It’s extremely rare for me to jump into social media wars, but when I do, oh boy… Recently, I got into a debate on Instagram with the most evil, vile, off-the-wall bunch of people.
These folks are anti-circumcision crusaders who call themselves “Intactivists.” (I call them fools, frauds, and downright liars.) Beyond spreading junk science, their main ideology seems to be an obsession with sex and also a large amount of anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic feeling.
Sparked by my post about Iceland trying to ban circumcision, these trolls went crazy. I was hit with a full-force barrage like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I was sworn at, called terribly vulgar names (the “C” word) and viciously slurred (the “K” word.)
In addition to telling me why I’m no good in general, I was then told that the Jewish community, all because we choose circumcision, are, and I’m quoting here: “child abusers, child molesters, rapists, blood drinkers, and rusty-knife users who belong in prison for life.”
No, I am not exaggerating, and yes, it hurt me to my core. I was left crying, shaking, and very near vomiting. I would never injure anyone, least of all a child, and to be told that I’m sick for following Judaism is just unbearable.
To think that somebody could ever believe such lies is not only shocking, it’s horribly offensive. No one I know would ever associate those behaviors with circumcision!
I suspect that the “Intactivists” have never even witnessed one in person (I have seen many). It is not bad, not barbaric, and it’s definitely not child abuse. It is done for both religious and health reasons and it does not hurt anyone, in any way.
When people push a fringe agenda, to suit their own twisted views, it hurts everyone, because an uninformed person may fall prey to their evil. And, it’s yet another way to spread unwarranted fear and hatred of other religions. (Look at the current state of Europe as a perfect example.)
Every medical study has shown that circumcision reduces infections for both men and women, cancer rates for both men and women, and it’s also more aesthetically pleasing to both men and women.
If “Intactivist” parents choose not to circumcise their sons, that’s their choice—live and let live. But I sincerely don’t understand why they’re trying to interfere with our practices, which are safe, legal, and healthy.
Regardless of their cruel lies, the Jewish community knows it’s moral (and over 1 billion Muslims do it too). We will not stop practicing God’s holy commandments, period. They can slur me, lie about me, and even threaten me, but there is nothing they can do to separate me from the truth.
Words can hurt, and they did, but they’ll never make me pretend something that’s so good and decent could ever be wrong. If I had 100 sons, I’d make sure each and every one was circumcised according to Jewish Law. If that makes me a villain to them, so what? They don’t have the moral authority from which to judge.
An intelligent person respects all people, all faiths, and all ideas, even ones contrary to their own. I don’t tell them what to believe; they need to extend the same courtesy my way.
I encountered the “intactivist” community several years ago via a so-called “comic book” I happened to see online. To call it anti-Semitic would be a grotesque understatement. The drawings were like something you’d have seen in Der Sturmer. I was horrified and they have absolutely zero credibility as far as I am concerned.
Oh my lord, that scares me even more, because comic books target kids. These folks are a true menace.
BLOOD DRINKERS? I am speechless.
It’s unreal, I know, so sad and also scary. The blood libel insanity has gotten a lot of people killed over the centuries.
I am not Jewish and my son was circumcised for health reasons. There are really some off-the-wall crazies out there. Sorry you went through that.
Definitely, it’s not just about religion. Hard to believe anyone could make circumcision their entire focus, but it’s a weird world. Thanks for your kind words.
I worked in a day care for 13 years. Circumcision is more common than not. I have 4 girls, so it wasn’t anything I dealt with personally, but my 3 nephews are and my husband is and we are catholic.
Very interesting perspective.
I am so sorry you were subject to such hostility to say the least. I have not thought about circumcision being a religious practice, I just thought most all males were circumcised because it was the best way to go for reasons you stated. I am a Christian, not Jewish, yet respect you and your beliefs because 1. You are my fellow man 2. I respect you and know your hearts intent which is all good, from reading your blog for sometime now but I’m finding this isn’t the norm this day and age. So much saddens me but I am seeing how naive I am when you sleek of these people because I
Didn’t know such existed. It actually frightens me for you. Not trying to be over dramatic but please keep your eyes open. You just never know what someone may do. So sickening as you said.
