I have stood by for a long time, wondering whether my small voice would make any impact upon the debate, currently raging, on the subject of Abortion. I look at the whole issue as misnamed, to begin with. The issue does not revolve around Abortion per se, anymore than it revolves around adultry, or Birth Control, per se. It revolves around the issue of determining at what point life begins in the womb.

Once the issue is properly identified, and resolved, the other issues will fall into their natural niches. To resolve the issue, then, let us take a look at life as it is born into the world. the new baby, most of the time, is said to be "alive," depending upon various and sundry "vital- signs." Yet, we do not conclude that the baby "became" alive at the moment of birth. So I think we can agree, life begins before the moment of birth.

If the very definition of "life" involves the ability to point precisely to some perceived "spark," at which time an embryo becomes viable, or "alive," then I'm afraid the debate will continue to rage unabated. But I really believe we can do better than that, in our approach to such an important issue.

The first question I would raise, is a very simple one. Was the egg alive, or dead, at the precise moment it was joined by the sperm? If it was dead, how could it then become a zygote, and grow to an embryo? The simple answer to this question, then, is, the egg was alive. Did the mother originate life in the egg at the precise moment she passed it from the ovary to the Fallopian chamber, to begin its cycle, or was the egg alive when it was first produced into the cycle of the system?

The second question pertains to the sperm. Did the male give it life at the precise moment it left his testicle, to begin its journey in the cycle, or was the sperm alive while it resided in the male, awaiting the ejaculation process?

Now, we know that some Males are sterile, and cannot beget children. I do not address that issue here. And some Females cannot bear children. I do not address that issue, in this offering. The only issue I address is the issue of identifying the precise moment of the beginning of definable "life" in the cycle of life.

I could get into a discussion of the effect of "puberty" upon the young potential Father, and Mother, but it would prove to be futile, because there have been no definitive scientific studies published, to my knowledge, pertaining to the moment "life" is passed to the egg and the sperm, due to Puberty. so, let's move on.

Life MUST reside in the body of the child, in order to mature in the adult. Where did it come from? Did the potential parent go to the doctor for a "progeny" shot. No! Is there a vaccine which passes life into the system. Yes! But not within the cycle in question.

Now, if life can be determined to be within the adult, prior to mating, and in the child, prior to maturation, and prior to puberty, from where did it come? Vitamins in the food, perhaps? No! Minerals? No! I don't believe it can be shown to be dietary in nature. Though diet may very well play a part in other aspects of the cycle of life, and passing it on.

The answer is simple, and leaves nothing to debate. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a "living" soul." Genesis 2:7 (King James Version)

"...And God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth..." Genesis 1:28 (King James Version)

After God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, and multiply, and after man was cast from the garden, God revealed to them a secret, which still has men debating to this day. He told them where "life" was located in the cycle of life and death.

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood:...

Lev 17:12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

Lev 17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

Deut 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

And so God tells us that the process by which "life" is passed to the egg is accomplished when the egg attatches itself to the wall of the uterus, and blood vessels are formed, by which life continues to be nourished in the egg, in the zygote, in the embryo, in the baby, in the Birth canal, In the passage of birth, and after the umbilical cord is cut, life continues in the new-born. It did not originate in any step of the cycle. It was passed from Parent to child, all the way back ot its origin..... in the Garden.

"....And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel, thy brother? And he said, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper? And He said, what hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." (Genesis chapter four, verses 8,9,10)