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Joan I, too, have wrestled with "when does life begin." I loved your words: "I have felt that struggle inside of me for years now-of trying to resolve the dilemma that I faced: who would I choose??-my dear friends who have Parkinson's and who are getting worse before my eyes and recently, beginning to die off one by one or the batches of faceless, invisible to the human eye, clumps of cells that bear no resemblance to a human being." Being from the conservative Bible Belt in Tennessee, I have been taught that "life" was the union of an egg and sperm. And I respect those that still adhere to this belief, but I have studied for myself and now believe otherwise. And it wasn't because of anything anyone else said, but was because I consider this decision to be a private choice between God and me. For those who believe the Bible is God's Word, here are just some scriptures that helped change my mind. Genesis 29:31 [ Jacob's children ] When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren Deuteronomy 28:4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed . . . 1 Samuel 1:5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. Job 31:15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? Psalms 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Isaiah 44:2 This is what the LORD says- he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you. . . Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [ Or chose ] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Romans 4:19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And these scriptures are why I am also pro-life. Peggy Celebrate Life! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn