WHAT CAUSED MANY CULTURES TO RITUALLY REMOVE IT?
There are several theories and each may have elements of truth. As mentioned
above, according to Cox, the ritual removal of the foreskin in diverse human
traditional cultures, ranging from Muslims to Aboriginal Australians could
be a sign of civilization in that human society acquired the ability to
control, through education and religion, the age at which sexual intercourse
could begin.
Another compelling explanation involves the ritualization of circumcision's
prophylactic effects, especially as many different human groups and cultures
that live in desert or other hot environments have adopted it as part of
their customs. Infections, initiated by the aggravation of dirt and sand,
are not uncommon under such conditions and have even crippled whole armies,
where it is difficult to achieve sanitation during prolonged battle.
Historically it was not uncommon for soldiers to be circumcised in
preparation for active service.
The Judeo-Muslim practice of circumcision quite likely had its origin in
Egyptian civilization, where there is evidence of a circumcised mummy at the
time the Hebrews inhabited Egypt [174], as well as illustrations of the
operation itself and of circumcised Pharoahs, dating back to 3000 BC.
One possible reason the Egyptians could have circumcised themselves and
their slaves might have been to prevent schistosomal infection.Urinary tract
obstruction and hematuria are common in localities such as the Nile Valley
that are inhabited by the blood fluke, Schistosoma haematobium . The
foreskin would undoubtedly possess the adverse ability of being able to hold
water infected with the cercaria stage of the life cycle of this parasite
and so facilitate its entry into the body.
The perpetuation of the procedure by the Jews may have subsequently been
driven by a desire to maintain cleanliness in an arid, sandy desert
environment. Such considerations could also explain why it is practiced in
multiple other cultures that live in such conditions. In each instance, the
original practical reason became lost as the ritual persisted as a religious
rite in many of the various cultures of the world. In the Muslim religion
circumcision is performed over a wide range of ages in childhood.