I receive negative and critical comments almost every day of the week. Some are hateful, but most are just crabby. Nothing of this magnitude, ever before, and hopefully never again. Certain people are sick with hate; it’s true and so very sad.
Because the majority of us don’t live in their world, it is a shock to find they exist. I can’t believe anyone would be happy with those negative ideas swimming in their head on an endless loop.
I am so grateful for kind readers like you!
Dear The Jewish Lady,
I forwarded your post to ‘My Thinking Friends’ distribution, with these words:
“To say that I empathize with ‘The Jewish Lady’ is an understatement.
Unfortunately, ignorance, intolerance, racism, antisemitism and ethnocentricity cannot be easily fixed.”
You are significantly kinder to your detractors than I.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. It means more to me than you will ever know! All bigotry is wrong.
Don’t feed the trolls! There are a lot of people out there who become very “brave” when behind a computer screen; I find them to be the vilest of creatures, because when confronted personally or in real life, they tend to be small, useless humans. They also do not like to be confronted outside the “screen” of electronics; they have small lives and often do not give anything back to building civil society or a plural world. I encounter people like this EVERY SINGLE DAY online and in real life (I am muslim and am often challenged). Ignore them and don’t feed the trolls, its gives them a sense of power they are not worthy of having.
I’m so sorry this has also happened to you! I know the Muslim community is getting a lot of negative attention lately and it’s really unfair. I am against extremists like ISIS, but fully support the mainstream community.
I have witnessed medical circumcisions during my training, and I have no doubt that the baby boys suffered pain (distinct crying different from just the restraint cries). Despite this, I respect male circumcision for religious reasons. I do not support female circumcision, however, where many of the same benefits are also purported, as the harms and risks are more severe. In most developed countries, the health benefits are marginal if any, which is why the procedure is not publicly funded anymore in my province. I am sorry that you were subjected to such abuse/hate.
During a Jewish circumcision, some sort of pain relief is always provided. We do not willingly inflict pain on the babies. It’s a very quick and simple procedure with no downside. So called female circumcision is just mutilation. We do not do it and we do not support it, ever. Sexually transmitted diseases are high in most developed nations and circumcision does lower the rates.
I tend to listen to anyone’s viewpoint, and looked at some of the ” Intactivists ” People can believe how they wish (I am kinda comparing them to the anti vac folks) BUT when they attack a religion, or a person for their viewpoints it is dead wrong.
You cant argue with folks like this, You just cant. They wont listen to any other viewpoint, it is like they are incapable.
Like a reader above, I am not Jewish nor Muslim, my family is Christian and mostly Methodist or Baptist . To the best of my knowledge every male is circumcised. My husband’s family is all Catholic, I asked him and yes all circumcised also.
I thought of you today… we went to another town and there was a Jewish Hospice home. I recall the post you did some time ago, and wondered if they had to experience all of this craziness.
Truthfully, it saddens me, to hear this. Maybe it is where I live, I just dont see the religious intolerance. I am so sorry you have to. And no I dont live on some fancy cul de sac insulated from the world, I live in a very diverse neighborhood. of many colors and faiths. I guess we are all so busy just trying to survive as human beings we dont have time for this stuff, Or maybe we are just more curious and dont focus on it- who knows.
My heart hurts for you, that you experience this.You are so kind to share your religion with us. Your faith is strong, realize there are far more practicing kindness than intolerance, it seems like the fringe groups who offer shock tactics are all the rage, hopefully they start doing as they wish done to them and thats being able to offer your viewpoint.
Comments like this, from sweet and kind readers like you, make all the negative stuff seems trivial. Yes, there are nasty people, but I have so many wonderful readers, too. It all balances out.
