[rmlew]

Now what about individuals born prematurely? In the past, nearly all of them, if not all of them, would have died because there nearly was no way of rescuing infants born premature. Imagine circumcision complicating this scenario.
I happen to know something about this scenario, being born 2 months premature. I did not have a bris until a week after coming home from the hospital at an age of 3 months. This was not as Reform move, but one fully countenance by an Orthodox rabbi. Most religious obligations can be postponed to save a life. A Jew is only required to die rather than commit murder, sexual immorality, or apostasy. I cannot think of any sane rabbi who would force a premature neonate to have a bris. Such a rabbi would face religious sanction.

PS. Muslim boys are circumcised at an older age, I believe 13. Coptic Christians also circumcise boys.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"A Jew is only required to die rather than commit murder, sexual immorality, or apostasy."

I have heard this before, and I find it very interesting in that it parallels what I've come to understand as a Catholic as the three areas in which we have moral absolutes: that which relates directly to God (the Lord and Giver of Life); or to the sacredness of Human Life (which is created in the Image and Likeness of God); or to the sacredness of sex (because sex is where life comes from.)

Hence the moral absolutes center around: no apostasy, no murder, no sexual violation. Catholic philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe would group these as the "exceptionless norms."

Is that approximately how Jewish moral philosophers would see it? Can you point me to links where I could learn more about this from a Jewish point of view?