Foreskin Folly

In some quarters, it is argued that male circumcision can reduce urinary tract infections and HIV transmission between adults. Whilst unproven, it could be argued that once a male reaches sexual maturity they should be given a choice as to whether they want to submit to the procedure. I have no problem with this whatsoever. Currently however, this invasive medical act is carried out on babies, some as young as eight days old, and almost always for reasons of religious observance. Surprise surprise; I have an enormous issue with this.
Parents; listen carefully to the following. You do not own your children. You are, at best lawful custodians until they reach adulthood. During this time you are of course required to make decisions on their part, but might I suggest that hacking a way at a child's foreskin isn't exactly a priority.
If you consider you have a God given right to subject your offspring to this in order to placate, please, or ingratiate the particular Deity you invoke, might i suggest you've overstepped your remit.  Parents, you are of course free to believe whatever nonsense you please, but I really must insist that your lack of sound judgement does not directly influence your children. As parents we have a massive responsibility to teach our kids an array of life skills, amongst which is the ability to disseminate good claims from bad claims. Any child of religious parents is already at a severe disadvantage here; they are bound to be raised in a religious culture and tradition simply for reasons of proximity to believing mothers and fathers. They are, in simple terms, going to hear a lot of unverified and unverifiable nonsense which is claimed as truth. This is bad enough. If, added to the tripe you want to flood your child's mind with, you also have designs on altering the structure of their body, then as far as I'm concerned you've strayed into the murky waters of physical abuse. I recognise that you may hold your beliefs intensely, and I expect the religion virus was transmitted to you from your equally credulous, albeit well meaning parents. This makes you a victim, too, for which I have some sympathy. But there's enough information out there now for you to know that you are talking tosh and living a fantasy. In short, your children do not need to be mentally infected in the way that you were. But I digress; the root of this blog is about physical abuse, and the abuse of children too young to have any say in what they are subjected to. If you love your kids, which I genuinely believe you do, and if you respect their rights as individuals, of which I'm not so sure, then please do not subject them to physical procedures which have no medical support simply because of your religious beliefs.
It is wrong. It could only ever be wrong. And there is no compelling argument otherwise.