Thinking of getting circumcised

Dear Pastor,

I am 14-year-old male. I live with my mother. She is a single parent, and is very proud of me.

She used to bathe me until I was 13 years old. One day my mother said I am a big man now, so she was going to stop bathing me. When I was growing up, she told me that I must really learn to take care of my penis. I was never circumcised, so my mother used to always pull back my foreskin at the top of my penis while bathing me. She told me that she was sorry she did not get me circumcised when I was born, but she did not have the money to do so.

My mother asked me if I would want to be circumcised and I told her I didn't know. She told me that she would save some money and have it done, but maybe my wife, when I get married, would prefer if I was not circumcised. I didn't fully understand what she meant. But in high school, when we were talking about human development, our teacher, who is a pastor, explained it to us. The girls were excused from the class. So now I understand much better. The teacher asked how many boys in the class were circumcised; about half of the boys raised their hands. He then dropped a bombshell by saying that if a man is not circumcised, he should not be embarrassed because of it.

Would you suggest that I ask my mother to take me to the doctor and make arrangements for me to be circumcised? My mother and I live alone and she is really struggling. I don't want her to do anything that will bring added expense to her. I am waiting for your answer.

U.R.

Dear U.R.,

You have a very intelligent mother and as a single woman, she has done her best for you.

She took care of you and bathed you until you were 13 years old. She told you how to clean yourself by pulling back the foreskin of your penis when you are having a shower. The foreskin of a male's penis is to protect the glands. There was a time when circumcision was not popular. Circumcision is not recommended by some doctors, but some believe that it is necessary to keep the penis clean. A man who is not circumcised has to take special care when he is having a bath - to pull back the foreskin and clean around the glands of the penis.

Your mother mentioned that when you are married, your wife might prefer if you are not circumcised. I don't want to get into too much discussion here. Suffice to say that there are women who prefer men who are not circumcised, and there are those who prefer men who are. It is a sexual thing, and as you get older, you will understand. Do your own research on this matter.

Pastor