When Does Life Begin?

  At the root of the conflict over abortion is the concept of when life begins. Some that are typically referred to as “Pro-Life” believe it begins at conception, or it starts when the heart beat can be detected, or even at other times during the pregnancy. Those on the other side of the argument, typically called “Pro-Choice” say that life begins at birth. Many that claim to be Pro-Life derive their perspective from their religious beliefs, especially the Christian religion. Some have even quoted the Bible to support their perspective. However most of the quotes speak of life, but don’t really address when life begins. But there is one verse that does state clearly when life in this world begins.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 

This verse clearly states that the life enters the fetus with the first breath. Then the fetus becomes a living soul. At the other end of life is death, and it begins when the last breath is exhaled. Most religious people believe in an after life. When a person dies, the body dies but the life that animated the body moves on to another plane of existence. Based on this we can say that life exists, whether it is in a body or not.

2Co 12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 

Some writers use a verse from Jeremiah to show life in the fetus:

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 

However, if you look closely this verse is saying that the soul that became Jeremiah existed before there was a fetus prepared for it. That life existed before the body that was used by it even started to exist. Again, proving that life exists, whether in a body or not. This comes close to acknowledging the doctrine of reincarnation. 

This scripture from Matthew takes it a step further. Jesus implies that the same soul that was Elias in the Old Testament is John the Baptist.

Mat 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 
Mat 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 

Jesus was speaking to his disciples about John and pretty much says that John and Elias are the same person, or soul. He ends with this:

Mat 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

He knew that everyone cannot accept the reincarnation doctrine, but for those who can, or those with ears to hear, He is saying that John is the reincarnation of Elias.

One could quote the Bible to prove that the fetus is alive such as in the book of Luke:

Luk_1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

However this does not prove that the fetus is a separate life from the mother. Elisabeth heard the salutation and she reacted. Part of her reaction manifested through her life force that also was sustaining the fetus. It is possible that she also felt “chills up her spine” and perhaps the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. These are some of the symptoms of a sudden emotional experience, and perhaps the babe leaping in her womb is another such symptom. 

The life that animates the fetus comes from the mother via the placenta. While it is still a fetus the placenta supplies nutrition, oxygen and life support to all but two organs, the lungs and the liver⁽¹⁾. At birth the fetal circulatory system switches from supporting these two organs through the placenta to being a self supporting life or a living soul. The breath breathed in by the new born supplies the oxygen and life support, and the new living being must begin getting nutrition from food and drink. 

If, for some reason, the fetus was not able to begin breathing it would be considered still born. Once the umbilical chord is cut there is no longer the supporting life force entering the body to sustain it. The soul that was anticipating entering the body to become a living soul in this world still exists. It just does not enter the newly created body. It is even possible that the incoming soul changed its mind and decided to not incarnate in this particular body.

On one side those who claim to be Pro-Choice argue for the rights of women but rarely mention the plight of the fetus.

On the other side those who claim to be Pro-Life argue for the rights of the fetus. However, the fetus is technically still a part of the pregnant woman until the fetus enters this world, takes its first breath and then becomes a living soul. They are not really Pro-life, they are Pro-Fetus. Since the fetus gets is life support from the mother Pro-Life technically means one is in support of the pregnant woman because the life force that feeds, animates and causes the fetus to develop comes from the breath of life that enters the woman’s nostrils.

In short, no breath – no life. Since the fetus is incapable of breathing while in the womb it cannot have its own individual life. That starts with the first breath.

From another perspective, though it is mostly discredited, astrology acknowledges that life begins with the first breath. An astrologer, whether legitimate or a charlatan, starts with the subjects birth information. He or she uses the time and place of birth to create a chart or picture of where the planets in our solar system were in relation to the location on Earth when the subject took their first breath. The theory is that the first breath captures the energy patterns of the solar system to make the primal energy that the new born starts his or her life experience with. A legitimate astrologer can get a good idea of the personality, interests and potential experiences of the subject. A charlatan astrologer might just make stuff up, but both start with the same information. That is when and where the subject took their first breath and began their life’s journey.

Whether you look at it from a Biblical perspective, from a scientific perspective or the non-traditional astrological perspective, life on this earth begins for each of us with the first breath. To claim that the fetus is a person is simply not supported. 

⁽¹⁾Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: “Blood Circulation in the Fetus and New Born”
https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/blood-circulation-fetus-and-newborn