Religious Child Abuse = Parents' Religious Freedom?

Proponents of the Orthodox Jewish practice of orally sucking the blood from the infant's penis after circumcision claim that efforts by authorities to stop this disgusting practice infringes on their religious freedom. Seems like these mohel and the parents of these babies may be infringing on the babies' religious freedom!

Babies' herpes linked to circumcision practices

Even if the practice had never been linked to infants contracting herpes, some of whom have died and others left brain damaged, it is a disgusting, abusive practice that should have been done away with long ago. It also brings up the question of whether parents have a right to indoctrinate their children into their religion in the first place. If we teach children to believe a certain way without giving them a chance to make their own choice, are we not guilty of mental and emotional abuse? And in the case of ritual circumcision, is that not physical abuse?

Do children not have a right to religious freedom?

 



I wonder how long religion would survive if children were allowed to reach an appropriate age before being taught about their parents' gods? I'd give it one generation.