Does Human Personhood Begin at Conception?
Peter Kreeft, Catholic Educators Resource Center
The personhood of the fetus is clearly the crucial issue for abortion, for if the fetus is not a
person, abortion is not the deliberate killing of an innocent person: if it is, it is. All other
aspects of the abortion controversy are relative to this one; e.g., women have rights - over their
own bodies but not over other persons' bodies. The law must respect a "right to privacy" but
killing other persons is not a private but a public deed. Persons have a "right to life" but
non-persons (e.g., cells, tissues, organs, and animals) do not.
Pro-choicers make a triple distinction among a human life, a human being and a human person. Each cell in our bodies has human life, and a single
cell kept alive in a laboratory could be called "a human life" but certainly not "a human being" or
"a human person." "A human being" is a biologically whole individual of the species. Even a human
being born with no brain is a human being, not an ape; but it is not a person because it has no
brain and cannot do anything distinctively human: think, know, choose, love, feel, desire, commit,
relate, aspire, know itself, know God, know its past, know its future, know its environment, or
communicate - all of which have, in various combinations, been offered as the marks of a person.
The pro-life position seems to confuse the sanctity of the person with the sanctity of life, which
is two steps removed from it.
Pro-choicers say the very young product of conception, the zygote, has no ability to perform any of the
distinctive activities that anyone associates with personhood (reasoning, choosing, loving,
communicating, etc.) - not even feeling pain, for the zygote has no brain or nervous system. At
first it is only a single cell. How could anyone call a single cell a person?
Pro-choicers claim that personhood begins not at at conception, but develops gradually, as a matter of degree. Every one of the
characteristics we use to identify personhood arises and grows gradually rather than suddenly. The fetus is potentially a
person, but it must grow into an actual person.
Pro-choicers will say that personhood is not a clear concept. There is not universal agreement on it. Different
philosophers, scientists, religionists, moralists, mothers, and observers define it differently. It
is a matter of opinion where the dividing line between persons and non-persons should be located.
But what is a matter of opinion should not be decided or enforced by law. Law should express social
consensus, and there is no consensus in our society about personhood's beginning or, consequently,
about abortion. One opinion should not be forced on all. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion but,
precisely, pro-choice.
Thus there are four and only four possibilities: that it is not a person and we know that, that it is a person and we know that, that it is a person
but we do not know that, and that it is not a person and we do not know that.
Now what is abortion in each of these four cases?
In case (1), abortion is perfectly permissible. We do no wrong if we kill what is not a person and
we know it is not a person-e.g., if we fry a fish. But no one has ever proved with certainty that a
fetus is not a person. If there exists anywhere such a proof, please show it to me and I shall
convert to pro-choice on the spot if I cannot refute it.
Why Abortion is Biblical
By Brian Elroy McKinley
How anti-abortion activists misrepresent the biblical record
People don't take time to read their own Bibles.This website talks about the few biblical verses that anti-abortionists cite to demonstrate that abortion is murder. But there
are others that would seem to make the case for abortion.
This is one of the verses commonly cited to support the stance the abortion is murder:
"For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for Thou art fearfully wonderful (later texts were changed to read "for I am fearfully and wonderfully made"); wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
Psalm 139:13-16
But the Bible also says this:
"And if men struggle and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall be fined as the woman's husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."
Exodus 21:22-25
In Leviticus 27:6 a monetary value was placed on children, but not until they reached one month old (any younger had no value). Likewise, in Numbers 3:15 a census was commanded, but the Jews were told only to count those one month old and above - anything less, particularly a fetus, was not counted as a human person. In Ezekiel 37:8-10 we watch as God re-animates dead bones into living soldiers, but the passage makes the interesting note that they were not alive as persons until their first breath. Likewise, in Genesis 2:7, Adam had a human form and a vibrant new body but he only becomes a fully-alive human person after God makes him breathe.
Making a judgment against people in God's name, when God is not behind the judging, is nothing short of claiming that our own beliefs are more important than God's.
Family planning prevents abortion
Please don't think that those who advocate family planning are advocating
abortion - most are not. We advocate family planning not only because it
improves lives of children, women, and families where resources are scarce, but because family planning PREVENTS abortions. Unfortunately, abortions are performed illegally whether we like it or not, and in some countries, such as China, they are legal and
they are encouraged. The GLOBAL GAG RULE
does nothing to stop illegal abortions or abortions in countries where
abortion is legal. The global gag rule does the opposite: it decreases
funding for aid for international family planning, i.e., contraceptives and
other birth control methods, reproductive health services and family
planning counseling. The result of the global gag rule is MORE abortions,
NOT LESS. In China, where the US Agency for International Development family
planning programs cannot operate, the U.N. has been working with China by
introducing contraceptives and health clinics. The result is that, in
counties where these programs exits, there are fewer abortions.
