People often mock the bits of the Old Testament Law that don’t make sense to them. Even many Christians who want to reinterpret what the Bible says on current controversial issues such as homosexuality often resort to depicting Old Testament commands and prohibitions as being superstitious and irrational in nature.

I don’t believe that a Christian is subject at all to the Law given by Moses to the Isrealites, but I do see the Law as something given by the same loving God that we recognise in the person of Jesus. It is quite inconsistent with my understanding of God’s character that He would give laws that have no purpose but to burden people. So I find it fascinating to read in a BBC article that…

Circumcision can cut the rate of HIV infection in heterosexual men by 50%, results from two African trials show. The findings are so striking, the US National Institutes of Health decided it would be unethical to continue and stopped the trials early. It supports a previous South African study which reported similar results.

I recall reading about the South African study a while ago but I wasn’t sure how reliable it was. It’s interesting how many lobby groups exist (e.g. International Coalition for Genital Integrity, National Organization to Halt the Abuse and Routine Mutilation of Males) to oppose male circumcision on the grounds that it is as they suppose – a barbaric procedure with no medical benefits.

It seems very unlikely that the Isrealites could have discovered the health benefits of circumcision by accident, at a time when people knew nothing of bacteria and viruses. I can’t wait to read how the evolutionary psychologists explain this.

Perhaps this was God asking his people to trust Him and do something quite difficult (and painful!) which would benefit them in the long run. I think He does that a lot.