 |
|
|
|
 Arsalan Iftikhar says the debate on circumcision is really about religious freedom.
July 17th, 2012
07:41 AM ET
My Take: Jews and Muslims should unite against Germany circumcision ban
By Arsalan Iftikhar, Special to CNN (CNN)–According to recent reports, a German court's ban on circumcising baby boys has provoked a rare show of unity between Jews, Muslims and Christians who see it as a threat to religious freedom, while doctors warn it could increase health risks by forcing the practice underground. This recent ruling has global media commentators on all sides of the political aisle debating whether this issue is an affront to religious freedom or a victory to protect the foreskins of young male babies around the world. Several prominent writers, including Michael Gerson of the Washington Post, rightfully challenged this recent legal decision by a local German court in Cologne, which would effectively criminalize ritual circumcision for infant males as an exercise of religious freedom for minority religious communities in the country. Gerson and others have been highlighting this most recent issue vis-à-vis Europe’s infamous history of anti-Semitism, which has long been a sociopolitical stain of xenophobia across European lands. However, it is quite interesting to note that most of these same commentators are not even adequately addressing the fact that the German case in question actually involved a Muslim family, not a Jewish one. Basically, many of these commentators are citing a legal ruling against a Muslim family in Germany to fashion entire columns devoted to prejudice vis-a-vis the Jewish community, with barely a reference to the original case involving Muslims or rising tide of Islamophobia in Europe, which exists alongside anti-Semitism on the spectrum of xenophobia and must be eradicated. CNN's Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the big stories Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel ignored the Muslim origins of this controversy when she recently told her party members that Germany risked becoming a "laughingstock" and that her country should not be "the only country in the world in which Jews cannot practice their [religious] rites". This entire meta-narrative is even more perplexing since most estimates find that Germany is home to approximately 120,000 Jews and more than 4 million Muslims. On the other side of the Germany circumcision debate, noted journalist Andrew Sullivan recently wrote about the topic and asked, "[Can] parents permanently mutilate a child's genitals to pursue their own religious goals?" Although Sullivan clearly states that he "veers on the side of permissiveness" in this case in Germany, he does anchor his position on the belief that the religious practice of infant circumcision is tantamount to male genital mutilation. "At some point, one can only hope this barbarism disappears," writes Sullivan. "And it will have nothing to do with anti-Semitism or Islamophobia; it will be about defending the religious liberty of Jewish and Muslim male [babies] to choose their religion, and not have it permanently marked as scar tissue on their [genitals]." Although I usually agree with much of his writing on most subjects, I would be curious to see if Sullivan would also consider parents who pierce the ears of their baby daughters to be committing "earlobe mutilation"? Probably not. Having said that, this is yet another instance of a "teachable moment" where Jews, Muslims and people of all faiths (or no faith) can unite to promote religious freedom for all people around the world. Since we tend to live in tribalistic circles where Muslim people tend to focus only on Islamophobia and Jewish people tend to focus only on anti-Semitism, we need to instill a new culture where Jewish people speak against Islamophobia and Muslim people speak against anti-Semitism across the globe. Similarly, as an international human rights lawyer, it would behoove me to highlight the importance for the global community to protect the legal and political rights of all religious minorities in every part of the world. In the case of the German circumcision ban, people of conscience should stand with both Muslim and Jewish communities in Germany to help ensure that anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are equally challenged, especially since we are seeing right-wing xenophobic political parties continue to rise to prominence in many part of the European Union. Similarly, we should also speak up for disenfranchised religious minorities in other parts of the world, whether it is Coptic Christians in Egypt, the Baha'i community in Iran, the Rohingya Muslims in Burma (now known as Myanmar) or the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Even though we do not yet live in a world where many Jewish and Muslim people agree on many geopolitical matters, the concept of religious freedom should be something that people of all faiths (or no faith) should be able to agree upon wholesale. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Basically, at a time where the world seems to become even more polarized on a daily basis, this latest Germany circumcision debate should be used by Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities to stand in solidarity and unite in an essence of true Abrahamic camaraderie, regardless of whether we are circumcised or not. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Arsalan Iftikhar.
