A bit of sanity re eight babies sharing a womb

I'm delighted to see that people are raising some pointed criticisms about the single woman with six children who decided to fill her womb with octuplets, endangering them in the process and hogging neonatal resources. This commentary is by Thomas H. Murray of the Hastings Center, in an article published by CNN:

The point of infertility treatment, after all, is to create a child. But that child-to-be is not the clinic's patient -- the would-be parents are. I believe that the interests of those children deserve at least as much consideration as the wishes of the prospective parents.

The vast majority of infertility patients are no doubt fierce advocates for the well-being of the child they so earnestly seek to bring into their lives. What happens, though, when the client's request shows little consideration or regard for the welfare of the would-be children? What happens if a woman in her early 30s with six children wants eight embryos implanted all at once?

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Strobel asks; atheists answer and ask “is that the best you’ve got?”

Two of my favourite heathens: Ebonmuse and Greta Christina recently answered what were assumed (before they were read) to be atheist-stumping questions, assembled by some bloke called Lee Strobel. The questions, summarised, were of this calibre: (1) Assuming that events of Jesus' life are accepted historical facts, please provide a naturalistic explanation of the events following the crucifixion. (2) The universe is remarkably fine-tuned for life, doesn't this suggest involvement by a higher entity? (3) Explain how something can come from nothing. (4) Do you ever doubt your atheism? (5) Can we trust our minds to be relaying to us an accurate picture of the universe? Both Greta's and Ebonmuses's responses, while more or less echoing my own thoughts on each topic, are of a succintness and calibre that for now escapes me

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How shall we punish women who commit murder by having abortions?

Those who vehemently oppose abortion steadfastly claim that abortion is "murder." They want to make it illegal for any woman to have an abortion. Therefore, it seems fair to ask anti-abortionists a simple hypothetical question. Assume that we changed the law and that all abortions were illegal. Under that scenario, how would you punish women who committed "murder" by having abortions?" What do you get when you combine a camcorder, a simple question and a group of fervent anti-abortionists? You get a fascinating set of answers. Where are all of the unflinching statements that the women who have abortions have thus committed murder and that they should all be punished as murderers? There were no such answers. Why all the hedging and squirming? Is it possible that abortion is not really the equivalent of murder? Even in the hearts and minds of those who claim to know for certain that it is "murder"? Assuming that abortion were made illegal, why are so many anti-abortionists so willing to allow a bunch of female murderers walk free without without being penalized under the law? Especially when those who committed the "murder" killed "babies," allegedly with deliberation and premeditation? This January 2008 video was produced by At Center Network, "a project of the Northbrook Peace Committee, Inc., a group that works for justice and nonviolent resolution of conflicts."

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Bill Moyers corrects the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League

This webpage from Bill Moyers' Journal features a highly charged written exchange between journalist Bill Moyers and Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League on the topic of Israel's recent military incursion into Gaza.   This exchange is a good illustration on how to handle the rhetorical tactics employed by those who…

Continue ReadingBill Moyers corrects the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League