Why we said NO to routine infant circumcision - Part 2

If you missed part 1, you can view it here

Αν χάσει μέρος 1, μπορείτε να το δείτε εδώ - Παρακαλώ κάντε κλικ στο "Μετάφραση " στο κόκκινο γραμμή εργαλείων παρακάτω και επιλέξτε ελληνικά για να μεταφράσει τη σελίδα

So why are 25% of all newborns (50% of baby boys) still made to suffer this inarguably excruciating, outdated procedure?

1. Conformity

2. Cleanliness

3. Confusion

Let's analyze this three points before we get to what the Bible has to say about routine infant circumcision based on actual verses. Although there will be no graphic images, parental supervision is advised.

1. Conformity: 

The majority of people who opt to circumcise their sons fall into this category. They are willing to put their baby through this procedure just so their baby boy can look like his daddy. 

Conformity, for conformity's sake, is a sin -- according to the Bible. No longer can parents say "I want junior to look like the other boys his age" since over half will be intact by the time he is using public bathrooms and locker rooms. Thankfully, if parents have the courage to break the cycle, this will be the last generation that has to worry about conforming to daddy's needless amputation as well. This is not a reason to put your son through painful, unnecessary surgery, especially in light of the fact that God's Word forbids it. You wouldn't remove his tonsils just because Daddy had his removed as a child, would you? If Daddy had lost a thumb in a hunting accident, would you want your son's hand to look just like Daddy's? We must use the common sense God gave us.

2. Cleanliness:

This one is probably the biggest misconception that drives parents to submit their baby boys to such horrendous procedure. They believe that if there is no foreskin, it is easier to keep it clean. 

WRONG!! It is just another myth left over from the dark ages! If this was true, than evolution would be true as well. Either that, or God made one huge mistake when he designed and created the male anatomy, including the foreskin, and pronounced it "very good." Evolutionists love to say that we have all these "extra parts"-- biological accidents, they call them. Modern circumcision and evolution go hand in hand; you can't have one without the other. Fortunately, even the Darwinian enthusiasts have had to give up their line of reasoning as of late, since in the last 10-12 years science has fully discovered the important uses of the foreskin (just as they have the tonsils and the appendix!). And guess what? One of the functions that God so brilliantly designed the foreskin for is cleanliness!  

When a baby boy comes into the world, the foreskin is sealed shut and protects the extremely vulnerable "glans" from the urine and feces that will fill his diaper. True to God's amazing wisdom, the foreskin begins to loosen and retract naturally right about the time the child is toilet trained!! If that doesn't prove that God designed the human body, what does? Ape descendants, we are not. Once the foreskin loosens and retracts (something no parent or doctor should ever cause to happen prematurely), the male anatomy becomes as easy to wash and keep clean as any other part of the body. In fact, the intact male genitalia is much easier to keep clean than the female genitalia with all its flaps and folds. And, tragically, female circumcision persists in many third world countries. (Americans, being the hypocrites that we are, protest this very loudly!) But Europe and other modern nations do not routinely circumcise males or females, and the fact is, less than 1/10 of 1% of these males undergo circumcision later in life. (A simple outpatient procedure. Something much less painful or dangerous than with infants! Not to mention more ethical, as it's done with the male's consent!)  

Why would any nation subject all their babies to something so traumatic when less than 1% would ever need it? America is the only Western nation to do so. C. Everett Koop, M.D. the famous Christian former Surgeon General has stated, "All of the Western world raises its children uncircumcised and it seems logical that, with the extent of health knowledge in those countries, such a practice must be safe." Intact boys benefit greatly from the protective function of the foreskin as it keeps the delicate skin of the glans moist, dark, and free from irritants and exposure to the elements. This is the same kind of skin found in the mouth, nose, and the inner genitalia of females. Notice these places are all kept dark and well lubricated. This is God's design. Go against that and you run into problems. Most of the problems circumcised males have with their genitals, intact males will never experience. This list includes irritated skin, rashes, chafing, redness, bumps and blisters, as well as sexual problems such as chronic erection failure and chronic premature ejaculation. God designed the foreskin for important sexual purposes, including to prevent such embarrassing predicaments as those mentioned. A basic understanding of human anatomy would go a long way in changing male opinion about circumcision, since one of the foreskin's functions is to contol the correct level of sexual stimulation in the beginning, and to greatly intensify the amount of pleasure in the end. Circumcised men miss out on so much! (Testimonies from men who underwent circumcision in the midst of their sexual relationships prove this point.) But that is precisely what should be expected when we go against God's design.

3. Confusion:

Confusion ("I thought that God must like circumcision since it's in the Old Testament") ("I heard there's a conspiracy against Jews to single them out for persecution by eliminating circumcision of Gentiles") ("I figure if all the men in the Old Testament were circumcised, it must have benefits") ("I thought the New Testament says its just a matter of preference, circumcision and uncircumcision are both valid choices") Myths one and all! All of these statements are false and reflect one of the biggest handicaps that cripples the church today: partial biblical knowledge intermingled with partial biblical ignorance. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing when you only know select verses here and there, without an understanding of the complete context and the overview of complete teaching.

Because this subject is very controversial, particularly when it comes down to the religious aspect of it, I will continue discussing the Biblical and Historical aspects of it during the next (and hopefully final) entry. For now, ponder upon everything that I have relayed to you so far before deciding whether or not to put your baby boy under the knife.

Until next time.

To Homeschool or not to homeschool?

As our family continues to grow, there are many things that we now have to think about. Every little decision we make could really have a big impact on our children's lives. We've learned from other people's mistakes that it is best to give careful thought and prayer to everything that will affect our family.

During our parenting class at church we have learned of some very disturbing facts about kids that up to that point we were somewhat oblivious to, such as the way kids are treated in school by their peers and the kind of education they are receiving from public schools.

Many parents are desperate for a solution and run to the pastor or church elders for counseling, but what many don't realize is that the problem is not so much their children themselves, but their children friends and all the people who have an influence over them (a.k.a. teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, tutors etc.)

We entrust our kids to all these strangers who have so much authority over their students, yet fail to inquire as to who these people are.

If you have to find a babysitter for your child, you make sure you have references and background checks before you entrust her with your child for a couple of hours, so why wouldn't you do the same for their teachers who will spend over 36 hrs a week with your kid?

Courtesy of Google images

Personally, I think it is the lack of responsibility on the parents end, or perhaps a sense of complacency. Maybe it is the fact that they have their trust on the wrong entity (the school system) as opposed to the One who deserves it (God, of course).

This is why I am writing this entry. I hope that if you do read it, you do so with humility, as this might be a wake-up call to do what's right by your child(ren). 

Growing up I attended both, public and private schools. In all honesty, public school life was one of the things I detested the most as a student. Private school was always something I looked forward too. When my parents couldn't afford it anymore, I would go back to public school. It wasn't until High School that I truly appreciated how fortunate I was to be in a private school that kept me out of trouble. I have no doubt that if I were in a public high school during my first 3 years, I would have ended up either in jail, in a hospital or as a teenage (incompetent) parent. The county in which I resided at the time held the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. (and they were proud of it, as a matter of fact, they were proud to hold the record for the youngest expecting mother,  a 10 yr old girl).

When I transfered to public school during my last year in High School, I couldn't believe what a horrendous place it was. I was used to attending "Chapel" every morning before breakfast, however, in public school I couldn't even pray in public. I was used to wearing a (clean, wrinkle-free) uniform, but public school was more like a fashion runway. I was used to studying every two weeks for a biweekly assessment that accounted for a big portion of my grade, and staying up all night studying with a few of my classmates once a month for a major exam. On the other hand, in the public school I was given permission by my teachers to sleep in class during the lecture since I had covered that material during my freshman year. 

I graduated at the top of my class (of 500) with Honors and a 4.2 GPA (Is that even possible???) and was given a grant for college. Had I stayed at my previous school, I would have probably graduated with a 3.1 GPA or lower, as I was merely an average student.

