In the absence of a Church policy, here is a variety of member opinions on modern circumcision (posthectomy).

​

Darillyn Starr 

In a post to Intactivists International related her story

 

"One night, I had a dream. I was in a hospital hallway, standing outside of a door. I looked into the room, and saw a baby on a table, with several doctors and nurses around, and I started to be afraid that baby was going to be circumcised. Then, I was told both that the baby was being circumcised, and that it was MY baby. I tried to run in there and protect him, but two men grabbed my arms and held me in the doorway. At that point, they started the circumcision. The baby started to scream, and so did I, but it was like no one could hear our screams! They paid no attention, whatsoever, just kept talking and joking, as if they couldn't even hear us! At that point, I woke up, literally screaming.

​

A month later, we got a call saying that we could go in the next day and pick up our new baby boy. He had been born a month before, but they had put him in a foster home, rather than calling us to pick him up. When I changed his diaper for the first time, I saw that my nightmare had really taken place."

​

After this hellish experience Mrs. Starr wrote a letter to the Brethren. Subsequently they made a policy that boys adopted through LDS family services wouldn't be circumcised before being placed with their families.

​

Perhaps Darillyn Starr received inspiration through the form of a dream. Read our challenge to you to approach the Lord with your circumcision decision.

​

Chandra Wagner a Latter-day Saint mother explains her simple prayer:

​

"I only had circumcised men in the family, and never had any experience with it and kind if figured I would if I ever had a son, till becoming pregnant with my son, and family and friends kept telling me their experiences with getting it done on their children, etc, but I just could never wrap my head around a good enough reason to alter God's perfect creation with no good reason. God would not have created every single human Male with a body part that has to be removed. No other animal was created this way. I prayed and was able to confirm my feelings and although most of my family can't believe I didn't do it, there are few choices I have ever felt more at peace about since doing further research and study to support my decision."

​

Tara Matthew O'Rourke a Latter-day Saint mother explains her prompting:

​

"I remember sitting on my couch pregnant and a feeling just came to me. “He’s perfect.” I had never looked into the topic, i just always thought we would [have him circumcised], everyone in both families was.... but it was almost like this feeling of, my body is forming you the way god intended. We aren’t taking any of you away. I suppose [it was] a spiritual prompting [or a] Mother’s intuition. I just knew my son and I knew he was perfect.

​

Marlise Smurthwaite

She relates her thoughts about the experience of having her sons circumcised by a jewish mohel in a Deseret News article.

​

"The religious view helped me to remember that it [circumcision] was something God asked at one time, and therefore, at least for me, I thought of it not as something that was abusive or horrific — because I can't see God requiring something that is inhumane for his children, in their desire to covenant with him... I don't believe that choosing to or not choosing to will have a harmful or significant impact on boys...there are things to consider with each choice, but I think it is important to consider the boy, not just what our opinions may be, but a good decision based on the information we gather."

​

Read or sections on History and see if you learn from any of the "information we gather[ed]"

​

Wayne Griffiths

Is the founder of NORM a group helping men feel whole and restore their foreskins. In an article Rosmary Pollock reports:

 

As Mr. Griffiths sees it, circumcision falls morally into the same category as abortion. He believes that Jews circumcise their boys to signify a covenant with God, but Mormons and many other Christian religions do not.

​

Orson Scott Card

In a blog post Mr. Card explained his support for circumcision and the decision of parents

​

"This is not decisive -- circumcision should not be mandatory, any more than it should be forbidden. It's up to the family, as it should always be in a free country."

​

Mr. Card discusses anti-circumcision politics believing there to be no medical case against circumcision. (See our section on Health)

​

Orson Scott Card's character Ivan (note that this is a character and not Orson Scott Card)

In the book Enchantment Ivan Reflects that "circumcision was a foolish, barbaric thing to do" The character grapples with it amidst his newfound Jewish faith.

​

Study Questions

• How do member opinions on posthectomy (modern circumcision) vary?

• How does your opinion compare?

• Does your religious perspective inform your view of posthectomy (modern circumcision)? How?

• Have you prayed and studied about posthectomy (modern circumcision)? Read our challenge

• What kind of prompting or answer might you expect? How does God answer your prayers?

​

​

​

​

​

​