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It is indeed only prevalent among Jews and Muslims - and the old British empire. Legolas Send a noteboard - 06/10/2010 10:38:07 AM
Well, just a wild stab, but my guess would be either American Indians or you guys, and I'd bet on the latter. The real question is why it became so prevalent outside Jewish and Islamic cultures if it was so unique to them (though in some ways making the distinction between "Hindu Indians" and Indians in general robs that stat of its punch; the high populations and prevalence of Islam in India, Pakistan and Indonesia mean there are plenty of circumcised non-Americans. ) There's certainly no religious basis for it among Christians; the NT is VERY clear on that (I believe it's Peter (:P) who at one point expresses the wish that those demanding Gentile circumcision would "go all the way" and castrate themselves. :P)

One presumes Americans took it from the Jews and not from the Muslims, but as to why, I don't think there's a single explanation. Wikipedia suggests that it had to do with somewhat primitive views on germs in the early 1900s on the one hand, and on the other hand with preventing masturbation. Though it also says, somewhat surprisingly, to me at least, that only 60% of American male babies are circumcized today, and the sources seem to disagree significantly on how high the percentage was at the time when it was most prevalent, from 70% to over 90%.

In Australia, it was apparently quite prevalent in generations past, but is falling quickly now. In the UK, it never was dominant but was more prevalent in the past than it is now.
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/of sorts. Culture in general. And more specifically, American culture. - 04/10/2010 07:32:29 PM 1056 Views
Before answering that question, answer: "What is culture?" - 04/10/2010 07:48:40 PM 854 Views
Re: Before answering that question, answer: "What is culture?" - 04/10/2010 08:12:19 PM 759 Views
The foreigner POV - 04/10/2010 08:17:24 PM 845 Views
Thanks. This is what I was looking for. - 04/10/2010 08:22:40 PM 751 Views
Re: The foreigner POV is fun to read - 05/10/2010 03:14:00 PM 748 Views
LOL - 05/10/2010 08:13:39 PM 638 Views
- 05/10/2010 08:38:52 PM 622 Views
When I think of American Culture... - 04/10/2010 08:29:09 PM 824 Views
just a list? - 04/10/2010 08:31:19 PM 761 Views
How about traditional American values? - 05/10/2010 01:43:07 AM 909 Views
isn't that a bit misleading? - 05/10/2010 07:52:18 AM 843 Views
I never said they were unique to American culture - 05/10/2010 02:36:25 PM 688 Views
yes but we have more of it - 05/10/2010 02:50:53 PM 760 Views
- 05/10/2010 03:10:18 PM 623 Views
Do you know why it is rude to ask someone if they are from Texas? - 05/10/2010 05:53:19 PM 741 Views
ilu2 - 06/10/2010 04:13:47 AM 854 Views
I don't live in Gary. - 06/10/2010 04:25:36 AM 789 Views
It's part of IN though. - 06/10/2010 04:30:23 AM 813 Views
Good thing, too. He died recently. - 06/10/2010 10:13:26 PM 676 Views
Word (concept) association with "American culture" - 05/10/2010 09:57:07 AM 744 Views
i think those are pretty indicative word associations. *NM* - 05/10/2010 03:08:08 PM 320 Views
Indicative of what? *NM* - 05/10/2010 08:47:44 PM 346 Views
american culture? - 06/10/2010 04:50:27 AM 738 Views
Some of that may be more European than American culture. - 06/10/2010 04:20:16 AM 712 Views
But circumcision is a hot topic in the US - 06/10/2010 05:42:25 AM 768 Views
It is? - 06/10/2010 06:51:31 AM 808 Views
You're wrong about the default for circumcision the world over - 06/10/2010 07:44:40 AM 785 Views
That surprises me, but alright. - 06/10/2010 10:00:14 AM 743 Views
It is indeed only prevalent among Jews and Muslims - and the old British empire. - 06/10/2010 10:38:07 AM 813 Views
And, apparently, most of Africa. - 06/10/2010 11:46:32 AM 934 Views
I really don't think it is much of a hot topic here - 06/10/2010 09:37:50 PM 928 Views
You make a good point about tipping - 06/10/2010 09:58:10 AM 753 Views
I disagree - surely tipping is much more internationally widespread than some others in that list. - 06/10/2010 10:43:32 AM 714 Views
Re: I disagree - 06/10/2010 07:41:14 PM 838 Views
I don't think I disagree with that. - 05/10/2010 02:57:36 PM 798 Views
btw, I obviously think this is a good post. Fun. - 05/10/2010 03:21:21 PM 714 Views
sounds a lot like the America I know *NM* - 05/10/2010 05:55:27 PM 330 Views
Is the first part of that statement even true? - 05/10/2010 04:45:36 PM 688 Views
Hm. Interesting. - 05/10/2010 05:43:19 PM 667 Views
I think it is - 05/10/2010 06:00:18 PM 730 Views
Point! - 06/10/2010 06:02:33 AM 655 Views
Right! - 05/10/2010 09:42:20 PM 774 Views

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