Inspired by this thread asking for advice on whether to circumcise a newborn boy. The suggestion arises that new parents should skip it and let the child decide later. How much later is anyone’s guess.
I expressed that, as an adult who has some understanding of the physical sensitivities involved, I would not opt to be circumcised, even if I knew for sure that there would be a health or sexual benefit. That perhaps not having it done at birth is a defacto decision that it will never be done.
But I’m curious, and maybe I’m wrong. Have any uncircumcised males looked over the evidence, decided it would be better to be circumcised, and had it done? If so, could you tell us a little about your post-surgical experiences?
I assisted in a few adult circumcisions when I was a medical student: They were definitely done for health-related reasons. Phimosis (tight foreskin causing erectile difficulty and chronic infection) is painful, and on occasion the tip of the penis can turn necrotic and need to be cut off. Much better to get circumcised than to experience the pain and run the risk of loss of one’s glans.
I was circumcised at birth and ritually circumcised at forty when I converted to Judaism.
That consisted of being poked with a needle in this fountain pen like thing the Moehl had in his shirt pocket. I wore a wahcloth in my pants on the flight home.
But I digress.
I probably shouldn’t have said “Jesus” up there, right?
In the gland or shaft? I’m surprised that they ritually circumcise already circumcised men at conversion. Sounds kinda like joining the Amish and having to shave your beard to grow a new one.
This is G-ddamn embarrassing, just like the Jewish women asking me at the wedding if i’d had it done.
But it is my fault, and I shall persevere.
Right under the glands there is a web, and Doctor Greene stuck me there with the needle pen thing, blotted it with gauze and showed it to the Rabbi who had turned his back on the act. I held onto my member all the time in terror.
It wasn’t supposed to bleed so much. Dr. Greene is aftera all a physician, and the member in question still works, so what the hell.
A Muslim Turkish-American girl I knew was discussing her upcoming wedding to a Christian American with her grandmother. Grandma said “But, he won’t be circumcised.”
She answered “Oh, that’s no problem…” then stopped. “I hear that many American men are circumcised.”
…not wanting Grandma to realize that she’d already checked it out.
Well, men who convert to stricter branches of Judaism presumably would.
Sorry, I should have said “not for health-related ones dealing with the claims of the benefits of circumcising an average penis.” An abnormally tight foreskin would definitely benefit.
The OP was basically comparing having the parents make the decision versus having the person with the penis make the decision when he got old enough, and my point was that I didn’t think most men would get circumcised for the alleged medical benefits it provides to an average man.
So is that a mistyped “washcloth,” or some sort of cloth that keeps you from crying?
Which is why WAGs aren’t very reliable. As noted above, I opted for this following a failed frenulectomy on the grounds that intercourse was difficult and/or painful due to the foreskin being too tight. From my perspective, that’s far more likely to be a reason for opting for the op than religious, though I may be wrong too.
Just for the squeamish, the op wasn’t too bad, but the six - that’s right, SIX - injections into the base of the penis to numb it hurt like hell and remained bruised for days. That said, I’d do it again now I know how much more pleasant it is to have sex without it feeling like there’s an elastic band around the glans…!
Martiju, as I clarified above, when I said “health-related ones,” my intent was to refer to “the same health-related issues that a parent would consider.” Obviously there are clear medical reasons why an adult man would choose circumcision, but my WAG was meant to indicate that the parents’ reasons probably wouldn’t be among them.
Same thing happened to my SIL’s BIL (spouse’s sister’s husband’s sister’s husband) when he converted. Apparently they have to draw blood or the conversion ain’t real.
(anecdote told by my SIL: the gentleman in question is supposedly… well built. Reportedly the rabbi / mohel said in disgust “pick that thing up off the floor and slide further back in the chair” :eek::D)