Next entry »Drafting Israel's ultra-Orthodox?
« Previous entryOrdination on the go? There’s an app for that!
|
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
Editor's note: Arsalan Iftikhar is an international human rights lawyer, founder of TheMuslimGuy.com and author of the book "
Wow Tons of hateful bigots in here. We all know what this is about. The war on women needs to stop and this needs to be mandated for all boys. The fact Male circu-mcision prevents the spread of STD's such as HPV and HIV in the heterose-xual community us enough for me. So many women are ravished by HPV and it is the responsibility of the mothers of small boys to ensure this epidemic is stopped. The fact that HIV rate is reduced by 54% among heterose-xuals when the male partner is circ-umcised makes this a public health issue. I wish all the neanderthals would stop hating women and come into the 21st century and embrace modern medicine. Too many chauvinistic males in here trolling and trying to make this a religious issue.
Ravished? No, no.
Stop trolling.
Tom why do you hate women? Why would you not be for the elimination/prevention of HIV/HPV/many other STD's. Science and actual case studies have shown that this little surgery has saved countless people from HIV and other STD's How many people have to die untell america and the rest of the world wakes up. Just because somehow these religions just so happened to be inlined with a public health issue does not negate its benifit. Their are a lot of things that star out of supersticion and the people following them do not know why they work but it just does . do some research on thefindings out of africa on the HIV prevention from this little snip.
Bonehead, I AM a woman. I don't 'hate women'. Get a clue. There are other ways to prevent the spread of disease.
I don't see how a piece of skin can cause so much harm. Maybe it's a cleansing issue. There is information swinging (no pun intended) both ways on having and not having it done. More research needs to be done.
Think she meant rava.ged, perhaps.
Regardless, @mandy has a valid point. I don't think mandating anything is the answer, after all women can choose not to get involved with uncut men, but if the statistics are valid, I think she has a point.
I just hate illiterate, stupid morons who can't even figure out how to write a simple sentence and spell the medical terms they use to attempt to make a spurious argument.
Get a dictionary.
Tom Tom, Don't waste hate on something so simple as a misspelled word. We all make mistakes. Now if you want to hate republicans, that's okay.
Obviously you did not know that the word circ-umcision is not permitted by cnn try to type it or try to type s-exual and your post will not go out. But instead of being a stickler on spelling how about you counter the argument with facts not with dribble.
I'm not 'wasting hate' on anything. When some dumb a ss gets on here attempting to post some sort of scientific 'fact' and can't figure out how to spell a simple word, I have good reason to doubt her ability to reason.
He probably is a republican. I know he said he was a she but women tend not to be against a procedure that would save women's lives unless she is a illiterate republican. What kinda liberated women would spout such nonsense?
Here's your little list, mandy: untell inlined benifit. Their are a lot of things that star out of supersticion and the people following them do not know why they work but it just does .
--–
When you figure out how to write, alert the media. Your message might be valid, but if you can't do a better job of delivering it, no one will care.
You lose again, mandy. Female, married, over 50 and a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. Wanna bet some more?
Mandy, simple hypothetical situation for you to think about:
If removing the labia minora of women reduced disease in men, like prostate cancer, would you request that a doctor take a scalpel and slice them out of your baby daughter?
Even more to the point: suppose it was found that cutting out the c litoris was medically beneficial to the health of males. Would mandy support that?
Mandy, ignore the hateful atheist Tom, Tom. Tommy is mad because she is confused if she is a woman or a man. She just needs to Jesus's truth to end her confusion. If not she will burn for eternity and get hers in the end. Poor lazy carnal atheist. boo hoo it is getting hot.
Amen
Poor HS. It's sad when a woman is all dried up.
Tom,Tom getting their daily fill of the Father of Lies must feel good short term. You will find out.
Amen
Sorry Tom, Tom you and CNN try to peddle your lies/sin to shut me up but cannot. Jesus's truth will always win
Amen
HeavenSent you're full of a bunch of crooked christian crap. You got here the same way everyone else got here. If prayin' solved problems, there wouldn't be any problems. Stop worrying about the afterlife. Don't escape from reality, deal with it.
Zzzzzzzz.
@Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son, "I just hate illiterate, stupid morons who can't even figure out how to write a simple sentence and spell the medical terms they use to attempt to make a spurious argument. "
I thought you said (on another thread) you didn't hate???
Ken Margo = Tom,Tom
"...come into the 21st century and embrace modern medicine"
The often-cited excuse that it is a health benefit is overstated for the simple reason that there is a membrane between the foreskin and the head of the peni_s that prevents germs (bacteria) from collecting under the foreskin. This membrane is usually ruptured after first inter_course (or rough mastur_bation). So circu_mcision is not warranted for an infant, and is not worth the risk that ANY kind of surgery has – especially at such a tender age. When the child comes of age, then they can make the decision as to cut or not cut
HeavenSent, Ken Margo = Tom Tom is that the best you can do? You don't have a religious text you could quote. Maybe put a spell on me. Damn me to Satan or somthin'.
As I posted before ...
Phony heavensent, you believe yourself to be having fun as you manipulate my handle the last few days writing your nonsense. Mental health professionals know your behavior to be disturbed with narcissistic, anti-social personality disorders. I'll throw in borderline personality disorder just to cover more of the bases with obsessive compulsive disorder to boot.
So says the phony HeavenSent (cough) Tom, tom. Keep playing your atheist games.
Amen.
Ralf, Great spin!!! fact from the CDC and medical studies that show a n out right reduction in a whole host of disease now are Often cited excuses. This membrane does not stop all cases but cir-umcission sure does reduce it my a substantial amount so get with it or go see a mental health professional cause your in need of one.
Religion must not be a ground to excuse behavior in any form. Weather or not to circu.mcise should be based only upon medical and psychological considerations. Religion should not play any role whatsoever. While people should, of course, have the freedom to hold beliefs irrespective of how profoundly stupid they might be, religious beliefs must not be given special recognition and treatment by society. To practicing Muslims, Jews and Christians (and believers of all other organized religions): listen up. Yours are cultures of ignorance. Admit that none of us has solved the enigma as to the cosmos and our personal existence. Religion does a very poor job in explaining God but, instead, creates a lot of nonsense in that pursuit. Educate yourselves. Read books. Learn basic science. You should be ashamed of yourselves that you hold such beliefs. I feel pity for you in that you appear so primitive to me, so foolish, so unintelligent. I was only eleven years old when I came to the realization that the rituals of my religion (which was Christianity) and, later on, organized religion in general reflect unintelligent behavior. Give up practicing your ridiculous and unintelligent rituals. Free your selves of ignorance. Remove and cast those silly burqas, Yamikas and rosary beads to the wind! Live practical. Think. Think. Think.
I wan the right to have this procedure done on my cat.
Really.
The veterinarian doesn't even offer it. I want the choice.
Don't throw the foreskin out. Dip it some breading and fry 'em up. They'll think it's calamari. 😉
Who will think it's calamari?
Test. The editor has a low I.Q.
myslant,
See the list on page 12, if you are having trouble posting. (It's probably the word circ-umcision)
How about we unite against torturing infants? This is some archaic garbage that no religious freedom protects. Violation of the first line of the Hippocratic oath: "First, do no harm"
Funny how those who are calling this barbaric and mutilation are the same folks that are Pro-Choice.
What do the two have to do with each other?
How do you know that they're the "same folks"? And why would it surprise you if they were? One has nothing to do with the other.
I agree with religious freedom, I also think that our children are OUR link to the future. They represent what WE feel is valuable for our linage. I also firmly believe in evolution, and feel that the weak tend to get edged out. So if something that parents do to their children that limits them or causes them to die, then that parent losses the link to the future.