When my wife and I were married we had different opinions as to how we would educate our children, I of course wanted to send them to a private school, but she wanted something completely wacky (or so it seemed) - to homeschool them.

To home what? - Yes, the concept was completely foreign to me... After a number of arguments on this subject, she finally made sense and presented me with some very staggering, compelling and unquestionable facts, which I will present to you here. 

Truth is, the school system is flawed!!

I will try to present the evidence, I believe it will make a case for itself. I tried to focus on the "Academics" aspect of it, however, the other issues are just too important to ignore. So I will begin by setting the foundation as to why I wouldn't send my kids to school and will leave the "educational" benefits of homeschooling for a later post.

Courtesy of Google images

Needless to say, at this point I am totally in favor of homeschooling, so I will not be making a case against it, although I have done a good amount of research on the top arguments against homeschooling, so if you wish for me to address them, it will be on a more personal level. This post is pretty long as it is without adding all the pointless arguments against homeschooling. 

I will also post a link to some articles that cover each topic in more detail for your reading pleasure.

To top the list we have the issue of violence. (see here for more)

We are all aware of all the violent crimes that have occurred in schools in recent years, some worse than others, but to name a few - Gangsters, mass murderers, and bullies, which brings me to my second argument.

Courtesy of Google images

Bullying: 23 per cent of elementary students reported being bullied one to three times in the last month bullying statistics say.

In a recent study, 77% of the students said they had been bullied. And 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse.

Well, let me just redirect you here so you can read the countless offenses and repercussions of bullying

Drugs, sex, alcohol, STDs, teenage pregnancy, abortion and rape are self explanatory. 

Courtesy of Google image

Academic performance and quality of education and overcrowding: It's no secret that homeschooled children are more equipped than public school children are, given the fact that parents focus their efforts on an individual rather than a number. In an average class there are at least 25 students per 1 teacher. There is simply not enough time to dedicate to each child individually. NOT one size fits all, so why are all of them expected to meet the same academic standards?

It is true that a teacher has a degree and some parents may not, however, over half of all teachers have failed basic literacy and numeracy tests. On the other hand, parents must relearn all subjects before teaching them to their children.

Children are no longer accountable to do their homework, pass tests or even attend classes, as teacher offer plenty of makeup exams, retakes, and extra credits to make sure everyone passes.

Teacher Unions: I know I will face a lot of criticism from a lot of people about this one, nonetheless, it's important to address it. The typical teachers union contract is loaded with provisions that do not promote education. These provisions drive away good teachers, protect bad teachers, raise costs, and tie principals’ hands.

There is one site that explains it better than I could.. 

Courtesy of Google images

Newer school curricula is starting to focuse more on Saving the planet, going green, being more tolerant toward Homosexuals, lesbians, transgender and bisexual peers, as well as muslims, atheist and agnostics. Also on pilates and yoga instead of P.E. and not so much in American History but rather Hispanic history, Black history, Native American History, and Women's Rights (not to undermine either one, but such subjects did not forge the US from its inception).

Food, OBESITY and Peer Pressure: Research presented at a meeting of the Annual College of Cardiology last year determined that kids who eat lunches served by their schools are almost 60 percent more likely to be overweight or obese when compared to children who bring their lunch from home.(see more)

Obese children often face more bullying than anyone else leading to depression and in many cases suicide. Many other children (especially girls) are pressured by their friends and the media to maintain a certain image, thus experiencing various psychological eating disorders that will hunt them for a very long time.


Religious instruction is forbidden - Scratch that - Christian Values are forbidden, as other beliefs are promoted (i.e. Islam).

I will end with this (and hope to hear your feedback).

The banning of prayer in assemblies affected moral standards:
Before prayer was removed from schools, polls among educators listed the top offences in public schools as:

1.	Talking
2.	Chewing gum
3.	Making noise
4.	Running in the halls
5.	Getting out of turn in line
6.	Wearing improper clothing
7.	Not putting paper in wastebaskets

After prayer was removed from schools, polls among educators listed the top offences in public schools as:

1.	Rape
2.	Robbery
3.	Assault
4.	Burglary
5.	Arson
6.	Bombings
7.	Murder
8.	Suicide
9.	Absenteeism
10.	Vandalism
11.	Extortion
12.	Drug abuse
13.	Alcohol abuse
14.	Gang warfare
15.	Pregnancies
16.	Abortions
17.	Venereal disease

(Taken from the book: America: to pray or not to pray? By David Barton, 1988, you can read more about this here...)


