Everything I've read said that sewing up a tear is much better for you than cutting across two muscles (which is what an episiotomy is). Most of the studies have shown that with massaging olive oil into the area you should have no reason to do the cut and the healing time is faster and better with a tear than a cut. I would never have one (and in fact left my doctor because she seemed kinda cut happy- wish I'd found yours). They're making them non-standard and non-routine these days.
At any rate, they're all personal choices, but since so many people were speaking in favor of them I wanted to offer the alternate opinion.