Comments on: How Not to Think About Abortion http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/ Bill Muehlenberg's commentary on issues of the day... Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bill Stafford http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/comment-page-1/#comment-63150 Bill Stafford Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:55:13 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/#comment-63150 Bill, we are kindred spirits. I have written essays, though not nearly so eloquent, in which I have said nearly the same thing. The anti-life crowd speaks a different language than the pro-lifers. Pros often quote scripture and rightfully so to support their argument. The antis have no emotional ties to the Bible so one may be equally effective reading the telephone book to them. Anti-life advocates believe they have exclusive possession of science. Facts from medical science leave them with no argument. If they are forced to admit life begins at conception, they have no choice but to accept abortion for what it is; heinous, cold-blooded murder. The facts you related concerning the newly formed embryo produce a substance very popular in medical science these days: DNA . Laboratories are incapable of discerning if DNA is that of an embryo, a toddler, or a grandmother. DNA is distinct for a snake, a kangaroo, a falcon, or a human. The lab tech will report the DNA sample from the embryo is that of a human. I take it one step further, pointing out the fact that within 10 days to two weeks, a discernible heartbeat can be heard. Heartbeat, or pulse, is the key factor medical caregivers are taught to look for in an ill or injured person todetermine if life is still present. Therefore, if we have human DNA and a beating heart, we have a living human being. Any action which results in the stoppage of the beating heart is by definition the cause of death of a human being. If that action is a deliberate, intentional act, said action is by definition, premeditated murder. My illustration has always left a 10 day window in which I could not prove conclusively life existed. Your point about the live sperm meeting the live egg nicely solves that conundrum. I know this was an old blog but when I read it I knew I had to offer my comments. By incorporating your comments with my own, hopefully God will use this information to persuade someone to say no to abortion. You and I will never know in this life what good these comments may do, but as the old hymn says, "We will understand it better, by and by." Bill Stafford Marietta, Georgis, USA Bill, we are kindred spirits. I have written essays, though not nearly so eloquent, in which I have said nearly the same thing.

The anti-life crowd speaks a different language than the pro-lifers. Pros often quote scripture and rightfully so to support their argument. The antis have no emotional ties to the Bible so one may be equally effective reading the telephone book to them.

Anti-life advocates believe they have exclusive possession of science. Facts from medical science leave them with no argument. If they are forced to admit life begins at conception, they have no choice but to accept abortion for what it is; heinous, cold-blooded murder.

The facts you related concerning the newly formed embryo produce a substance very popular in medical science these days: DNA . Laboratories are incapable of discerning if DNA is that of an embryo, a toddler, or a grandmother. DNA is distinct for a snake, a kangaroo, a falcon, or a human. The lab tech will report the DNA sample from the embryo is that of a human.

I take it one step further, pointing out the fact that within 10 days to two weeks, a discernible heartbeat can be heard. Heartbeat, or pulse, is the key factor medical caregivers are taught to look for in an ill or injured person todetermine if life is still present.

Therefore, if we have human DNA and a beating heart, we have a living human being. Any action which results in the stoppage of the beating heart is by definition the cause of death of a human being. If that action is a deliberate, intentional act, said action is by definition, premeditated murder.

My illustration has always left a 10 day window in which I could not prove conclusively life existed. Your point about the live sperm meeting the live egg nicely solves that conundrum.

I know this was an old blog but when I read it I knew I had to offer my comments. By incorporating your comments with my own, hopefully God will use this information to persuade someone to say no to abortion. You and I will never know in this life what good these comments may do, but as the old hymn says, “We will understand it better, by and by.”

Bill Stafford
Marietta, Georgis, USA

]]> By: Jonathan Sarfati http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/comment-page-1/#comment-25722 Jonathan Sarfati Tue, 14 Aug 2007 07:14:47 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/#comment-25722 This blogger is crass. So what if slavers judged slaves to be subhuman, or Hitler judged Jews to be non-persons? According to the blogger's "reasoning", that was right for their consciences, so who are we to judge? Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane This blogger is crass. So what if slavers judged slaves to be subhuman, or Hitler judged Jews to be non-persons? According to the blogger’s “reasoning”, that was right for their consciences, so who are we to judge?
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane

]]> By: John Nelson http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/comment-page-1/#comment-25720 John Nelson Tue, 14 Aug 2007 06:52:38 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/08/14/how-not-to-think-about-abortion/#comment-25720 Human life is a continuum, from conception to the grave ...and beyond. To define the emergence of personhood at a particular point after conception is totally arbitrary. The language of the psalmist clearly suggests he was a person in his mother's womb: "My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." (Ps 139:15,16). John Nelson Human life is a continuum, from conception to the grave …and beyond. To define the emergence of personhood at a particular point after conception is totally arbitrary.

The language of the psalmist clearly suggests he was a person in his mother’s womb:

“My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Ps 139:15,16).

John Nelson

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