And to clear up the misconception of what homeschooled vs homeschooler is - watch this vid..

Hidden Truth About Vaccinations

Are vaccines really safe and effective? What about the link to Autism? Join me as I discussed why ...

We said "NO" to immunizations.

It is better to embrace an ugly truth than to find comfort in a beautiful lie.

Here is another biggie, controversial issue amongst new parents, and parents to be. Should you immunize your child? Only you can answer that question, however, if you say 'NO', be prepared for some very harsh criticism.

I am not a medical doctor, nor a nutritionist (although I am a nutraceutical consultant) and I do not claim to know all the answers, however, I have done a little bit of research on this topic and that is what I want to present to you, actually not everything because there are hundreds of studies that can be presented to prove why vaccines are bad, but it would take hours to post them here and more hours for you to read, so I will try to be short and to the point.

(By the way, I am not totally anti-vaccine, as some vaccines ARE necessary, for instance, I had a set of rabies shots when I was younger after a dog that was allegedly infected with rabies bit me)

Picture courtesy of Google Images

Let's start with the evil ingredient called Thimerosal. It is ethyl mercury. It has been implicated in some horrible deceases in our children today including Autism, ADD and ADHD. Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by delayed or impaired social or communication skills. It is not a psychiatric disorder.

Autism is an epidemic that is increasing at shocking rates (read on..)


At one time Polio affected 1 in 3000 Americans and was announced an epidemic, yet in 2010 as many as 1 in 58 boys has a form of autism, but autism is NOT consider a national emergency. It may be the most underacknowledged and misunderstood healthcare crisis that our country has ever seen. To give you a perspective in the 1970 Autism affected 1 in 10,000 children. Last year the Journal Pediatric stated that 1 in 91 children in the US are affected by this serious disability, yet time and again the media, government and medical community discusses Autism with no real alarm, focusing mostly on early diagnosis and intervention. The message consistently given to the public is that problems of Autism is not really skyrocketing. We're led to believe that Autism has always existed in these proportions. The important question is, can this be true?

For a moment lets discuss the characteristics of Autism. Those affected by Autism may show withdrawal, excessive fear, rigid or repetitive motions, lack of eye contact and hypersensitivity to light and noise. In many cases the person's skills are limited or he lacks communications skills entirely. It is a very serious disability. Research shows that as these children go into adulthood, 98% of them are unable to live alone, unable to work independently and have very limited social interaction.

Could this disability really go unnoticed for these many years as they want us to believe? If this were true, then why is our country so unprepared for what  the future holds for the coming wave of autistic adults. Researchers believe that the lifetime care for a person with autism is now estimated at nearly 3.5 million dollars, thus making it almost impossible to sustain such population, as we lack the facilities let alone the funding to care for autistic people.

The epidemic is unquestionable. Now I am not here to talk so much about Autism, but about the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations.


BASIC FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT VACCINATIONS
1. Vaccines are toxic.

*Vaccines contain substances poisonous to humans (i.e. mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum, etc.) Vaccine package inserts MUST contain this and other information required by law to be disclosed to the public. Although these inserts are produced for consumers, doctors do not make them available to their patients.

*Vaccines are grown on and contain foreign tissue and altered genetic material of both human and animal origin.

2. Immunization (the act of injecting vaccines) depresses and disables brain and immune function. Honest, unbiased scientific investigation has shown vaccinations to be a causative factor in many illnesses including:

*Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (aka SIDS, crib or cot death)

*developmental disorders (autism, seizures, mental retardation, hyperactivity, dyslexia, etc.)

*immune deficiency (i.e. AIDS, Epstein Barre Syndrome, etc.)

*degenerative disease (i.e. muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, cancer, leukemia, lupus, fibromyalgia, etc.)

