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Life Begins at Your Murder

When does death begin?

By Thomas EgelhoffPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Life Begins at Your Murder
Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash

The US Supreme Court recently struck down a law regarding abortion that has been in place for 50 years.

Do you kill a child or allow nature to take its course?

For many people, you simply take a trip down to your local abortion clinic, and they will fix you up quickly.

No questions asked.

There are passionate opinions on both sides, but the one unanswered question is when does life legally, morally, or religiously begin?

Life is a question that “pro-life” and “pro-choice” groups have been battling ever since the Roe (Norma Leah McCorvey) v. Wade (Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade) Supreme Court Decision of 1973.

When Does Life Begin?

As you can imagine, it’s not that simple.

If we found a one-celled amoeba on Mars, the headline would be “Life on Mars.”

But until there’s a child who can survive outside the mother’s womb, too many people, it’s just a clump of cells.

But does the story end there? Let’s examine some exceptions to the “clump of cells” thought.

If you’re pregnant when murdered, things change.

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–212) is a United States law which recognizes a child in utero as a legal victim if they are injured or killed during the commission of any of over 60 listed federal crimes of violence.

The law defines “child in utero” as “a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb.”

In other words, a “legal crime victim.”

You can be a victim and a person — sort of.

The law is codified in two sections of the United States Code: Title 18, Chapter 1 (Crimes), §1841 (18 USC 1841), and Title 10, Chapter 22 (Uniform Code of Military Justice) §919a (Article 119a).

State Laws Vary

Due to the Supreme Court decision on abortion, any future rulings on this topic will be relegated to the states.

Thirty-six states have harsh penalties for the murder of a pregnant woman. (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2008.) in some states, the fetus is described as a living person “for criminal prosecution of the offender.”

When Does Death Begin?

No one questions when death begins. Why not? — Because it’s the natural order of things — We all die.

But not all of us are allowed to live.

But since it’s so difficult to agree on when life begins, I wonder if it’s easier to define when death begins.

If you’re a prisoner on death row having your last meal, you could say death began when you planned your crime.

Or, if it were a spontaneous act of violence, it would be when you committed the crime.

Others might say you were just “born bad.”

And there’s a good chance you’ll be aware of your time of death.

Organ Donor

I’m an organ donor. I always thought organ donation should be something you opt out of, not have to choose to opt into.

Organ donation should be automatic if the organs are viable.

I mean, I’m dead. I pretty much don’t need those corneas anymore. But do you need my permission to take them?

Liver, lungs, heart, go for it. Whatever you need. Knock yourself out.

I realize there are moral and religious positions on the body parts and what happens to them.

Some Final Thoughts on the Beginning of Life

I’m the last person we need to determine when life begins.

Most of us have formed an answer to that question that works for each of us.

It’s nice to be able to consolidate this in your mind.

However, a heart, liver, and lungs get no say in the final decision.

Much like the unborn child the murdered mother was carrying at the time of her death.

She had no say in the matter. She was murdered. Dead is dead.

I wonder what choice she might have made if allowed to choose.

Or was she just another unwilling organ donor?

Tips, subscriptions, and comments are always encouraged and welcomed. Thanks for reading.

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About the Creator

Thomas Egelhoff

Author, Radio Talk Show Host, blogger, YouTuber, Vietnam Vet, half-fast guitar player, average cook, and a really nice guy. I read all my articles; you should too and subscribe. Thanks very much.

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