Why Do People Redefining Words?

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Why Do People Redefining Words?

To make it “easier” for people to justify sinful behavior…

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Does life begin at conception?

Does life begin at a certain stage of development after conception?

Does life begin at birth?

Answering this question is central to refuting many PRO-ABORTION arguments…

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A Book Written By A Christian Who Is Also A Doctor Discusses:

Chapter 1 – Historical Perspective

Chapter 2 – Determining Personhood

Chapter 3 – Cloning

Chapter 4 – Stem Cell Research

Chapter 5 – Birth Control

Claims to be “A Case For Life”, When In Fact It Uses Many Arguments Abortionists Use!

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Classifies the word “conceive” as not a technical term, though admits it is used frequently to describe fertilization. (p.12)

A. Conceive (Webster) “1 a. To become pregnant: b. to cause to begin : originate…”

(Is the primary use of the word describing a later stage or the beginning?)

Fertilization (Webster) “…process of union of two gametes whereby the somatic chromosome number is restored and the development of a new individual is initiated”

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“Certainly, the idea of the ‘moment of conception’ is a mental construct and confers no real meaning, but it is not ‘fertilization.’ Luke states in chapter 2 of his Gospel, conception occurs in the womb and this is precisely correct.” (p. 12)

B. Which is it? “no real meaning” or “precisely correct”? Can’t have it both ways!

Conceive (Vine & Thayer) primary definition is “to seize, to take together”, a woman who "conceives"

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“Luke states in chapter 2 of his Gospel, conception occurs in the womb and this is precisely correct.” (p. 12)

It is NOT specifically confined to the uterus (womb); which his argument demands. A separate Greek word exists that is solely defined as “womb”.

C. Conceive = “take together”

Womb (Vine & Thayer) = the belly, the entire physical cavity, the stomach, the womb, the innermost part of man (bowels), etc.

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“Today several views prevail as to when personhood occurs. No one would argue personhood begins before fertilization… ‘Personhood’ is not necessarily the beginning of life but instead can be deferred. Clearly once fertilization takes place, the human sperm and egg cease to exist as distinct entities. A new individual cell now exists called a zygote that has the potential of becoming a human person.” (p. 19)

“Personhood” argument = excuse for abortion

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Asserts the need to examine “Embryology” to clarify when personhood begins.

Admits that the zygote (single cell that contains male and female chromosomes) has genetic gender (p.25)

Admits fertilization takes place (normally) in the fallopian tubes (p. 26).

Admits that the fertilized egg (zygote) is a “new entity”. Happens in the first 24 hours, but “its ‘life’ is very short-lived.” (p.26)

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Chapter 2 – Determining PersonhoodImplantation begins around the 6th day (p. 27)

and is completed about the 14th day (p. 29).At about 21 days is the “primitive streak”.

Twinning cannot occur after this. (p. 29)Asserts there are “some problems in fixing

‘personhood’ at fertilization” (p. 31).“Can personhood begin at fertilization, when

fertilization can result in more than the formation of one individual?” (p. 31)

Since “personhood” begins at 14-21+ days, it is a “non-person” until then! It can be “prevented” & even used in stem cell research!

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“Can personhood begin at fertilization, when fertilization can result in more than the formation of one individual?” (p. 31)

“Monozygotic twinning is a good argument to place personhood at some point other than fertilization.” (p. 31).

Multiple bodies from the same cells = “problem” of personhood? What about Siamese twins? Do we fail to understand that two individuals can exist in one body? What of Matt. 5:9? WE may not understand it all, but God does!

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Refers to several other genetic aberrations and malformations as “proof” that personhood must begin closer to implantation, instead of fertilization.

Defines “personhood” as: a living individual with human nature that has within itself the capacity to maintain, or at least begin, the process of the human life cycle without loss of identity. From this definition, the beginning of personhood would seem to occur at the beginning of the ‘primitive streak.’” (p. 33)

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IF aberrations negate personhood, are Downs Syndrome children “non persons”?

IF “personhood” is only for those with the “capacity to maintain, or at least begin… the human life cycle without loss of identity”;

What about those in comas?

What about elderly with Alzheimer's?

What about the mentally deficient?

Shall we classify these as “non-persons”?

Who determined this definition? Is a functionally defined personhood good?

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“…A woman does not realize she is pregnant until the beginning of the primitive streak when attachment to the uterine wall occurs and when hormones are produced…” (p. 34).

