[Wonder Warthog]

"Life beings *before* conception. Sperm and eggs are alive, after all. The question is not when does "life" begins (about 2 billion years ago...) but when "human life worthy of legal protection" begins."

There's no "debate" about it. The point where an individual human life begins is conception. At that SPECIFIC point, a set of biochemical reactions begins that will yield a new, unique human being. That initiating impetus continues for 25 years (the period of cellular growth and maturation). After that point, the mature human continues until death (at whatever age). Prior to conception, sperm cells and egg cells are indeed "alive" but only as motile parts of a the human that produced them---NOT new unique life.

All other points of view are simply sophistry trying to justify murder.

[jas3]

So would you be in favor of testing eggs and sperm before conception?

jas3

[TAdams8591]

"There's no "debate" about it. The point where an individual human life begins is conception. At that SPECIFIC point, a set of biochemical reactions begins that will yield a new, unique human being."

Exactly. At THAT point and not before.