Ok, when *does* life begin?

Question

I've learned that (a) life begins sometime after erection (no one seemed to think abstinence was murder); (b) life begins before a fetus is developing.

That really makes it sound like it's at the moment of conception, which is usually a few days after sex. (Yes, conception takes a while.)

So, if it is at conception, is it when the sperm cell penetrates the egg membrane? Is it when the sperm cell fully enters the egg? Is 50% inside of the egg? When the DNA and RNA starts doing its magic?

When is the magic moment?

Answer 1

In reality life only began once, hundreds of millions of years ago. It hasn't ended since. The sperm and the egg are each alive before they join. When the sperm and egg join, the zygote is no more and no less alive than the sperm and egg were. We shouldn't concern ourselves about when life begins when thinking about abortion and stem cell research. We should concern ourselves with whether or not the life we are ending can experience suffering. In the case of stem cell research, it definitely can not. In the case of abortion, it's possible that late term abortions cause pain. I really don't know though.

Answer 2

On a material level of thought you may not get an answer that resolves the question. The basis of the question should be resolved first, being a material universe. God being infinite, did this big bang thing give Him a headache? Did God have all of His ideas in one big blob, and then whamo – it was done? The magic moment is the eternal moment. If we look to a lie, we see a lie, but God is Life. A notion of here today and gone tomorrow is not life or God. We need to find our true spiritual nature before more can be understood. In the beginning it is all pure nonsense, God, life, Christ, spirituality, etc. Sometimes to get a large weed out with a long tap root, one must get a shovel and be aggressive, otherwise it grows back as before. For now on earth, we seem to be blind to the truth because of our seeming mortal bodies and a seeming material universe, so there are many questions.

Answer 3

Pet peeve: it's not a question of when life begins.

After all, there's all sorts of stuff that's alive, stuff that's completely morally insignificant. Bacteria and fungi and the like. I mean, sperm cells and eggs are alive, there's no controversy there. So the question of life is really irrelevant. Knowing that x is alive tells you nothing about whether it's OK to kill x.

Regarding conception: it's worth pointing out that there are very high percentages of fertilized eggs failing to implant in the uterine wall. This happens all the time. So if fertilized eggs have a moral standing comparable to that of an infant, then we should be very concerned about implantation failure. It's as if babies were dying all the time. We should take steps to make sure that fertilized eggs always succeed at implanting because otherwise it's as bad as a baby dying.

Answer 4

A possible life is started when a sperm penetrates an egg. Many things can go wrong that result in a rejection by the females body of this possible new life.
The real question is not physical but theological . When does the soul enter the forming body and how can you tell when it happens?The forming body goes through many changes as it develops. from one cell to many cells and starts to go through what some say is our evolutionary stages. before it starts to look like a Human.

Answer 5

When conception takes place is when life has begain. Yes part male and part female DNA come togeither to creat a new being. If that new DNA was only a copy of the old then life would not have begain! So the fact is that every time a couple produces a new form of human life in the womb that is a living person. That new person is alive not when he takes his first breath. But the first time his cells divide. Weather he or she is in he womb or not.

Answer 6

When the sperm fertilizes the egg - life is begun. Like all 19 manuals that train doctors when the Supreme Court made their famous Roe vs Wade ruling - they could not find a consensus. LOL

Answer 7

I would say its the precise second that the fertilized egg changes from 1cell to 2 cell or as you say the DNA and the RNA start doing their magic.

Answer 8

I believe life starts when the two individual cells connect. That is my belief....life begins at the exact moment when the two cells change into one entity...or as I like to call it...one baby in its earliest stage.

Answer 9

Conception.

Answer 10

I think the ultimate question is, is God pleased with us when we take Innocent life. If you believe in Jesus and you love him then you will keep his commandments. And if you don't love him then you will kill Innocent human life. For those that don't love him this is your fate if you don't change. Revelation 20th chapter and 12-15th verse. (12)And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14 ) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. this is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Just so you know the only way to get your name in the book of life is to accept Jesus into your heart and believe that he died for your sins. Are you willing to gamble with your life fore the rest of eternity and loose your soul? IT IS YOUR CHOICE!