Abortion

[Damasta]

I've heard two Scriptural arguments for when the spirit enters the body. But given how contradictory they are, I'd say we can't really conclude anything from them. Here they are:

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

...

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

The argument is that John's spirit was already in Elisabeth's womb and so when he 'recognized' the Savior, for whom he would prepare the way, he wiggled. Elizabeth gave birth three months later (v. 56), so the spirit must enter the womb by the beginning of the third trimester.

Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

The argument here is that since Jesus was talking to Nephi, he hadn't entered the womb, yet. So the spirit enters the womb just before, or at birth.

Further arguments can be made either way to negate the other, but really it's inconclusive.

[NerdGirl]

I've heard those two scriptures used together to argue that not only do we not know when the spirt enters the body, it may not even happen at the same time for every baby.

[Marduk]

The argument that's always made the most sense to me is this one (although, I was looking for the reference, and couldn't find it, so maybe someone with better searching skills could?):

Without the spirit, we are just lifeless husks. We cannot move, act, or do anything. Hence, once an unborn child is capable of moving, it is because the spirit is now inhabiting that body, and moving it.

[Nanti-SARRMM]

Without the spirit, we are just lifeless husks. We cannot move, act, or do anything. Hence, once an unborn child is capable of moving, it is because the spirit is now inhabiting that body, and moving it.

Maybe, but the chromosomes are moving and the body is growing at all stages.

The argument here is that since Jesus was talking to Nephi, he hadn't entered the womb, yet. So the spirit enters the womb just before, or at birth.

I've heard that argument too, but then again we don't know if Christ was able to manifest words to Nephi while his spirit was in the body, or if Christ's spirit just hadn't entered the body yet. We don't know.

So, I think the point is, we don't know when a spirit enters the body, nor should it matter so much.

[Yarjka]

Without the spirit, we are just lifeless husks. We cannot move, act, or do anything. Hence, once an unborn child is capable of moving, it is because the spirit is now inhabiting that body, and moving it.

Would this apply to people who are comatose? This could have interesting implications for whether or not one should continue life support.

[Marduk]

I think we can all agree on death as the end of the union of spirit and body. Now, as to what exactly constitutes death, that is a can of worms with seemingly no end....