Every human being is made of flesh and blood and has feelings. Some people imply that "emotive" is being irrational. This does not follow. Some of the cruellest people are those that show no feelings. Cruelty is irrational and unnatural.

Some people use the concept of a "core belief". A core belief is a conditioned belief that is most likely adopted in childhood. A core belief is often associated with strong feelings. Core beliefs are ultimately never true.

A core belief may nort necessarily be negative in effect, though that is probably the most likely outcome. Some core beliefs may tend towards neutral or positive results. Examples of core beliefs learnt from others include racist, snobbish or chauvinistic attitudes.

Core beliefs may be learnt by individual. Early in childhood, attitudes like the world is a fun place people are nice I can be anything I want might develop. Other beliefs might be I can get away with anything hurting other children is fun I am not good enough or whatever.

If a core belief is held strongly, then evidence that the core belief is correct will be assimilated by the mind, while evidence contrary to the core belief will be ignored. Over time there may a vast complex of connected ideas which support the core belief. The source of the original core belief will be long forgotten.

When a current viewpoint does not depend on a core belief, the individual is more likely to change their mind when receiving new information or to open to other perspectives. The individual is less likely to use sarcasm and intimidation when defending a viewpoint.

When a core belief is held strongly, the supporting arguments for it are expendable. For example, if one support becomes untenable, another will quickly takes it place.

An example of a core belief is "the foreskin is yuk". Over time, this may transform into "I will get my kids done" or "I will circumcise as many infants as I can".

Nobody cuts off a healthy part of the body, unless they hate that part of the body. It would be completely unintelligent to remove a body part that is respected, accepted or cherished.

What happens if you strip away the all the intellectual rationalisations, the glib excuses and the justifications? We can look at the base feelings involved in a behaviour pattern.

They say for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. For 100 years male babies in some English speaking countries had a partial amputation without any painkiller. It was incredibly arrogant, because the possibility the system was wrong was discounted. The policy could have been "we don't think babies can feel, but just in case we will assume they can " (or we don't know what the tonsils, appendix etc. are for, but just in case... etc).

It takes more than a few mistaken beliefs for something like this to happen. Accidents don't just happen.

Without any involvement of the intellect, the basic force driving the circumcisor is anger and cruelty.

Parents consenting to this procedure may do so out of ignorance or they have been given misleading information. Nonetheless the basic driving force is fear and anger. There is a subgroup of parents supporting circumcision who are clearly very angry.

Circumcision will continue as long as some doctors are able to gain enjoyment and profit from them and society lets them.