Fascist Christ
Active Member
Abortion or Capital Punishment: Which is more like murder and why?
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Absolutely, because the taking of a life is something that is wrong, morally, 99% of the time.Melody said:Both...equally...and the why is obvious.
The only exception I make is for self defense. I do not see the purpose of killing someone who is already imprisoned.michel said:Absolutely, because the taking of a life is something that is wrong, morally, 99% of the time.
In my mind it's no contest. I say abortion.dictionary.com said:murder - The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
Ah, this is where we take different paths; I do not accept (For me - what you think is right for you) that the starting point of life of the fetus is at a time later than............; to me, the fetus has right, from the moment any activity in the egg takes place.Fascist Christ said:The only exception I make is for self defense. I do not see the purpose of killing someone who is already imprisoned.
Even so, I do believe that you must first be alive before you can be killed. Since 99% of abortions occur prior to the onset of brain activity (if there is even a brain yet) I can only oppose abortion 1% of the time. I think this is a major difference between the two.
I thought of using a different word, but then I figured, when debating law, what laws do we follow? When I was about to change it to simply "killing," I realized "moral law" fits fine.Ryan2065 said:Capital Punishment is more like murder than abortion. You know, seeing as murder is defined as "the unlawful killing..." =)
I still say Capital Punishment is more like "immoral killing" for the simple fact that in capital punishment not all people killed are guilty (yes they are all thought guilty, but theres a difference). Pinch your arm, you just killed more cells than when you abort! =)Fascist Christ said:I thought of using a different word, but then I figured, when debating law, what laws do we follow? When I was about to change it to simply "killing," I realized "moral law" fits fine.
In other words, "immoral killing" should be a suitable variant for the definition of "murder."
This is interesting. I must ask, when do you suppose life ends? When the vital organs stop? Even then, hair and nails can continue to grow. Must this stop as well before you consider the person to be dead?michel said:to me, the fetus has right, from the moment any activity in the egg takes place.
This is not a valid comparison. The skin cells that flake off your arm cannot form a distinct person, but a fetus can. I don't think you could even make a viable clone from epidermis cells.Ryan2065 said:...Pinch your arm, you just killed more cells than when you abort
This is a question for entire other series of threads. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the internet, so I'd say when there is no brain activity(like Terri Schiavo) or the person can no longer breathe unassisted.Fascist Christ said:This is interesting. I must ask, when do you suppose life ends?...
If we can use this criteria to determine if the born are alive, why can't we use the same criteria to determine if the unborn are alive?CaptainXeroid said:I'd say when there is no brain activity(like Terri Schiavo) or the person can no longer breathe unassisted.
You're talking about different scenarios since the processes are working in opposite directions. In the womb, the baby's lungs and brain are developing and the mother's body supplies oxygen to the baby via the umbilical cord. In the case of a dying person, these organs are deteriorating and shutting down.Fascist Christ said:If we can use this criteria to determine if the born are alive, why can't we use the same criteria to determine if the unborn are alive?
I agreeMelody said:Both...equally...and the why is obvious.
I realize that both are processes, but I feel there is a need to determine what the exact point is when life begins. Are spermatazoas alive? Is every single ovum alive? What is the difference between those and a zygote? Men develope sperm on a daily basis. Should masturbation be considered murder? Since that act is typically several megadeaths, should the punishment be capital?CaptainXeroid said:You're talking about different scenarios since the processes are working in opposite directions. In the womb, the baby's lungs and brain are developing and the mother's body supplies oxygen to the baby via the umbilical cord. In the case of a dying person, these organs are deteriorating and shutting down.
Yes you can... Any cell from any person (except sex cells) can actually form a clone theoretically. =)This is not a valid comparison. The skin cells that flake off your arm cannot form a distinct person, but a fetus can. I don't think you could even make a viable clone from epidermis cells.
How do you define alive? I personally like the biological definition...Even so, I do believe that you must first be alive before you can be killed.
Dolly the sheep was cloned from '...a single mammary cell...' and most cloning has been accomplished by '...transferring nuclei from embryonic cells into such enucleated eggs...' source Source. Theoretically you might be able to clone from any cell, but I could not find any evidence of a scientist producing a viable clone from skin cells. Perhaps you could link to an article describing such.Ryan2065 said:...theoretically...
I know not every one is going to agree, but to me the answer is 100% crystal clear. Fertilization. Before that point, they are merely cells. Once the ovum is fertitlized, the processes have set in motion to create a unique person.Fascist Christ said:...I feel there is a need to determine what the exact point is when life begins. ...Where do we draw the line between what is murder and what is not?...
I prefer the medical definition: brain activity.Mister Emu said:How do you define alive? I personally like the biological definition...