what makes us human? is it the emotional contact we have with something only a few days old in the womb. Or is it when we look into the face of a new human? Does being human start at conception or birth? Can your religion answer this question? Has your own personal experience shaped and formed your opinion. Whatever it may be where do we find the answer to human life? God? Science? Experience? You decide
2007-12-11 02:38:42 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes.
A human embryo is a human being.
Catholics believe that life is a sacred gift from God and needs to be treated with all human dignity from the moment of conception to the point of natural death.
The difference that makes us human and not just another animal is the soul.
Catholics believe that the soul is the spiritual part of a human.
The soul is the essential nature of human consciousness and freedom.
Soul and body together form one unique human being.
Each human soul is individual and immortal, immediately created by God at the moment of conception.
The soul does not die with the body, from which it is separated by death, and with which it will be reunited in the final resurrection.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 363 and following: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt1art1p6.htm#363
With love in Christ.
2007-12-18 07:15:28 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The fact that an embryo is given that very name defines the fact that it is not classed as a human being.As it is still in the physical development stages it is not viable to survive outside the womb until around 20 weeks at the earliest,and even then only with state of the art infant care units.Having been in the situation you are no doubt driving towards personally,I am aware of how much attachment it is possible to still get.We had to abort our unborn daughter at 28 weeks due to medical reasons and it is still at that stage more the idea of your child as opposed to the child itself that you become attached to.
A human being only starts at birth.Before that it is a potential human being.
2007-12-11 10:51:49 · answer #2 · answered by Cotton Wool Ninja 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an atheist, yes. However, I don't think laws should be setup to guarantee protection based off of humanity. I think laws should be setup to protect consciousness. This would cover loop holes in the future for when mankind is able to create non-human life with human-like intelligence, and also easily solves the abortion debate since protection isn't based on the fact that they are human genetically.
2007-12-11 10:47:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If one's deity is good, all powerful, and all knowing then that religion would say no--an embryo is not human. An fetus/embryo does not have the capacity to sin, therefore a deity that is "good" will not capriciously kill a sentient being that is "sinless". If this deity were to kill a sinless being then by defintion the deity would not be good. Therefore--an deity who killed large amounts of "sinners"/"Infidels" etc would have undoubtably killed pregnant women. While the mother may not be guitless the embryo she carries is--therefore--if that deity is good and can kill pregnant women then that deity logically does not consider a fetus a living sentient human being. There is no other interpretation of the actions of slaughter of groups of people that include pregnant women.
2007-12-11 10:46:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The point is that it is a living being and has a soul from the moment of conception. Therefore, it is a human. 6 month old babies can't talk or walk, therefore are not fully developed, but they are still human beings. To take the life of an unborn child is murder.
2007-12-11 10:54:16 · answer #5 · answered by Faye 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What's an embryo?
I consider human life to begin with brain function... it's a collection of human cells until then.
2007-12-11 10:53:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It has the potential to become human, but unless it has a functioning nervous system - which does not develop until the fetal stage - then it's not a life. My opinion is based on science and ethics.
2007-12-11 10:48:41 · answer #7 · answered by ZombieTrix 2012 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A "human" embryo actually looks like different animals along the evolutionary path, depending on what stage in growth it's reached.
2007-12-11 10:46:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A embryo is a person(creation of God) it is in its early stages of development. and the bible says though shall not kill. having a abortion is killing a living person and that is murder. having a baby is a privilege not a right God decides who has a baby and who don't.
2007-12-11 10:58:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think that the question isn't so much about being human as it is about personhood. I don't think that an embryo has personhood.
2007-12-11 10:46:28 · answer #10 · answered by N 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