German Court Rules Circumcision Illegal

A local German court has ruled that circumcision, even as a religious ritual is illegal. The court basically ruled in favor of the children in several ways. They concluded that circumcision does bodily harm to minor children, without their permission. And it also ruled that it denies the child the right to choose their own religion. That would be a very important issue.

The court ruled the muslim doctor who performed the circumcision on a four year-old was innocent, as until the ruling, there was no law against it. But they put other doctors on notice (at least in that jurisdiction) that it would be illegal from now on (until appeal, one presumes).

Ironically, the Jewish and Muslims who protested the decision used terms to describe it as "insensitive".

A rabbi protested the decision:

Originally Posted by A Rabbi

"contravened the EU's convention on human rights, to which Germany is subservient and harms the basic freedom of religion enshrined in the German constitution".

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...-muslim-jewish

The Rabbi's statement is totally ironic. Uh, what about the child's right to be free from intentional bodily harm, especially from adults? What about the child's right to choose his/her religion?

Islam and Judaism both ignore the rights of the children. There are other religions too with similar rituals. This is the tide turning now, where a child's rights prevail over religion. I think the pedophile scandals with the Catholic Church have altered people's perceptions of how human rights have been violated by religions.

I for one strongly support the idea that everyone, including children should be able to choose their own religion and not be coerced or automatically inducted. I would think if their parents practice of the religion was fair and just, kids would accept their religion.

Exposing kids to other religions and letting them choose is only fair. It should be a goal of any democracy to ensure everyone the right to choose their religion. Isn't that what religious freedom and democracy is about....freedom of choice?

religion is retarded, GO DEUTSCHLAND!

I question their actual intent


but agree with the result none the less

Originally Posted by Skip

And it also ruled that it denies the child the right to choose their own religion. That would be a very important issue.

I'd like to see their reasoning for this. Do they think a child that grows up being told he is a sinner and must be a good christian and go to church every week has a choice of religion? It would be unthinkable know any other way of life. And it's not like a circumcision prevents a kid from converting to say, Ba'hai or Jainism.

No, but it prevents the kid from making the decision to have a piece of his penis chopped off...

I love this decision because it's completely free of religious dogma and addresses the reality of the situation, putting the rights of the child above the rights of the parents or their religion.

Originally Posted by eggsprog

No, but it prevents the kid from making the decision to have a piece of his penis chopped off...

To clarify: The court's ruling allows the kid the decision, when he is old enough to make it (an adult, presumably). This gives the kid all his rights. It denies the power of religion over the individual. You RARELY see something like this where children are given the same human rights as adults. In fact, it seems this decision may be difficult to overturn in the EU.

Originally Posted by eggsprog

No, but it prevents the kid from making the decision to have a piece of his penis chopped off...

And if that were a right under German law I'm sure the court would protect it. Here I don't see the relevance considering the right is freedom of religion. Circumcision alone doesn't make you a muslim and bar you from all other religions.

Sorry, typed that wrong. I meant to say that it prevents the kid from having part of his penis chopped off without him being able to make the decision.