Circumcision Illegal in Germany if Done for Religious Reasons

A German court has ruled that circumcision for boys for religious reasons is a crime. While the New Testament is clear that Christians do not need to be circumcised, both Muslims and Jews believe it is a requirement of their religion. In fact, in Judaism, to be uncircumcised means that one will be separated from their people.

There was a move in San Francisco recently to also outlaw circumcision. There is definitely a movement in the United States to outlaw it. What is interesting is that in Germany, they didn't bother voting on it. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, is it fair to make a fundamental belief and practice of a religious group without a vote? In fact, one criminal law expert said, "Unlike many politicians, the court has not allowed itself to be scared off by charges of anti-Semitism or religious intolerance," added Putzke.

Did you get that. His feeling was that if the elected officials wouldn't pass the law the court should. Sounds like democracy isn't too important in Germany. This, by the way, is the same country that is calling for a Europe of less democracy. Germany and France are saying that the solution to their economic crisis in to have the European Union decide what countries budgets should be in they are in the EU.

But, none of this is the aspect of the story that I am interested in. Lets say that you are a Jew or Muslim living in Germany. Would you stay if it meant that you could not practice your religion? Both the United States and Israel have about 5 million Jews. In the United States they make up less than 2% of the population. If circumcision were to be outlawed in the United States, my question is how many American Jews would emigrate to Israel?

It would be a true test of faith. Perhaps there would be a movement within the Jewish community that justified not circumcising, I am sure that some would, they would claim it is only a ritual and could be symbolic without actually removing the foreskin. If American Jews stayed and stopped circumcising their kids, would they still be considered Jewish by the Jews in Israel? Maybe not.

The Book of Revelations says that everyone will be required during the end times to have a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell. I think I could ask the same question of Christians. I should point out that I do not believe the RFID chip that is being implanted in some people is the mark, I know there are many that do; but, I am not one of them and I still wouldn't take a chip. I think many Christians would take a mark and convince themselves that it wasn't "the" mark.

I was speaking to someone today who told me that they had been a Presbyterian. He said he liked it because all he had to do was go to church on Sunday for 45 minutes and then go back to living his life the way he wanted. He said he liked a religion that didn't require too much of you. I think most people feel that way. They are good with a God that they can ask things of, the giant slot machine in the sky; but they don't really want to bother reading the bible, having to forgive or having to be married to have sex.

This post is not about circumcision, Germany or Jews, it is about Christians. To any Christians reading this, my question is, would you take the mark? I think we will see both Fundamentalists and Liberal Christians take a mark if they needed to in order to buy or sell. I also believe there are some atheists and agnostics that would refuse to take a mark.

I like to play with scenarios in my head, contingency thinking. You take every possible outcome and ask what the best way to respond is. Just imagine that the world's economy goes completely bust, disease and war about. Now a man comes onto the scene and makes all the problems go away. He then convinces people that all the evil in the world is caused by religion. Now, lets go a little further. The same person then makes all the problems go away. For 3 1/2 years the world goes to on the brink to wonderful and prosperous. The same person then goes to Jerusalem and sits on the temple mount and declares that the only real God is him and us. He states that we are all Gods or can become Gods. He asks all the "good" people who have helped turn things around to take a mark saying they are their God. What if the name of the person on the mark of the beast was "Myself"?

One of the people that was on the show "Jackass" had a tattoo on him, probably on his rear end. He would tell people that he had their name written on him and show them the tattoo, I believe it said "Your Name". Cute, right? Well, actually, I don't like tattoos; but, a nice joke.

Back to our hypothetical. Imagine being a Christian who took the mark and then heard this person say that we are God or he is God. Wouldn't you feel stupid? What is my point, my point is, how much do you really believe? Do you believe your religion enough to give up everything in your life?