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When Does Life Begin

When Does Life Begin. Opinions Opinions Opinions Opinions Opinions. Anti-abortion Pope. THE Pope has come under fire for comparing abortion and the Holocaust in his latest book.

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When Does Life Begin

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  1. When Does Life Begin Opinions Opinions Opinions Opinions Opinions

  2. Anti-abortion Pope THE Pope has come under fire for comparing abortion and the Holocaust in his latest book. In Memory and Identity, Pope John Paul II said both are the result of governments clashing with divine law.

  3. The first copies of the book, which is expected to be a bestseller, have been printed in Italy. • The Pope wrote that both abortion and the mass murder of six million Jews came about as a result of people usurping the "law of God" beneath the guise of democracy. • He wrote: "It was a legally elected parliament which allowed for the election of Hitler in Germany in the 1930s. • "We have to question the legal regulations that have been decided in the parliaments of present-day democracies.

  4. "The most direct association which comes to mind is the abortion laws. • "Parliaments which create and promulgate such laws must be aware that they are transgressing their powers and remain in open conflict with the law of God and the law of nature."

  5. 4th CENTURY BCE TO 1st CENTURY CE (Various beliefs): • In ancient times, the "delayed ensoulment" belief of Aristotle (384-322 BCE) was widely accepted in Pagan Greece and Rome. He taught that a fetus originally has a vegetable soul. This evolves into an animal soul later in gestation. Finally the fetus is "animated" with a human soul. This latter event, called "ensoulment," was believed to occur at 40 days after conception for male fetuses, and 90 days after conception for female fetuses. 1

  6. The difference was of little consequence, because in those days, the gender of a fetus could not be determined visually until about 90 days from conception, and no genetic tests existed to determine gender. Ultrasound devices were millennia in the future. Thus contraception and abortion were not condemned if performed early in gestation. It is only if the abortion is done later in pregnancy that a human soul is destroyed. By coincidence, this 90 day limit happens to be approximately equal to the end of the first trimester, the point at which the US Supreme Court decided that states could begin to restrict a woman's access to abortion. The 40 and 90 day limits also bear a striking resemblance to the 40 and 80 day periods when a woman was considered ritually impure after birth in Judaism (Leviticus 12:2-6).

  7. The Jewish faith was generally opposed to both infanticide and abortion. An exception occurred if the continuation of a pregnancy posed a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or to her other children. In such cases, the pregnant woman is actually obligated to abort the fetus; the fetus is then considered "radef" -- pursuer. • Early in the 1st century CE, Philo of Alexandria (? - circa 47 CE) wrote on infanticide and abortion, 2 condemning non-Jews of other cultures and religions for the widespread, unjustified practices.

  8. 2nd CENTURY CE TO 4th CENTURY CE • (Abortion = Murder): • There were three main movements within early Christianity. Two did not succeed: Jewish Christianity and Gnostic Christianity. The third, Pauline Christianity, flourished and evolved into the Christian Church. It was surrounded by a mosaic of other competing religions within the Roman Empire, including Judaism, the Greek state religion, Mithraism, the Roman state religion, and various Mystery religions. With the exception of Judaism, most or all of the competing religions allowed women to have abortions and allowed parents to strangle or expose (abandon) new-born babies as methods of population control. There are many writings, letters and petitions of early Christian philosophers and Church Fathers which equated abortion with infanticide and condemned both as murder.

  9. Failed theories • Pope Innocent III (1216) wrote a letter which ruled on a case of a Carthusian monk who had arranged for his female lover to obtain an abortion. The Pope decided that the monk was not guilty of homicide if the fetus was not "animated." • Early in the 13th century, Pope Innocent III stated that the soul enters the body of the fetus at the time of "quickening" - when the woman first feels movement of the fetus. After ensoulment, abortion was equated with murder; before that time, it was a less serious sin, because it terminated only potential human life, not human life.

