My favourite decks from the past year

Playing cards make the ideal gift, particularly the many beautiful custom decks available nowadays. Almost everyone can use a deck of cards at some point, so they have an instant and universal appeal, especially if a deck has some customized artwork and is packaged in an appealing tuck box.
In this list I want to focus on some of my favourite decks that have come out in the past year 2020. This year has been a challenging year for many of us in light of the coronavirus that has swept across the world. But in the middle of all this darkness, there have also been some bright spots, which include the brand new crop of custom decks that have appeared in the marketplace.
The suggestions I'm making are very much a matter of personal choice, and other playing card enthusiasts might make other choices. I haven't seen each and every deck that hit the market in the past year, and there are undoubtedly plenty of other worthy decks that qualify for a list like this. I've also not included any decks that have haven't yet been produced, even if they have been crowdfunded. This list strictly covers decks that you should be able to obtain from online retailers and resellers. I've also not included so-called "hype decks" that sell out almost immediately at the publisher level (e.g. Fontaines), but only those that enter retail channels and are more widely and readily available.
I've also included links to where you find them at PlayingCardDecks so that you can see images of the tuck boxes and cards for each item, and because they're the retailer I personally buy playing cards from the most. But you should be able to find these decks at most online retailers.

Popular Series

Several series of playing cards have become brands of their own, and achieved nearly cult status from collectors. This past year has seen some great additions to the line-ups from popular series that include big names like Jerry's Nuggets, Cherry Casino, and NOC.
● Jerry's Nugget Aqua Playing Cards - Jerry's Nuggets are a modern icon in the world of playing cards, due to the cult status of this deck, which was praised by cardists around the world. It was originally printed in the early 1970s, and was so much in demand in recent decades that copies fetched over $500 in the secondary market. A very successful reprinting of the original blue and red decks happened in 2019, and in the past year we've seen multiple reprints in different colours. Among my favourites in this series are the bright colours like orange, yellow, and green, which have all appeared in the past year. But there's also something for those who prefer a more muted look, such as steel and black. For more in this series, see Jerry's Nugget decks.
● Cherry Casino Tropicana Teal Playing Cards - The Cherry Casino decks capture a retro vibe, and are a throwback to the old fruit machines from gambling halls, with their distinctive cherry artwork. For me the real appeal of this series lies in the gorgeous card backs, which have a metallic sheen making them feel instantly different from all other decks. The face cards are all quite standard, so that makes them ideal for card games or card magic. Multiple new colours continue to appear in this series, such as Flamingo Quartz Pink, and most recently McCarran Silver. For more in this series, see Cherry Casino decks .
● NOC 3000X2 Purple Playing Cards - The acronym NOC originally stood for Nothing Only Colour, and in line with this the initial decks in this series were all very minimalist. Many people like to collect and use the NOC decks, and over time the series has evolved somewhat. The most recent releases show some new splashes of creativity, and with the NOC 3000X2 deck we travel into the future, past the year 3000. Vibrant purples and pinks inhabit the landscape of the cards, for a very modern and flashy look that is particularly well suited to cardistry. This particular deck is also available in a matching pink version. For more in this series, see NOC decks.

Popular Brands

There are several big brands that you can count on for quality, and this year was no exception, with big companies like Theory11, Ellusionist, and Art of Play all continuing to contribute wonderful playing cards to the market.
● James Bond 007 Playing Cards - When it comes to glamorous tuck boxes, it doesn't get much better than the luxury of playing card producer Theory11. This wonderful deck is a tribute to agent 007, James Bond. I collect most of the Theory11 decks, and this one is particularly terrific, with a supreme tuck box, and Bond-inspired paraphernalia on the court cards and on the card back. Close observers will find many Bond gadgets and more. Theory11 have put out several stylish releases in the past year, another one being the Hollywood Roosevelt deck. For more, see Theory11 decks.
● Shadow Masters Legacy v2 Playing Cards - One of the companies at the forefront of the custom playing cards movement was Ellusionist and their Black Tiger deck continues to be a modern icon. While they've since been overshadowed by the many custom decks produced in the crowd-funding era over the past decade, they continue to produce some memorable decks from time to time that are worth picking up. The Shadow Masters Legacy v2 is a black deck in the classic Ellusionist style, and represents the kind of thing that made them great to begin with. A jet black background is the chief feature of this deck, and the red and white used for the artwork and pips stands out beautifully against the inky black. This deck compares favourably with any other deck from the modern era. For more, see Ellusionist decks.
● Yellow Wheel Playing Cards - The brand Art of Play is the home of influential cardists Dan and Dave Buck. Their Red & Blue Wheel decks are among my all-time favourite decks, with gorgeous metallic inks as part of a split-pip design. The Yellow Wheel deck is their latest entry in the Wheel series, that retains the original card backs but now in yellow. But the highlight is the card faces, with the split pips employing a stunning metallic silver that complements the cards beautifully. This is a completely custom deck that is certain to impress anyone who sees it. Art of Play produces many new decks each year, and their Henry & Sally deck is a fun novelty release also worth checking out. For more, see Art of Play decks.

Popular Designers

They are a very select group, but there are some notable designers in the playing card industry who have developed a real name for themselves, have generated a large following of loyal fans, and continue to produce high quality custom decks on a regular basis.
● Italia Radiosa Playing Cards - Italian designer Giovanni Meroni is the man behind Thirdway Industries, and his playing cards are in high demand from collectors around the world. His signature style is immediately recognizable in each of his decks, and this one is no exception. Along with its companion Italia Segreta, it's themed around the wonders and secrets of Italy. The unique court cards are the real highlight, showcasing Giovanni's usual creativity and style. The number cards are also fully custom. These are the kinds of decks that will hold their value well in years to come. If you want even more vibrant colours, check out Modern Idols, from the same creator. For more, see Giovanni Meroni decks.
● Postage Paid Playing Cards - Behind the brand Kings Wild Project is Jackson Robinson, who is one of the few professional designers that actually makes a living out of designing playing cards. This deck was inspired by the idea of playing cards functioning as postcards, each with its own stamp and post paid stamp. All 50 US states are represented on different cards, and everything about this deck is fully customized. This deck was produced in only limited numbers, so it will be out of stock in most places. But if you're quick, you can still grab Jackson Robinson's General Admission deck, which applies a similar concept to tickets, with each card representing a vintage ticket stub from the early 20th century. For more, see Jackson Robinson decks.
● Kodiak Playing Cards - From popular designer Jody Eklund and his Black Ink Playing Cards Company, comes this delightful deck of playing cards that is geared to the poker player and collector. The cards have a very classic look, but offer a fresh take on the designs of the court cards and pips. Jody is highly respected for his approach to graphic design, and these cards will prove an excellent choice if you like playing card games, and want to bring something stylish and attractive to the table. For more, see Jody Eklund decks.

Magician Decks

Most magicians can perform their magic with any deck, but typically they prefer to do card magic with a deck where novelty and customization are minimal, so as not to distract from their magic. These decks are well suited to performing magic, and contain bonus gaff cards or other secrets that enable them to produce miracles not possible with ordinary decks.
● Card College Playing Cards - These decks are a tribute to the most outstanding modern teacher of the fundamentals of card magic, Roberto Giobbi. Mr Giobbi is the author of Card College, a series of best-selling books which are the modern gold standard for learning card magic. Available in red and blue, these decks are simple and practical for the working magician, and as a bonus each contains two double backer gaff cards. If you want more luxury, check out the stunning Luxury 3 Deck Set, which has even more stylish cards, individually numbered tuck boxes with unique origami style features, packaged in an attractive acrylic box - the ideal collectible or gift for magicians.
● Remedies Royal Blue Playing Cards - The Remedies decks come from popular creators Daniel Madison and Daniel Schneider, and this is a successor to the Remedies Scarlet Red deck. Many collectors love the Black Roses brand of playing cards, and collect whatever they produce. This blue Remedies deck has a classic and minimalist look with bold blue card backs, and is very functional and practical. The inclusion of a special Angle Zero gaff makes it ideal for magicians.
● DMC Elites Red v5 Playing Cards - Of all the marked decks I own, the DMC Elites is easily my first choice whenever I want a marked deck with cards that can be easily read from a distance, due to the clever and yet almost invisible marking system it uses. This deck has previously been released in several different colours, and now incorporates Tamariz's Mnemonica stack. All you need is the deck, but there is a terrific Passport book available separately, which will give you some great ideas for routines you can pull off with this great marked deck. For more, see Marked decks.

Cardistry Decks

Card flourishing has really boomed in recent years, and especially shines when cardists use a deck that has colourful and striking patterns optimized for cardistry, that enhance the visual aesthetics of cards in motion, as these decks show.
● Neon Orange Cardistry Playing Cards - This deck represents Bicycle's attempt to meet a demand for a relatively low-cost deck geared towards card flourishing. The card backs have a geometric design, and the faces are all identical and completely non-standard, showcasing the latest evolution in playing cards optimized entirely for cardistry. Bright colours ensure that the cards look visually appealing in fans, spreads, and flourishing moves. Alongside this vibrant orange deck is its blue companion, the Neon Blue Aurora deck.
● Autumn Circle Cardistry Playing Cards - Tally Ho is a classic brand that USPCC has been producing for a long time. The circle back design of the typical Tally Ho deck has become iconic, and is especially appreciated by those who enjoy card flourishing. Each year the folks at Bicycle produce some in-house decks for special occasions, and the Autumn Circle Back deck is a lovely result. The colours capture the warmth and glow of autumn leaves and the mood of harvest time, while the pattern on the card backs is perfect for cardistry.
● ArrowDynamix Cardistry Playing Cards - Given the high volume of cardistry decks appearing all the time, it can be difficult to come up with something completely original, but this minimalist deck has accomplished exactly that. Each card features a giant vertical arrow on the card backs, and a giant horizontal arrow on the faces. With carefully choreographed sequences and moves, you can create truly unique patterns and effects that you simply can't achieve with any other cardistry deck.

Animal-themed Decks

Do you love animals, or do you have an animal lover in your life? There are a lot of wonderful custom decks that are tributes to our four legged friends, or depict some of our favourite creatures.
● Woof and Whiskers Dog Playing Cards - The real appeal of this deck is the cute tuck box, which has cardboard ears that fold up, to complete the look of the friendly dog on the front of the box. I would have liked to see some more customization with the number cards, but it's still a very charming deck, with delightful custom artwork on the court cards and aces. This is one of two Zoo 52 decks, so if you like the Dog deck, you'll also want to pick up the Playful Paws Cat deck, which is equally cute.
● Aviary Playing Cards - There are a lot of independent creators that produce Bicycle branded playing cards with the help of industry giant USPCC, but this big name producer also releases its own in-house decks. This is my favourite of their four newest releases that hit the market at the end of 2020, and is a very classy looking deck with artwork inspired by a traditional look, but with adjustments to give it a custom feel, and the presence of several birds carefully positioned throughout the deck. Of the four new releases from Bicycle, the Sea King deck is also proving to be very popular.
● King of Tigers Playing Cards - If you're looking for a deck with bling, this is it. The card backs have a borderless tiger skin pattern, which has been printed with some of the latest technology that makes use of foil for a truly eye-catching look. The tuck box is even more glamorous. While the court cards are clearly inspired by traditional courts, the Jokers bring back the tiger theme strongly, and the tiger skin look recurs throughout the deck.

