That Special Spark of Life?

Going from the ridiculous to the sublime, I just couldn't resist these two graphic representations of a very controversial topic right now. With the latest news being that a small portion of a stem cell can be extracted and viably used without hurting or killing the donor cell, it seems that the much needed research using them for Parkingson and spinal trauma etc. can move forward and we can keep up with the rest of the World's Scientific Community...cutting edge...no pun intended.

Since my blog's theme is "preserving life"...especially mine, my family's etc. I think it is only fitting that I take a stand on such an important issue. My views are somewhere in the middle of these two "extremes" depicted. All life is sacred but when does it actually become "life"? And if the cells were going to be discarded or aborted anyway, what's the point? If another aging, dying life can be saved or prolonged by this procedure, then why not?

The above cartoons/comics poke fun at what, I think, so many of us have grown to detest. ie. the "militant" side of the question where the proponents almost "dare you" to disagree with a "pro-life" issue. We all want to save lives, like this "Life Guard" but sometime it can't be done...it would be too "god-like" omnipotent to do so. So we kind of sit there with our "shades" on and try to ignore the whole problem.

The section below of a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of the "Cappella Sistina" ceiling by Michaelangelo, to me graphically represents another extreme on the issue. (my wife did it in about a week) We again had the opportunity to see this masterpiece in Rome at the Vatican and were struck by the center "panel" of "creation" in the artist's mind. The whole ceiling is an optical illusion since is looks vaulted but is actually flat. How appropriate. Also the figures at one end are more foreshortened we were told because he "ran out of room" for all the Bible stories he had to tell.

When is conception? Is it purely physical? Are our lives conceived and changed as we live and grow...up...much like our thoughts? It continues to be "a puzzle" to me. Bob!