u/ComfortableLate1525

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My mainstay is the ESV, because that’s what LCMS churches use, but I also respect the RSV (the father of the ESV), the NRSV (the ESV’s academic brother), and the NLT (helping those who may not have a good grasp on traditional Biblical English).

Please remain respectful towards others. Any mainstream Bible translation is an acceptable one.

Moisturize. Moisturize. Moisturize.

If you’re circumcised, you don’t have to be restoring to be an intactivist. For me, I simply have no interest (but fully support those who do!)

However, there is one basic thing you can do daily to make being circumcised slightly more comfortable and healthy: Moisturizing.

Now, it’s important to know that not all normal skin moisturizers are safe to use on the penis, especially the head, because the head of the penis is not like the rest of the skin on your body. This is why foreskin would normally be there to protect it.

So, what is safe to use to moisturize? Generally, the safest options are non-scented lotions, baby lotions (meant specifically for sensitive skin), and what I have found to be the best, petroleum jelly.

Why moisturize?

Well, surprisingly, it can actually help with one of the biggest sexual and one of the biggest non-sexual problems of being circumcised, especially those who have little to no skin movement:

On the sexual end, moisturizing has noticeably made the skin of the shaft of my penis more moveable. (Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but this easier movability might also make foreskin restoration easier?) This has made masturbation much more comfortable, when it used to be quite uncomfortable.

On the appearance end, moisturizing has greatly improved the look of the head of my penis. It has healed some (but not all) of the cracks caused by constant exposure to the elements and friction with clothing. It has also made the head of my penis much shinier and vibrant, whereas a lot of circumcised men have issues with the head losing a lot of color due to constant exposure.

Additionally, I have noticed that the head of my penis has gotten a lot more sensitive, like it should be. This hasn’t personally had any sexual impact for me, but who knows? It might for you.

So, when is the best time to moisturize?

If you are a morning showerer, apply a safe amount of petroleum jelly or safe lotion to the shaft and head of the penis after you shower, while being careful around the urethra. Then, do the same thing again before you go to bed.

If you are an evening/night showerer, then it is reversed. Put some on in the morning after using the bathroom, and then again after you shower at night.

And of course, you can also knock out two birds with one stone by using the moisturizer as lube while masturbating.

Just don’t overdo it, especially while masturbating. Applying too much moisturizer and/or masturbating too much and too aggressively with can and will cause irritation. I know this first hand, haha. But if you don’t overdo it, it’s fine, and comes with all of the benefits listed above.

If anyone has anything to add to the conversation, especially if they have already been doing this, that would be greatly appreciated.

I understand that it is true that circumcision rates are down across the US, and I’m sure some American-born parents are foregoing the blade. However, I feel like a lot of the sinking numbers of circumcision in the US is due to immigrants. (And I still think that’s a good thing!)

However, I come from a small Midwestern county that is over 95% white American-born people. Nearly every single guy, even in the younger generations, is cut.

Every single guy in my classes was cut. All of my male friends were cut. I am cut.

I didn’t even know about foreskin until I was 14 or so years old (I just turned 18!)

I, and most guys I’ve asked around here, just assumed until we were 12-15 years old that the look of a circumcised member was the NATURAL state of being. That’s how we thought boys were born.

It took until we were 12-15 years old until we were curious enough to do research and learn otherwise.

The worst part is that most boys instantly (I assume as a type of coping?) started calling foreskin gross and everyone was aggressively asked if they were circumcised.

We all were, but I assume if someone wasn’t, they would’ve had to deal with some serious bullying.

I’m the only guy I know who thought, “Huh, I think it’s weird that we cut off a part of the body that most men in Europe live their whole lives with healthily.”

I managed to get some male friends to understand my point of view, but not to a radical degree. I assume they will all still be circumcising any future sons they have. (I had one friend tell me it was to carry on the “tradition”.) And I definitely know those in school who made fun of it definitely will.

I will never forget that one day in eighth grade, maybe even seventh grade (that’s 12-13 years old for my non-American friends), when a classmate aggressively came up to me and asked, “Are you circumcised?” Now, I knew I was, but I still didn’t fully understand the difference. I replied, “I am circumcised, but if I wasn’t, why would it matter?” (Mature mindset for a 12-13 year old boy in a part of the country where challenging the status quo is not taken well.) The classmate responded, “Being uncircumcised and having foreskin is gross.” I found it utterly bizarre, but left it at that.

These aren’t the experiences of someone in the 80s or 90s. We were all born in the late 2000s.

Circumcision is still deeply engrained into many aspects of American society, especially among white people and African-Americans who are not of recent immigrant backgrounds.

Are there any young people out there who have had similar experiences? If so, I’d appreciate if you left a comment to develop the conversation.

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I just never could get into contemporary music. I love flipping through my church’s hymnal every day and reading centuries’ old hymns that reflect faith that has endured for centuries. I like the traditional music and I like the traditional wordings.

Anyone else who agrees comments your favorite traditional hymns below ⬇️

I know that I’m basically done growing at my age and as you can read in the title, I’m about 2.5” soft and 4” hard, which I know is quite small. But honestly? I don’t care. It doesn’t really bother me. A few years ago, I was insecure, but today it doesn’t bother me much. I’m not really nervous about going to the bathroom in public anymore either, which used to be a huge problem that I’ve now overcome.

The reason? I’m not asexual, but I’ve noticed that I definitely have lower labido than the average man. Like, I’m not opposed to being in a relationship, but I don’t ever see myself deliberately seeking one either. When you’re in that position where your sexual future and stuff doesn’t gravely matter to you, it takes a huge load off your shoulders. I’ve now learned to love my member and just be happy that it functions properly, urination and ejaculation wise. That’s all that matters to me, and not everyone is even that lucky.

Is anyone like me, lower labido (but hey, asexual and aroace dudes are free to chime in too) who doesn’t really mind that they’re small?