I respect you and your opinions. You've been consistently intelligent and reserved. Please respect differing opinions as well, and do not dismiss them as pissing contests.
What I say hereon is prefaced by IMO.
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Originally Posted by Matthew Shea  My point is that we're picking nits trying to draw a line to determine at what point a human embryo/fetus/etc gains a right to life. |
No, we aren't picking nits. That line, yet-to-be-drawn, is the crux of the debate.
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Why? Why shouldn't all human life be protected, regardless of what stage it's at?
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Because some humans are worth more than others.
A productive woman is more valueable than a dependent newborn.
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Integral to this debate is the fact that highly effective birth control is widely available, so if a woman doesn't want to get pregnant, 90 - 99% of the time, she shouldn't even have to worry about it.
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Birth control could have side effects.
And birth control is not so widespread. Two 14-year-olds can't get their hands on it, so they go without it.
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This SHOULD make abortion a rare exception to the case where birth control failed and there's a compelling reason that the pregnancy shouldn't be carried through.
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How could someone prove this in court, though?
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People are so irresponsible with their sex lives, though, that something that SHOULD be a rarity is now commonplace and that disturbs me deeply.
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What is this "something" you refer to? Surprise pregnancies, or abortion?
Don't let it disturb you deeply. It's not your personal problem, is it?
You've put this chip on your own shoulder.
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The way I see it, people don't take the fact that we're dealing with a human life seriously, especially at the most important point: BEFORE the sexual act.
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Not everyone thinks they're creating a "human life", merely an embryo. The embryo's brain is so primitive that (in my opinion) it cannot be said to contain a soul, much less a consciousness.
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Seriously, are condoms REALLY that hard to use?
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Having never used one, I can only guess that it would be uncomfortable.
For all I know, it could cause irritation or damage.
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When you can prevent an unwanted pregnancy with a reasonable effort, which is ABSOLUTELY possible these days, you have a duty to do so. In this way, abortion is something that can and should be avoided, regardless of any pissing contest of whether the embryo has rights or not.
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This "pissing contest" is a complex debate that has ensued for years.
I used to be pro-life, like you. But then I had an awakening -- perhaps as a result of seeking out education. I became aware of the hypocrisy of "saving" a fetus so that it could be raised in a terrible environment.
Look at the matter logically.