Food-themed Decks

Recent years have seen some wonderful novelty decks themed around different kinds of food. These are always a great way to whet your appetite for a card game, or to show off to family or friends, and have proved a real hit with collectors.
● Squeezers V3 Playing Cards - Good luck getting your hands on decks from this extremely popular series from Organic Playing Cards, because they sell out quickly. These fruit inspired decks have delightful tuck boxes, and this grapefruit themed deck even comes in a tuck box that looks like a juice box, and is actually scented like grapefruit. The cards themselves are quite practical, but add humorous grapefruit themed elements to the court cards, and new bold colours. OPC's 2020 releases also included the watermelon-themed Carvers deck, while their current release sees the brand go in a slightly new direction with the corn-themed Shuckers.
● Noodlers Chicken Playing Cards - If you like the concept behind the Organic Playing Cards series, you'll probably also enjoy this deck, which has a similarly styled tuck box to the Squeezers decks, but represents a packet of ramen noodles. The orange colour on the card backs and pips has also been inspired by the noodles theme. The artwork on the court cards has a quaint and cute style, with each character depicted in a light hearted style quite different from standard courts, and all holding a bowl of noodles. For a final laugh, the Jokers provide us with the necessary packet of "chicken seasoning" to add to our noodles.
● Citrus Playing Cards - Created by Flaminko, the Deliciousness series has been somewhat overshadowed by the more successful fruit inspired cards from Organic Playing Cards. But I love the Flaminko decks, because they apply customization to all elements of the cards, including the pips. This novelty deck is well suited for card flourishing, card games, and collectors, and cleverly captures all that is juicy and wonderful about citrus fruit.

Music-themed Decks

Music is another evergreen theme, and there's a solid range of lovely decks for the music lover, whether your taste is classical or more contemporary rock-and-roll.
● Composers Mozart Playing Cards - This deck is part of a series that also includes other composers like Bach. These decks are true collector pieces, and make a wonderful tribute to some of the greatest composers of all time. The tuck boxes have a very classical look, and metallic ink enhances the gorgeous card backs. Meanwhile completely custom artwork on the faces emphasizes a vintage and classical feel. They are great for music lovers and collectors, but if classical music isn't your thing, then check out the Rock and Roll deck.
● Piano Player Playing Cards - If the piano is your instrument of choice, this is a deck for you. The creative tuck box is available in two styles, one with two black keys and the other with three black keys, which means you can place two decks alongside each other to create a larger keyboard. Fully custom characters inhabit the court cards, with the keyboard motif returning in the details of the artwork. Small touches like this really make this creative deck a thing of unique beauty.
● Soundboards v3 Midnight Playing Cards - Remember the old walk-man cassette players? In the 1980s these revolutionary electronic devices were among the first to make your personal music collection portable. The Soundboards deck replicates the look of a classic walk-man, and the Jokers complete the look by bringing the cassette tape look into the box. This Midnight edition has a dark look, so you might also want to consider the red deck if you prefer a more traditional colour.

Fiction & Film themed Decks

Most of us love a good story, whether it's in the pages of a novel or on our screens. Here are some great custom decks that are loving tributes to some of the best from the worlds of fiction and film.
● Jane Austen Playing Cards - Fans of the classic novel will appreciate the loving treatment that Jane Austen's famous novels have received in this delightful tribute from the Art of Play label. Each suit represents a different novel, with the court cards featuring the lead characters in the story. The design of the characters is inspired by period costumes and reflects the fashions from the time in which the stories are set. The classy tuck case ensures that everything is nicely packaged and well presented.
● Star Wars Playing Cards - Theory11 achieved a real coup by acquiring the rights to bring the Star Wars brand to playing cards. They were the perfect company to ensure that the result was a classy deck that did justice to the world of the films. This pair of Light Side and Dark Side decks begins with a top quality and highly attractive tuck case, as we've come to expect from Theory11. The court cards all feature different characters from the movies, and the design is the perfect blend of customization and playability, making this a practical deck you can bring out for your favourite card game, or to give to the Star Wars fan in your life. A similar pair of decks was produced later in the year in White and Black.
● King Arthur Playing Cards - The result of a collaboration between Riffle Shuffle and Studio Muti, this pair of red and green decks tell the story of the famous Arthurian legend. For me it's a personal and nostalgic childhood favourite, in light of the adventure and imagination it evokes. But as impressive as these decks are, they pale besides the King Arthur Gold deck, which has gold metallic ink on the faces, and gold foil on the card backs, for a truly extravagant look. Inside and out, this is a stunning tribute to a timeless classic from the world of fiction.

Space-themed Decks

So I cheated. I already have a section devoted to cardistry, so I figured I'd sneak in a second category, by including some cardistry decks that all have a space theme. These decks all feature colourful visuals that work well for flourishing, but can also be enjoyed by collectors who appreciate their vibrant colours and exuberant designs.
● Solokid Constellation Playing Cards - This set of twelve decks captures the twelve different star signs. It was produced by Bocopo, a company well known for producing colourful custom decks that appeal especially to cardists and collectors. These decks are typical Bocopo offerings, with evocative colours that are unique to each different deck, to help capture a different feeling for each and every constellation. If you like vibrant colour, you'll certainly find something to enjoy here.
● Stargazer New Moon Playing Cards - Several different decks have now appeared in the Stargazer series, but the recent New Moon deck is probably my favourite. The circular moon that appears on all the card backs makes it an ideal deck for card flourishing moves like spins and twirls. The face cards have some truly vibrant colours, and capture well the feel of a night sky bursting with colour and life.
● Sirius B v3 Playing Cards - I fell in love with the style of the original Sirius B deck, so this third edition was always going to win me over. The court cards consist of a blur of colours that look like paints mixed together, and this style has also been applied to the pips. The colours are the real appeal here, and the signature design of the card backs also looks very nice in card flourishes.

Transformation Decks

I personally adore transformation cards, and consider them to be one of the most fascinating and memorable types of playing cards there is. The idea is that you take the pips and incorporate them into a larger picture that forms a unique work of art, for each and every card in the deck.
● Cotta's Almanac #1 Reproduction Playing Cards - This historic deck was first created in 1805 by J.C. Cotta, and was the very first of its kind. Themed on the "Joan of Arc" play by Schiller, the beauty and creativity of these cards will still win over collectors today. Lovingly produced in a high quality modern edition, this recreation is the first of the entire series of Cotta transformation decks that is being reproduced by PCD.
● 5th Kingdom Playing Cards - This deck is possibly my favourite original release from PCD in the past year. It is an outstanding example of the creativity and originality of a semi-transformation deck, where the pips have been cleverly incorporated into the artwork. Each suit represents a different culture, turning each individual card into a work of art that can be admired and enjoyed.
● Pack of Dogs V2 Playing Cards - This transformation deck is the work of John Littleboy, who has produced a number of such decks in his inimitable style, including Pack of Dogs, Kitten Club, Mermaid Queen, and Bag of Bones. The number cards are my favourites, and in this deck each of these represents a larger art piece with a dog. Each suit has a progressive image, so they don't feel totally unique from each other. It's more like a series of consecutive snapshots, and you can use flip animation to tell the story. Littleboy's Kitten Club V2 deck applies a similar concept to cats.

In-House Decks

PlayingCardDecks doesn't just sell playing cards, but Will Roya also uses his wealth of experience to team up with designers and graphic artists to produce high quality custom decks under the PCD label. Here are some great custom decks that were published in-house over the course of 2020.
● Astronaut Playing Cards - This novelty deck is a delightful creation that will please anyone who has an interest in space and space travel, in light of its unique theme. The Kings are all depicted as astronauts, while the Queens and Jacks represent space travellers. The card backs have a futuristic look with neon lights, and this look carries over to the number cards, which are highly customized with unique red and blue pips.
● Beekeeper Playing Cards - There are plenty of bee themed playing cards already on the market, but the artwork style gives this one a truly unique feel. Two decks were produced, one with light card backs and the other with dark card backs. This is a great novelty deck for the collector, because there's especially some delightful creativity to be found with the bee-inspired pips, and the detailed custom artwork on the court cards.
● Testament Classic Playing Cards - This is a Biblical themed deck created by artist Ben Green. It's intended as an art deck, with the images on the cards depicting Biblical characters from well-known narratives. Representing a dual love for playing cards and a love for Bible-inspired art, this deck will especially appeal to the collector.

Out-of-the-Ordinary Decks

I'm a sucker for highly unusual decks with a high degree of novelty, and even though these are not ones I'd typically use for playing card games, they have very unique features that make them stand out from your average custom deck.
● Starry Night Puzzle Playing Cards - Fancy a deck that doubles as a jigsaw puzzle? This clever deck takes its inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh's famous painting, The Starry Night. The artwork on the card faces is all taken from the painting, and all the cards can be pieced together to make a single giant picture, thus effectively functioning as a large puzzle. Yet each card has clear indices so it's still something you can use for card games too. Definitely unique and out of the ordinary, this set of playing cards is a perfect choice for fans of classic art and paintings.
● Falcon Razors Deluxe Throwing Playing Cards - Rick Smith Jr has made multiple world records in throwing playing cards. His baseball background holds him in good stead, but anybody can learn to throw playing cards if you use the techniques Rick teaches. These throwing cards were a collaboration with legendary flourisher De'vo, and were featured in one of this year's viral videos from Dude Perfect, which featured Rick and his amazing card throwing. The cards are slightly thicker than standard Bicycle stock, to ensure extra durability and performance for card throwing.
● AQUA Invisible Plastic Playing Cards - If you're looking for something completely different, this might hit the mark. This is a ground-breaking deck that is the closest thing to being invisible. All the cards are made out of completely transparent plastic, after which a high gloss transparent printing is applied to selected areas of the cards to produce the designs and pips. So each card is effectively completely transparent, and yet you can see its unique artwork and determine its value and suit. The handling is surprisingly better than you'd expect for a completely plastic deck, and it's certainly something unique.

Other Gift Ideas

Do you want to let your gift recipient make their own decision about what to get, or are you not quite sure what to buy? Here are a couple of special gift ideas that might help out, even if it is to give your family or friends a convenient way to enable you to select your own gift!
Firstly, there's a wide range of accessories available for playing cards, like card clips, card cases, and more. Alternatively, consider a gift card, which is available in amounts of $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200. There's also the popular Pip Box Club, which has been around for over two years. Subscribers get a selection of decks and goodies shipped to them each month, and offers great value with each box.
Boxing Day Sale: Right now you can take advantage of a special sale at PlayingCardDecks, and save $10 off any order over $30 by using the code box20. This coupon is valid from Boxing Day until the end of 2020.
Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

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TSLA 1500c 7/10s - The Epic Story of DIAMOND HANDS and CONVICTION!

