I’m wondering if it’s commanded in the religious texts of the Judeo-Christian religions, and if so, what are the verses and what do they say? I ask because my girlfriend claims it’s a cultural thing and not a religious thing, whereas I claim otherwise. I know the dopers can easily resolve this one… right?
Cheers,
maltese chicken
Originally it was probably cultural. Then it became religious. Now it’s more traditional. But it’s a good
tradition: keeps it’s cleaner and, statistically, reduces very naturally low rates of cancer. I.e., in circumcized at birth population the penile cancer rate is virtually zero. In circumcized later or uncircumcized it’s still low, but who wants to take chances?
Jewish circumcision is deeply rooted in the covenant between God and Abraham. See Genesis 17:10-14
The Egyptians were probably practicing circumcision before the Hebrews.
B, in all my respect:
do you think that Abraham wake up one day with this bright idea and said to himself: “Let me run it by G-d!”
Covenant or not, it probably started somehow and then became religious.