As a Believer in Christ

[salamander6773]

Jesus Christ laid down his life for my sins as the sacrificial lamb. In that day he conquered death for those who believe. I believe in Jesus Christ and worship him. I believe in the triunity of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

It has been revealed that our LORD cares not of circumcision, but rather that our hearts be circumcised. That is that we love our Lord and believe on him in faith, and through our life and obedience to his word. We live clean lives, breaking the chains of sin. And giving our lives as testimonies to HIM, and as witnesses to HIM.

Foreskin restoration has been a part of my life for longer than I would like to admit. It started with insecurities about myself. It is a vain and pleasure seeking pursuit. It is selfish. It has isolated me mentally and physically. I feel ashamed. I feel like I am not a true believer anymore.

Can anyone comfort me regarding my addiction to foreskin restoration...

[Opto-mystic]

The fact that you are thinking deeply about your faith is very good and I believe God recognizes this. Faith and people's convictions about it is a delicate thing. For me, I believe that our creator is pure love. Our mistakes and shortcomings are merely a learning process that are not held against us on an eternal level and definitely don't reduce Gods love for us. God gave us pleasure and comfort. God wants us to feel good. Repairing damage that was done to your body can't be held against you. In my opinion the attitude of enjoying your body and sexuality being a sin, is absolutely wrong. You are not misusing your body or sexuality by restoration. You're repairing yourself. And you are learning as you go... Through life... No one has all the answers. You must embrace the mystery in my opinion... Please don't limit your ideas on what God is... These are my opinions and I just wanted to help... Hope you felt the love and concern... Blessings

[admin]

Can anyone comfort me regarding my addiction to foreskin restoration...

Paul: "If any man was called while circumcised, let him not become uncircumcised."

But this wasn't a prohibition, it was a pardon. No NEED to do it, but not to say you MAY NOT do it.

If restoring is too vain, then what's next? Exercising for fitness and health? Maybe, if it takes the form of body building. How about a balanced diet, getting enough sleep,..? We could go down a hole. At some point it's ok to take care of yourself and do what you can to live your best life. I say exalt creation by becoming - to the extent possible - as you were created.

[salamander6773]

thanks for the encouragement

[PalloTown18]

Salamander, the only thing is that you don't let foreskin restoration consume you or become more important in your life than Christ. Find ways to make your restoration about your faith. Don't forget that worshipping the Lord can take so many forms - not just traditional prayer and song. Find a way to make restoring your foreskin a way of worshipping for you. Think about how God created our bodies, designed every intricate function, He even created the process of mitosis!! By restoring your foreskin you are using and executing a function of the body that God created, express thanks for the ability, and restore as best as you can because you have been created to do that - and that in itself is a kind of worship. If you're worried about it becoming selfish, turn your focus to these things.

Also recognize that you are being inspired to restore your foreskin for some reason, and perhaps some of it is even selfish. But, don't forget that God may be preparing you for something, ask Him in prayer what that might be - how can this whole process being transforming YOU to be a better servant of Christ, a more Christ-like member of society. Maybe you will play major roles in other people's lives suffering from the similar depression that circumcision brings. Maybe you will become a well-known inactivist. In addition to all the things you're learning about foreskin restoration itself and how to do it, you're also learning major lessons in commitment, dedication, hard-work, patience, etc. - Who knows why God wants you to learn/practice these things right now! You just simply can't have any idea all the reasons why you're on this path, so don't get discouraged! Pray about it, think about it, don't expect answers right away - just be patient and trusting!!

[salamander6773]

Salamander, the only thing is that you don't let foreskin restoration consume you or become more important in your life than Christ. Find ways to make your restoration about your faith. Don't forget that worshipping the Lord can take so many forms - not just traditional prayer and song. Find a way to make restoring your foreskin a way of worshipping for you. Think about how God created our bodies, designed every intricate function, He even created the process of mitosis!! By restoring your foreskin you are using and executing a function of the body that God created, express thanks for the ability, and restore as best as you can because you have been created to do that - and that in itself is a kind of worship. If you're worried about it becoming selfish, turn your focus to these things.

