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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Greg or e who wrote (16834)	6/16/2001 5:39:05 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

The fetus is a part of a woman's body. That it is also a fetus is true, and that it is a part of the universe is true. But that it is in and of her body is undeniable. If she dies, everything which is a part of her dies. Judaism, of course, explicitly states that the fetus is part of the woman's body: rcrc.org The Legal Status of the Embryo/Fetus According to Jewish law, a fetus is not considered a full human being and has no juridical personality of its own. While recognizing the potentiality of becoming human, 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. The biblical foundation for this statement is Exodus 21:22ff: When men fight and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a miscarriage results, but no other damage ensues, the one responsible shall be fined according as the woman's husband may exact from him, the payment to be based on reckoning. But if other damage ensues, the penalty shall be life for life... The Jewish legal interpretation of this passage states specifically that only monetary compensation is necessary for one who causes the death of a fetus. The unborn fetus is not worthy of the "life for life" punishment demanded if the woman herself is killed. This clearly implies that the fetus is not accorded the same legal status as the woman herself, namely that of an independent human being. Further proof of the Jewish legal principle that the fetus is to be regarded as part of the pregnant woman is contained in two examples from the Talmud. The first involves the sale of a cow which, subsequent to the sale, is found to be pregnant. The legal determination is that the fetus in the womb of the cow belongs to the buyer, and that the seller can make no claim for further compensation. The second example concerns the conversion to Judaism of a woman who is pregnant. Jewish law regards the conversion valid for her future child as well, requiring no separate conversion for it after birth. While all of the above is not totally sufficient to determine the Jewish attitude toward abortion, it does set the stage. Jewish law is quite clear: while the fetus in the womb is to be protected as a potential human being, it has no personhood; it is not a bar kayamah (a viable, living being), thus, it is not accorded any of the rights or privileges of a human being. Here isn an excellent article on abortion from the Christian perspective which shows clearly that religion is finally starting to take a reasonable approach to this issue. rcrc.org As to your scissors comments, it shows that whatever position you jold on this is emotional rather than reasoned. If you believe in God, then you would recognize that God aborts far more potential humans than people ever have. Furthermore, late term abortions are extremely rare, and why do you think a woman and her doctor would chose abortion after she had endured a pregnancy for all those months? Do you think this is simply a casual act of irresponsibility?? Pretend you are a woman, 8 weeks pregnant; you have a CVS done, and you are told that the baby will be born with Tay-Sachs as it lacks an essential enzyme. It will be blind and paralyzed shortly after birth, and will live about 3 years with periodic fits of epilepsy twisting and wracking its tiny body into spasms. Would you act to prevent this primeval organism from experiencing this senseless and tragic suffering and pain?? I am just curious as to what makes you tick.