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I think he is confusing ritual of circumcision and the physical pain experienced during childbirth. By treating two intrinsically different human experiences as though they were identical he seeks to confuse the issue. Although circumcision involves both parent and child, only the child experiences physical discomfort. This procedure is not, nor has it ever been necessary for the survival of male children.

On the other hand, natural childbirth was until recently an unavoidable and painful experience which both mother and child had to undergo. Surely Brenner must be aware that as society becomes increasingly agnostic. Religious rituals such as circumcision will become less common. However the rate of natural childbirth is declining for very different reasons. I have no medical qualifications or experience, but I believe that mothers are now far less inclined to want to experience the pain in natural childbirth involved. An additional factor might be the caution of medical staff, who might during a difficult births opt for c-section as a safer alternative over natural delivery.

Mr Brenner describes going ahead with the procedure himself, despite admitting that he was aware of the possible undesirable consequences for his twin sons. He describes removing performing the "cut" and experiencing "an unparalleled sense of connection to and responsibility for life. The birth was pure wonder. The circumcision was primal and mysterious, connecting me to flesh and blood in a violent and careful moment of father-love."