I want to live...

I remain hopeful that the scientific evidence for fetal personhood will someday turn the tide in the abortion controversy, and society will realize that the taking of unborn human life is a moral atrocity every bit as objectionable as slavery or genocide.

Until then, it is our duty as conservatives to continue advocating for the sanctity of all human life—the loved and the unwanted, the born and the unborn.

We are on the right side of history.

Abortions will happen, no matter what. So clearly it's not just a simple matter of making them legal or illegal. It would seem then, that removing the reasons for abortion would be a prudent way to approach the issue. Not to overly pin this on the Catholic church, but their anti-birth control position is one example of a pretty stupid position. That's just some low hanging fruit there... it's obviously not even as simple as that.

The late Carl Sagan wrote a piece published in Parade magazine a number of years ago, and he suggested that the threshold for determining viability should be when the brain turns on. It's been a while since I read the article, but I recall that was around the end of the second trimester. At the very least, if we're going to have laws on this issue, I think we should agree that third trimester abortions should be illegal. (for the doctor, not the mother!)

In his book Christian Ethics, Norm Geisler provides an excellent summary of the known facts surrounding early fetal development thanks to modern fetology:

First Month: Actualization
Conception: All her human characteristics are present.
She implants or “nests” in her mother’s uterus (one week or so later).
Her heart muscle pulsates (three weeks).
Her head, arms, and legs begin to appear.

Second Month: Development
Her brain waves can be detected (40 to 42 days).
Her nose, eyes, ears, and toes appear.
Her heart beats and blood (her own type) flows.
Her skeleton develops.
She has her own unique fingerprints.
She is sensitive to touch on her lips and has reflexes.
All her bodily systems are present and functioning.

Third Month: Movement
She swallows, squints, and swims.
She grasps with her hands and moves her tongue.
She can even suck her thumb.
She can feel organic pain (8–13 weeks).

Fourth Month: Growth
Her weight increases six times (to one-half birth weight).
She grows up to eight to ten inches long.
She can hear her mother’s voice.

Fifth Month: Viability
Her skin, hair, and nails develop.
She dreams (REM sleep).
She can cry (if air is present).
She can live outside the womb.
She is only halfway to her scheduled birth date.