"I do not mean to over generalize, but it has been my experience that
folks wanting to control/reduce overpopulation are strong proponents of
abortion.
I have come to believe that abortion is murder."
MM, Stockton California
Answer: What you've expressed represents millions of people. Feelings
against perceived murder are bound to be strong. However, let's separate the
issue of abortion from the problem of overpopulation. The serious impact of
overpopulation is being overlooked exactly because of your and many others'
very powerful beliefs.
There are many other ways to limit family size, and I assume that many who
feel the way you do consciously limit the number of children they have - of
course not by abortion, but by avoiding pregnancy one way or another, for
example by delaying sex until after marriage, or by using pharmaceutical
birth control, condoms, diaphrams, abstinence, the rhythm method or other
methods until the couple is ready financially, and again after the couple
has decided they have had enough children for either financial reasons or
for the emotional well-being of the existing family.
..... (See Table: 'Birth Control Usage in the
USA')
Much of the overpopulation community acknowledges the powerfulness of your
convictions and also realizes that abortion is not a necessary means to
alleviating world overpopulation.
Feb 1999
Unplanned Pregnancy Common Worldwide
From a report by the Guttmacher Institute (AGI), worldwide, 4 in 10
pregnancies are uplanned - half of these end in abortion. The abortion rate,
is nearly the same for developed countries (39/1000) as for undeveloped
countries (34/1000). In Eastern Europe, however the abortion rate is 90 per
1000 women. In the developed countries where smaller families are desired, an
estimated 49% are unplanned, and 36% end in abortion, while in
developing countries, an estimated 36% are unplanned, and 20% end in
abortion. While there are 26 million legal abortions per year, there are an
estimated 20 million illegal abortions.
The World Health Organization on Abortion:
Induced Abortion Services:
In almost every country there are legal indications for induced abortion. These indications vary widely, however:
some countries restrict legal induced abortion to situations where it is necessary to save the life of the woman;
other countries allow induced abortion in pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, and/or the probable presence
of fetal abnormalities. Other statutes allow abortion for broad health reasons, contraceptive failure,
socioeconomic reasons, and/or by request of the woman. Within the legal constraints in their particular setting,
health care providers have an obligation to provide safe abortion services.
In some settings, providers of induced abortion services may not be motivated to promote preventive care such
as family planning. However, providers and managers have a responsibility to ensure that women who receive
pregnancy termination services also are offered family planning. Induced abortion and family planning services
must never be coercive, however. Provision of induced abortion services should never be contingent on the
woman accepting contraception in general or any particular method.
Menstrual Regulation (MR) Services:
Although pregnancy may not be confirmed, many women seek menstrual regulation (MR) services because
they fear they may be pregnant. Therefore, MR shares some similarities with induced abortion. Providers and
managers of MR services need to see that women obtain the means to prevent a subsequent unwanted
pregnancy as an integral part of the care they receive.
World Health Organization
Abortion and Menstrual Regulation in Vietnam:
Vietnam has the highest abortion rate in Asia and the third highest rate in the world. Recently, the number of abortions (including menstrual regulation
procedures) in Vietnam has been increasing: According to national health statistics, 760,000 abortions were carried out in 1989, 1.3 million in 1994 and
1.4 million in 1995.2 In 1992, about 100 abortions were performed for every 1,000 women of reproductive age, and women could expect to have an
average of 2.5 abortions in their lifetime.
In Vietnam, abortion is legal and available as part of overall family planning services provided at various provincial, district and communal health facilities.
Menstrual regulation, an aspiration (suction) abortion occurring six weeks or less after the beginning of a woman's last menstrual period, is available at most
health facilities. Recent government estimates suggest that menstrual regulation accounted for approximately 45–60% (600,000–800,000) of the 1.4 million
pregnancy terminations performed in 1995. Note: menstrual regulation is performed up to 6 weeks after conception.
December 1998 Alan Guttmacher Family Planning Perspectives
Menstrual Regulation in Bangladesh
In 1978, deaths from abortion accounted for an estimated 26% of all pregnancy-related deaths in Bangladesh. To reduce abortion mortality, the
government trained health workers to perform menstrual regulation (MR) up to ten weeks gestation. Previous studies show that nearly one-third of women
seeking an MR are rejected. Women who were refused MRs often seek abortions from indigenous practitioners who use risky procedures.
