This is the question National Review Online’s Jonah Goldberg addresses in his Tribune Media Services column today.
While science provides plenty of information about when life begins, Goldberg and many many others take the position that “I don’t know if life begins at conception. I don’t really know what ‘life’ means.” He goes on to make a great argument for the pro-life case for those who start at the same place.
In death penalty cases, “reasonable doubt” goes to the accused because unless we’re certain, we must not risk an innocent’s life. This logic goes out the window when it comes to abortion, unless you are 100% sure that babies only become human beings after the umbilical cord is cut. I don’t see how you can be that sure, which is why I’m pro-life — not because I’m certain, but because I’m not.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I tried a search on this site for the words ‘Iraq war’. Nothing came up. I find it curious that so many American Christians are willing to proclaim the ‘pro-life’ cause, but when it comes to the deaths of a million Iraqis and the destruction of their nation on the basis of a false charge of harboring ‘weapons of mass destruction’ you are silent. Pro-life? Sounds like an empty political slogan to me. And yes, I am anti-abortion. And no, I’m not a liberal.
Mr. Melville,
Thank you for taking the time to stop by our site and leave a comment. We focus on the life issues of abortion, bioethics, end of life, and healthcare workers’ rights of conscience. The issues you raise are considerably outside that scope, as are a number of other issues that we also do not address.
Thanks again.
i totally agree with you mat! i am on this web site because i am doing a paper on abortions and let me just say that i HATE them!!! i do not believe thim at all and im only 15 years old!!!
I think we should probably start at delivery and work our way back to conception.
True or False
Roe vs. Wade permits abortion up until the moment of delivery.
Most rational people consider the unborn a human being the moment before delivery.
Most rational people consider the killing of an innocent human being murder.
The Democratic Party strongly supports Roe vs. Wade.
Therefore most rational people should believe that the Democratic Party strongly supports murder.
“Changing Law to Protect Human Life, State by State.”
Bold statement does Americans United for Life really follow it?
Mr. Eppinette,
What is your organizations stance on the Death Penalty? Do you support or condem it. If condem, what progress have you made to stop capital punishment? I ask because I believe it falls in your scope and I could not find any information about or the site.
Mr. Lester,
False. It is a logical fallacy and worse than Anselm’s Ontological argument for the existence of God. The Democratic Party can not support Roe V. Wade as it is not able to cast a vote. Most of its members do, because they can vote. Making it part of the Democratic Party’s platform. Each member has a different stance on abortion and what they find to be acceptable. I have no doubt that many members would not support abortion just prior to delivery and some may not support abortion at all. I, for one, don’t past the first trimester unless there is a genuine health concern. Am I in support of murder? I’m sure some, perhaps most, people will say yes to that question. If most but not all do, is it then true that all people in Americans United for Life believe I am in support of murder. (My guess is false again)