Question:
When does a human life begin?
2016-01-25 05:25:56 UTC
When does a human life begin?
23 answers:
Cath.Ian
2016-01-25 06:01:30 UTC
The answer to this question is not as easy as it may seem. The start of human life (as opposed to mere existence, a necessary but not sufficient precondition) has been variously defined by various cultures at various times. In Genesis, for instance, quoted by a previous respondent, life (apparently) begins when God breathes life into Adam. Yet this is an aetiological myth and neatly side-steps any involvement with birth or the unborn. In fact, in traditional Jewish culture human life was seen to begin at around the age of 6 months. Other definitions include a) birth b) when the first breath is drawn c) when movement is first detected in the womb, d) at the fusing of the ovum and sperm to create a gamete. Modern science might also suggest the implantation into the wall of the uterus, since many 'fertilised' ova fail to implant and are flushed out unnoticed. Then again, it is said that life begins at forty, and even that sixty is the new forty. So really, you pays your money and you takes your pick.
Annsan_In_Him
2016-01-25 05:43:27 UTC
When a human sperm fertilises a human egg then the result is vegetable matter growing in the human womb. Right?

We can expect the end result to be a parsnip popping out. Okay?



But to answer seriously, when a human sperm fertilises a human egg then a new human life begins.

At what point those human cells in the womb (or test tube, even) become recognizably human is a different question to the one you asked. If you ask specific questions, you are more likely to get specific answers. Try it!
2016-01-25 05:42:04 UTC
Everything that went in to get it started was already living.

A more specific answer would be when the zygote begins. This happens when the female egg is fertilized. This is true of all species of life, not just human.
H. Carrielynn
2016-01-25 05:32:51 UTC
Begins when there's flow of blood (aka beating heart) in the developing fetus.



Body with out flowing blood is a dead body. A bunch of living cells that does not rely on flow of blood for oxygen can hardly be called a body.



Christianity has always taught the significance of blood united with the body, and blood separated from the body.
Campbell Hayden
2016-01-25 05:30:14 UTC
Life begins at conception, after which cell division begins occurring in the egg, and we're off to the races!
ennui
2016-01-25 05:36:08 UTC
At the moment the fetus enters the world and takes its first breath - becoming a baby. Otherwise, it's still a fetus, attached to an umbilical cord that feeds it everything it needs. That's not "life", it's being attached to someone else for life.



> I should add that this is what Jews believe, as this is what is written in their Torah.
?
2016-01-25 05:57:27 UTC
When love begins.
ssrvj
2016-01-25 05:53:48 UTC
Life Begins at Conception .



But "THE INTELLIGENCE PER SE" (AATHMANN) to Create the Life is "ETERNAL"



(1) "AATMANN NITYAM" ( Tattriya Upanishad ) =Aathmann is Eternal



(2) "AJO NITYAM " (Bhagavat Gita) =Aathmann is Eternal



( 3) "AYAM SAASVATHAM" (Bhagavat Gita)=Aathmann is Eternal



(4) "AYAM PURAANO" (Bhagavat Gita) =Aathmann is Eternal



(5) 'AYAM AATHMAAN BRAHMANN"= This Apparent Individual SOUL (Aathamnn) and the Universal SOUL (Brahmann) are ONE and THE SAME



--So Aathmann=Brahmann ="Intelligence Per Se" is INDEPENDENT of "LIFE"



Only If ONE Reads "VEDHANTHA" --one can Understand All these Intricacies



VEDHANTHA or "EQUIVALENTS" are Found ONLY in DHARMIC RELIGIONS ( hindu--Jain--&-Buddha Religions)



'VEDHANTHA IS CONSPICUOUS BY ITS "ABSENSE" IN ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS (Christianity and Islam) --There is a Semblance of Vedhantha's Equivalent in Judaism--Zorastrianism--Confucious --Japanaes & Chinese Religions



