Reuters - Berlin -
Germany's foreign
minister added his voice on Thursday to a chorus of criticism of a court
decision to ban the circumcision of young boys for religious reasons,
arguing that such traditions must be permitted in a tolerant society.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany called
the ruling an "unprecedented and dramatic intrusion" on religious
freedom and the Central Council of Muslims in Germany called it "blatant
and inadmissible interference" in the rights of parents.
Germany's
two main Christian churches also criticized the Cologne court ruling,
the Catholic Episcopal Conference calling it "extremely disconcerting".
"To ban circumcision is a serious attack on religious freedom," said Catholic Bishop Heinrich Mussinghoff.
Read the full Reuters report here
