OVO

Ashbel Green: State justices hear arguments about custody, circumcision [LINK-ZUM]

A man who converted to Judaism told the Oregon Supreme Court on Tuesday that he has the right as the custodial parent to circumcise his 12-year-old son against the wishes of his Russian Orthodox ex-wife. "It's the classic kind of decision a custodial parent would make," said James Boldt, an attorney and former southern Oregon man who argued his own case. But a lawyer for Lia Boldt argued that she should get a court hearing to try and prove that circumcising a 12-year-old boy poses serious health risks. Their son is afraid to tell his father he doesn't want to go through with it, the mother's attorney said. [...]

Daniel Isaac, a Portland rabbi who supports James Boldt's desire to raise his son in his faith, attended Tuesday arguments out of concern that the justices might place some limits on circumcision that would interfere with an ancient religious tradition. Isaac said he was relieved that the issue of religion didn't get much attention in the hearing. "That didn't seem to be the interest of the justices," he said.

[Article continues at link. Why might Rabbi Isaac be relieved that the issue of religion didn't get much attention in the hearing? I suggest it is because everyone, including Rabbi Isaac, know that the involuntary unnecessary genital mutilation of children to appease an invisible monster that lives in the sky is insane and immoral. Religion, and religion alone, is what makes the insane and immoral into a practice that is honored by otherwise good people. If James Boldt had part of his boy's penis non-surgically removed for any reason other than religion he would be sent to prison immediately. Rabbi Isaac was relieved because he didn't want to have to explain why circumcision is okay in the service of G_d but not okay in the service of, say, Zeus or Mr. Ed or leprechauns or Gardulla the Hutt or other imaginary creatures. Why is religion forgiven for what in every other circumstance is obviously child abuse? I can no more honor the sacred, ancient Jewish tradition of circumcision than I can the sacred, ancient Jewish tradition of slavery. The courts should forbid this circumcision and let the boy decide for himself what he wants to do when he is a grown man. - Trevor Blake]

Labels: judaism, theocracy

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