Humility said:

Cutting off parts of the genitals of a newborn baby?  In what world does that ever translate as "okay"? 

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I like the example of branding.  Many African American fraternities brand their members to show membership.  If you asked the doctor to brand your newborn baby to make it a member of your clan with a hot branding iron just like you were branded they would call the police IMMEDIATELY.

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Enlil said:

If they live in a society where sacrificing virgins is accepted and morally right...sure...

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So you think it's OK that suicide bombers blow up the infidels huh?

Quote:

Moral universalism (also called moral objectivism or universal morality) is the meta-ethical position that some system of ethics, or a universal ethic, applies universally, that is, for "all similarly situated individuals",[1] regardless of culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, sexuality, or any other distinguishing feature. Moral universalism is opposed to moral nihilism and moral relativism. However, not all forms of moral universalism are absolutist, nor are they necessarily value monist; many forms of universalism, such as utilitarianism, are non-absolutist, and some forms, such as that of Isaiah Berlin, may be value pluralist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_universalism

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Enlil said:

Maybe, but determining who is "innocent" certainly isn't universal.

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A child in Shanghai is expected to live 82 years. In the United States, the figure is not quite 79 years. (For all of China, including rural areas, life expectancy is lower, 73 years — but rising steadily.)

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Enlil said:

So is getting tonsils removed...should parents have to wait until the child is old enough to decide?

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Chinese medicine explains that tonsil stones and other issues related to tonsils happen due to toxins and poor quality digestion. That is why they recommend lowering or completely avoiding foods which create more acidity and toxins in body. Such foods are white flour products, red meats, and fat rich food items like dairy products, butter, ghee, fried foods and white sugar. Apart from avoiding these foods, they also suggest to include in one’s diet the foods rich in antioxidants such as blueberries, pomegranate, carrots, cabbage, raspberries and turnips. Ginger and carrot juice is also suggested to detoxifying the body and for relieving infections of tonsils and tonsil stones.
http://www.tonsilstonescauses.com/chinese-medicine-easily-removing-tonsil-stonesremedies-for-tonsil-stones/

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teknix said:

Here is evidence: A child born in Shanghai (China) is forecasted to have  a longer lifespan then an American counterpart and they are not generally circumcised when born.

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So what reason is there really other then tradition to circumcise?

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