. Its all the Jews [...]
Now what? Mayhaps a more proper field research that will take cultural aspects out of the equation e.g. whether circumcised men are more likely to lead monogamous relationships, how many sexual partners they have, how circumcision affects their sex life and possibly their libido, the public view and acceptance of prostitution and concubines etc.? Mayhaps a little more frankness admitting that there are high rates of HIV infections even in African states where circumcision is a common procedure (also, but not only just related to Muslim circumcision)? Studies like the ones quoted ring me as cynical.
It’s always funny how ANY study that shows a “reduction” in the infection of whatever disease have you, is significant enough to make the jump to say “See? All children should be circumcised immediately. All parents need to be informed, and Medicaid should cover it.”
Not too long ago one Arleen A. Leibowitz was urging the circumcision of minors and its funding in language not too different from what the authors of the latest “study” are using.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=622581
Numbers like “a 35% reduction in HPV infection, a 28% reduction in herpes, and a 60% reduction in AIDS” are always optimistically touted, but they don’t want to talk about how there is still a 65% risk for HPV, a 72% risk in herpes, and a 40% risk in HIV. If anything, these “studies” show how circumcision FAILS as anykind of “prevention method” for these viruses, yet circumcision advocates invariably, immediately make the leap to say these numbers legitimize the circumcision of healthy newborns who aren’t even at any risk for STD infection. “There’s a good case to be made that circumcisions can protect our children,” Leibowitz says. Infants? Who can’t yet even fathom of sex? From STDs? Is she JOKING???
Scientists should be striving to find a solution to a problem, not problems that legitimize a pre-determined “solution.” The “scientists” in these “studies” are more interested in legitimizing the circumcision of infants than they are in actual STD prevention, and that is counterproductive in the fight against STDs.
You know what else is funny? How they DON’T tell you circumcision isn’t working in Israel. Haaretz published the following:
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/996706.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1000259.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/998873.html
Since the authors of these articles can’t serve up circumcision as the solution, they’re forced to actually talk about practical prevention measures (e.g, condoms, education campaigns, testing, etc.).
The following article talks about how circumcisions, esp. of the traditional variety performed by mohels, actually CAUSE urinary tract infections.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1043807.html
Circumcision can’t prevent AIDS and it even CAUSES UTIs in ISRAEL of all places, but even so, I doubt we will stop hearing about how circumcision is this great and wonderful Jewish gift to mankind. It would be interesting to see Kotz address THESE little issues in one of her articles. Very interesting indeed.
[...] View post: Why do Jews push and push and push this? — The Kvetcher [...]
“Why do so many Jews — who ultimately, are motivated by religious and/or cultural sensibilities — feel the need to convince gentiles that male circumcision is such a wonderful idea?”
For the same reason people want to prove the existence of God scientifically and also to prove to raise their own self-esteem by saying, “see, even the outsiders now agree with us”
Guy White — yes, seems like it.
[...] David wants to know Why do Jews push and push and push this? [...]
Leave a Comment