Also recognize that you are being inspired to restore your foreskin for some reason, and perhaps some of it is even selfish. But, don't forget that God may be preparing you for something, ask Him in prayer what that might be - how can this whole process being transforming YOU to be a better servant of Christ, a more Christ-like member of society. Maybe you will play major roles in other people's lives suffering from the similar depression that circumcision brings. Maybe you will become a well-known inactivist. In addition to all the things you're learning about foreskin restoration itself and how to do it, you're also learning major lessons in commitment, dedication, hard-work, patience, etc. - Who knows why God wants you to learn/practice these things right now! You just simply can't have any idea all the reasons why you're on this path, so don't get discouraged! Pray about it, think about it, don't expect answers right away - just be patient and trusting!!

Thank you for this. Gotta stay positive.

[r5K]

Did not God create man in His image? Gen 1:27, Gen 9:6, 1 Cor.11:7

If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? - John 7:23

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: - Romans 4:9-11

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. - Galatians 5:6

Why Christians need not be circumcised: http://www.circumstitions.com/Xy.html

[WoundedBird]

I agree with Ron's assessment of the biblical passage in question. The above post also hits the nail on the head.

Jesus denounced circumcision. My intuition tells me that God wants you to be happy and healthy, and gave you a foreskin for a reason. Restoration takes an enormous amount of time and effort. Engaging dutifully in a productive pursuit is not addiction. An addiction is an unhealthy habit which reduces your quality of life directly. What you are doing is not unhealthy. You are trying to restore what God created in the first place, which was subsequently marred by an ignorant human being. You're essentially restoring yourself back into the image in which God created you in the first place, don't you think?

[Diesel_George]

This boils down to Paul vs Peter. Peter wanted to blend Jewish laws with Christianity and create Jewish Christians. Jewish faith your where born into to it and you are either Jewish or not. Paul said you don't have to conform to Jewish law of the Old Testament in order to become a Christian. Most of the people on earth would be considered Gentiles and most of the Bible is written towards the Jews. So a lot of doesn't apply. Even the Ten Commandments where written for his chosen people the Jews. Which Jesus says love god and love you neighbor and if you compare to 10 commandments all 11 of them conforms to those two.

Galatians 2:11-21 speaks some of the disagreements between the two apostles. Most of it wasn't recorded in the Bible.

[TarheelZ]

I’m not a believer but I’m taken with the story of Peter drawing a sword to defend a Jesus and cutting off the ear of a Roman soldier. Rather than rebuke Peter harshly, Jesus restored the Roman’s ear. Restoration of that which was cut away is a human instinct and very Christian it seems to me.

[TuggingNLA]

I agree with the concept that God created us in his image and that included a foreskin. I therefore expect that He approved of the entire male body or He would not have modified it accordingly. The Jewish community adopted circumcision as a brutal yet non-lethal means to be accepted into their tribe and had nothing to do with God's intentions. You either allowed yourself and your male children to be circumcised or you were cast out of the tribe and that meant left to die in the wilderness. We have been stuck with this barbaric ritual ever since, modified and twisted by the Victorians so that it became accepted as mainstream even though it has no real benefit other than to deprive the male (and female) of the joy of sexual pleasure that God intended.

[Reality]

Those in this thread who point to the natural appearance of the human infant male (males all appear with a foreskin) as God/Nature-intended make an unarguable point. Only the blind, the "believers", those who think "believing" trumps "knowing", can't see what's in front of them. Any religious doctrine which attempts to speak for the infinite, and the infinite's intention, especially when its in contradiction to what the infinite presents and rejects compassion, fails its followers. That's how simple I see it.

[Reality]

Found this quote: “No one is forgotten. It is a lie, any talk of God that does not comfort you.” ~Meister Ekhart



If you don't know who Meister Ekhart is then you should, if you think you are a christian.

[SensitivityTrainer]

I came to Orthodox Christianity while restoring. So, I was already in the process. I would check with an Orthodox priest to be certain, but the debate regarding this seems to be whether circumcision is required in order to be a Christian at all. It was not found in and of itself to be a salvific act. In my case, de-circumcising is helping towards my personal salvation, so I continue it.