With that being the case, let them do what they want to their kids...first off ITS THEIR KIDS not yours. No the kids do NOT need someone to speak up for them because they cant. If the kid doesnt make it the parents blow their shot at the future not your. Second, obviously if they have been doing this for 5000 years and they are still doing good and actually thriving, who are you to say their way of life is wrong.
So i guess end result is MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS and Raise your own kids how you want.
So if I want to beat them until they bleed it's okay dokey with you?
Moron. I hope your "linage" (sic) dies.
@Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son, "So if I want to beat them until they bleed it's okay dokey with you? Moron. I hope your "linage" (sic) dies.
"
I thought you were one of the live-and-let-live crowd. What happened?
Did you drop out of school in 3rd grade or did they just give up on you, Lost?
Kill an unborn child - yes. Remove the foreskin - no. Humanity has lost its way.
Since you are pro-life. Are you willing to help PAY for these kids you want so badly to be born? Are you willing to raise taxes to help these children? Probably not. So stop with the crooked christian conservative crap.
There's no such thing as an "unborn child" or a "born fetus". Figure it out.
Banning abortion turns an adult female into an incubator. It has nothing to do with mutilating an unborn child. Being pro choice and being against this archaic practice are positions that both respect the rights of the individual.
Do you eat eggs?
Dat's Right. These peeps aren't tooo confused, are they?!?
@Chad, "Banning abortion turns an adult female into an incubator. It has nothing to do with mutilating an unborn child. Being pro choice and being against this archaic practice are positions that both respect the rights of the individual."
Cuckoo-cuckoo.
It is a strange and bizarre custom from beyond the dark ages, whence religion has its origins. In addition, the baby has no choice in the matter. It is also not natural to perform this barbarism. How long do we continue to protect the rights of religion irrespective of the harm it may cause or the dysfunction it provides?
"It is also not natural..."
Neither is penicillin or dentistry or soap for that matter.
very strange the same people have no problem with killing a unborn baby but have a problem with this Hmmmm
A group of cells does not a baby make, until it has a reasonable chance of surviving outside of its host, it is still part of the woman's body.
It's only strange to someone who's too stupid to figure out that a clump of cells in the uterus doesn't have the receptors to 'feel' pain and has no cognitive ability to 'remember'. An infant does.
Yo leo. According to CNN/Money it cost over $230,000 to raise a child from birth to 18. If the parent can't pay it, guess who pays. You, me and millions of other taxpayers. My mortgage went up because of school taxes and my child graduated from H.S. I'm tired of subsidizing other people's kids. birth control and abortion is the best way to keep taxes down!
While I agree that women have a right to choose, Ken, your bit#hing about taxes is ridiculous. Paying for schools is part of the cost of living in civilization. Just because YOU don't have a kid in school does not exempt you from paying for the education of others' kids. That is something that benefits society as a whole.
The kids whose education your taxes fund are the doctors, dentists, nurses, teachers, scientists, etc. that will be employed and paying taxes in the future. Stop being so short-sighted.
Tom Tom I'm not being shortsighted. People cost money. a lot of money. Money we don't have. Republicans want to cut gut every program people need to live because we can't afford it. If people have children THEY can afford to take care of, that cost will not fall on taxpayers. Based on your logic, why don't taxpayers help put my daughter through college. We'll all benefit from it.
They do. Taxes are used to support state universities.
Sorry, but your argument fails. I agree that people should not have children they can't afford, but pretending that only those who have children in the public schools should pay for their education is nonsense.
When I get my daughters tuition bill, I'm going to look you up 🙂 Seriously, if you want to force individuals to be more responsible, raise their taxes with each child they have. This will pay for the services needed to raise that child. (school, healthcare etc.) There isn't an economic system that will ever exist that can support unlimited people.
You can look me up if you want, but it will avail you nothing, dear. The fact is that your children's public schools education was paid for by all of us, many of whom have no children in the public schools.