Circumcision: The Uniquely American Medical Enigma | Edward Wallerstein

The continuing practice of routine neonatal nonreligious circumcision represents an enigma, particularly in the United States. About 80 percent of the world's population do not practice circumcision, nor have they ever done so. Among the non-circumcising nations are Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia, the U.S.S.R., China, and Japan. People employing circumcision do so either for "health" reasons or as a religious ritual practiced by Muslims, Jews, most black Africans, non-white Australians, and others.
The origin of the ritual practice is unknown. There is evidence of its performance in Israel in Neolithic times (with flint knives) at least 6000 years ago.³⁸ Jews accept the Old Testament origin as a covenant between God and Abraham,¹⁸ although it is generally agreed that the practice of circumcision in Egypt predated the Abrahamic Covenant by centuries.⁵⁵ Ritual Circumcision is not germane to this discussion except insofar as the surgical ritual impinges upon accepted medical practice.⁶⁵
So called "health" circumcision originated in the nineteenth century, when most diseases were of unknown etiology. Within the miasma of myth and ignorance, a theory emerged that masturbation caused many and varied ills. It seemed logical to some physicians to perform genital surgery on both sexes to stop masturbation; the major technique applied to males was circumcision. This was especially true in the English-speaking countries because it accorded with the mid-Victorian attitude toward sex as sinful and debilitating.⁶⁴
The most prolific enumerator of the health benefits of circumcision was Dr. P. C. Remondino.⁵⁰ In 1891 this physician claimed that the surgery prevented or cured about a hundred ailments, including alcoholism, epilepsy, asthma, enuresis, hernia, gout, rectal prolapse, rheumatism, kidney disease, and so forth. Such ludicrous claims are still disseminated and possibly believed. The book was reprinted in 1974, without change, and the Circulating Branch Catalogue of the New York Public Library (1983) listed the Remondino book, showing a publication date of 1974. One physician, writing in Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality (1974), called the book "pertinent and carefully thought out."⁶³
Remondino was not the only one expounding such views. In 1911, Dr. Joseph Preuss, in a monumental tome, Biblical-Talmudic Medicine, claimed that Jewish ritual circumcision endowed health benefits; his sole source was Remondino⁴⁶ Some espoused more extreme views; in 1910 an article in J.A.M.A. described a new circumcision clamp. The authoinventor claimed that with this device, the operation was so simple that men and women could now circumcise themselves.³⁰
In the 75-year period (1875 to 1950) there was virtually no opposition to routine circumcision in the United States. Instead there were many articles in medical journal and textbooks extolling the practice; the issue was ignored in the popular press. Yet in the more than a century of acceptance of routine circumcision in the English-speaking countries, from 1870 to the present, no other country adopted newborn circumcision.
The first serious questioning of the practice did not occur until late 1949 (in England with the publication of Gairdner's "The Fate of the Foreskin."¹⁷ which began to affect the practice of circumcision by the British. In 1963, an editorial in J.A.M.A. called the attitude of the medical profession paradoxical and confused, and admitted that the facts about circumcision were still unknown.¹⁴ This was followed by several critiques of circumcision such as those by Morgan (1965 and 1967)³⁸ and Preston (1970).⁴⁵ In 1968 Øster confirmed Gairdner's findings,⁴² as did Reichelderfer and Fraga,⁴⁹ who presented a comprehensive study of circumcision. Yet some physicians continued to support circumcision for surprising reasons. For example, Dr. Robert P. Boland, writing in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1969, compared circumcision with tonsillectomy, calling both procedures "ritualistic," and "widely performed on a non-scientific basis." He opposed routine tonsillectomy but concluded vis-a-vis circumcision: "Little serious objection can actually be raised against circumcision since its adverse effects seem miniscule."⁵
Table 1. Estimated Newborn Nonreligious Circumcision Rates in English-Speaking Countries.

Great Britain	New Zeland	Australia	Canada	America
1	10	30	30	80

In the 1970's, a change seemed in the offing. In 1971 and 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision declared: "...there are no valid medical indications for circumcision in the neonatal period."² In 1978, the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics was endorsed by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.⁶⁴ In 1983 both groups jointly reaffirmed their positions.¹ The "firm" firm declarations should have caused a marked drop in the United States circumcision rate. They did not.
To explore the circumcision rate in the United States, it is essential to compare the American experience with the other English-speaking countries. Anticircumcision articles appeared in the medical press in all of these countries. Gairdner¹⁷ and Øster⁴² were published in journals in England; Morgan (1967) was published in Australia.³⁹ In 1971, the Australia Paediatric Association recommended: "Male infants should not as a routine be circumcised."¹³ In 1975, the Canadian Paediatric Society stated, ". . .there is no medical indication for circumcision in the neonatal period."⁵⁷
Although there is no precise data on circumcision from any country,approximated rates for the English-speaking countries reveal that in Great Britain, the practice has virtually been abandoned; New Zealand follows closely behind. (In a 1982 visit, a number of physicians were apologetic for the "inordinately high" rate of 10 percent. Several physicians stated categorically that they refused to perform routine circumcisions.) The rates in Canada and Australia appear to be declining at about 10 percentage points per decade. The United States stands alone as the only country in the world in which the majority of newborn males are circumcised, purportedly for health reasons.
Before addressing the phenomenon of circumcision in the United States let us examine the Canadian and Australian data. In Canada (Table 2), there are considerable rate differences among the provinces but the overall rate is clearly declining, and in Quebec the practice has been virtually been discontinued. In Australia (Table 3), unlike Canada, the rates by states are relatively uniform, but clearly declining. In 1978, the Australia government recommended that payments for circumcision be reduced or eliminated.⁷¹ (In a visit to Australia in 1982, I was told that a national campaign was planned to reduce unnecessary surgery; circumcision was high on the list.)
Table 2. Hospital Inpatient Male Newborn Circumcision in Canada by Province (data from British Columbia and Newfoundland not reported)* 1970 to 1978 by Rank Order of Percentage change

	1970	1979	Change (% rounded)
Total	64,015	44,853	-30
Quebec	12,995	3,077	-76
Nova Scotia	2,477	1,004	-60
New Brunswick	1,543	673	-43
Alberta	10,857	9,608	-12
Manitoba	5,006	4,424	-11
Ontario	24,476	26,283	+4
Saskatchewan	3,276	3,655	+12

Table 3 Estimated Neonatal Circumcision Rate in Australia by State, 1973-74 to 1979-80(%)* Adapted from Wirth, J.L.: Current circumcision practices in Australia. Med. J. Aust., 1:179, 1982.

	1973-74	1979-80	% Decrease
Total	49	39	10
New South Wales	52	42	10
Victoria	39	28	11
Queensland	62	51	11
South Australia	47	41	6
Western Australia	51	38	13
Tasmania	68	43	25

Although nationwide data on circumcision for Canada and Australia are admittedly imperfect, precise data for the United States are virtually non-existent. The H.E.W. Hospital Records Study excludes neonates.⁷⁰ The Cycle III Health Examination Survey, conducted from 1963 to 1965 among youths aged 12 to 17, reflected the practice of circumcision in the early 1950's.⁷⁰ The total circumcision rate was 765 (whites, 80 percent; blacks, 45 percent); regional differences were also noted.
In 1980 Wallerstein provided a crude compendium of circumcision rates reported in the literature.⁶⁴ This was updated in 1981 by King and Roebuck.²⁹ Since these compendia, other reports from individual hospitals have been noted in the literature (Table 4).²⁵ Of the five hospitals reporting, the lowest rate was 80.7 percent; the other rates ranged from 90 to 98 percent. These data are static, that is, reported within a fixed period, making it impossible to discern a trend. Several hospitals reported longitudinal changes. One New York City maternity center stated that "in the past" the rate was 90 percent; in 1980 it was 60 percent.³⁵ Other reports are more precise, indicating changes from 1978 to 1980, and 1975 to 1979 (Table 4, last two hospitals).³ The year-to-year changes were negligible; clearly there was no precipitous decline. This stability of rate was confirmed by the Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, which publishes annual data based on projections from atypically large hospitals.⁷² They show a 1970 rate of 88 percent and a 1980 rate of 86 percent. The mean rates from 1970 to 1975 and from 1976 to 1980 are identical (86 percent).⁵⁴
Table 4. Circumcision Rates, Selected Hospitals
References: ^{25, 29, 27, 34, 3, 41} respectively

Hospital	Years	Rates(%)
New Britain General Hospital, Connecticut	1976-77	80.7
Southern Illinois Hospital	1979	95
John Hopkins Hospital	1980	97.6
St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore	1981	96-98
Hershey. Pennsylvania Hospital	1983	90-96
George Washington University Medical Hospital	1979	79
	1979	77
	1980	81
Largest Hospital in Salt Lake County, Utah	1975	92
	1976	93
	1977	92
	1978	92
	1979	93

