[Jamie89]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Babies aren't able to make decisions about literally anything though, they can't choose the religion they're brought up as, they can't choose whether they're fed meat, they can't choose if their parents smoke or drink around them, they can't choose if they're breastfed etc. etc. There's a million and one decisions that parents can make or not make which have an impact on a baby's body and their life

That's my point though, they can't yet choose their religion or what religious practices to follow, therefore there is no reason to force painful and unnecessary surgery onto them because of somebody else's religion. When they are old enough they might decide not to follow the religion, or they might choose to follow it but not all of it's practices, or they might decide to follow it and be circumcised. That would be up to them.

I don't buy into the argument that it's better for them to go through the pain as a baby since they won't remember it. They still feel the pain. We don't accept abuse of babies on the basis they won't remember it. And someone who is older may remember the pain, but it doesn't stay with them, they don't experience lifelong trauma, being able to remember it really doesn't make all that much difference to somebody - circumcision on the other hand is lifelong. And adults are better equipped to deal with pain and understand why it's happening to them, a baby isn't able to understand or deal with this kind of thing.