Tom Tom we're never going to see eye to eye on this. My main point really is society needs to be consistent. If people are going to be pro life, then help people no matter the cost from cradle to grave. You never know when you will need help someday. What really makes me angry is the pro lifers christian stance before the child get here, then after the kid is born, then screw em.
By the way, I still have a daughter in J.H.S.
You got it, Leo.
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."
Isaiah 5:20
What?
Ken, I agree that people need to be responsible for the children they have and that anti-choice zealots should put up or shut up. But you ARE being short-sighted about public school education. The fact is that the children we pay to educated today are going to be the adults who pay taxes to support US tomorrow. Their earnings and the taxes they pay are going to pay for our retirement. A free public education is a necessity for a successful society. All benefit from the education and all should foot the bill.
Just because I may not drive a car it does not follow that I should be exempt from paying for the roads everyone else drives on. Those roads benefit me, even if I don't drive because they carry goods and services I use. It's the same thing.
Let the barbarian cultures continue their barbaric practices. I am happy to move on and evolve without them.
Who thinks of these things. Religious freedom? If gawd didn't want it there, why did he put it there in the first place?
....and the appendix?
And what about the appendix? Do you have a point?
If who didn't want it there?
The reason G-d placed the foreskin on males and commanded it to be removed is to teach humanity that just as we participate in perfecting the physical human body, it is also up to us to perfect our character and our soul.
@Be Fair,
I think the subject of that sentence is fairly obviously "gawd," but maybe I'm wrong.
@Steve,
Really? ... and He told you this Himself?
@ ME II The Commandment to remove the foreskin is in the Old Testament. Traditional Jews and many others believe this is the word of G-D recorded by Moses. The explanation is based on oral Jewish tradition passed down from generation to generation all the way back to Moses.
@Steve,
So you're saying "No", right?
It is a religious belief and should be up to the people. You are taking away freedom of religion.
Sounds like us and the British again. Let's have another revolution. Oh, Germany? WGAF.
If we are taking away freedom of religion and it is for the freedom of the individual, what do you choose?
That thing just looks atrocious with the glob of skin. Get rid of it.
Just pull the skin back. If your guy can get it up, you wont even notice it.
You've never seen an erect penis before, have you?
An old Jewish woman once said....."Why cut it off before you know how much he's going to need?"
It's the parent's choice, and their right to decide how the boy looks. Nanny state no. Freedom yes.
So now the rights of the parents trump the child? Would you be saying the same of female genital mutilation?
According to the anti abortionists, the child rights come before the parents. SO MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
It's a barbaric blood sacrifice and it should be illegal everywhere!
According to some studies there are some medical benefits to circu.mcision:
"Lack of male circu.mcision has also been associated with se.xually transmitted genital ulcer disease and chlamydia, infant urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and cervical cancer in female partners of uncircu.mcised men [1]. "
(http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/circuREMOVEmcision.htm)
@ ME II, teach your child to clean itself properly, and heck, while we're at it, why don't you learn how to clean your prepuce as well. Good hygiene is the key. The 'medical' evidence for benefit of routine infant c/cision is fast fading.
5000 years Jews have been doing this, but these enlightened Germans and silly fops like Sullivan know better. This self induced delusion of all-knowingness is so laughable, and should not be mentioned without laughter. Ever. Humiliate these smallminded puny people with no respect for others.
5000 years of tradition is not a reason to continue doing anything.
However, there are some reasons to do this, but medical ones, and they are not definitive.
I can honestly say, I don't want my foreskin back.
Thank you, Parents.
Does it improve your looks without it?
Wouldn't you at least like to have had a choice in the matter?
Leave babies alone!!
+1000 Let's put an end to these ancient practices!
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER – – – MUTILATE - a defenseless infant's body!!!!!
If males (and females) wish this procedure performed, after reaching maturity? LET THEM CHOOSE, THEN!!!!!
+1000!
Are you kidding? Who is going to want to perform this procedure on themselves when they 10 or 20 years old? It requires general anesthesia and is much more painful when you are grown. The procedure done on an infant takes seconds, heals quickly and is never remembered.