In my area, and in my day-to-day life, I don’t see or hear it regularly either. People are much more likely to be jerks when they can post anonymously on a screen. Like you said, they can’t be reasoned with. It’s impossible for me to understand such hatred and narrow minded thinking. I respect everyone and their ideas.
It goes way beyond religion, way beyond ideology. I can understand disagreeing, that is fine, but not this level of insanity.
Dear Nice Jewish Lady:
I know you have been reared on the Abrahamic Covenant.
You undoubtedly will be surprised to learn that Professor Leonard Glick, who is himself Jewish has debunked the Abrahamic Covenant on which you depend.
All of those millions of circumcisions count for naught.
This is why so many Jewish families are going for Brit Shalom.
Please have a good evening.
Glick is not considered a reputable source by anyone. He is simply offering an opinion. That is fine, but he is not a Torah scholar and is unqualified.
Brit Shalom is absurd. It makes a mockery of a practice that has been revered for thousands of years and will continue to be practiced until the end of time. Only Secular Jews, who by definition reject traditional Judaism, consider it valid. Very few Jews have any interest in it, and those who do will always remain on the fringes.
I am in favor of personal choice. If someone is against circumcision, they do not have to do it. The Jewish community who believe in Torah will never give it up. That’s all there is to it. I respect your opinion and I hope you can respect mine.
“I am in favor of personal choice”
No you aren’t if you are fine with it being done to babies. That is not person choice but someone else forcing it upon you.
Parents are allowed to makes all religious, medical and educational choices for their children. I have never, ever met a single man who is angry that his parents circumcised him as an infant.
Im sorry but I just can’t support barbaric practices. There is insane amounts of stuff that religion tells people to do and we don’t do them anymore because we have grown and realized that even if its said there its not ok.
I understand that you may disagree, but those of us who do believe will not stop following God’s Law. I am so grateful to live in America, where religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution. Circumcision is not barbaric, it is not dangerous, and it is certainly not wrong. If you are against it, simply don’t do it. You have your understanding and I have mine. Both are perfectly okay.
“Circumcision is not barbaric, it is not dangerous, and it is certainly not wrong.”
I almost died of blood loss when I got circumcised at less than a year old without my permission. I absolutely am NOT thankful for the outcome of this procedure, and the fact that my parents etched religion on my body.
I’m Jewish but have come around on this issue. This is the documentary that opened my eyes: https://www.jweekly.com/2011/10/21/filmmaker-puts-circumcision-argument-on-table-in-cut/
Before watching it (2011) I did notice that I (female) experienced a LOT more discomfort with circumcised partners, but I didn’t put it all together. I had no idea that the foreskin actually has functions, and that the issue is considerably nuanced, even in a religious context.
This is a big issue, even and especially among Jews (progressives vs fundamentalists), and you either know about it or you don’t. I will not talk to people about brit milah until they have seen Ungar-Sargon’s documentary.
I have never heard any woman complain about that ever. Not saying you’re making it up, but that’s news to me that a circumcised man causes discomfort? What is known for sure is that an uncircumcised man has a higher rate of getting a disease and cancer (his partner does as well). It’s much healthier and cleaner to be circumcised for sure.
“an uncircumcised man has a higher rate of getting a disease and cancer (his partner does as well). It’s much healthier and cleaner to be circumcised for sure.”
1 in 8 women get breast cancer, versus 1 in 100.000 men getting penile cancer. Women also have a higher chance of getting UTI’s , and while men do get smegma after a longer period, women do the same. Women get smegma just like men, but they also get period blood. Plus their vagina is harder to clean because it’s internal, versus the penis, which is external.
Why are you trying to justify a cultural circumcision under the disguise of medical? Most men (99%) who are left intact actually go through life without problem, and do not need circumcision at all. If you do circumcision for religious or cultural reasons, then say it, but don’t disguise it under the “medical benefits”, which actually are not medical benefits but a preventative measurement.