  10. 5th TO 17th CENTURY CE Various beliefs on whether abortion is murder • St. Augustine (354-430 CE) reversed centuries of Christian teaching in Western Europe, and returned to the Aristotelian concept of "delayed ensoulment." He wrote 7 that a human soul cannot live in an unformed body. Thus, early in pregnancy, an abortion is not murder because no soul is destroyed (or, more accurately, only a vegetable or animal soul is terminated). He wrote extensively on sexual matters, teaching that the original sin of Adam and Eve are passed to each successive generation through the pleasure generated during sexual intercourse. This passed into the church's canon law. Only abortion of a more fully developed "fetus animatus" (animated fetus) was punished as murder.

  11. Augustine had little influence over the beliefs of Eastern Christianity. They retained their original anti-abortion stance. • St. Jerome wrote in a letter to Aglasia: "The seed gradually takes shape in the uterus, and it [abortion] does not count as killing until the individual elements have acquired their external appearance and their limbs"8

  12. Within Christianity, Judaism, Humanism and other religions and ethical systems, the morality of abortion is grounded in the precise belief of the nature of the fetus. There is a general consensus in North America that when the fetus becomes a human person, then abortions should be severely limited. Most would confine abortions at that stage to situations that threaten the life of the pregnant woman; a very few would eliminate access to abortions totally. The problem that generates so much controversy is that no consensus exists in society over the point, between conception and birth, when personhood begins.

  13. Jewish Rulings • Halacha (Jewish law) does define when a fetus becomes a nefesh (person). "...a baby...becomes a full-fledged human being when the head emerges from the womb. Before then, the fetus is considered a 'partial life.' " 5 In the case of a "feet-first" delivery, it happens when most of the fetal body is outside the mother's body.

  14. Jewish beliefs and practice not neatly match either the "pro-life" nor the "pro-choice" points of view. • The general principles of modern-day Judaism are that: • The fetus has great value because it is potentially a human life. It gains "full human status at birth only." 2 • Abortions are not permitted on the grounds of genetic imperfections of the fetus. • Abortions are permitted to save the mother's life or health. • With the exception of some Orthodox authorities, Judaism supports abortion access for women.

  15. Ensoulment • Historical Christianity has considered "ensoulment," the point at which the soul enters the body) as the time when abortions should normally be prohibited. Belief about the timing of this event has varied from the instant of fertilization of the ovum, to 90 days after conception, or later. There has been no consensus among historical Jewish sources about when ensoulment happens. It is regarded as "one of the 'secrets of God' that will be revealed only when the Messiah comes."

  16. Abortion-related passages in the Hebrew Scriptures & Talmud • The Babylonian Talmud Yevamot 69b states that: "the embryo is considered to be mere water until the fortieth day." Afterwards, it is considered subhuman until it is born. "Rashi, the great 12th century commentator on the Bible and Talmud, states clearly of the fetus 'lav nefesh hu--it is not a person.' The Talmud contains the expression 'ubar yerech imo--the fetus is as the thigh of its mother,' i.e., the fetus is deemed to be part and parcel of the pregnant woman's body." 1

  17. This is grounded in Exodus 21:22. That biblical passage outlines the Mosaic law in a case where a man is responsible for causing a woman's miscarriage, which kills the fetus If the woman survives, then the perpetrator has to pay a fine to the woman's husband. If the woman dies, then the perpetrator is also killed. This indicates that the fetus has value, but does not have the status of a person.

  18. Portugal • The Vatican (LifeNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II condemned euthanasia and commended Portugal for its pro-life laws on abortion. The Pope said the values embodied by the Western European nature give hope in a "grave crisis" of modern-day European values that attack the dignity of human life. • Portugal is one of the few European nations with a pro-life law prohibiting most abortions. That law prompted the Dutch abortion ship Borndiep to travel to the country in September in an attempt to get women to come aboard to have abortions or receive the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug.

  19. The abortion boat was prohibited from docking and eventually returned to the Netherlands. • "The world continues to look to Portugal with hope, especially in terms of becoming aware of the grave crisis of values in modern society, ever more insecure in the face of fundamental ethical decisions for the future path of humanity,'' the pope told visiting President Jorge Sampaio at the Vatican.

