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From: todd@SCIRTP.UUCP (Todd Jones)
Newsgroups: net.abortion,net.legal,net.women
Subject: Is Abortion Murder? yes and no.
Message-ID: <251@SCIRTP.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 18:57:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: SCIRTP.251
Posted: Fri Jul 26 18:57:41 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 09:13:26 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
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Xref: linus net.abortion:1475 net.legal:1534 net.women:6249

I am curious as to fellow-netters thoughts on the following:

If abortion is to be considered murder, 
the following must be objectively true:

	   The fetus, in any or all of its stages, must be
	   a human life, distinct from the mother.

If the fetus is not a human life, distinct from the life of 
the mother, abortion cannot be considered murder since it then
would not be the taking of a human life.

Scientists, despite Jesse Helm's assertions, will never be able 
to prove that a fetus, in any stage, is a HUMAN life since the
concept of humanness is not biologically defined.

While no reasonable argument could contend that a post-birth
homo-sapiens is human, endless, and unproveable, discussion
about the humanity of in utero homo-sapiens will always exist.
I contend the determination of the "humanity" of a fetus and
its separation (as a human entity) from the mother are issues
that are basically, spiritual (read religious) and therefore
are not subject to governmental ruling. Each individual considering
an abortion must come to grips with their own concept of fetal
humanity and their decision to elect or refuse an abortion
should be respected by ALL persons regardless of their personal
views.

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   [ O-O ]       Todd Jones
    \ ^ /        {decvax,akgua}!mcnc!rti-sel!scirtp!todd      
    | ~ |
    |___|        SCI Systems Inc. doesn't necessarily agree with Todd.