In 1982 Slatkowski and King approached the question of circumcision rates specifically with respect to the pronouncements of the American Academy of Pediatrics on the practice of circumcision in Illinois.⁵⁴ They obtained data from 18 Chicago-area hospitals; the rates ranged from 27 to 92 percent (mean 78 percent). Five of the hospitals reported rates from 80 to 88 percent; five from 90 to 92 percent; the rates ranged from 74 to 97 percent, with a single exception: one hospital reported a rate of 4.5 percent. Upon further query, that hospital reported a circumcision rate decline beginning after 1974-75.
These United States data reveal no significant national decline in the circumcision rate desperate the pronouncements of the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. However there are instances of sharp declines in several hospitals. Dr. Joan Hodgman, director of the Newborn Division of the Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center, reported in 1983 that their circumcision rate is zero. Similarly, J.H.T. Chang, pediatric surgeon at the Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, the largest in the city, stated in 1983 that circumcision is not performed even if the parents demand it.²⁴
Why have most United States physicians persisted in the practice? One reason is that the medical and popular literature abounds in serious errors of scientific judgment, equivocation, and obfuscation. Space limitations permit a brief examination of four issues: pain, venereal disease, cancer, and hygiene.
PAIN
Pain of circumcision is not a debatable question; it is a fact.²¹ However, a perusal of writings in the popular press (1982 and 1983) reveals confusion. Proctor and Gamble, one of the nations largest advertisers, promotes Pampers to parents by offering the Expectant Parents Information Kit (1982), which contains the following statement: "You may be surprised to learn that circumcision will not be painful to your baby because, at this early stage of development, the penis does not yet have functioning nerve endings."¹⁵
A contrary view was found in American Baby (May 1983), in which parents were told that "Newborns who undergo circumcision experience a great deal of stress and pain . . ." Parents were advised that it was now possible to employ local anesthetics to alleviate such pain.³⁶
Mother's Manual (1982) argues against local anesthesia because ". . . it swells the area to the extent of making an unsatisfactory circumcision too likely."⁷ Genesis, published by the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics, carried an article in 1982 in which two writers who attended a Jewish ritual circumcision described the surgery as bloodless, painless and stressless. They suggested that non-Jewish parents explore the possibility of employing ritual circumcisors.¹¹
Parents who read such an array of literature are bound to be bewildered.
VENEREAL DISEASE
Prior to the turn of the century, little was known about venereal disease, either causes or cures. Understandably, the false claim could be made with impunity that circumcision prevented sexually transmitted diseases.⁶⁴ These claims persisted beyond the middle of the twentieth century: Urologist A. Ravich titled his 1973 book Preventing V.D. and Cancer by Circumcision.¹⁸
Within the past decade there has been virtually no statement that circumcision prevents syphilis or gonorrhea; the present day "whipping boy" is genital herpes. Even a cursory exploration of a link between circumcision and herpes reveals that such claims are without foundation; the presence or absence of the foreskin neither aids nor deters the transmission of herpes. A definitive statement regarding this claim was made in 1979 by Y.M. Felman, director of the New York City Bureau of Venereal Disease Control: ". . . I don't believe that circumcision is of any value in preventing genital herpes, as this disease is quite common in circumcised males and their female sex partners."¹⁶
Yet in 1981, Warner and Strashin wrote: "Herpes genitalis appears to be the only sexually transmitted disease associated with circumcision status."⁶⁷ Strashin defended his statement the following year.⁶⁸ If circumcision prevents herpes or deters its transmission, how can we explain the phenomenal rise in the incidence of this disease to epidemic proportions, particularly among the most sexually active males, ages 15 to 25, of whom perhaps 75 percent are circumcised? Nevertheless, the 1975 American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force reported: "Adequate studies to determine the relationship between circumcision and the incidence of venereal disease have not been performed." This statement is obvious outdated.
PENILE CANCER
Few diseases strike greater fear than cancer, and no site is more potentially alarming to males than the penis. It is not surprising, therefore that when newborn circumcision is presented as an absolute prophylaxis against penile carcinoma, it is a potent argument for circumcision. Wolbarst wrote in 1932: ". . . cancer of the penis does not occur in Jews circumcised in infancy. There is no case on record."⁷³ Subsequent research indicate that there are such cases on record.⁴
The understatement of the incidence of penile cancer in Jews should be contrasted with the overstatement in regard to the uncircumcised people of India and China. In 1973, deKernion and colleagues wrote: ". . . the disease accounts for 12 percent of all malignancies among the Hindus of India."¹² In 1977 Kaplan claimed, "In China, penile carcinoma accounts for 18 percent of all carcinomata."²⁸ In a visit to the Peoples Republic of China (1976) and India (1982) the incidence of penile cancer was discussed with health officials. They stated that no nationwide health data was available; more specifically, no National Cancer Registries were maintained (much as they would like to do so). They remarked that no reputable scientist in their country would provide such data. Precise data on penile cancer are available from countries in which a National Cancer Registry is maintained. The United States does not maintain such a Registry, and so its data are imprecise. The data from Japan, Norway, and Sweden are compared with the United States' estimates (Table 5). The largest difference in incidence is between the United States and Sweden, three cases per million males; for death rates, the difference between the United States and Japan is one case per million males, small differences indeed. It is worthy of note that in countries in which a National Cancer Registry is maintained and precise incidence or death rates is known, routine circumcisions continues not to be practiced. There is no acceptance of the claimed epidemiologic relationship between circumcision and penile cancer.
Table 5. Penile Cancer: Comparison of Approximate Incidence and Death Rates per 100,000 Males for Selected Countries*
*Data from Cancer Deaths 1980 Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan for Japan. For other countries; Wallerstein, E.: Circumcision an American Health Fallacy. New York, Springer Publications. 1980.

Country	Year	Incidence	Death Rate
America	1972	0.8/100,000	0.3
Japan	1980	N/A	0.2
Norway	1967	1.1	N/A
Sweden	1968	1 1	N/A

