As the discussion around circumcision is gaining momentum and more and more people, including doctors and philosophers in Europe, publish their opinions, it is time to bring some balance to the debate. This is of great importance, since a ban on circumcision, like the one imposed by the court in Cologne, Germany, is not only deeply offensive to Jews and Muslims, but also based on mistaken reasoning and a profound misunderstanding of what human beings are all about, what moves them, and what makes their lives meaningful.
To be truly alive is only possible when one lives for some supreme goal. The ultimate question is whether there is anything worth dying for. If the answer is no, then we must ask ourselves whether there is anything to live for. For most thinking people there is more to life than physical survival or having a great time. It is about the exaltation of existence and the ability to hear a perpetual murmur emitted by the waves beyond the shore of worldliness, which gives us the feeling that life is of utmost significance. If not for this, we would agree with French philosopher and novelist Albert Camus, who said that the only serious philosophical problem is whether or not to commit suicide.
Read Full Article »