WHAT DOES THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS BELIEVE ABOUT CIRCUMCISION?

In Moroni 8:8, in the Book of Mormon, Christ, following his death and resurrection, speaking to the peoples of the Western Hemisphere, known as the Nephites and Lamanites, says:

"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me."

Doctrine and Covenants Section 74, a revelation received by the prophet Joseph Smith as an explanation of 1 Corinthians 7:14, explains this further:

"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean, but now they are holy.
Now, in the days of the apostles the law of circumcision was had among all the Jews who believed not the gospel of Christ.
And it came to pass that there arose a great contention among the people concerning the law of circumcision, for the unbelieving husband was desirous that his children should be circumcised and become subject to the law of Moses, which law was fulfilled.
And it came to pass that the children, being brought up in subjection to the law of Moses, gave heed to the traditions of their fathers and believed not the gospel of Christ, wherein they became unholy.
Wherefore, for this cause the apostle wrote unto the church, giving unto them a commandment, not of the Lord, but of himself, that a believer should not be united to an unbeliever; except the law of Moses [including the requirement to circumcise] should be done away among them.
That their children might remain without circumcision; and that the tradition might be done away, which saith that little children are unholy; for it was had among the Jews;
But little children are holy, being sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean."

TEACHINGS ABOUT BODY MODIFICATIONS

The leaders of the LDS church have made it clear that it is not considered respectful to mark the body with piercing or tattoos, etc. If an adult piercing his or her own body is considered disrespectful, how much more so would this apply to cutting a part of someone else’s body off for non‐medical reasons?

In Moroni 8:8, in the Book of Mormon, Christ, following his death and resurrection, is speaking to the peoples of the Western Hemisphere, known as the Nephites and Lamanites.