Speaks in this context of “birth control” being preventative “before this point in time” (i.e. before implantation / attachment) (p. 34).

Speaks of abortion not being considered yet because the woman doesn’t realize she is pregnant…

Thus, removing a fertilized egg (day 1) or even a developing egg (days 2-14) is NOT abortion?!

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Biblically: “Conception” (take together) is in the “womb” (belly)

Scientifically:

“Fertilization is an important landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed…” (Human embryology and teratology)

Occurs within 24 hours, in the fallopian tubes.

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Why The Push To Define Personhood At Implantation Or The “Embryo” Stage?

"[A]nimal biologists use the term embryo to describe the single cell stage, the two-cell stage, and all subsequent stages up until a time when recognizable humanlike limbs and facial features begin to appear between six to eight weeks after fertilization....

"[A] number of specialists working in the field of human reproduction have suggested that we stop using the word embryo to describe the developing entity that exists for the first two weeks after fertilization. In its place, they proposed the term pre-embryo....

Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World p. 39

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"I'll let you in on a secret. The term pre-embryo has been embraced wholeheartedly by IVF practitioners for reasons that are political, not scientific. The new term is used to provide the illusion that there is something profoundly different between what we nonmedical biologists still call a six-day-old embryo and what we and everyone else call a sixteen-day-old embryo.

Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World p. 39

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"The term pre-embryo is useful in the political arena -- where decisions are made about whether to allow early embryo (now called pre-embryo) experimentation -- as well as in the confines of a doctor's office, where it can be used to allay moral concerns that might be expressed by IVF patients. 'Don't worry,' a doctor might say, 'it's only pre-embryos that we're manipulating or freezing. They won't turn into real human embryos until after we've put them back into your body.'“

[Silver, Lee M. Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World. New York: Avon Books, 1997, p. 39]

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Why The Push To Defining Personhood At Implantation Or The “Embryo” Stage?

Human Embryology & Teratology (O'Rahilly and Muller)

“The term 'pre-embryo' is not used here for the following reasons:”(1) Ill defined(2) Inaccurate (identifying marks of “embryo” exist before 8 weeks)(3) Unjustified (accepted meaning of “embryo” includes first 8 weeks(4) Equivocal (convey the erroneous idea that a new human organism is formed at only some considerable time after fertilization)(5) Political Origin (introduced in 1986 'largely for public policy reasons' (Biggers)…" (p. 88)

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Why The Push To Defining Personhood At Implantation Or The “Embryo” Stage?

The move to redefine the word “conceive” started in 1959 with Swedish researcher Dr. Bent Boving at a Planned Parenthood symposium. He proposed “conceive” should be associated with implantation instead of fertilization.

Saying: "the social advantage of being considered to prevent conception rather than to destroy an established pregnancy could depend on something so simple as a prudent habit of speech." (Boving, B.G., "Implantation Mechanisms", in Mechanics Concerned With Conception. Hartman, C.G., ed. Pergamon Press 1963, page 386.)

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REFUTATION Of Defining Personhood At Implantation (“Embryo” Stage).

The Developing Human Being By Keith Moore, and T.V.N. Persaud 7th edition, 2003

“Studies on early stages of development indicate that human oocytes are usually fertilized with[in] 12 hours after ovulation. In vitro observations have shown that the oocyte cannot be fertilized after 24 hours and this it degenerates shortly thereafter.” (p. 31)

Thus, there is a substantial change between gametes (male cell & female egg) and zygotes (fertilized egg).

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The Developing Human Being By Keith Moore, and T.V.N. Persaud 7th edition, 2003

“The zygote is genetically unique because half of its chromosomes come from the mother and half from the father. The zygote contains a new combination of chromosomes that is different from that in the cells of either of the parents.” (p. 33)

REFUTATION Of Defining Personhood At Implantation (“Embryo” Stage).

I.e. A Unique, new organism exists…

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CONCLUSION:

Biblically: Conception is in the womb (belly)

Scientifically: Fertilization is in the first 24 hours, in the fallopian tubes, 6-14 days before implantation.

Sadly, there are people trying to redefine words in order to justify abortion…

And some Christians have taken up the

same arguments!

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INVITATIONCol 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so

walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him…

Life In Christ Must Be Received & Walked In By Faith…

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INVITATIONCol 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision

made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Life In Christ Begins In Baptism Through Faith…

Why Do People Redefining Words?

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