October 23, 2001 APHA
Some thoughts on abortion, zygotes, and fetesus, and the beginning of
life .. by Gregg Easterbrook
Does Life Begin Only When the Embryo Implants?
ChristianAnswers.net
Decline in Abortions
New Abortion Statistics Confirm Effectiveness of Prevention Programs
..
From the AGI: Between 1988 and 1995, there was a twenty percent
increase in the percentage of teens who use contraception at first
intercourse
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been
an overall decline
in abortions since 1990, with a 15% drop from 1,429,577 reported in 1990 to
1,221,585 reported
in 1996. The average rate of abortions is 20 per 1,000 females ages 15 to
44. The CDC and others have said that factors contributing to the decline
may be a decrease in the number of unintended
pregnancies, changes in contraceptive practices such as increased use of
condoms by young women and use of long-lasting
methods live Depo-Provera and Norplant, reduced access to abortion, and
changes of attitudes about abortion.
Pro-Life Links
- National Right to Life
In a section 'When Does Life Begin?' shows a picture of a 9 week fetus and the feet of the fetus - each foot about the size of a man's thumbnail. It does not show what 'life'
looks like when it begins.
-
The Warped "American Dream" Threatens Latin America
- Ohio Right To
Life has similar right to life and overpopulation views as MM above
But, - on
the same web site maintains that there is plenty of land and resources,
but ignores that much of the land used for their statistics is not arable.
.
- Is the World
Overpopulated? Brian Carnell
- Facts Not
Fear from the Alabama Family Alliance (suggested textbook for
schools).
Are There Too Many People? No. The Earth's "carrying capacity is
enormous. Human ingenuity is more than equal to the challenge of meeting the
demands of a growing population.
Does Population Growth Cause Starvation? No. Food production has
increased faster than world population, and this trend is likely to
continue.
Is America Running Out of Trees? No. The amount of wood grown
increases every year, and every year more wood grows than is harvested.
Answers To Above
- answer to Ohio group
- "Soil Limitations" - FAO - Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Your answer here! Send me an email
Links
Late abortion Religious Tolerance
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The Global Gag Rule
In 1999, the Global Gag Rule became a condition of a U.S. international
spending bill. It had nothing to do with the U.S. back dues to the U.N.,
but, nevertheless, it was insisted upon by the religious right. The Global
Gag Rule conditions funds spent on international family planning so that if
any agency that performs or lobbies for abortions with it's own money, it
will receive no funding for family planning. This rule, in effect, bans
free speech by foreign agencies over which the United States has no
authority. Unsafe, illegal abortions result in 75,000 deaths-and 30 times
more debilitating maternal injuries every year. There is no U.S. funding for
abortions overseas. Since 1973, federal law has prohibited the use of U.S.
international family planning funds to perform or promote abortion. And
since 1981, any lobbying on abortion has been banned.
In fact, the funding that goes to international groups for family planning
has greatly reduced the number of unwanted pregnancies.
That translates into fewer abortions. This language could even gag
organizations from educating people about the dangers of unsafe abortion, or
from providing information to public health ministries that are reviewing
abortion laws. (The rule prohibits any funds from going to organizations
that "engage in activities or efforts to alter the laws or governmental
policies of any foreign country concerning the circumstances in which
abortion is permitted, regulated, or prohibited." ) However, there are
exceptions to the gag rule where the life of the mother is threatened or if
the pregnancy is a result of forcible rape or incest. USAID has made the
following initial estimates of the impact that this deal will have in FY
2000:
455,321 women will lose access to modern contraceptives
259,533 unintended pregnancies
103,813 additional abortions
121,981 unwanted births
500 maternal deaths
8,783 infant deaths
Congress has been hacking away at international family planning funds, which
peaked at $ 436.4 million in 1995 and dropped to $ 385 million for each of
the last three years. Estimates are that 150 million couples want family
planning but do not yet have access. Nearly 600,000 women die during
childbirth and pregnancy each year, and 75,000 die during abortion attempts.
The Washington Post November 19, 1999
Consider Russia. When Russia was part of the Soviet Union, abortion was the
primary form of family planning. Now the availability of contraceptives is
up and the abortion rate is down.
But Russian family planning groups also lobby the government to improve the
notoriously unsanitary conditions of abortion clinics. Under the new rules,
they could lose money for birth control because they also speak up for safe
abortions. Boston Globe, November 18, 1999
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Motherhood
by Bill Denneen ... September 2000
I have learned so much from my chickens. Each year a number of hens hatch
out broods of baby chicks. They go around the yard scratching, feeding,
protecting and clucking. I enjoy watching and learning from them. I have
noticed some hens make excellent mothers and some not. The poor motherers
might be good layers/nice hens/fine individuals but NOT good at taking care
of baby chicks.
