No one can say when life begins, but ...
Diane L. Suhr responded to a prior anti-abortion letter by making statements about when life begins that do not meet the test of logic.
"No one can say wen life begins" is not true to a biologist. He will say biological life begins at the moment of conception, given how biologists define life. Of course, that is not the fact that Ms. Suhr seeks to deny. Rather, she asserts that (human) life does not begin until a soul is present. I'll concede that point and would add, to those not believing in a soul, substitute "personhood" or "humanness" for it.
It is illogical for Suhr to say "ensoulment" is a matter of religious belief" because we would get an inconsistent set of answers. It can't be at the moment of conception for some babies, at six months for others and at the moment of birth for others yet.
It is true, as she says, when life begins (meaning ensoulment and not biological life) is not a scientific question. I do concede that I do not know the timing of this moment. But what would I say to a woman contemplating abortion who at the same time does not wish to terminate a human life? Because I do not know when life (meaning a soul is present) begins, I'd say it occurs at conception. That way, one plays it safe does not inadvertently become a murderer.
Herm Faubl
Huntley