New MO law would mandate teaching when life begins...

[usregimechange]

When does life begin? According to a new Missouri law which mandates that schools “present scientifically accurate information” the law explains, “at conception… an unborn child's life begins.”

HB1075

[Warpy]

1. Well, since that's a religious opinion

the ACLU should be able to get that thrown out in record time.

[SPKrazy]

2. Guess It Depends What You Call Life?

I mean there is life on my kitchen sponge

it may be as complex as life at conception is.

what a bizarre law put forth by zealots, and not rational people

[usregimechange]

3. Are gametes alive?

[titoresque]

5. Well thanks ALOT!!!

I was going to throw out my old kitchen sponge......but now I have to worry about being a murderer! Dammit!

[area51]

9. LOL.

:)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. I Agree Life Begins At Conception.

The seeds of life are a sperm and an egg, and when fertilized accordingly is the start of a life. That life may end up ceasing very quickly if other factors are not correct, but it was still the start of life. Now in this debate if the question was when does conscious life begin or the awareness to life begin, then that is a different story altogether which is open to much debate and personal opinion. But if it is just a question of life in the strictest terms, it does begin at conception. And not just for us, but for every type of creature that is created by a sperm and an egg.

[unblock]

8. not true, the egg and sperm are very much alive

conception is certainly an important marker, but life is a continuum. just because an unfertilized egg won't last very long unless it becomes fertilized by a suitable sperm doesn't mean it isn't alive.

but i agree with your distinction that "life" in a moral sense does not necessarily correlate with "life" in a scientific sense.

[Maddy McCall]

10. Ok, since you claim to be as liberal as anyone on DU...

I've got some questions for you.

1) Do you not realize that this is a ploy by pro-lifers to insert their political agenda into science classes? Are you OK with that?

2) Do you believe that women should control their own fertility? In other words, do you support women's right to access safe abortions?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

12. Firstly, The Childish Baiting Attacks Are Unproductive And Unnecessary.

Having that said,

1. Yes, I do realize that, and no, it should not be taught in a way that has anything other than scientific fact behind it. It should not be stated in any context to the abortion argument or other politicized agenda. As a fact of science, I agree with it completely. As a tool to be used in the classroom for political agenda, I don't.

2. I'm perplexed here. Do you truly not know the definition of fertility? Please look it up if you don't, as it has absolutely nothing to do with abortion at all. I'm uncertain why it is even referenced to the latter question, or which one of the two you actually wanted me to answer. But if it was the latter, then it has to be one of the most absurd questions I've ever heard anyone on DU ever ask. "Do you support women's rights to access safe abortions?". I mean seriously, I shouldn't even have to answer such an absurd question but yes, obviously I think all women globally should have access to safe abortions, and in fact think all the world's inhabitants should have access to quality healthcare for any type of medical situation.

No thanks needed.

[Maddy McCall]

17. As an ABD Ph.D. with a masters in women's studies, trust me...

I know what fertility is, and I asked the question correctly.

Problem with your response to #1 is that science does not recognize your definition of life.

[usregimechange]

13. sexual reproduction -- life comes from life, it never "begins" imo

Sexual reproduction occurs when life is developed from pre-existing life, from the cells of organisms sometimes known as parents. Life only “begins” in this process in the minds of those who believe that abiogenesis (the generation of life from non-living matter) takes place through supernaturalism at the point of conception. Am I wrong?

[Maddy McCall]

18. You are quite correct.

And that's how science IS being taught. Or should be.

[B Calm]

6. Life begins at first breath. That's why we celebrate our birthdays!

[Sinti]

16. Once upon a time, in a land far away the Catholics used to say this

to comfort expectant mothers who had miscarriages.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. First one must define "life"

Do they mean the movement of electrons around a nucleus? Movement of or within a cell? An organism where cells divide and change? Or do they mean consciousness? If that's what they mean, they are out of the scientific realm and into the theological one.

[Maddy McCall]

11. That's right. This is another attempt to corrupt science with ....

conservative religious views.

[kevinbgoode]

14. ah...once again Missouri attempts to force narrow religious correctness

in interpretation of the sanctity of life. Of course, it's conception, not when a male has a wet dream at night and wastes some sacred sperm. . .

And of course, this means that a miscarriage is now an involuntary manslaughter. And since they use the word "conception" - does this mean that the unborn child's "life" begins when the male gets a hard on and starts thinking about intercourse? After all, these are christo-fascists running the show - which means no one can think about intercourse until marriage, and you only have sex to procreate, therefore "conception" must be when the first partner starts fantasizing, or conceiving, about the act.

[annabanana]

15. actually ...

aspirate (breathe) and spirit come from the same root. The old church teaching was that the spirit entered the body with the first breath and that the body was merely a vessel until that point.

so-o-o-o-o.. NOW they're interested in scientific accuracy?

buncha flaming hypocrites...