I've always been interested with the sociological side of Religion, so, while I was reading something for class, I came across a Jewish Philosopher, Maimondies. And while this could go under Religion, Philosophy, or Social Sciences, I think the latter would be the best due to what I'm concentrating on.

To quote my book:
"The laws prescribing animal sacrifice weaned the Jews away from worshiping the pagan gods; the dietary laws kept people from gluttony; and circumcision was a way of keeping sexual desire under control."

It makes perfect sense to me, was wondering what your thoughts where on the idea.

I'm all with it, its ancient social engineering....totally practical for the time, I guess if you were a progressive of the period.

My only question is, "how does circumcision keep sexual desire under control?"

For converts, chopping part of your dick off when you hit the age you're supposed to "become a man," would seriously make me reconsider all of the "manly" things I could do with it.

For kids (because I'm fairly sure Jews who are born into Judaism have it done as children) I'm not sure what its supposed to do, to be honest.

Yeah I mean, there are plenty of circumsized guys, and they don't appear to be more sexually controlled than any other guys...Oh wait, Isn't it like you enter into a convenant with god that way or something? Did they do it to women ever?

I thought circumcision was for hygeine purposes. Muslims circumcise their boys, and it doesn't do a damn thing to control their sexual desires once they hit maturity. Oh well.... :mellow:

....we don't have penises loooool.... :lol:

It was and still is done primarily for that reason. Those uncircumcised in biblical times were considered unclean. And there is scientific basis that supports this, even today.

Yeah, God's convenient with Abraham was that his male descendants would be circumcised (among other things that Abraham agreed with) in return for the ability for Sara to be able to produce a child and carry on the line, which was originally done with the servant (note: might have gotten a name wrong, not sure). It made no mention of what would be done with women, as far as I know.

But I was looking for a non-mythological reasoning behind it.

Point? There is female circumcision. While its not practiced in Judaic tradition, the question is still valid on the basis that female circumcision does occur.

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Oh, and please edit your posts to encompass all responses, double posts are generally frowned upon by staff here ;)

The correct term is female genital mutilation.

Circumcision is practised by many cultures. In South Africa there are often reports of deaths due to the ritual done at initiation schools.

I have always understood that in the Biblical context it was done as a command from God. many people have attributed or tried to attribute some health advantages to circumcision. I've read claims that on the 8th day after birth human prothrombin levels are the highest ever in a person's life, and blood clotting happens the quickest then. Would be interesting to research this.

(The Jewish custom is to circumcise on the 8th day after birth).

Actually the term I used is perfectly applicable and is a little less biased.