Does Life Begin at Conception?

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  • futiledevices
    futiledevices Posts: 309 Member
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    It may be alive, but it's certainly not human.
  • summalovaable
    summalovaable Posts: 287 Member
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    In the most literal sense of the word it is a life at the moment of conception. Of course, a virus and an amoeba are also alive. IMO it doesn't attain person-hood and all that goes along with that until it is viable. It is a potential person just as an acorn is a potential oak tree but crushing an acorn is not the same as chopping down a tree. Whether or not it's a life is a completely different topic than the moral and legal aspects of birth control and abortion. Otherwise, if it is a full person with all the rights there-of from the moment of conception that makes every woman who ever took the pill guilty of first degree murder.

    IMHO best response! There are too many technicalities when you define conception as the "moment of fertilization". And really its not very accurate, you may have a potential for a child forming but it is far from a child yet. And really, I'm not going to feel too awful about killing some premature chromosomes if I take the time to go tanning and slowly kill my chromosomes that way. If that's the definition of a child, is it considered suicide for me to go tanning? My poor DNA can only handle some many point mutations after all.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    It has the potential to grow into a child, but I don't believe it gets "personhood" until it's born, to be honest.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I think the minute that little ovum is fertilized you have the beginning of life. It may not be life as in a complete person, but it is a group of living cells growing, maturing and processing. Everything that makes up a person is being developed. I personally think from the minute of conception you have a person.

    I agree with everything except the last sentence. From the moment of conception you have a parasite. That parasite may result in a wanted child, but while it is feeding off of its host, it is a parasite.

    no it isn't. A parasite is a different species that feeds off its host. The developing pregnancy is the same species as its mother and father, so it doesn't meet the definition for parasite.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    It has the potential to grow into a child, but I don't believe it gets "personhood" until it's born, to be honest.

    Are you pro-choice? If so, because you don't think a fetus reaches personhood until it's born, are you okay with third trimester abortions? Not being snarky; sincerely wondering your opinion.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    once there is a heartbeat it's a living thing to me

    Agreed here.

    I also don't agree that anyone should be able to abort a baby once it has a heartbeat...which is week 4 or 5 of pregnancy. Basically, by the time you find out, your child has a heartbeat. This is why I am pro-life.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    It has the potential to grow into a child, but I don't believe it gets "personhood" until it's born, to be honest.

    Are you pro-choice? If so, because you don't think a fetus reaches personhood until it's born, are you okay with third trimester abortions? Not being snarky; sincerely wondering your opinion.

    I am pro-choice, and while this opinion is not popular, I am okay with third trimester abortions.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    I am pro-choice, and while this opinion is not popular, I am okay with third trimester abortions.

    Have you seen what a third trimester "non person" looks like?
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    i would assume the issue isnt about looks
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I am pro-choice, and while this opinion is not popular, I am okay with third trimester abortions.

    Have you seen what a third trimester "non person" looks like?
    Have you seen what a 10 week old embryo looks like? That doesn't change your mind does it?

    I'm only in favor of 3rd trimester abortions in extreme circumstances such as serious medical issues for the mother or fetus.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    which i believe is the only time theyre ever allowed anyway
  • mikajoanow
    mikajoanow Posts: 584 Member
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    which i believe is the only time theyre ever allowed anyway
    Depends on the state. My state has no restrictions.
  • mikajoanow
    mikajoanow Posts: 584 Member
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    It has the potential to grow into a child, but I don't believe it gets "personhood" until it's born, to be honest.

    Me too. People need to do what is right for their own lives and I do not think I am qualified to run someone elses life and tell them what they can or can not do with their bodies in regards to bringing children into the world. I also don't think that the majority of women who choose abortion in the third trimester do so on a whim, I think there are very serious reasons in most cases.

    Another unpopular opinion I have... I personally do not find adoption a good alternative. I personally don't think its a great idea to carry a pregnancy to term just so they can give it to some unknown person, who may or may not be a complete *kitten*. I have known (at least) two people who were adopted and sexually abused by their adoptive families. Not that I think all adoptive families are like this (many biological families are like this as well) but I would not bring a person into the world just to hand it over to someone else. If other people choose that, great for them but its not for me. Besides the fact that there are already so many children who already exist in this world who need loving caring families, most of whom are overlooked for a variety of reasons.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    which i believe is the only time theyre ever allowed anyway
    Depends on the state. My state has no restrictions.

    oh wow, i dont like that very much, even with being pro choice. Still cant imagine its very common though
  • mikajoanow
    mikajoanow Posts: 584 Member
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    which i believe is the only time theyre ever allowed anyway
    Depends on the state. My state has no restrictions.

    oh wow, i dont like that very much, even with being pro choice. Still cant imagine its very common though
    1.5% of all abortions happen after 21 weeks in the United States.
    I don't think very many people go into a late term abortion lightly.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Have you seen what a third trimester "non person" looks like?

    Not at all about looks at all. I simply believe that the rights of the mother, who is an actual, living person, trump the rights of the third trimester "non person".
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Have you seen what a 10 week old embryo looks like? That doesn't change your mind does it?

    Of course I have. And of course it doesn't change my mind. I'm curious if the way a fetus looks to someone who is pro-choice makes a difference. Maybe I missed your point.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Of course I have. And of course it doesn't change my mind. I'm curious if the way a fetus looks to someone who is pro-choice makes a difference. Maybe I missed your point.

    I think the point that Bahet was trying to make was that just as the 10-week embryo doesn't change the mind of someone who is pro-life, the appearance of the fetus doesn't really have much of an effect on the mindset of someone who is pro-choice. I know what they look like, and it doesn't change my opinion.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    I think the point that Bahet was trying to make was that just as the 10-week embryo doesn't change the mind of someone who is pro-life, the appearance of the fetus doesn't really have much of an effect on the mindset of someone who is pro-choice. I know what they look like, and it doesn't change my opinion.
    I find that surprising. Thanks for answering what I was wondering.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Of course I have. And of course it doesn't change my mind. I'm curious if the way a fetus looks to someone who is pro-choice makes a difference. Maybe I missed your point.

    I think the point that Bahet was trying to make was that just as the 10-week embryo doesn't change the mind of someone who is pro-life, the appearance of the fetus doesn't really have much of an effect on the mindset of someone who is pro-choice. I know what they look like, and it doesn't change my opinion.

    ^^ Yea, that. :smile: