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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 978 Views
Before answering that question, answer: "What is culture?" - 04/10/2010 07:48:40 PM 776 Views
Re: Before answering that question, answer: "What is culture?" - 04/10/2010 08:12:19 PM 678 Views
The foreigner POV - 04/10/2010 08:17:24 PM 771 Views
Thanks. This is what I was looking for. - 04/10/2010 08:22:40 PM 676 Views
Re: The foreigner POV is fun to read - 05/10/2010 03:14:00 PM 666 Views
LOL - 05/10/2010 08:13:39 PM 555 Views
- 05/10/2010 08:38:52 PM 544 Views
When I think of American Culture... - 04/10/2010 08:29:09 PM 748 Views
just a list? - 04/10/2010 08:31:19 PM 682 Views
How about traditional American values? - 05/10/2010 01:43:07 AM 831 Views
isn't that a bit misleading? - 05/10/2010 07:52:18 AM 763 Views
I never said they were unique to American culture - 05/10/2010 02:36:25 PM 620 Views
yes but we have more of it - 05/10/2010 02:50:53 PM 679 Views
- 05/10/2010 03:10:18 PM 540 Views
Do you know why it is rude to ask someone if they are from Texas? - 05/10/2010 05:53:19 PM 663 Views
ilu2 - 06/10/2010 04:13:47 AM 773 Views
I don't live in Gary. - 06/10/2010 04:25:36 AM 704 Views
It's part of IN though. - 06/10/2010 04:30:23 AM 737 Views
Good thing, too. He died recently. - 06/10/2010 10:13:26 PM 572 Views
Word (concept) association with "American culture" - 05/10/2010 09:57:07 AM 667 Views
i think those are pretty indicative word associations. *NM* - 05/10/2010 03:08:08 PM 285 Views
Indicative of what? *NM* - 05/10/2010 08:47:44 PM 310 Views
american culture? - 06/10/2010 04:50:27 AM 667 Views
Some of that may be more European than American culture. - 06/10/2010 04:20:16 AM 632 Views
But circumcision is a hot topic in the US - 06/10/2010 05:42:25 AM 691 Views
It is? - 06/10/2010 06:51:31 AM 733 Views
You're wrong about the default for circumcision the world over - 06/10/2010 07:44:40 AM 701 Views
That surprises me, but alright. - 06/10/2010 10:00:14 AM 659 Views
It is indeed only prevalent among Jews and Muslims - and the old British empire. - 06/10/2010 10:38:07 AM 731 Views
And, apparently, most of Africa. - 06/10/2010 11:46:32 AM 859 Views
I really don't think it is much of a hot topic here - 06/10/2010 09:37:50 PM 840 Views
You make a good point about tipping - 06/10/2010 09:58:10 AM 674 Views
I disagree - surely tipping is much more internationally widespread than some others in that list. - 06/10/2010 10:43:32 AM 644 Views
Re: I disagree - 06/10/2010 07:41:14 PM 761 Views
I don't think I disagree with that. - 05/10/2010 02:57:36 PM 725 Views
btw, I obviously think this is a good post. Fun. - 05/10/2010 03:21:21 PM 633 Views
sounds a lot like the America I know *NM* - 05/10/2010 05:55:27 PM 294 Views
Is the first part of that statement even true? - 05/10/2010 04:45:36 PM 611 Views
Hm. Interesting. - 05/10/2010 05:43:19 PM 592 Views
I think it is - 05/10/2010 06:00:18 PM 653 Views
Point! - 06/10/2010 06:02:33 AM 579 Views
Right! - 05/10/2010 09:42:20 PM 694 Views

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