  20. Life Beginnings • Conception: Sperm/Egg • Heart beat • 3 months • 6 months • 9 months • Birth • First breath • 8th day

  21. Common Sense • Life in womb is life

  22. Leaders with Strong Opinion • Pope • Sperm/Egg • HWA • Sperm/Egg • Parallel • Holy Spirit: Sperm • Human Spirit: Egg • Evangelical, Fundamentalists • Sperm/Egg: Same as Pope, HWA

  23. Jewish • Orthodox • Sperm/Egg • Same as Pope, HWA • Reformed • Birth • Breath = Life • Secular Humanism • Birth

  24. Science of life in womb • heart beat • sucking thumb • reaction to external stimuli • physical contact • danger • sounds • learning • Ultrasound vidios

  25. So, where do we start.............. Scriptures

  26. Man becomes a Living Soul • Genesis 2:7 • 7 And the LORD God formed man (adam) of the dust of the ground (adamah), and breathed (nephach) into his nostrils the breath (nephashma) of life (Hay); and man (adam) became a living (hiy) soul (nephesh).

  27. Hebrew words Life Hiy Soul/life: Nephesh Breath: Ruach Breath: Neshemah Man: Adam Blood: Dam

  28. Greek & Hebrew Words • Life • Heb: Hiy, Hayah (verb) • Greek: Zoe • Soul: • Heb: Nephesh • Greek: Psyche • Breath, Spirit • Heb: Ruach, Neshamah • Greek: Pneuma, Psuche

  29. Breath of Life • Genesis 6:17 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath (ruach) of life (Hiy), from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. • Genesis 7:15 15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath (ruach of life (Hiy).. • Genesis 7:22 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath (nephashma) of life (Hiy), of all that was in the dry land, died.

  30. Job 33:4 • Job 33:4 4 The Spirit (ruach) of God hath made me, and the breath (neshamah) of the Almighty hath given me life (Hayah).

  31. Song of David: II Samuel 22 • 16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast (neshamah) of the breath (ruach) of his nostrils.

  32. Job 4:9 • Job 4:9 9 By the blast (neshamah) of God they perish, and by the breath (ruach) of his nostrils are they consumed.

  33. Job 12:9-10 • 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? • 10 In whose hand is the soul (nephesh) of every living thing (Hiy), and the breath (ruach) of all mankind.

  34. Job 27:2-4 • 2As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul (nephesh), • 3 All the while my breath (neshemah) is in me, and the spirit (ruach) of God is in my nostrils; 4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

  35. Job 33:4 • 4 The Spirit (ruach) of God hath made me, and the breath (neshemah) of the Almighty hath given me life (hayah).

  36. Job 34:14-15 • 14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit (neshamah) and his breath (ruach); 15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

  37. Psalm 18:15 • 15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast (neshamah) of the breath (ruach) of thy nostrils.

  38. Psalm 104:29-30 • 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath (breath), they die, and return to their dust. • 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit (ruach), they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

  39. Psalm 146:3-4 • 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. • 4 His breath (ruach) goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

  40. Psalm 150:6 • 6 Let every thing that hath breath (neshamah) praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

  41. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 • 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. • 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit (ruach) shall return unto God who gave it.

  42. Isaiah 42:5 • 5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath (neshamah) unto the people upon it, and spirit (ruach) to them that walk therein:

  43. Ezekiel 37:10 • 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath (ruach) came into them, and they lived (hayah), and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

  44. Psuche (Breath, Soul) Pneuma (Breath, Spirit)

  45. John 20:21-22 • 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. • 22 And when he had said this, he breathed (emphysao) on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost (Hagios Pneuma)

  46. Acts 17:24-25 • 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; • 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life (zoe), and breath (pnoe), and all things; • NJB Nor is he in need of anything, that he should be served by human hands; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything -- including life and breath -- to everyone.

  47. I Cortinthians 15:45 • 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (psuche); the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (pneuma).

  48. I Thessalonians 5:23 • 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit (pneuma) and soul (psuche) and body (soma) be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  49. Hebrews 4:12 • 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul (psuche) and spirit (pneuma), and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

  50. Revelation 16:3 • 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul (psuche) died in the sea.

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