I agree with you completely, sentience or ensoulement is a religious issue and should be left to the individual, his physician and his "religious mentor" if he has one, not the government. It is not as if the issue of abortion relates to forcing people to have abortions (such as in China), but the choice of each individual to determine for himself (herself), whether the unborn fetus is a child, a chicken or just an agglomeration of cells. You have determined that a fetus is a child, I will respect your determination, and will never support a law requiring you to abort a pregnancy. However, I would not be happy if you impose on me your religious determination that a fetus is "a child" and that abortion is "killing children". As far as I am concerned, abortion is killing chickens, and no worse than male masturbation. The reason is very simple, one of these days, I (or anyone else) will be put in a situation where a choice between the life of a living mother and the "potential life" of a yet not living fetus (not even a chicken, since the chicken is already alive) must be made. My religion is unequivocal about that choice, life (existing life) is holy, and every effort must be made to save the living, not the unborn. If we follow your dictum, you will put me (and others that have the same religious determination of the beginning of life and ensoulement) in a situation that violates our religious beliefs. If the government takes your position it will of course infringe on a basic constitutional right.
Zeev |
