Politics, Politics, Politics...
I heard a report a few years ago on NPR that talked about how politics is boring. And even me as a Civics/Government teacher, I agree. So our nation invents things to try to make politics more interesting. I watch a small portion of both the DNC and the GOP conventions and both of them are rediculous. It's the sporting event/popularity contest. I really hate how everyone cheers and boos on cue. It's like going to a Calva*ry Chapel service! (Oh, did that offend anyone? Let me know!)
BUT, Out here Pastor Rick W*arren of Saddle*back church (the guy who wrote Purpose dri*ven life) hosted an event that both Obama and McCain came to. He asked dialogued with both of them for one hour separately, but asked them the same questions. I don't know if any of you saw it, but it was broadcast on CNN.
It was really cool. I loved that it wasn't a debate, and we really got to see some honest answers (I think they were honest) from our candidates.
But then came this question: When do you believe life begins?
Obama answered: that he thought that questions was above his paygrade. Meaning that he didn't feel like he was qualified to answer.
McCain answered: Conception.
Here's the thing, I'm very pro-life (even before struggling with IF). Like 100,000%. If you don't want your baby than give it up for adoption. Let's speed that process up a bit!
BUT
Now that I've got some thoughts on my mind like IVF, then do I really believe that life starts at conception? If I've learned something through this process, it's that conception alone does not equal baby. There has to be a womb present. There has to be the perfect storm of conditions to get pregnant and end up with a baby. In the 2 + years we've been trying, the odds are that at some point I've had sperm and egg meet in my body and just not stick around. So did life begin? Should I mourn those fertilized eggs? I don't think so, so then I really have to ask myself,
When does life begin?
My Husband and I have had some really interesting discussions on this. If we went through IVF, than do we feel like if they take 20 eggs and 15 make it to blast, then am I morally obligated use every egg that was fertilized because it will be abortion if I chose to let those eggs go if I finish having kids but have eggs left over?
I'm not really pro-Obama, but now that I've had all of these IF experiences, I am questioning the idea I've always had, that life Begins at Conception. I'm not really pro-mccain either, b.t.w. I'm lost in this whole election. (that's just a side note though)
I'm feeling a little confused...
What do you guys think? When does life begin? Conception? Implantation? When the egg starts releasing progesterone (is that what it releases?)? When the heart beats?
maybe these are above my pay grade too.
5 comments:
These are really interesting questions and like you, IF has made me think differently about the whole thing. While I won't go into my political beliefs (as they may seem to contradict my next statement, but there's a reason for that), I will say that I strongly believe that life begins when there is a womb present-when the baby has attached. If I do proceed into IVF, I will not feel morally obligated to use all of the embryos.
My personal opinion is that life does begin at conception. Just because life doesn't go past the point of egg meets sperm doesn't mean that life didn't begin. This is just my opinion.
just my opinion...but I believe life begins at conception. When the sperm meets the egg, it immediately starts dividing creating a baby and the mom and dad's chromosomes meet. If my husband and I ever decide to do IVF, we would want to give each embryo a chance.
I would say conception.
IVF and IF throw confusing things into the mix. I wonder if I've ever actually conceived, but never implanted. I wonder what happens with # of eggs fertilized in IVF...
But the reality is, I'm taking this one day at a time. At this point, who knows if we'll even get any of the eggs to fertilize, you know?
Sorry about confusion politically. I HATE politics. I think everyone is a joke and no one really presents things to be true. Hubby's helped me see things a lot. I just choose not to get involved on purpose. (Although I do go out an vote)
I am actually stealing this answer from a coworker of mine who gave a baby up for adoption. She said that she couldn't bare the thought of an abortion because it wasn't the baby's fault that she had made some mistakes. She said that when she was making her decision, she found out that a baby actually develops a heart beat 10 days after conception (approx. four days after a missed period. Even though you can't see it or hear it, it is there. She said that she felt that once her baby had a heart beat, it was alive. I'm not familiar with the IVF process, not having made it to that point in my own treatment, but the embryo is less than 10 days old when it is chosen to be implanted isn't it?
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