Well the subject has become broad and I would like to address a few things.
A) CONCEPTION/CHILD WITHIN THE WOMB:
Let's be blunt...
People, including some professing Christians as found on this board, who do not see the unborn as children or valued as such, do so either 1) out of complete ignorance of God's word and indeed the medical field or 2) they do so in order to attempt to justify their stance in supporting abortions and such candidates!
This is a Christian board yet only 85% see abortions as murder and let's be clear, we are talking about elective abortions whereas a choice is made to kill a healthy unborn child whose mother is also healthy. Nobody is arguing, as exampled with ectopic pregnancy, some pregnancies must be unavoidably aborted, due to life threatening issues. However, such issues are extremely rare and the percentage would still be very low even if you included rape/incest. I think my research shown around 5% to 6%. Meaning nearly 95% of all abortions performed are purely elective.
God most definitely places a great emphasis on “conception” as the beginning of a life. Any Christian who wishes to say He does not or He only gives reverence after the egg has attached to the uterus or even later, needs to provide Scripture specifically showing that. Otherwise, you need to accept what the Bible clearly states! Other Christians just need to get right with God.
Great reverence for life is given upon conception as easily seen throughout the Bible and with women who were finally able to conceive.
1Sam1 is the story of Hannah who could not conceive and suffered great humiliation for it. She fervently prayed to God until He blessed her and she
“conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel".See also
Gen. 29:31-30:24, Gen.20:17-18 etc.
At the time the Angel tells Mary she will soon conceive Jesus; She is also told that Elizabeth is "6 months" pregnant with a "son".
Luke 1:36-37 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age….."
Luke 1:24 "Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived…" When Mary went to visit Elizabeth she would have only been a few weeks pregnant. Elizabeth would have been 6 months or so. Look at the reverence the Holy Spirit shown Mary and our newly conceived Savior.
Luke 1:41-44 "And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me…."
Luke 1:18-21 "…Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”.
Luke 2:21 “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”
Psalm 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward….”
Job 3:1-3 “After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job spoke, and said: “May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, A male child is conceived…”
Gen. 4:1 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived..”
Gen. 4:17 “Cain knew his wife, and she conceived..”
Gen. 16:4 “So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived..”
Gen. 21:2 “Sarah conceived….”
Gen 29:32 “So Leah conceived…”
Gen 29:33 “Then she conceived again..”
Ex. 2:2 “So the woman conceived..”
SEE ALSO, Num. 5:28, Judges 13:3, Judges 13:5, 1 Chr. 7:23, Is. 7:14 and Heb. 11:11 etc, etc.
B) IN REGARDS TO THE PILL:
Firstly, there are naturally only about three weeks out of a given month in which a woman can get pregnant. At some point during this period an egg will be released which only has a lifespan of about
24 hours. Sperm has a lifespan of about
72 hours. Thus, even if you are purposefully trying to get pregnant it may take a long while as the odds are low for the period.
The pill acts in three ways to avoid pregnancy, not two. First, it stops the release of eggs and thus none are capable of getting fertilized in the first place. It contains hormones which stop ovulation. With one pill type there is no period. The combination pill allows for a period but not from release of an egg but instead in controlling hormones. Secondly, the pill thickens the mucus around the cervix and effectively prevents sperm form entering the uterus. Thus it prevents an egg, if by chance one was released, from getting fertilized. The release of an egg is really only possible if someone is not taking the pill regularly or properly.
http://www.seasonale.com/Video/Video.aspx
http://www.estronaut.com/a/pregnancy_symptoms_issues.htm
(Note: some of these links are older and may not be directed to the original article)
Lastly, the pill also makes it difficult for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. This is the moral dilemma which has been raised and as that can occur in rare cases. That raises other moral equivalents however. Are we to say older couples or people with fertility issues (miscarriages) are sinning because they continue to attempt to have children?
Again, it is one thing to do everything you can to prevent pregnancy or fertilization of an egg, but it is completely something else to purposefully kill an unborn child.
The objection is still possibly legitimate for Christians however. Maybe a campaign should be started to address that point and to introduce one that does not affect the uterus. I think that would solve the dilema for many Christians.
God Bless