"(Hindu) VEDHANTHA IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE META-PHYSICS ,THE HUMAN MIND HAS CONCEIVED" (Professor Alfred North White-Head--British Thinker and Scholar)
2016-01-25 05:46:36 UTC
As a Christian, I believe that life should be protected from the moment of conception. Does that mean I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the moment the sperm and egg meet there is an actual human being with a soul? No. I don't know for certain and I don't think there is a clear passage in God's Word that answers that question. A lot of my fellow Pro-Life Christians point to passages like Ps. 139, Jer. 1:5, and a bunch of other proof-texts, but the context of those passages seem to be unrelated to the exact moment that life begins. I do have a lot of questions that I plan to ask when I get to heaven. For instance, I don't understand why 50-80% (at least according to some estimates) of fertilized eggs never implant into the uterus. Are these all miniature human beings that go to heaven? I have no clue. I know that twinning often occurs during implantation (well after fertilization), so this begs the question about the point of ensoulment for twins, triplets, etc. I will not pretend to know the answers to all these difficult questions. Since I don't believe anyone can prove with absolute certainty the precise point that life begins (including when ensoulment occurs), I believe we should protect life from the moment of fertilization since there is at least a potential life there. It's always better to err on the side of life rather than destroying a potential person. That's my take on it.



BTW, abortion is not an unforgivable sin by any means. ALL sins (past, present, and future) can be totally forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Sometimes Pro-Lifers can be so focused on condemning women who have had abortions rather than emphasizing the grace of God that is so freely extended to even the worst of sinners (i.e. Moses, David, and the Apostle Paul had all committed murder and many other atrocious sins, but God still forgave them and used them mightily).



Knowing for sure that you have eternal life is the single most important issue in life. All people are separated from God by a sin barrier that no human effort can overcome (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:10, 12, 23). All human beings are born without spiritual life (Eph. 2:1). That is why Jesus Christ, who is eternal God Himself, came in human flesh so that He could suffer and die in our place - as our substitute - on the cross of Calvary. He died on the cross to pay our sin debt in FULL and rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-4). When we believe in Jesus Christ for our eternal life He has promised to give it to us:



"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47).



"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).



To "believe" is simply to be convinced that it is true (Rom. 4:21) that you cannot in any way contribute to your own salvation and instead you trust Jesus alone to give you that life freely - a gift of unconditional eternal life. It means to believe His promise to give eternal life to all who believe in Him for that life. It really is that simple!



The Gospel of John is the only book written for the sole purpose of showing people how they can have eternal life (see John 20:30-31) and it mentions the word "believe" as the sole condition 98 times!



This link helped me when I was struggling with my salvation: http://faithalone.org/tracts/ycbs.html
Ad
2016-01-25 06:17:30 UTC
Three seconds after the schoolbell tells you school is out for the day / the moment you clock out at work / the moment a visit to your inlaws ends / when the fertilized egg is nestled in the uterine lining / at retirement / the moment you FINALLY get to the desk (at the front of the line) at the DMV.
the internet
2016-01-25 05:40:04 UTC
At the age of 12, when the souls enters the body. It enables the child to understand basic calculus and is thus pretty easy to detect.
Haeo
2016-01-25 05:33:04 UTC
biologically, when genetic information from a sperm and egg (gametes) combine and form a human zygote, which contains *all* of the information necessary to form a new individual.
?
2016-01-25 05:50:49 UTC
When indeed. A wide array of answers is sure to follow as expected.
2016-01-25 06:43:18 UTC
At birth of course.
brother trucker
2016-01-25 06:02:40 UTC
With conception.
2016-01-25 05:39:16 UTC
At conception.
?
2016-01-25 06:21:04 UTC
At the birth of a person.
?
2016-01-25 05:29:18 UTC
Are you aware that there is a biology section on this site?
2016-01-25 05:45:57 UTC
last Thursday
2016-01-25 05:29:04 UTC
Obviously, as soon as God creates it.
frombrum
2016-01-25 05:34:59 UTC
what is the earliest thing you remember

can you prove you existed before that
2016-01-25 05:32:50 UTC
As soon as the sperm enters the egg!
Gregory
2016-01-25 05:29:03 UTC
at conception


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...