I have noticed the same with humans. Some human females are wonderfull
mothers/teachers while others might be excellent
microbiologist/engineers/mathematicians/bulldozer-operators/journalists but
being a mother is just NOT where they excel. Maybe the time has come to
educate young people about what causes babies and that women do NOT have to
have a baby to be 'female'. In most current cultures the female is 'owned'
by the male and has only one career choice---motherhood.
I met a woman recently, Helen, that has 5 kids. Being an older, gruff male
my only comment was: 'ever hear of contraception?' Her response pointed out
she loved kids, wanted more and she was a teacher. Her yard was designed
for kids with all sorts of play houses, swings, slides open grass and a
trampoline. This reminded me of the excellent mother hen; if Helen had
started 'clucking' I would not have been suprised. Yes, there are some
females that SHOULD have babies. BUT there are many more that shouldn't.
Every child born has the right to be born planned, wanted and loved. That
is the role of Planned Parenthood; that is why I have supported PP for over
half a century. That is why I set-up my table in front of PP on Wed.
morning when anti-PP people stand and pray across the street. I too am
opposed to abortion but feel contraception/sterlization/education is the
answer. The age of first intercourse in our country like it or not is 17.
Teen pregnancy is 'epidemic' in Santa Maria---the highest in the entire
industrialized world. Yes, I urge young people to practise abstinence until
marriage but also as an elder suggest: never go out on a 'date' without a
selection of condoms "just-in-case".
In other cultures there are many potential female lawyers, biologists,
professors, mathematicians that are born but given only one
choice---motherhood. That is the situation in India and Bangaladesh today.
Women are treated like cattle (or lower) and have no say in the culture. I
have enjoyed seeing women achieve so very much in our culture in the past
half century. I enjoy seeing women in sports as that is a role that they
were not permitted when I was a kid. Joan Benoit,in my thinking, was the
turning point when she won the olympic marathon 12 years ago.
It took two million years for human numbers to reach our first billion in
1830 but only a century to reach our second billion in 1930. Since then
human numbers have exploded to over 6,000,000,000.---much like rabbits in
Australia.
This, on a planet where 80% of the people live in substandard housing, 70%
are unable to read, 50% suffer from malnutrition and less than 1% with
computers. Global warming, polluted air, species extinction, contaminated
water, loss of wetland and social pathology are all a product of too many
people consuming finite resources. It has been great to live during the
twilight years of the 'Golden Age of Man (people?)'.
Population explosions are typically followed by a population collapse like
Kaibab Forest deer when predators were removed. It is my opinion that we
are on the verge of a collapse----I sincerely wish I were wrong but as an
educated elder I feel obligated to point this out.
At one time India tried to slow the explosion by offering a transistor
radio to any male that would get a vasectomy. China made it illegal to have more
than one child. The world population explosion can no longer be ignored.
The US leads the developed countries with: 1 in 8 women aged 15-19 get
pregnant each year resulting in a million births, 66% of these births are
unintended (accidents) and Santa Maria leads. Ignoring the problem will not
make it go away.
Our country is the leading culture in the world today. As California goes
so goes the rest of the states/world. Change right here in Central City
could be a start. As a first step read Tracy Hamiliton's excellent article
in The Sun (5/5/00) entitled: "Teen Pregnancy--the problem we don't want to
talk about".
(I will send you a copy on request). A task force might be formed headed by
Planned Parenthood's Patty Herrera and Righetti High's Virginia Whitehead.
Young women need to know early that they have a wide selection of what they
do with their lives. It is a good time to be female; you could be an
editor, truck driver, financial planner, pilot, mechanic, congresspersons,
firefighter, supervisor, not necesarily only one choice-- motherhood. Most
women in the world today have only the last choice.
We should have more family planning for the entire world without a 'gag rule'.
Congressperson Lois Capps cosponsored HR 3634 which would promote
international family planning and give women 'choice'. The bill might not
pass because of abortion 'gag rule' provisions. All aid to other countries
should include contaceptives(e.g.condoms). Abstinence is an interesting
abstraction but we are not biologically designed for it ----responsible
behaviour should be the main emphasis. To me if you do not like
abortion---support Planned Parenthood--they offer sex education and make
available contraception both of which prevent the need for an abortion. The
Dark Ages ended long ago.
