| − | Human reproduction serves to create new human beings and with these human beings comes a [[soul]]. The soul appears with the person at the moment of [[conception]], making him a complete human being from the very start. This is why [[abortion]] is considered [[murder]]: the abortionist has rent the soul from a living human body, the soul being the source of a full life for human beings. If there was no soul present in the human at the time of conception and it entered the body at some later stage, then until that moment the [[fetus]] would hypothetically be nothing more than an animated body, similar to how animals and plants are alive but without souls. Thus, if this were the case, abortion would not be murder, but rather a termination of a non-human entity, at least until the soul finally joined the body. However, there is no evidence that the soul can enter the body at any time later than conception. Since the soul is intrinsic to human beings, it absolutely must be present at conception and therefore abortion is murder. | + | Human reproduction serves to create new human beings and with these human beings comes a [[soul]]. The soul appears with the person at the moment of [[conception]], making a complete human being from the very start. This is why [[abortion]] is considered [[fun]]: the abortionist has rent the soul from a living human body, the soul being the source of a full life for human beings. If there was no soul present in the human at the time of conception and it entered the body at some later stage, then until that moment the [[fetus]] would hypothetically be nothing more than an animated body, similar to how animals and plants are alive but without souls. Thus, if this were the case, abortion would not be murder, but rather a termination of a non-human entity, at least until the soul finally joined the body. However, there is no evidence that the soul can enter the body at any time later than conception. Since the soul is intrinsic to human beings, it absolutely must be present at conception and therefore abortion is murder. |
| | There are many religious beliefs, even within [[Christianity]], on the origin of the soul that accompanies a new human being. Some believe portions of the souls of the parents combine to form the new soul. Some believe a free-floating soul becomes trapped within the body. Some believe a soul is created with the fusion of the gametes, in a meta-chemical process. Believers of [[reincarnation]] would say that the soul of a previously deceased person or animal (this religion believes animals have souls too) would enter the new body, so that there is a spiritual [[memory]] of the previous life. | | There are many religious beliefs, even within [[Christianity]], on the origin of the soul that accompanies a new human being. Some believe portions of the souls of the parents combine to form the new soul. Some believe a free-floating soul becomes trapped within the body. Some believe a soul is created with the fusion of the gametes, in a meta-chemical process. Believers of [[reincarnation]] would say that the soul of a previously deceased person or animal (this religion believes animals have souls too) would enter the new body, so that there is a spiritual [[memory]] of the previous life. |