It could be argued that in Japan, Norway, Sweden, high standards of hygiene are maintained. The variable in penile cancer prophylaxis may be hygiene, not retention of foreskin. This is essentially the position taken by the 1975 American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force, which denied a relationship between circumcision and prostatic cancer and stated that "non-circumcision is not of primary etiological significance" in cervical cancer.² In regard to penile cancer, they wrote: "There is evidence that carcinoma of the penis can be prevented by neonatal circumcision. There also is evidence that optimal hygiene confers as much or nearly as much protection" (emphasis added)² In 1981, 6 years later, Grossman and Posner took a more forthright position. Writing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, they stated: "No one today seriously promotes circumcision as a prophylactic against cancer in any form. No significant correlation between cancer and circumcision has ever been proved."²²
The claim that circumcision is related to penile cancer is based upon the "fact" that smegma is a carcinogen. Smegma in infancy consists solely of desquamated epithelial cells, and in adulthood additionally of the secretions of the Tyson's glands. Many attempts have been made to prove a simple cause and effect between smegma and cancer; all failed but one. In 1947 Plaut and Kohn-Speyer "demonstrated" that smegma was a carcinogen. Of the animals examined, 27 percent of those treated with smegma developed cancer whereas 15 percent of the animals treated with cerumen developed cancer.⁴⁴ Is it now possible to claim that cerumen is also a carcinogen with only one half of the carcinogeneity of smegma? This study is deficient in conceptualization, methodology, execution, gathering of data, and analysis.⁴⁴ Understandably, the study has largely been ignored; however, as recently as 1981 it was accepted in one medical journal article without question.²³
Penile cancer scare techniques are still with us. In 1980, Kochen and McCurdy stated that ". . . uncircumcised men are uniquely at risk . . ." They "demonstrated" that the predicted lifetime risk among uncircumcised men was one in 600.31 They did not address why 599 out of 600 at risk" males will not contract penile cancer in their lifetime. More importantly, Kochen and McCurdy based their calculations on the 1968 Stern and Lachenbruch study of one cancer detection center in Los Angeles.⁵⁹ Their 1968 data are obviously skewed in age, ethnicity, religion, social class, and so forth, and are admittedly non-random. Such inadequate local data should not be extrapolated to a national statistic.
The threat of penile cancer hangs over the discussion of circumcision like some mystical demon. It deserves to be exorcised, not circumcised.
PENILE HYGIENE
In several studies, mothers were asked why they agreed to their son's circumcision. The answer given most frequently was "hygiene."⁵³ (In a 1981 United Nations study of female genital surgery in Africa, one reason given for such surgery was "hygiene."¹⁹ ) Why is male genital hygiene viewed with such alarm in the United States that prophylactic surgical intervention is necessary?
For over a century, and to this day, mothers have been warned that proper penile hygiene involves full retraction of the foreskin to clean the glans of smegma, and this procedure should start almost at day one. Such a task is virtually impossible, because in almost all infants the foreskin is attached firmly to the glans. Separation occurs normally within a few months or several years. Separation may be forced but this literally involves tearing the tissues apart, which is usually painful and may result in bleeding. No sane mother enjoys causing distress to her child. No wonder there is fear and reluctance about retraction of the foreskin. This has created a foreskin phobia. Forced retraction of the foreskin may lead to complications, and may well be the reason for so many postinfancy circumcisions (only in the United States).
The problem with this hygienic technique is that it is totally in error. Care of the foreskin is not exceedingly difficult; it is exceedingly simple: leave it alone. The foreskin in infancy should not be retracted. In 1977 Kaplan wrote, " . . . freeing 'adhesions is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment and is unfounded physiologically or medically."²⁸ Development of the foreskin and the inadvisability of forced retraction was noted by Gairdner (1949),¹⁷ Øster (1968),⁴² Reichelderfer and Fraga (1968),⁴⁹ and others.
Many, if not most, American physicians are ignorant of proper care of the foreskin. This was demonstrated by Osborn and colleagues in 1981, who queried Utah pediatricians and found that 67 percent estimated that the foreskin should retract easily by one year.⁴⁰ This is contrary to all findings of studies of the foreskin. Only 3 percent said the newborn foreskin should never be retracted. In interviewing a small sample of mothers of uncircumcised boys, Osborn and colleagues also found that retraction of the foreskin caused such anxiety that 40 percent of these mothers stated that they would have their next male infant circumcised.
The problem is not limited to Utah. In a study of physicians in the Chicago area, Patel and colleagues reported in 1982 that "only 49 percent of the physicians [in the total sample] were aware of the AAP's [American Academy of Pediatrics position."⁴³ Among the pediatricians and obstetricians in the sample, 62 percent were aware of this position. The major reason given for recommending circumcision was "hygiene" (90 percent). In a 1982 study by Stein and colleagues conducted in San Diego, they noted, "Only 36 percent of the responding physicians were aware that the newborn's foreskin is characteristically not found retractable."⁵⁸ When asked "if a nonretractable foreskin is an indication for circumcision," 47 percent of all respondents answered incorrectly. Such incorrect responses were mare likely to be given by those in family practice (50 percent), obstetrics (55 percent), and general practice (67 percent) than by those in pediatrics (13 percent). At the Spring 1983 meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Philadelphia, an exhibit on circumcision was conducted. The most frequently asked question related to proper care of the foreskin.
If physicians are ill-informed about care of the foreskin, how can parents be well informed? There are thousands of books, pamphlets, and articles available to parents relating to child care. Almost none devotes attention to proper care of the foreskin. Discharging a circumcised child without informing the parents of proper wound care constituted negligence. Discharging an uncircumcised child without informing the parents of proper care of the foreskin is equally negligent. Osborn and colleagues reported that the only written information they could find on the subject was this statement in a 1978 book: " . . .retract the foreskin gently and return the foreskin to its normal position to prevent constriction and swelling."⁸ To begin to correct this lack of information, in 1982 Wallerstein wrote a pamphlet entitled "When Your Baby Boy is Not Circumcised."⁶⁶ Boyce also addressed the subject in an article entitled "Care of the Foreskin (1983).⁶ The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a pamphlet entitled "Care of the Uncircumised Penis" (1984).
The issue of hygiene is obfuscated by the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force Report in two ways. As noted earlier, the Report stated that to prevent penile cancer, "optimum hygiene was necessary. The reader, lay public or physician may ask: What constitutes "optimum hygiene? Can parents guarantee such optimum care? If not, isn't it better to play it safe and circumcise? The Report also cautions that retention of the foreskin requires "lifelong" hygiene. This statement is not incorrect; it is incomplete. All body parts require lifelong hygiene, body bathing, hair shampooing, oral hygiene, labial hygiene, and so forth. The discontinuance of any aspect of hygiene may well have deleterious effects. Why single out the foreskin?
The crux of the circumcision/hygiene rationale had its origin in the fear of the "effects" of masturbation; this may persist in attenuated form. Today, however, it is basically a lack of knowledge: the foreskin and glans in infancy are essentially fused, and should not be retracted forcibly, and smegma is not a carcinogen.
Another claimed hygienic benefit is that thousands of United States servicemen, particularly in the South Pacific required circumcision. Would it not be better to circumcise in infancy and thereby avoid the more troublesome operation in adulthood? However, Japanese soldiers were fighting in the identical environment, and the Japanese did not practice newborn circumcision. When Japanese health officials were visited by Wallerstein (1982), they stated that to the best of their knowledge, Japanese military surgeons did not find it necessary to circumcise after World War II. More to the point, in the event of thermonuclear war, the role of the foreskin will pale to insignificance.
Thus, much of the current circumcision misinformation, both lay and professional, is false and misleading. In 1971 and 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics appeared to take definitive positions; actually they did not. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on the Fetus and Newborn noted in 1971 that "there are no valid medical indications for circumcision in the neonatal period."² in 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics Ad Hoc Task Force on Circumcision reported that there was no basis for changing this statement and concluded, "There is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn."²
However, as previously noted, the use of the words "optimum" and "lifelong" with regard to to penile hygiene and the stated uncertainty of a possible link between circumcision and venereal disease represented equivocation. An additional equivocation is found in the 1975 Report: "A diagnosis of phimosis cannot be made with assurance in the newborn period because the cleavage plane between the glans and the deep preputial layer of the penis is not developed at birth. There is a real need for research which will improve diagnostic accuracy in this area."²
In 1983, this statement was challenged by Thompson, who chaired the ad hoc Committee. He wrote: "One major reason used to justify neonatal circumcision - correction or prevention of phimosis has been shown to be untenable by serial studies from birth to adulthood."^{62 Furthermore,} overwhelming epidemiologic evidence from countries that never adopted circumcision or abandoned the practice obviates the need for further study.
Thompson also provided the setting for the equivocation and the absence of a more definitive position: "The ad hoc commmittee was sharply divided in its opinions, and the resulting statement was a compromise that stated that there was no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn.' The words absolute and routine were meant to convey a different impression from the conclusion of the AAP Committee on the Fetus and Newborn, but this has no always been the interpretation of readers."⁶²
If the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee was sharply divided and the report subject to misinterpretation, how can physicians and parents take an unequivocal position on circumcision? They cannot. And if the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics is equivocal, the position of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is even more so. When the American Academy of Pediatrics committees reported, the statements were published.⁵⁶ The endorsements of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists were not published in their journal.⁶⁴ Moreover, in 1978 Grimes raised an unanswered question: " . . . the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc., warns that 'physicians who assume responsibility for the health of male patients for operative or other care will not be regarded as specialists in obstetrics-gynecology . . .'"²⁰ It is well known that obstetricians perform a large percentage of circumcisions.
The acceptance of circumcision was noted by Herrera is 1983, who reported on a nationwide survey of 400 pediatricians and obstetricians; 50 percent believed circumcision indicated in the newborn, 33 percent opposed, and 17 percent were undecided.²⁶ As to advice to parents, there was acquiescence; 15 percent encouraged it, 19 percent discouraged it, and 66 percent remained neutral. "This is one reason why nearly every male neonate is circumcised," Herrera wrote.²⁶
Ambivalence on the part of physicians about circumcision was illustrated in one study by a Canadian hospital in 1983 where there were two patients with a serious complication of circumcision, denuding of the penile shaft that required plastic surgery. A formal proposal to suspend neonatal circumcisions was made but rejected because of anticipated adverse community reaction. However, the circumcision rate in that hospital dropped from about 40 to 20 percent as a result of the mishaps.⁶¹
Judging from the record, American medical professionals are not truly opposed to circumcision; they perform about 1.25 million annually. Some continue to insist that there are health benefits. Some physicians place the responsibility on the parents. In 1983 Maisels and colleagues wrote, "If circumcision practices are ever to be changed, such changes will likely result from organized advocacy of lay groups . . . rather than from the efforts of the medical profession."³⁴ However when physicians demonstrated that routine tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were unwise, the rate dropped. No amount of parental pressure would cause an ethical physician to perform such an operation if it were unnecessary.
Some charge venality, possibly true for some physicians, but not for all, and impossible to document. Some of the highest circumcision rates are to be found in military hospitals, where the doctors are salaried. Contrast this with the abandonment of routine tonsillectomy; some physicians had reduced revenues, but no one clamored for the reinstatement of the procedure to refill the coffers. Venality may not be dismissed entirely; in private practice, circumcision results in a fee, and there is loss of time convincing parents not to have their sons circumcised.
Then there is the Jewish question. Some non-Jewish physicians may be hesitant to question routine "health" circumcision in the mistaken belief that this stance may offend Jews. However, according to Jewish theologians, the Jewish ritual has nothing to do with health.⁶⁴ Obversely, occasional private comments suggest that Jews are responsible for nonreligious circumcision. This is a canard.
The "enigma" lies in the United States medical profession's apparent inability to come to grips with the simple fact that there are no demonstrable health benefits of circumcision, and there are risks. (Space limitations preclude delineation.) It should also be noted that the foreskin is useful erogenous, and protective tissue. Smegma, both clitoral and penile, is beneficial, not detrimental. Meatitis is not uncommon in circumcised males; rare in the uncircumcised. Moreover, the penis is the only organ subjected to routine prophylactic surgery.
One explanation for holding to outmoded views was provided by a medical professor who told his students, "It takes less than five minutes to print an article in a medical journal and 50 years to erase it." In 1979 Colletti approximated this estimate. He noted that efforts to reverse current circumcision practice "will need at least a generation of widespread education, coaxing, and encouragement to succeed."¹⁰ Warner and Strashin are even more pessimistic, based upon an erroneous premise: "As for the likelihood of a successful hygiene education program we can only point to our own profession's impotence in combating smoking and obesity."⁶⁸ This approach overlooks the fact that hundreds of millions of dollars are expended annually to promote smoking and food intake. No such effort on behalf of circumcision exists.
As scientific evidence mounted to dispute each of Remondino's exaggerated claims, physicians clutched at straws to retain at least one "health" benefit. Now that all such claims have been refuted, circumcision today has become cultural surgery, not very different from ear- and nose-piercing and tattooing. The extreme to which such cultural surgery is carried may be found in the 1983 warning given by the British Social Service Secretary to Harley Street surgeons who charged up to $1500 for a clitoridectomy performed on young girls from Africa, where such surgery is traditional.⁶⁹ More serious examples were found in France in 1982.⁵²
The medical profession was successful in eliminating routine tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. This is precisely what is needed for routine circumcision. It is necessary to overcome ignorance and the emotional superstructure surrounding the penis, not very different from ancient (and present phallic worship. It is necessary to accept scientific facts; it is necessary to discard myths about circumcision: the foreskin causes premature ejaculation, it keeps the penis from growing, some disaster will befall the uncircumcised child, the uncovered glans is more esthetically pleasing (that is the foreskin is ugly). The special myth that the boy's penis must be identical to his father's ignores the historic truth that no objection was raised, and no problem arose when circumcising millions of boys whose fathers were uncircumcised.
To resolve the problem, the positions of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists should become definitive statements that circumcision is unnecessary surgery, not to be undertaken except in rare medical circumstances. Endorsements of this position should be obtained from all relevant medical groups. This information should be disseminated to the entire medical profession, to all hospitals, nurses and nursing associations, childbirth educators, and most certainly to parents via the popular press. Meetings professional and lay persons should be called on local, state and national levels to discuss circumcision. With such an approach, routine newborn nonreligious circumcision will soon pass from the scene to join blood-letting and cupping in medical history.
As Prucha observed in 1980, "The history of these few millimeters of skin is utterly fascinating."⁴⁷

Works of the Flesh: "Things Like These"

Having warned them regarding the danger of apostasy in committing themselves to the Law of Moses (cf. Galatians 1:1-5:16), the Apostle Paul reminded the Galatian Christians regarding the conflict between the desires of the flesh and the ways of God in the Spirit, and exhorted the Galatian Christians to manifest the fruit of the Spirit and resist the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:17-24). These “works of the flesh” are delineated in Galatians 5:19-21:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Many of the first “works of the flesh” centered on challenges and temptations which would prove especially acute for Christians who had recently come out of the Greco-Roman pagan milieu: sexual temptations like sexually deviant behavior, uncleanness, and lasciviousness; idolatry; and sorcery. Paul then established the “works of the flesh” which prove especially pernicious in relationships: enmities, strife, jealousy, wrath, rivalries, divisions, sects, and envy. Paul concluded the list of specific “works of the flesh” with sins of excess: drunkenness and carousing.
But what about behaviors not listed here? Did Paul intend to give an exhaustive overview of all that could be deemed the “works of the flesh”? By no means! He concluded his discussion of the works of the flesh by also condemning “the things like these,” and reiterated how those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21).
Paul might well be using a common rhetorical device akin to our use of “et cetera.” Paul would mention other sinful behaviors in other passages not listed explicitly among the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:22-24. These would include murder (not found in Galatians 5:19-21 in the best manuscripts), covetousness, theft, deceit, lying, gossip, slander, and foolish talk (Romans 1:28-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:3-8, Colossians 3:5-9). In condemning these behaviors Paul frequently used the same type of contrast between the ways of our holy God above from the ways of the corrupt world below; thus we should understand such things as much as “works of the flesh” as those explicitly identified in Galatians 5:19-21.
Thus Paul at least intended for the Galatian Christians to understand “things like these” to refer to other behaviors clearly identified as sinful. Yet the phrasing of the term itself also suggests Paul wished for the Galatian Christians to recognize how many behaviors might be akin to a “work of the flesh” even if not explicitly identified as such. A major such example involves sexual transgressions: in Galatians 5:19-21 Paul condemned sexually deviant behavior, uncleanness, and lasciviousness, whereas in other passages specific forms of these behaviors are condemned, like same sex sexual relations and adultery (e.g. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The Galatian Christians were expected to understand how these behaviors were “things like” sexually deviant behavior since they fit by definition. Covetousness is explicitly condemned on its own but is also equated to idolatry in Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5: thus Paul would have the Galatian Christians understand how covetousness is a “thing like” idolatry.
This principle extends beyond that which is explicitly condemned in Scripture to the chagrin of many. What God has made known regarding righteousness and sin inverts man’s desires and expectations. Man would like a comprehensive list of what not to do and to assume that whatever is not condemned is approved and righteous. In truth, in Scripture God has equipped those who would follow Him with every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17); Paul confessed that whatever is not of faith is sin, not whatever is of sin is faith (Romans 14:23). The Christian’s confidence lay in God’s revelation of Himself, His character, and His righteousness in Jesus who lived, died, was raised in power, ascended, is lord, and will return soon (2 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 11:1); thus, we may know what is right, good, and holy, for it is seen in what God accomplished in Jesus, and we should do likewise (Romans 12:1-2).
To this end we can understand why the “fruit of the Spirit” is a fully defined list of characteristics but the “works of the flesh” are left open (Galatians 5:17-24): righteousness is fully embodied in Jesus, but the human heart is very deceitful, inventing evil, looking for ways to justify and rationalize the desires of the flesh and heart (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 1:30, 1 John 2:15-17).
Thus, it is not enough to say, “well, God never said not to,” or, “God nowhere explicitly condemns this or that.” Paul recognized how people would be easily tempted to “repackage” some sin or another in a different guise and think it justifiable; thus, not only are the explicit things mentioned in the “works of the flesh” condemned, but also anything similar to them.
To this end Paul called upon the Galatian Christians, and Christians in general, to exercise discernment to understand whether a behavior is a “thing like” the works of the flesh or manifests the fruit of the Spirit. Such discernment must be exercised according to faith in God lest the Christian seek to rationalize their fleshly desires with a righteous veneer and entirely resist the point of Galatians 5:17-24, to crucify the flesh and its desires.
To this end we must first consider the evidence at hand. Did God speak regarding the behavior under consideration? Does it manifestly violate any specific command God has given? Does the behavior run afoul of consistent Biblical principles? If we feel the answers to these questions are ambiguous or allow for justification, we can then consider the profitability of the behavior (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:23). Will this practice commend me before God? What spiritual benefit would it provide? What fruit of the Spirit would it manifest? In short, we are wondering: is this behavior the kind of thing in which we would expect Jesus our Lord and Master to participate?
Many behaviors prevalent in modern society fall under condemnation in this way. Elective abortion may not be explicitly condemned in Scripture, but it is more a thing like murder than anything commended by God in Christ, and thus falls under the same condemnation. Pornography is a thing like uncleanness and lasciviousness. Many think of gambling as harmless fun, yet the entire premise of gambling is covetousness, a thing like idolatry. Recreational drug use would fall under the purview of pharmakeia; those who practiced sorcery also made potions, and many a recreational drug user lives as under a spell.
Paul has listed many ungodly and immoral behaviors as “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21; those who do such things without repentance will not inherit the Kingdom of God. We must never fall into the legalistic trap of assuming that only that which is explicitly condemned is wrong: Paul’s list of the “works of the flesh” is not exhaustive, nor was it designed to be; humans invent all kinds of new and innovative ways to transgress the purposes of God in Christ. Thus we must understand the “works of the flesh” as representative, and we should not only avoid those specific behaviors, but also anything which is akin to them. We must use our discernment to put all things to the test according to the faith; we ought to live by faith, trusting in the Lord, and doing all things with full conviction of their authority and righteousness based on what God has revealed in Christ according to the Scriptures. May we manifest the fruit of the Spirit, avoid the works of the flesh, and glorify God in Christ!
Ethan

