Gingrich: Life Begins at Implantation
By Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com
Newt Gingrich is pro-life on the issue of abortion and frequently voted pro-life during his days in Congress. However, in a new interview, the former Speaker shows he needs to be educated on the scientific understanding that life begins at conception. In a new interview with Jake Tapper of ABC News, Gingrich said human life begins at implantation rather than conception, which science has established as the starting point for human life.
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LifeNews.com
Newt Gingrich is pro-life on the issue of abortion and frequently voted pro-life during his days in Congress. However, in a new interview, the former Speaker shows he needs to be educated on the scientific understanding that life begins at conception. In a new interview with Jake Tapper of ABC News, Gingrich said human life begins at implantation rather than conception, which science has established as the starting point for human life.
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ReplyDeleteAs a professional geneticist with extensive training in human genetics, I developed a profound appreciation for the uniqueness of human life. In order to appreciate this uniqueness, it is necessary to distinguish between the Mechanistic and the Vitalistic views of life.
ReplyDeleteMechanists believe that natural phenomena can and should be explained by explicit laws of matter and energy, without recourse to such ambiguous concepts as “spirit”.
Vitalists believe that the most complete mechanistic explanation possible is inadequate for understanding nature; mechanism must be supplemented by undefined forces such as a “vital spirit”, or “divine spark”.
Vitalists regard human life as sacred. Holy Scripture tells us that man is fashioned in the image of God. The 10 Commandments include the injunction “Thou shalt do no murder. Murder is defined as the “ taking of innocent human life”. This life, given by Almighty God, extends from the moment of conception until natural death.
There have been numerous opinions expressed regarding the life cycle and span of human beings. The best way to approach this question is to recognize that life is transmitted rather than begun anew. It is passed from one generation to the next. The reproductive cells, sperm and egg, are themselves living; however, such cells are destined to perish unless they unite in the act of fertilization. The origin of the new individual begins with the act of conception.
Newt Gingrich is wrong in stating that life begins at implantation.
There are many Scientists who may take the opportunity to comment. Among them, I occupy a special place. This is because I am a Pediatrician and I have TWO Doctorates in Developmental Biology (one from Europe and one from the US).
ReplyDeleteThe Speaker is 100% correct in what he is saying. And what he is saying is that there is absolute agreement among us Scientists about the empirical fact that -from implantation onwards- the embryo is a Human INDIVIDUAL.
Not a single scientist would deny that assertion because it is a basic concept in Embryology.
That scientific consensus does not exist for the conceptus during the time spanning Fertilization to Implantation.
Note: I and many other Scientists think that the zygote is a Human Individual who in the majority of cases will continue being him/herself until his/her natural death. In a small percent of cases the zygote may undergo asexual reproduction and become –for instance- TWO individuals (monozygotic twins). Others do not see it that way.
However (AND THIS IS THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE) ALL OF US AGREE that –from implantation on wards- the Human Embryo is an Individual of the Human Species.
Supported by scientific FACTS (which trump religious or philosophical OPINIONS) it is correct to say that ABORTION LAWS PERMIT THE KILLING OF DEFENSELESS HUMAN INDIVIDUALS.
As a Pediatrician and as a Citizen I found Abortion analogous to Slavery and to the practices of the Nazi Era: in both cases there is a group of people saying that a section of the Human Family is either sub-human or not human.
I thank the Speaker for shinning the light on the forgotten VICTIM in an Abortion: the defenseless INDIVIDUAL in utero.
It would make more sense to debate how many angles can dance on the head of a pin. Why not say that “life” begins with and an egg or with a sperm cell ? Are they not alive? Why not concern yourselves with the real issue:
ReplyDeleteHow are we going to prevent the growth of population from making life on Earth not worth living, a nightmare for the overwhelming majority.
In case you haven’t noticed a significant portion of the human race has already reached that point. And most of the “humanitarian” aid we provide only seems to make matters worse.
Go ahead, fall back on your ignorant biased religion and deny simple indisputable facts, especially the population growth.
Les