When Life Begins is a Religious Question
In my religion, the name of which is unimportant, and which the First Amendment guarantees us the right to practice without government interference, human life begins at the time of birth. According to my religion, human life begins at the moment of birth when the soul takes possession of the body. From that point forward, we have a person with natural and legal rights of their own.
Also according to my religion, prior to birth and the soul taking possession of the new body, the fetus is a biological organism under the exclusive control of the woman carrying it. What she does with it prior to birth is entirely up to her and between her and God. Again, this is religion. There is no science that can refute this belief and no law that can constitutionally interfere with it.
Some people have the religious view that human life begins at conception. That's fine. They are free to believe that as an article of faith and to live according to that faith and there is no science that can refute such and no law that can constitutionally interefer with it. Pepople of this belief system are most likely to find abortion morally wrong, and I can see where for them it would be.
The First Amendment enjoins the government from interfering with the practice of either of these belief systems or from making laws based on any system of religious belief.
Therefore, neither the federal government nor any state can constitutionally make a law requiring, for example, that a doctor tell a woman that life begins at conception (or any other time) because that is a religious position and the First Amendment prohibits the enacting of laws based on religion. You'd think this point would be obvious to the legal scholars out there.
In closing, I offer a little prayer of liberation:
Lord, deliver us from the overbearing among us who, well intentioned as they may see themselves, would in violation of the law of the land seek to impose their religious stricture upon those of differing belief. Spare us, Oh Lord, from such iniquity, we beseech you in the name of all that is right and good and just. Amen.
Also according to my religion, prior to birth and the soul taking possession of the new body, the fetus is a biological organism under the exclusive control of the woman carrying it. What she does with it prior to birth is entirely up to her and between her and God. Again, this is religion. There is no science that can refute this belief and no law that can constitutionally interfere with it.
Some people have the religious view that human life begins at conception. That's fine. They are free to believe that as an article of faith and to live according to that faith and there is no science that can refute such and no law that can constitutionally interefer with it. Pepople of this belief system are most likely to find abortion morally wrong, and I can see where for them it would be.
The First Amendment enjoins the government from interfering with the practice of either of these belief systems or from making laws based on any system of religious belief.
Therefore, neither the federal government nor any state can constitutionally make a law requiring, for example, that a doctor tell a woman that life begins at conception (or any other time) because that is a religious position and the First Amendment prohibits the enacting of laws based on religion. You'd think this point would be obvious to the legal scholars out there.
In closing, I offer a little prayer of liberation:
Lord, deliver us from the overbearing among us who, well intentioned as they may see themselves, would in violation of the law of the land seek to impose their religious stricture upon those of differing belief. Spare us, Oh Lord, from such iniquity, we beseech you in the name of all that is right and good and just. Amen.
posted by FreshToad at 4:06 AM
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