[Essay Contest] What do the Cold War, Evangelion and Disney have in common? The answer is Nadia.

Reality – a behemoth of connections, layers and trends between facts and the imagination. The world – a puzzle none can truly solve. Humans – forayers into the complexes that are experience and knowledge. Life – an interesting web of tales.
Hello readers and welcome to my entry for the anime writing contest. Human experience is truly a fascinating thing. The very world we live in is a place with the uncanniest connections and relations between what we would think are discrete factoids. The late Stephen Hawking was born on and died on the exact same days as Einstein and Galileo. The Simpsons "predicted" Donald Trump’s election. And the parallels between the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln are unnerving. Seemingly mundane events can often serve as points of connection between several other major events. Such is reality. What’s interesting though, is how these degrees of separation allow us to tell brand new, fascinating stories about overlooked happenings. That is precisely what I hope to do by the end of this essay about the anime: Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water and how it ties in to the world around it. So please, sit tight, buckle up, and see how reality unfolds itself.

Chapter 1 – Backgrounds/Evangelion/You Can (not) Produce

As a heavily styled art form, anime has undoubtedly transformed significantly over the decades. The oldest known Japanese animated picture, Katsudō Shashin employed stencilling techniques to create a unique and distinctly Japanese production, possibly preluding the works of famous American animators such as Winsor McCay and James Blackton. Fast-forward to the 1960s and Astro Boy) ( Tetsuwan Atomu) broke new ground in the Japanese television scene, airing on 40% of the Japan’s screens and becoming the first anime to cross the Pacific and air in the US. Other iconic productions such as Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer and Cyborg 009 would help lay the foundations for the rapidly evolving niche, and over the 1980s, space operas (inspired by the explosive popularity of Star Wars), martial arts, sports and mechas took the industry by storm as they began to set the stage for contemporary tropes, genres and themes. By 1998 the otaku community had a palpable presence and anime had already proven itself to be a cultural behemoth capable of enrapturing a growing global audience. More anime than ever before was produced, more experiments were performed and new tropes ossified into the medium. It was here that numerous iconic series we know and love today – Neon Genesis Evangelion, Princess Mononoke and Cowboy Bebop to name a few – were conceived and aired. It was here that Sailor Moon, Digimon and Pokémon captivated a younger generation, shaping childhoods and breeding a new generation of loyal fans, many of whom remain so to this day. The rest is fairly recent history, and over time the anime industry has only ever moved forward in innovation, diversity and creativity (if punctuated by what appears to be moments of thematic exploitation e.g. the isekai harem trend).
Anime clearly has its fair share of maestros. And the anime canon clearly has its classics as well, all of which deserve their immortality. And yet, like any mature and popular corner of the entertainment industry, there is a growing disconnection between the shows many fans enjoy today and historical wave-makers in the industry. This is not to criticize the anime fandom. It is only natural that newer, more consumer-relevant shows are given more attention. And the fact that the industry churns out multiple shows of excellent quality across genres is a sign of vibrancy if anything. That said, there is a cost to this. “The wages of progress is death”. And what dies is the knowledge of solid and charming, albeit less ground-breaking shows as they slip away from our present-oriented consciousness. To go by analogy, millenial film-goers are largely uninterested in movies produced before 1970 such as 12 Angry Men and Casablanca. Of course, several iconic films stand out and have seared themselves into Occidental (and perhaps even international) public consciousness (think The Sound of Music), The Godfather and Gone With the Wind), but many other gems have been lost to the annals of time. Once again this is not a critique of contemporary culture, but an observation of trends in the relevance we assign to shows. Parallels to this phenomenon exist within the anime community, with some choosing to not watch any old anime at all and others simply not willing to gamble on older shows in hopes of finding a victim of MAL’s contentious rating scheme. In hopes of convincing the former and informing the latter, I have written this essay on a show which captured my heart after I stumbled across it on…Youtube. Ladies and gentlemen, enthusiasts and casual watchers, allow me to introduce the heart-warming, terrifying, charming and ambitious – Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water.
Introductions are in order. Nadia initially existed as a concept owned by Toho Company Ltd inspired by Jules Vernes’ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The project was initially slated to be a television series developed by the esteemed Hayao Miyazaki, but it never reached the production stage. Instead, on the brink of the 1990s, two studios colluded to produce an anime based on the concept: Group TAC Ltd, which went bankrupt in 2010, and the notorious, influential and stylistic Gainax. Strikingly, the soon-to-be-acclaimed masterful director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Hideaki Anno was put in charge of writing and directing the anime. As a matter of fact, in some ways Nadia is what made NGE possible. But we’ll get to that later. Suffice to say that some corporate drama followed, but eventually agreements were made and the series began airing on April 13 1990.