3. The high rate of adverse vaccine reactions is being ignored and denied by conventional medicine.

*Prior to 1990, doctors were not legally required to report adverse reactions to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

*Adverse reactions are considered "normal", are ignored or diagnosed as other diseases. Even with this poor system, reported damage is substantial.

*Despite their current legal obligation, less than 10% of doctors report the damage they witness to the CDC.

*Throughout history, many prominent medical and non-medical health professionals around the world have voiced their vehement opposition to vaccination calling it scientific fraud.

4. Mass Vaccination Programs systematically and recklessly endanger the public while disregarding our rights.

*Since vaccination breaks the skin, it is technically a surgery. All surgeries by law require informed consent. Informed consent is rarely attained before vaccines are administered.

*Doctors vaccinate the unwitting and uninformed. The vaccine manufacturers' package inserts which contain biased industry claims and the bare minimum required by law to reveal are not routinely made available to consumers so that they can make a more informed choice.

*Double-talk and unethical enforcement such as threats, intimidation and coercion are used to ensure vaccination compliance.

5. There is no proof that vaccinations are safe or effective.

*There are no control group studies. Authorities consider that "to not vaccinate" is unethical and have refused to study unvaccinated volunteers. If control studies were done according ' to honest science, vaccination would be outlawed.

*Studies which have been done are not designed to eliminate the examiners bias. Authorities who compile and report disease statistics work closely with and have a vested interest in companies which produce the vaccines. In other industries, this kind of bias is not tolerated. Injuries and deaths in these studies are attributed to anything but vaccination to skew the results and make it appear that vaccines have some merit.

6. Laws allow drug companies to violate the public trust.

*In private vaccine damage suits, information is revealed condemning vaccines as deadly.

*Vaccine manufacturers use "gag orders" as a leverage tool in vaccine damage legal settlements to restrict the plaintiff from disclosing to the public the truth about the dangerous nature of vaccines. Our government has allowed these unethical tactics to be used which jeopardize public welfare.

7. The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1987 is a pacifier.

*This compensation program pretends to acknowledge the existence of vaccine damage by making "right" the wrongs done. Nothing in this Act attempts to avert these adverse events from happening in the future.

*This Act is the result of vaccine producers pressuring the government to "immunize" them from private lawsuits which can run an average of $4 million per case.

*The fund is made up of tax added into the cost to the consumer of each vaccine, thereby making vaccine consumers pay for one another's and perhaps their own injury; the vaccine manufacturers have made themselves quite "immune" from accountability. In recent years it has become even more difficult to be compensated through this program due to the parameters for determining vaccine damage changing and coroners now ruling out vaccine damage and charging the parents with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

8. Private insurance companies, which do the best liability studies, have totally abandoned coverage for damage to life and property due to:

*Acts of God

*Nuclear war and nuclear power plant accidents

*Vaccination

9. Vaccination is not emergency medicine.

*It is claimed that vaccines avert a possible future risk and yet people are pressured to decide on the spot. A doctor's use of fear and intimidation to force compliance is not ethical. Vaccines are drugs with potential serious adverse reactions. Time and forethought should be given before a decision is made.

10. There is no law enforcing vaccination for babies or anyone else.

*Vaccination is linked with school attendance but is not compulsory. Exemptions from vaccinations, although restricted and monitored, are part of every state public health law and can be expanded by public pressure.

*Departments of Health, Education and the American Medical Association personnel profit from the sale of vaccines. They keep the existence of and details about exemptions relatively unknown.



