[Chewbacca]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Chewbacca: A person with true convictions in this regard does not just turn them off or ignore them when it is topically convienent.

I didn't say I turn them off. You read words I didn't write.
[/QUOTE]No you didn't and no I didn't. That statement wasn't a direct response to something you wrote!

When making a policy that affects people other than myself, I cannot allow my beliefs to dictate the fundamental nature of the policy.

Me neither, which is why I am pro-choice. Freedom of choice in the matter allows the other people to make choice based on thier own beliefs, not mine.
England has chosen to allow embryo cloning for stem cell research, yet other places have chosen not to allow such research. Choice, not a blanket policy of prohibition allows for a full diversity of perspective. A woman who is against abortion has the choice not to have one, a woman who is not against abortion has the choice to have one. In either case my beleifs in the matter are irrelevant.

It's called CONSENSUS. Both science and religion can agree that life has started at that point.

There is no consensus between religion and science on the matter of when human "life" begins. There is not even a consensus amongst religion. Science simply describes the stages of cellular development and there is no consensus amongst all religion at which stage life begins.

Fertilisation is a clear dividing line.

In your opinion. Some think it is only after the embryo embedds in the uteral wall. Other opinions declare the clear line is the moment sperm meets egg! Yet others think it is 7 weeks, past the embryotic stage and in the beginning of the fetus stage. Another perspective is at three months, during the fetus stage, when development is fuller. And so on and so on. Just to show how subjective it is for everyone: Some folks think it is even before conception!

Truly objective science doesn't advocate any of these various stages for the purposes of this debate. Science simply documents them all ( excpet for the pre-conception one!)

You are advocating some vague line resultant on your spiritual beliefs.

You are the one reading word I did not write. I simply advocate choice of perspective. I fully support science. I have no need to twist science to serve my perspective either, like so many do in idealogical discussions like these.