Chapter 2 – Essay/The Cold WaMutually (Un)assured Destruction

Our story begins in France, 1889 where a young inventor, Jean Roque-Lartique, and his grandfather intend to participate in an aircraft engineering contest. As our optimistic and bespectacled protagonist saunters through the Parisian complex, he chances upon an exotic jewel that instantly enraptures him. Her name is Nadia, and with her is a grey lion cub by the name of King. In the spirit of a true romantic, Jean spares no effort acquainting himself with the pretty little lady. She’s fairly belligerent, however, and especially protective of the stone –sapphire, like her eyes– hanging on her necklace. She and Jean part, only to be united later when three individuals who pilot a mysterious robot show up looking for Nadia and, in particular, the Blue Water (the jewel) she possesses. Several events follow, and soon Jean and Nadia find themselves thrust into a grand adventure that they never before dreamt of. On their way they make several friends, enemies and uncover mysteries as they reveal the secrets behind the Blue Water.
The above paragraph sets the premise for the show, but for a deeper understanding of Nadia’s themes, it is vital to account for the context under which the show was greenlit, produced and aired. Between 1947 and 1991 the world was embroiled in a state of tense international relations as the two dominant forces of capitalism and communism/socialism squared off against one another. While little direct conflict occurred between the US and the Soviet Union, proxy wars in less powerful political entities, espionage, propaganda and political manhandling were more or less the order of the day. The fact that both of the major participants were nuclear superpowers greatly deterred any form of direct warfare. And perhaps at no point was the tension between the two parties as high as during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Pardon the historical rambling, but again it is necessary to understand the backdrop of Nadia’s production. The point of fact is that technological progress, which promised to liberate mankind from all manners of inconvenience and hardship, seemed, for 13 terrifying days, poised to wreak the very civilization it had helped construct. The ideologies and distrust that have typified human relations for thousands of years, when combined with powerful means of annihilation raised the threat of human extinction beyond anything in the two thousand years preceding it.
This is exactly the point that Nadia makes throughout its runtime.
As the plot progresses the titular heroine and Jean encounter a sea vessel with technology that far outstrips anything 19th century Europe could produce. The Nautilus, captained by the enigmatic and charming Captain Nemo (lovers of Jules Verne will instantly recognize both names) is a submarine powered by nuclear fusion. A behemoth of inhuman innovation and creativity. It’s attack, detection and camouflage systems dwarf anything that human beings have accomplished, and Jean, a lover of all things related to engineering is instantly taken aback by its beastly mechanics (much to Nadia’s chagrin). But the secrecy with which Nemo conducts his operations, and the justification he gives for not sharing his technology with the world all point to a clear message:
Humankind, given its propensity for greed, destruction and short-sightedness is better off gaining the wisdom to use technology before gaining access to its means. And the fact that Nadia aired in 1990 (shortly before the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union) is, I think, a clear nod to this.
Our protagonists, Jean and Nadia represent the ends of the spectrum of views on the subject matter. Jean, a true inventor, is a staunch optimist who can only imagine the possibilities and brilliance that can emerge from the accumulation of technological knowledge. Onwards and upwards, moving forwards whilst never looking back – such is Jean’s creed. Nadia on the other hand is wary and a lot less comfortable with utilizing technology without regard for its consequences on existing lifeforms. The natural is good enough. The artificial is dangerous, risky, fake and destructive. Both points have their strengths, but by the end of the series, both individuals gravitate nearer to the middle. And I think it’s very fair to say that the truth truly lies there. If the modern western world, the so-called peak of human civilization, once approached the brink of disaster following a leap in technology but not wisdom, does that not provide a useful precedent for today’s digital landscape? Are convenience and the prevalence of social media truly good things? How can they ruin us? Should technology simply be embraced as “the future” without concern? Such philosophical questions are interesting, but are ultimately beyond the scope of this essay and Nadia. Ultimately, what Nadia has to say is that caution and curiosity must go hand in hand lest we, like Icarus, fall in our attempt to reach the sun.
Religion is another important sub-theme that lovers of Anno would instantly recognize. Biblical symbolism and narratives are reflected within the story both overtly and within its very plot structure. Man’s creation, the cost of wisdom, Noah’s ark, obedience towards the creator and more. Crosses recur throughout the show, highlighting Anno’s unique (and some might say “pretentious”) taste. Such symbolism is a very good thing for individuals brought up cognizant of the bare basics of Christianity. The audience can instantly connect the dots and recognize where the story is headed as well as what kind of story it is exactly. Nadia also touches at certain points on the necessity of vegetarianism, but it’s hardly a major theme and is not developed as deeply as the threat of humanity’s wisdom undoing it. By all means that is its strongest message.
Character-wise, I found Nadia (the anime) to be truly heart-warming. I think it’s an amazing thing when the interactions between what should be mere pixels and sounds are capable of gently moving the viewer and investing within him or her a sense of contentment. Nadia does just this, with a cast of characters that are neither too complex nor so archetypal and tropey that there’s little about them to explore. Its cast combination is fairly unique, though not at all alien. We have the fiery (some would say self-righteous) Nadia, the stoic Nemo, the suave and hilariously charming Sanson, the precocious Grandis and the dream-eyed Jean. All these bring their own flavours into a remarkable assortment of engaging character interactions. Some might find Nadia’s entitled personality irritating, but I think there’s much to like about her if one spends just a bit of time looking. But to each their own. For prospective viewers, I think she’s definitely worth a shot, and her character development leaves little to be desired.
Side note, I watched the entire series (asides from 2-3 episodes) on YouTube which had the dubbed version. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it fit. The 2-3 episodes I saw in Japanese were okay, but ultimately when I rewatch it, it’s going to be in dubs, not subs.
I round off this section with a short discourse on the fatal flaw of Nadia, and why perhaps the anime isn’t rated very highly today (despite winning multiple prestigious awards in the year it aired). The few who have seen Nadia will undoubtedly know what I’m getting at. But for those who haven’t seen it, I’m referring to what are called, the “Island Episodes” and the Africa arc. I won’t get into the contents of these because the former is largely filler while the latter is a downright travesty that might set your blood boiling even if you appreciate the former (I know mine did). Many who recommend Nadia advise prospective watchers to skip the episodes 23-34 where the titular heroine and her friends are stranded on an Island. It’s understandable why. The plot doesn’t progress at all, the animation quality drops and the whole series assumes a wacky air that many would argue is out of place. I think these are fair criticisms, but I also think that half of why they’re so damning is due to the mind-set of viewers who “expect things to happen”. Expectation is the mother of all disappointment, and as I had none when entering, it was easy to take pleasure in the zany dramas of the island arc. The other half, and this might be heretical, is that they consumed it in the wrong way. Now for the record, common sense dictates that we watch a series from episode one to the end sequentially. That’s fair. But in this case, viewers might torture themselves if they do that. Some dishes require strange techniques of preparation to fully bring out their flavour. The puffer fish is a commonly cited example. Prepared poorly and it’s the literal death of two things: a person and its chef’s career. With some careful slicing and surgery on the other hand, you have a full-blown delicacy with a taste to die for (the healthy way). Such is Nadia. But really, I think this applies to any and all anime with filler. Pushing through chronologically or sequentially is the laziest course of action, but not always the most rewarding. Because I expected nothing from it, the Island arc was a pleasant breath of fresh air where I could see the characters I loved interact constantly without being driven by the plot’s demands (think Carnival Phantasm?), and that in itself can be a kind of treasure. Of course, it can be a chore to power through a whole anime season’s worth of filler and so I recommend prospective viewers to do this instead: skip the entire Island and Africa arcs at first (they weren’t directed by Anno anyways), then once you’ve finished the anime, come back to the Island episodes if you haven’t had enough of the characters and pretend like the Africa arc doesn’t exist (it’s so bad I won’t waste my word-count on it). I guess you could watch it out of morbid curiosity, or to test your cringe tolerance, however.
In summary, I would say that Nadia is thematically heavy and raises some important questions about the nature and future of humanity. It can be critiqued from multiple angles and even the bare plot alone is enough to warrant a significant degree of enjoyment.

Chapter 3 – Conclusion/Atlantis/Where the Dream Takes (Us) You

Nadia took a huge toll on Hideaki Anno’s mental health. Following the end of the series, Anno would fall into a deep depression before returning with the industry-shattering work that is Neon Genesis Evangelion. Artistic disagreements between him and the producers led to him taking a break from the show (during which the notorious Island arc and horrific Africa arc were produced). A large part of this was due to its unexpected popularity. In fact, various cash-grabs in form of videogames and movies would follow, with none being even a tenth as significant as their predecessor. Nonetheless, in many ways the spirit of Nadia was carried forth into Anno’s next work. The use of Biblical allusion and directive choices in NGE all ring with similar notes. And maybe we can say that the deep melancholy that Nadia might have helped plunge Anno into was in some significant way responsible for the poignancy, rawness and sheer brilliance of Evangelion.
But there was another possible inheritor to Nadia. Disney’s 2001 feature film, Atlantis is cited by many as a spiritual successor (if they’re being nice) or downright rip-off (if they’re not) of Nadia. There are many thematic similarities between the two, and some might even argue that some elements of their plots are similar. But ultimately, I wonder if it even matters. Atlantis was more or less a flop, but I think if more people come to know, watch and love Nadia like I do, then a hundred rip-offs would still be a good price to pay. Nadia, an unsuspecting collection of megabytes I found packing dust in the emptiest alleys of Youtube, turned out to have not just one, but two truly amazing stories. The one of human nature that it tells to those who watch it, and the one of how an industry titan fulfills an ozymandiac destiny. I really hope you can give it a try.
Edit: formatting and wordcount

