Just when I thought Christian fundamentalists couldn't do anything stranger than they already have (like believing the Bible is the literal word of God), up pops a newspaper story about a bizarre ballot initiative in Colorado.
Read all about it in the Washingon Post's "Colorado voters will be asked when 'personhood' begins."
Yeah, that's just the sort of thing that should be decided in the voting booth: when someone becomes a human rather than merely a bunch of embryonic cells.
Don't get me wrong: I'll all for philosophical and moral discussions on this (and any other) deep questions. The thing is, the folks behind the ballot initiative aren't interested in discussion. They want to cram their personal beliefs down society's throat.
That irks me. And it should really irk Coloradoans, who I expect will roundly defeat the initiative this November.
It should become obvious that Colorado for Equal Rights is a front group for fundamentalists and anti-abortionists who are backing this attempt to define a person as existing from the time of fertilization because they want to have the United States governed by their brand of religiosity, just like the Taliban sought.
I took a look at their information sheet for the initiative. It made as little sense as I thought it would.
Because of breakthroughs in science, we know that from the moment of fertilization a unique human comes into existence. We are defining these humans as persons so they will have basic human rights.
Hmmm. I read several science magazines, and I haven't come across that breakthrough. I'm pretty sure the reason is, these idiots are lying.
There's no evidence that a unique human being comes into existence at the moment of fertilization. Consciousness is a long ways from coming into being. The only way you could say this is if your religion tells you it's true.
This is the dangerous dark side of religion. People spout inanities because they've heard them from the pulpit, or read them in the Bible, and mistake them for really real reality.
Here's another example of a ludicrous statement from the info sheet:
Basic Biology tells us that once an egg is fertilized it becomes a unique human life and is no longer an egg. We believe that unique human is a person, like you only smaller.
No, basic biology doesn't tell us that. It simply tells us that when an egg is fertilized, the process of becoming a human is underway. If you look at those few cells under a microscope, you won't see anything that resembles you or me.
People are free to believe that those cells are a person, just like they're free to believe in Santa Claus. Or, God. But please, don't ask me to share in your fantasies.
I'm looking forward to Colorado voters smashing this initiative to bits at the ballot box this fall. Hopefully that will quash any more attempts to force this sort of unfounded religious belief onto public policy.
Don't count too much on Colorado voters using logic. I used to think Oregonians would do that and then along came the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and it passed here. Say what! This isn't the Oregon I once knew. I still hope someday that amendment will get amended. The problem is emotions rule way too many people's votes.
Posted by: Rain | July 15, 2008 at 09:48 AM
from Monty Python:
DAD:
There are Jews in the world.
There are Buddhists.
There are Hindus and Mormons, and then
There are those that follow Mohammed, but
I've never been one of them.
I'm a Roman Catholic,
And have been since before I was born,
And the one thing they say about Catholics is:
They'll take you as soon as you're warm.
You don't have to be a six-footer.
You don't have to have a great brain.
You don't have to have any clothes on. You're
A Catholic the moment Dad came,
Because
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.
CHILDREN:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.
GIRL:
Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can't be found.
CHILDREN:
Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.
MUM:
Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.
MEN:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
WOMEN:
If a sperm is wasted,...
CHILDREN:
...God get quite irate.
PRIEST:
Every sperm is sacred.
BRIDE and GROOM:
Every sperm is good.
NANNIES:
Every sperm is needed...
CARDINALS:
...In your neighbourhood!
CHILDREN:
Every sperm is useful.
Every sperm is fine.
FUNERAL CORTEGE:
God needs everybody's.
MOURNER #1:
Mine!
MOURNER #2:
And mine!
CORPSE:
And mine!
NUN:
Let the Pagan spill theirs
O'er mountain, hill, and plain.
HOLY STATUES:
God shall strike them down for
Each sperm that's spilt in vain.
EVERYONE:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite iraaaaaate!
Posted by: Edward | July 16, 2008 at 06:00 PM
Only if those idiots knew that about 50% of fertilized eggs will end up spontaneously aborted and the women might not even notice it.
If they want to accept that a fertilized egg is a "human", they will also need to accept that God is the biggest abortionist of all.
Posted by: Chiu | July 30, 2008 at 05:08 AM