A court in Cologne, Germany has ruled that religiously motivated infant circumcision is unlawful and constitutes "grave bodily harm." The case involved a doctor whose circumcision of a 4-yo Muslim boy resulted in medical complications and hospitalization.
"The body of the child is irreparably and permanently changed by a circumcision," the court said. "This change contravenes the interests of the child to decide later on his religious beliefs."Though the doctor was acquitted on other technical matters, the ruling may discourage other physicians from performing the surgery.
Which, actually, maybe if Muslims in Germany started inviting mohels to do their kids' circumcisions at home, it could usher in a new era of brotherhood and understanding. Which would not automatically be a terrible tradeoff for a pile of infant foreskins, amirite?
German Court Outlaws Religious Circumcision [theglobeandmail]