There is a plethora of information out there for those who want to learn more about this issue. Some great books are:

1. "How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor" by Dr. Robert S. Mendelsohn
2. “Saying No to Vaccines: A Resource Guide for All Ages” by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
3. "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Vaccines." by Dr/ Stephanie Cave
4. "Medisin" by Dr. Jose Fleming

 "With an increase sense of knowledge, comes an increase sense of responsibility"

Sources:
http://www.sayingnotovaccines.com/
http://orbisvitae.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=44881
http://www.akha.org/content/vaccinations/autismtetanus.pdf
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5722035272702461588#
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=85599F3D33435D9C88975436046308CB
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=FE7BB1EBED2639982613E499598C8159
http://www.naturalnews.com/029911_vaccines_Bill_Gates.html

Why we said NO to routine infant circumcision - Part 1

*Warning: This post contains graphic content, viewer discretion is advised*

Παρακαλώ κάντε κλικ στο "Μετάφραση " στο κόκκινο γραμμή εργαλείων παρακάτω και επιλέξτε ελληνικά για να μεταφράσει τη σελίδα

View part 2 HERE                 
Δείτε μέρος 2 ΕΔΩ

Circumcision is one of those 'taboo" subjects in Church today, also a highly debatable one. Although most people don't give circumcision any thought at all, few others do their diligent research, however, a lot of the information available is not necessarily Bible-based. 

I will attempt to give this part series my best shot at somehow shining some light on an otherwise dark subject (by no means am I trying to stir up debate, simply stating the facts that we've researched and compiled them for you).

We have a 17 month old boy, and are expecting our second one the first week in January. To my wife and I, our children are a gift from heaven, and thus we try to make our best to raise them in a God-fearing, loving home. We both have been raised in Christian homes and have attended church our entire life, however, for some strange reason, this topic has never been publicly discussed (at least as far as we can remember). 

Just before our first baby was born, we began researching routine infant circumcision, and although the information we found was compelling, we remained undecided because there was not enough medical evidence to suggest that it was in any way beneficial to have our son circumcised. After talking to our healthcare providers, chiropractors, and a few other people we trust, we came to the conclusion that it wasn't our decision to make, but rather his. 

Still unconvinced if we made the right decision, we did a lot more research, as it seemed very odd to go against the 'norm' - what we learned not only reiterated that we made the right decision, but also that this practice is somewhat barbaric (read on...).

I will start by saying that medical reasons are unjustifiable, as declared by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (The Academy concluded that there was no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision ... see more ) 

For decades, parents have been lied to and deceived about infant circumcision. Some years back doctors actually believed that babies (both newly born and those still in the womb) felt NO PAIN, similar to what abortionist believe that because a baby is still in the womb, they feel no pain, thus mass murdering them is acceptable because they don't feel anything. 

Today, however, science has proven that babies not only feel pain, but in fact, they feel it more acutely than any other age group, simply because their nerve endings are fresh and uncalloused. 

Shockingly, many baby boys are STILL subjected to surgery without anesthesia, something we wouldn't normally do to even our pets!!

To put this into perspective, let's look at how a typical circumcision procedure is performed.

Innocent newborns have their wrists and ankles strapped down to a table as their tightly closed foreskins are ripped open and stretched to near the tearing point. Then a scalpel is used to amputate square inches of healthy, sensitive skin. (Imagine yourself in this situation.) The cutting is slow and painful and babies usually respond in one of two ways. Either with screaming (which can last from several minutes to several hours) or with a sudden lapse into a state that resembles unconsciousness.


This deep sleep has been studied by scientists who remark that it is deeper than any other form of sleep known to mankind. This desperate withdrawal is the body's coping mechanism for dealing with a pain too intense for the brain to process.


After it is all over, if there are no surgical complications, the parents are given back their formerly perfect, now-wounded child with his red, raw, bleeding genitals tightly bandaged, and given instructions for how to care for the wound with petroleum jelly and other protective lubricants. Some babies don't recover emotionally, as lactation consultants say "nursing strikes" are not uncommon. One woman we spoke with said that her baby boy had nursed fine the day prior to his circumcision, but after the painful procedure was over, he wouldn't go near her breasts. Try as she might to coax him, he wanted nothing to do with her, and she was forced to bottlefeed him permanently. Similar stories abound.

So why are 25% of all newborns (50% of baby boys) still made to suffer this inarguably excruciating, outdated procedure?

1. Conformity

2. Cleanliness

3. Confusion

I will elaborate on those three reasons in part 2 of this series. Also, stayed tuned to see what the Bible really says about this barbaric practice. 

Plastibell Infant Circumcision - Awesome video clips here