SCIENCE AND THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

What Exactly is the Unborn?

If abortion does not take the life of a human being, meaning, if the unborn are not human, then there is no reason, ever, to oppose abortion. If, however, abortion does take the life of a human being, if the unborn are human, then “the reasons we give justifying the taking of their lives must be as compelling as those we would use to justify taking human life under any other circumstance.” (1)

Before we destroy anything, we must first determine what that thing is. If your son came to you and asked, “Mom, Dad, can I kill this?” your first question would likely be, “What is it?” (2) If it was a bug of some kind, you might hand him a shoe. If, however, the thing in question was his younger brother, you would properly give him a firm but gentle, “No.” Now, why the distinction in treatment? Because there is a certain way we are to treat human beings. Just so with abortion. Before we can rightly destroy a thing through the abortive act, we must first determine what it is that we intend to destroy. (3)

From a scientific perspective, we know that the unborn is a living, human being. (4) From conception, the unborn child is growing, multiplying and dividing cells. Thus, we know she is alive. We know from the Law of Biogenisis that like begets like; and because this unborn child has human parents, we can be assured that she too is human. We are left to conclude then, that at conception, this unborn child is a living human being. (5)

(1) Scott Klusendorf, Life Training Institute.
(2) Id.
(3) Id.
(4) Steve Wagner, Justice for All.
(5) Id.

A New, Unique, Genetically Distinct You and Me

At fertilization, a unique, genetic human entity comes into existence. We already know that the unborn is human, because like begets like and the unborn has human parents. However, that is not the end of it. At conception, not only is the unborn a living human being, but, she is a completely unique, living human being as well. From fertilization, the child possesses every bit of genetic material she will ever possess. After conception, the child will glean nothing from either her mother or her father to make her any more human. Nothing will be added to her. All that she ever will possess –genetically– she does possess, from the moment of conception. Consequently, all she requires is the proper environment and adequate nutrition. (Much like you or I require even now.) Given that, and barring unforeseen circumstances, a fully developed, fully functioning child will be born. (1)

Think of the unborn’s development, in terms of development rather than construction. Consider the development that occurs in a Polaroid picture. (2)  Once the picture is shot, the picture exists absolutely, totally, and completely. Nothing is added to the picture to make it more of a picture. It simply needs time to develop so that your eyes and my eyes can see it. So too with us and the unborn. We developed; we were not “constructed.” We were not like a car on an assembly line, with someone adding buttons and screws until the car is finally complete. During gestation, parts are not added to us to make us more human. We developed, much as the picture develops. At fertilization, we were then what we are now. We were simply a different size, at a different level of development, in a different environment, and with a different degree of dependency. (3)

(1) Scott Klusendorf, Life Training Institute.
(2) Richard Stith, Excluding Religion Excludes More than Religion.
(3) Stephen Schwarz, The Moral Question of Abortion.

SLED

There are only four differences between the born and unborn: Size, Level of Development, Environment, and Degree of Dependency. Remember them using the acronym “SLED,” and as you consider them, ask yourself, are any of these four differences relevant in determining a human being’s value? (1)

Size: Does your size determine your value? Tall people are generally larger than short people. Are tall people more valuable?

Level of Development: Does your level of development determine your value? A 40-year-old woman is more developed than a 10-year-old girl. Is the 40-year-old more valuable?

Environment: Does your environment determine you are value? A person changes environment constantly, traveling from school to work to home. Does this change in environment change his value?

Degree of dependency: Does your degree of dependency determine your value? In general, a quadriplegic is likely more dependent than an individual with both her arms and legs. Is the quadriplegic less valuable? (2)

(1) Scott Klusendorf, Life Training Institute.
(2) Id.