"They do help the unborn, because whether those kind of amendments win or lose with the voters, they expose voters to the truth. It creates a discussion in the public about what is the unborn child? Are they human life? If they are human life, do they deserve the same rights as the rest of us--the right to live, of course, being the chief right among those? So I don't believe whether they help the unborn is based on the success of the amendment, but rather does it cause a discussion, does it make people think about it, does it put the truth out there? And I think yes, it does all of those things."

Kristi Burton Brown, spokesperson, 2008 Colorado Personhood Amendment

"Of course laws specifying that a new human being comes into existence when fertilization takes place help the unborn. It's a way of publicly saying that, however weak and vulnerable this tiny human organism may be, it is one of us. Our lives begin in weakness and dependence and, of course, often end there as well. But from zygote to irreversible coma we remain equally human. We should be glad whenever the law acknowledges this."

Gilbert Meilaender, professor of theology, Valparaiso University

"There is a sound scientific basis for calling the unborn 'human beings.' The debate remains whether it is warranted ethically or legally not to protect the lives of some human beings as much as we protect the lives of others, because of some characteristic they lack. But we can't engage in an honest debate about that if we are not clear that we are discussing human beings with different characteristics, not humans vs. non-humans--hence the value of laws defining personhood."

John Kilner, professor of bioethics, Trinity International University

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Source: Christianity Today | Compiled by Ruth Moon

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