the eventual circumcision ban, and the german jewish communitie
September 28, 2012 at 2:12 am
(This post was last modified: September 28, 2012 at 2:22 am by Something completely different.)
If you watch news on foreign issues you may have noticed that two months ago a court in the german city of Cologne (Köln) has criminalised the circumcision of infant boys for nonmedical purposes. The courtcase started after a incident in wich a muslim boy suffered from a severe infection after his circumcision.
The ban caused a public debate here in germany wich is still ongoing today.
One the one side several professionals on medical issues publicly voiced their concern about the practice of circumcision, aswell as several representatives of secular organisation underlined the nececety of holding the garantie of a childs health above religious tradition.
islamic, jewish and other religious institution have raised their concern over this ruling in various ways. Statement made from various religious creeds together in solidaritie were made just as were statment by muslims such as "if it had happened to a jew this debate wouldnt have happened"
When hearing oppinions from atheists outside germany i generaly hear voices of support. But here in germany, especialy considering our historical releationship with the jewish community, several different questions have been raised when debating the subject with fellow german atheists and agnostics.
I would like to hear your opinions and answeres to those questions.
1. the jews of germany
As many of you can possibly imagine our nations releation towards the jewish comunity is a special one. currently 100 000 jews live in germany and sadly enought antisemitism, especialy in catholic germany and east germany is still very wide spread, police constantly guard every single synagog and almoust every holocaust memorial. jewish children in jewish schools are advised to were their kippa disguised beneath other headgear.
recently antisemitism gained a new rise throughout islamic comunities due to the imigration uf muslims. One certainty within the republic of germany is that it is a historic nececety to make a jewish life in germany possible.
the current debate surrounding the circumcision ban has raised the question if a "jewish life" in germany would then still be possible.
Charlotte Knobloch, a holocaust surviver, former head of the jewish comunity in germany and long time defender of jewish life in germany stated that if the ban would be made a germanwide law - all her work - defending germany would have been invane.
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/besch...-1.1459038
I myself am aware that there are more risks than benefits with infant circumcision, but as a citizen of a nation wich has a dark history of eradicating tolerance and a entire people i do not want to discriminate these people again. I am jet to find a opinon on this since i want jews to live peacefully and prosper in germany, but also am aware of the risks resulting from circumcicion.
2. Musim discrimination.
One point wich has been raised in the debate was that muslims were almoust completly exempt. Instead the entire debate centered almoust entirely around the jewish comunity and it`s traditions. currently 1-1,5 million muslims live in germany. recently the muslim comunity hasn`t been in a good light after a failed terror plot, antisemetic incidents, salafist demonstrations, salafist attacks on police officers and muslims from germany who went to afghanistan on jihad.
when germans are asked about the circumcision debate and the muslim community, the most likely answere is "they should do it when grown up"
so are muslims being discriminated and their tradition not taken seriously due to their recent bad light in public?
3. choice of faith.
is it going to far to forbid religious traditions? i did read god is not great, and know hitchens argument that hindu widow burning is also forbidden, and that a chils health stands above all, but circumcision is a importent part of jewish and muslim culture, and the german constitution garantees the free practice of faith, and it is importent to understand that we germans dont what the jews to be discriminated by a german goverment ever again. although our country clearly defines itself as secular i do find myself thinking if this ban wouldnt ironicaly turn us germans into a disriminatory people again?
The ban caused a public debate here in germany wich is still ongoing today.
One the one side several professionals on medical issues publicly voiced their concern about the practice of circumcision, aswell as several representatives of secular organisation underlined the nececety of holding the garantie of a childs health above religious tradition.
islamic, jewish and other religious institution have raised their concern over this ruling in various ways. Statement made from various religious creeds together in solidaritie were made just as were statment by muslims such as "if it had happened to a jew this debate wouldnt have happened"
When hearing oppinions from atheists outside germany i generaly hear voices of support. But here in germany, especialy considering our historical releationship with the jewish community, several different questions have been raised when debating the subject with fellow german atheists and agnostics.
I would like to hear your opinions and answeres to those questions.
1. the jews of germany
As many of you can possibly imagine our nations releation towards the jewish comunity is a special one. currently 100 000 jews live in germany and sadly enought antisemitism, especialy in catholic germany and east germany is still very wide spread, police constantly guard every single synagog and almoust every holocaust memorial. jewish children in jewish schools are advised to were their kippa disguised beneath other headgear.
recently antisemitism gained a new rise throughout islamic comunities due to the imigration uf muslims. One certainty within the republic of germany is that it is a historic nececety to make a jewish life in germany possible.
the current debate surrounding the circumcision ban has raised the question if a "jewish life" in germany would then still be possible.
Charlotte Knobloch, a holocaust surviver, former head of the jewish comunity in germany and long time defender of jewish life in germany stated that if the ban would be made a germanwide law - all her work - defending germany would have been invane.
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/besch...-1.1459038
I myself am aware that there are more risks than benefits with infant circumcision, but as a citizen of a nation wich has a dark history of eradicating tolerance and a entire people i do not want to discriminate these people again. I am jet to find a opinon on this since i want jews to live peacefully and prosper in germany, but also am aware of the risks resulting from circumcicion.
2. Musim discrimination.
One point wich has been raised in the debate was that muslims were almoust completly exempt. Instead the entire debate centered almoust entirely around the jewish comunity and it`s traditions. currently 1-1,5 million muslims live in germany. recently the muslim comunity hasn`t been in a good light after a failed terror plot, antisemetic incidents, salafist demonstrations, salafist attacks on police officers and muslims from germany who went to afghanistan on jihad.
when germans are asked about the circumcision debate and the muslim community, the most likely answere is "they should do it when grown up"
so are muslims being discriminated and their tradition not taken seriously due to their recent bad light in public?
3. choice of faith.
is it going to far to forbid religious traditions? i did read god is not great, and know hitchens argument that hindu widow burning is also forbidden, and that a chils health stands above all, but circumcision is a importent part of jewish and muslim culture, and the german constitution garantees the free practice of faith, and it is importent to understand that we germans dont what the jews to be discriminated by a german goverment ever again. although our country clearly defines itself as secular i do find myself thinking if this ban wouldnt ironicaly turn us germans into a disriminatory people again?
