Well, it’s a good question according to the New Republic’s Jonathan Cohn. And that question is:
Good question from @ed_kilgore – where does Scripture say conception equals fertilization, not implantation? Anybody? http://t.co/40ya0csl7X
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) January 24, 2014
In a blog entry at Washington Monthly, Ed Kilgore ponders the question of when life begins according to the Bible: at conception, or at implantation? “Where is that in Deuteronomy?” he asks.
The reason for asking is cases like Hobby Lobby’s. The craft store chain doesn’t want to be forced to pay for birth control that prevents implantation (such as Plan B or an IUD), believing that those end life that has already begun. The trouble, at least according to Kilgore, is that the Bible doesn’t discuss abortifacients.
If you need an idea of where Kilgore’s coming from, consider his conclusion:
In any event, the longer we hear conservatives complain about mandated coverage of “abortifacients,” the more the arbitrary nature and sheer extremism of the antichoice (and hence the GOP) position will gain attention. And in a debate where you’d sometimes be misled to think that antichoicers really just don’t like late-term abortions, that has value.
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/426833999718141952
@seanmdav @ed_kilgore Actually — no kidding — it was a good faith question.
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) January 24, 2014
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/426841617996066816
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/426842045538242560
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/426846733859954688
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The New York Times’ Nate Cohn also gave his interpretation.
@CitizenCohn @ed_kilgore I think, medically, the distinction is that conception is fertilization, pregnancy is at implantation.
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) January 24, 2014
@Nate_Cohn @ed_kilgore My understanding too. Ed's point (not clear in my RT) was why life beings at fertilization rather than implantation.
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) January 24, 2014
@CitizenCohn @ed_kilgore I understood Ed's point to be that pregnancy begins at implantation, so plan b isn't terminating a pregnancy
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) January 24, 2014
That’s a question the Supreme Court will have to consider when it takes on the Hobby Lobby case. Until then, another look through the Scriptures might be in order to pin down those conservative “antichoicers” and their “sheer extremism.” The irony?
https://twitter.com/mollrob/status/426834330950705152