Life Beginnings

ER · 12-06-2004, 12:54 PM

I was reading Thomas Sowell's column for today and came across this:

A couple of readers in Michigan ask: Since death is defined by the cessation of brain waves, why shouldn't life be defined by the beginning of brain waves?

That's a good question indeed. While I stand against abortion, I rarely get involved in the debate. What I do notice, though, is the hypocrisy in passing a law that calls for murder charges to be filed on behalf of the fetus against someone who kills a pregnant mother yet the mother can choose to terminate the pregnancy herself without facing charges.

Any thoughts?

ND4SPD · 12-06-2004, 12:57 PM

Agreed

luvtolean · 12-06-2004, 1:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ER

What I do notice, though, is the hypocrisy in passing a law that calls for murder charges to be filed on behalf of the fetus against someone who kills a pregnant mother yet the mother can choose to terminate the pregnancy herself without facing charges.

Any thoughts?

I think under this logic, birth control is also murder.

rocket · 12-06-2004, 1:15 PM

ConqSoft · 12-06-2004, 1:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

I think under this logic, birth control is also murder.

sheepofblue · 12-06-2004, 1:19 PM

Biased on this topic since I have a great Uncle that was adopted. Anything that would have prevented his birth kind of sits wrong with me

luvtolean · 12-06-2004, 1:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

By using birth control, which I am certainly a proponent of, you are terminating pregnancy continually.

ConqSoft · 12-06-2004, 1:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

By using birth control, which I am certainly a proponent of, you are terminating pregnancy continually.

Not really.. You're preventing it from ever happening, so there is no pregnancy to terminate.

oldfogey · 12-06-2004, 1:25 PM

In my optimistic moments, I think: wouldn't it be nice to match up all those people who can't have children with all those people who don't want their prospective children?

Sadly, it doesn't seem to work in human terms.

For the record, I am personally anti-abortion but pro choice until they engineer men to carry a pregnancy. Then we get entitled to have an opinion.

dB · 12-06-2004, 1:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldfogey

until they engineer men to carry a pregnancy. Then we get entitled to have an opinion.

I don't get that argument. Are men not responsible for their children, born or unborn? Aren't they then entitled to an opinion on this subject?

ccwilli3 · 12-06-2004, 1:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

Not really.. You're preventing it from ever happening, so there is no pregnancy to terminate.

I think that some pills do cause a female system to "flush" each month, regardless... I don't think that they all work as you've stated. Maybe thats what LTL means...

roadrunner954 · 12-06-2004, 2:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

Not really.. You're preventing it from ever happening, so there is no pregnancy to terminate.

That’s my thought too...

Back to the original question, It sure doesn’t make sense to allow abortion if you compare it to that law. We live in a crazy world I guess...

figment · 12-06-2004, 2:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

I think under this logic, birth control is also murder.

no, BRAIN waves, not sword waves...

Will · 12-07-2004, 2:27 AM

The pill prevents conception itself, therefore the sperm does not fertilise the egg, therefore no dividing of cells, ie no "life" of any description
Under your logic menstration would be the same as an abortion, which of course it is not

oldfogey · 12-07-2004, 5:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dB

I don't get that argument. Are men not responsible for their children, born or unborn? Aren't they then entitled to an opinion on this subject?

Responible for, definitely. Entitled to tell women whether they can or cannot make a choice, no. Entitled to an opinion, sure, so long as it isn't binding.

Rhetorical question, not addressed personally to DB, if you haven't been in the position of having to consider the issue for your unborn, can you really understand how someone feels? My third child, now a healthy sixteen year-old lad, when in the womb was diagnosed as potentially hydroencephalus and my ex-wife and I had to make a decision whether to continue or abort. She had a nervous breakdown over the issue during the pregnancy and we had heated discussions which contributed to our marital breakdown several years later. Reality bites.