Have You Found the Path to Being Cleansed of Sin

After my arrival in America, what impressed me most were many towering churches and neat rows of European-style houses. Many kinds of flowers were planted in the yard of these houses. Many small ceramic animals were placed on small lawns, and they were lifelike and cute.
I heard a friend say that the main reason why America is especially rich and powerful is that American worship God and have His blessings. “IN GOD WE TRUST” was even printed on their money. I was drawn to my friend’s narration deeply, and I felt that it was a great thing to believe in God and have God’s blessings. Therefore, I went to his church and believed in the Lord after him.
At first, I was especially enthusiastic. I seriously read the Bible and attended gatherings. Besides, I often watched Christian videos and listened to sermons online. Gradually, I understood that the Lord Jesus had not only atoned for mankind by being crucified but given them greater blessings and promises—to enter the kingdom of heaven and to receive eternal life. Pondering God’s love, I was often moved to tears. So, I worked harder in my pursuit, strictly observed the Lord’s teachings and acted according to His words.
However, unknowingly, our church changed. The pastor’s sermons didn’t have enlightenment; it often happened that the workers fought both openly and in secret, excluded each other and formed cliques; many believers gambled at cards, drank and quarreled with others. And I couldn’t follow the Lord’s teachings, either. When my children didn’t obey me, I couldn’t help scolding them angrily; when encountering something not to my liking, I would complain to God. These things made me feel troubled.
One day, I saw these scriptures: “Be you holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). I suddenly realized: My pastor often said, “As long as we pray, worship and contribute money every week, we can enter into the kingdom of heaven.” However, entering the kingdom of heaven wasn’t as simple as he said it to be. Rather, we need to attain purification. Judging from the current situation of the church and my spiritual condition of repeatedly committing sins and confessing them, I haven’t been purified at all. I was anxious and confused by this. Therefore, I asked my pastor about the way of no longer committing sins and confessing them. But he said: “You will attain purification and enter into the kingdom of heaven when the Lord returns, as long as you remain in the church, listen to the sermons, and repent.” Later, someone introduced some online famous pastors to me, and advised me to listen to the sermons about entering into the kingdom of heaven. At first, I felt their sermons seemed to make some sense. However, after pondering carefully, I felt their words were ambiguous and gave no path. Instead, the more I listened, the more confused I was.
One day in December 2017, I met a sister on the street. We hit it right off. I found the sister’s views and opinions of some things were really insightful and were beyond my thoughts. Thereupon, I told her about my doubts that I had had for many years, and then the sister invited me to join their Bible study group so that we could discuss about these questions together. I was happy to accept her invitation.
In New York in December, the warm sun was shining on the earth, bringing warmth to those people who traveled in cold winter. Bathed in the sunshine, I felt especially released and happy. At the appointed time, I came to the Bible study group with the sister and met several brothers and sisters there. They each gave a warm introduction about their own backgrounds and experiences of faith in the Lord. Gradually, I became one of them and told them what confused me: “My pastor said that, as long as we pray, repent and contribute money in the church, we can be raptured into the kingdom of heaven when the Lord returns. What do you think of this?”
At that time, a brother suggested that before starting the formal fellowship we first pray to God and let God lead our gatherings and fellowships. Seeing their attitudes of piety and hearts of revering God, I felt released somewhat in my heart.
After praying, Brother Liu, a preacher, said: “As believers in the Lord, we should listen to His words and act according to His words. In this way, we cannot possibly be wrong. As to who may enter into the kingdom of heaven, the Lord Jesus had made it very clear. Let’s read these words together: ‘Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven’ (Matthew 7:21). God’s word also says, ‘Be you holy; for I am holy’ (1 Peter 1:16). From God’s words, we can understand that we must attain purification and follow God’s will if we want to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Apparently, the pastor’s saying doesn’t conform with the criterion of entering into the kingdom of heaven that the Lord Jesus set. Just think: Do these people who pray, repent and contribute money free from the bonds of sin? Are they those who do God’s will? We all know: The people in the churches widely pray, repent and contribute money, but these people can’t still extricate themselves from living in the conditions of confessing sins and committing them. This is an undeniable fact. Perhaps someone says that God will forgive all sins of man as long as we confess sins and repent. In fact, the Lord Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins only means that we are not of sin. But our satanic corrupt dispositions, namely, arrogance, selfishness, deceit, evil, and so on, still remain inside us. These things are deeper and more tenacious than sin. If these corrupt dispositions and satanic nature haven’t been solved, we cannot help but commit sins or resist God. The Lord Jesus said: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant stays not in the house for ever: but the Son stays ever’ (John 8:34-35). The Bible also says: ‘… holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14). All people who pray, repent and kept contributing money still have sinful nature. Even though they seem reverent from the outside, their hearts are filled with filth, and they often commit sins and resist God. This is a fact. So, the opinion “as long as we stay in the church, pray to the Lord and repent, we needn’t resolve our sinful nature and can enter into the kingdom of heaven” is only our human notion and imagination and isn’t in accordance with the truth or God’s word.”
“What the brother fellowshiped conforms with the Bible and God’s will. God is holy, so His kingdom must also want people without filth. How are we fit to enter into God’s kingdom who commit sins and confess them every day? Through the fellowship I also understand this: The reason why we live in sin all the time is that we have sinful nature; as long as we resolve it, we can attain purification. Then, how can we resolve our sinful nature and free ourselves from sin?” At this thought, I said: “Brother Liu, I can understand and agree with your fellowship. The pastor’s opinion indeed has no biblical basis and is unbelievable. But there is still a question: How can we free ourselves from sin and attain purification?”
The brother nodded, and opened his lectures with various pictures on his computer, saying: “If we want to get rid of sin, we must understand several points: First, the source of sin; second, whether we can get rid of sin by ourselves or not; third, how God works to resolve our sins when we cannot extricate ourselves from living in sin.”
I was very interested in these questions that the brother just raised. The fellowship of integrating the words, pictures, and chapters of the Bible had a good visual effect. I never had so lively and vivid a meeting, so all that he fellowshiped was very refreshing to me. He clicked with his mouse on the picture of Adam and Eve eating the fruits of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, and said: “Adam and Eve didn’t listen to God’s words, and they were tempted by the devil to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so that sin entered man’s heart. This was the source of sin. From then on, man became deceitful, vicious, greedy, evil and arrogant, denying God and being enemies of God. Under such circumstances, God set forth more than six hundred commandments through Moses. When one committed sins, he must offer corresponding sacrifices according to the laws. Only in this way could his sins be forgiven, that is to say, God demanded that man resolved the problem of sin through offering sacrifices. This was the way to resolve the sin during the Old Testament age. At the end of the Age of Law, mankind committed more and more sins, so that they couldn’t offer qualified sin offerings according to the laws and all mankind were facing death. Under the circumstances, the Lord Jesus was incarnated to be among people, willingly assumed the sins of man by being nailed to cross, and finally redeemed all of mankind. At that time, man would no longer be condemned by laws and man’s sin would be forgiven as long as he accepted the work of the Lord Jesus and prayed in the name of the Lord Jesus in all things. This was the true meaning of sin being forgiven, and was also a way to resolve the condemnation of man by laws in the New Testament era. But, it only meant that man’s sins were pardoned, while it didn’t mean that man would no longer commit sin. Judging from ourselves, we still often tell lies and deceive others for our interests, fame, and status; when problems arise, we use sophistry, even shirk responsibility and get other people in trouble; when confronted with natural and man-made disasters, or trials and tribulations, we complained against God, and judged and resisted God. Although we believed in God, we often made deals with Him: We do our work and run the course to enter the kingdom of heaven and enjoy eternal blessings, and in our hearts, we neither love God nor fear God; after having positions, we will exalt and bear witness to ourselves, or form gangs and bands, establish our own independent kingdoms and so on. The fact that we can still commit sins and resist God shows that we still belong to Satan, are enemies of God, and will definitely be condemned and punished by Him. Just as the Bible says: ‘For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries’ (Hebrews 10:26-27). But God didn’t hope that the mankind created by Him was destroyed in this way. So the Lord Jesus had long ago prophesied that He would definitely return and save us in the last days.
“Then, how would God save us from sin? We continued to read the several verses: ‘I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come’ (John 16: 12-13). ‘Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth’ (John 17:17). ‘He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the middle of the paradise of God’ (Revelation 2:7). ‘And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters’ (Revelation 14:6-7). These verses and prophecies in Revelation tell us an important message—the truth can rid us of our corrupt disposition and cleanse us. These words ‘what the Spirit says to the churches’ ‘having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth’ ‘his judgment’ tell us that, when the Lord Jesus returns, there will be another stage of work and He will speak His word, express the truth to carry out the work of judgment beginning with God’s house, and use the truth to eliminate the root of man’s sin and to carry out the work of chastising, judging, purifying and changing man. Let’s read several passages: ‘In the last days, Christ uses a variety of truths to teach man, expose the essence of man, and dissect his words and deeds. These words comprise various truths, such as man’s duty, how man should obey God, how man should be loyal to God, how man ought to live out the normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the essence of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, those words that expose how man spurns God are spoken in regard to how man is an embodiment of Satan and an enemy force against God. In undertaking His work of judgment, God does not simply make clear the nature of man with just a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes it over the long term. These methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth that man does not possess at all. Only methods of this kind are deemed judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced into submission to God, and moreover gain true knowledge of God. What the work of judgment brings about is man’s understanding of the true face of God and the truth about his own rebelliousness. The work of judgment allows man to gain much understanding of the will of God, of the purpose of God’s work, and of the mysteries that are incomprehensible to him. It also allows man to recognize and know his corrupt substance and the roots of his corruption, as well as to discover the ugliness of man. These effects are all brought about by the work of judgment, for the substance of this work is actually the work of opening up the truth, the way, and the life of God to all those who have faith in Him. This work is the work of judgment done by God.’
“‘By means of this work of judgment and chastisement, man will fully come to know the filthy and corrupt substance within his own self, and he will be able to change completely and become clean. Only in this way can man become worthy to return before the throne of God. All the work done this day is so that man can be made clean and be changed; through judgment and chastisement by the word, as well as through refinement, man can purge away his corruption and be made pure. Rather than deeming this stage of work to be that of salvation, it would be more apt to say it is the work of purification.’”
After reading these passages, I felt the words were unusual, having authority and showing us how God saved us from sin.
The brother continued to say: “From these two passages, we can see that in the last days, God judges and chastises corrupt mankind through expressing the truth. All the words God judges man with are the expression of His righteous disposition and of what He has and is, and they are the words that can be man’s life. For corrupt mankind, these words of truth are judgment, condemnation, chastisement, searching, and purification. God uses the words to purify the satanic disposition within corrupt mankind, and to resolve their nature and substance of resisting God. In the judgment work of the last days, Christ of the last days expresses truth to reveal all the mysteries of God’s six-thousand-year management plan, clearly reveal the purpose of God’s three-stage work of salvation and the substance of each stage of work, and especially point out the path for man to transform in disposition and attain purification. Meanwhile, He thoroughly reveals man’s nature and substance corrupted by Satan, the truth of his corruption, and the root of his sin. Then man understands that his nature is the nature of Satan, and sees that he is living in the likeness of Satan the devil, so he truly repents, willingly accepts God’s judgment, chastisement, trials and refinement, and pursues the truth and the transformation of his disposition according to God’s words’ guidance. And he gradually frees himself from the controls and bondage of his satanic corrupt disposition, thoroughly forsakes Satan and returns to God. In this way, man’s sinful nature is resolved at the root. What’s more, by experiencing and practicing God’s word, man unknowingly understands many truths, such as what is being saved, what is salvation, what is doing God’s will, what is following God, what is following man, whom God saves, and whom God eliminates, and so on. Most importantly, in the judgment and chastisement of God’s word, man practically experiences that God’s righteous disposition is intolerant of offense. Because of knowing God, man comes to fear God and shun evil and live by God’s word. As man understands the truth and knows God more deeply, he’s more obedient to God and has more reality of practicing the truth. So man unknowingly gets rid of sin completely and becomes cleansed. This result can never be achieved by the Lord’s believers who refuse to accept God’s work of the last days. So, only by accepting the judgment and chastisement of God’s word in the last days can man understand the truth and know God, thoroughly break free from the influence of Satan, cast off his satanic disposition and attain purification.”
At his fellowship, I felt clear and bright in my heart. I got answers to the questions that made me confused all the time, and I had the path to getting rid of sin. Therefore I was more grateful that God arranged meeting the sister for me. This encounter made me find the church that has truth, and I had the hope of getting rid of sin and attaining purification. All of this was God’s mercy and grace.
In the subsequent gatherings, the brother fellowshiped different aspects of truth to us, such as incarnation, three stages of work, how to hear God’s voice, how to distinguish between true and false churches and so on. I understood God’s six-thousand-year management plan of saving man and the purpose and meaning of God creating man and saving man. Their fellowships over the past few days made me gain many harvests and satisfied my spirit. Finally, the brother bore witness to God’s name. At that time, I suddenly realized: It turned out that the Lord Jesus had already returned, and that He was Almighty God who was rumored and condemned by CCP, pastors and elders. I was very excited. God’s work had expanded vigorously throughout the universe, and there were all kinds of testimonies, such as movies, videos, gospel choir, hymns, experience testimonies, and so on.
Now, it has been almost six months since I accepted the work of Almighty God in the last days. I attend gatherings, enjoy God’s word and fulfill the duty of a creation with my brothers and sisters every day. When some things fall upon me, I will know my corruptions through reading God’s words. So I lead a full and happy life every day.

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what is the biblical definition of gambling video

The Nature of Gambling . The basic dictionary definition of gambling is “to play a game for money or property; to bet on an uncertain outcome.” 1 A more precise, legal description may help Christians understand gambling and differentiate it from legitimate transactions in which creative efforts, useful skills, and responsible investment (positive expected returns, at least in the long term, as well as inherent value independent of the marginal risk being taken) are integral factors: Here, then, is a comprehensive definition: “Gambling is the betting of money—or something of value—on the outcome of an artificially created chance or uncertain event, whereby the prize money is not determined by value, service or goodwill but rather by chance, in such a way that the gain of the winners is at the expense of the losers.” Gambling is a trap that destroys people, families and society. It is not an innocent or a wholesome way to have fun. As we have seen, the Bible demonstrates that much harm can come from gambling—the worst of which being the loss of one’s salvation. “Gambling is a sickness, a disease, an addiction, an insanity, and is always a loser in the long run.” “Gambling can be just as addictive as drugs and alcohol. Teens and their parents need to know that they’re not just gambling with money, they’re gambling with their lives.” “Gambling is the sure way of getting nothing for something.” Although the words "gambling" and "gamble" do not appear in the Bible, we cannot assume that an activity is not a sin simply because it is not mentioned. Looking at pornography on the Internet and using illegal drugs are not mentioned either, but both violate God's laws. Biblical Definition Of Gambling, beach bro bingo, donna lawton poker, poker spielen landshut According to Anderson, "The Bible emphasizes the sovereignty of God ( Matt. 10:29-30 ), while gambling is based upon chance. The Bible admonishes us to work creatively and for the benefit of ... gambling in any form to be proper management of divinely bestowed resources, time, and ability. Even secular business ethics will not tolerate those who gamble with . biblical practices in no way meet the definition of gambling. Fourth, gambling is a form of state-sponsored greed. We read in Romans 13 that government is to be a minister of God. Government should provide order in society and promote public virtue. Legalized gambling undercuts government’s role and subverts the moral fabric of society through greed and selfishness promoted by a state-sponsored vice. Answer: The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10).

Why is gambling wrong? Bible.org

what is the biblical definition of gambling

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