It seems many pro-lifers are also fundamentalist Christians. While they claim a fetus is "innocent" don't they believe that we are each born in a state of sin and therefore not innocent. Splitting hairs? Perhaps, but I still find it an interesting point.

FWIW, I do feel it is difficult for men to understand what a woman goes through from sexual awareness to contraception, if available, which may fail, to being pregnant and having to make a decision about what to do (esp. if the pregnancy came about through force of any kind.)

Please note, I said "difficult" not impossible. Ultimately the decision comes down to that one individual, that lone woman, no one can, nor should they, make that decision for her, yet it happens all of the time. That it happens at the behest of men, sometimes, makes it even more distrubing, imo. There is no correlation in which mens' bodies are regulated by the laws of the land. No correaltion exists in which mens' bodily functions are so hotly debated and contested.

On the original issue of this thread, that is capital punishment, our newspaper runs memorial ads by relatives of people who have passed on. This past Sunday I noticed the following and found it interesting that after nine years, the deceased's family still wanted vengeance and believed, apparently, that his soul was not at rest in all of that time. I do not make judgement of them, just thought it was an interesting take from some people who have obviously lived with some of what we've been talking about:

It's been nine years since God took you home. Your memory is still fresh in our minds. Today our hearts are more at ease because the one who took your life is finally going to pay. Now you can finally rest.
Love,
Mom and Dad, etc...

kat