German court rules religious circumcision on boys an assault

[longnecker]

Circumcising young boys on religious grounds amounts to grievous bodily harm, a German court ruled Tuesday in a landmark decision that the Jewish community said trampled on parents' religious rights.

The regional court in Cologne, western Germany, ruled that the "fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighed the fundamental rights of the parents", a judgement that is expected to set a legal precedent.
"The religious freedom of the parents and their right to educate their child would not be unacceptably compromised, if they were obliged to wait until the child could himself decide to be circumcised," the court added.
The case was brought against a doctor in Cologne who had circumcised a four-year-old Muslim boy on his parents' wishes.
A few days after the operation, his parents took him to hospital as he was bleeding heavily. Prosecutors then charged the doctor with grievous bodily harm.
The doctor was acquitted by a lower court that judged he had acted within the law as the parents had given their consent.
On appeal, the regional court also acquitted the doctor but for different reasons.
The regional court upheld the original charge of grievous bodily harm but also ruled that the doctor was innocent as there was too much confusion on the legal situation around circumcision.
The court came down firmly against parents' right to have the ritual performed on young children.
"The body of the child is irreparably and permanently changed by a circumcision," the court said. "This change contravenes the interests of the child to decide later on his religious beliefs."
http://news.yahoo.com/german-court-o...172728400.html

[Chase]

isn't alo of the reason for circumcision base on medical health as well?

[motherof3]

IMO a circumcised penis is easier to keep clean and to care for. When I was in nursing school we did a clinical rotation at the VA hospital. There was a gentleman that had to be catheterized and the student forgot to pull the foreskin back into place. It was extremely painful for the patient and was more prone to infections as a result.

[cracker]

I kinda wish someone had consulted me about cutting off a piece of my dick. That should be a decision that men make for themselves.

[Grin]

I have to agree with Cracker on this one.

[Josef]

I kinda wish someone had consulted me about cutting off a piece of my dick. That should be a decision that men make for themselves.

But by the time you're able to make that decision do you really want to go under the knife?

[longnecker]

I kinda wish someone had consulted me about cutting off a piece of my dick. That should be a decision that men make for themselves.

But by the time you're able to make that decision do you really want to go under the knife?

Easily forgotten as a child. As an adult I think I would pass on that. It would be sore for a while. No fun there.

[Bellicose]

He said a piece, as if they shaved a few inches off.....lmao

I do agree, if I was not, and the decision was left up to me. By the time I knew any better, I would be like oh hell No! Was strange enough when they had a knife around my nads.

[childOfLacroix]

If I had a son, I would not circumcise him. As others have said, this should be a decision that men should make for themselves. Plus, I do not see the point in lopping a perfectly healthy body part off of an infant.

Circ rates have plummeted in the U.S. in recent years. Some health insurance plans no longer cover it...as well they shouldn't. Except in rare cases, there is no medical need for it.