I appreciate the responses so far. The issue is on the front page of the Boston Globe today.

We've veered a bit from what I wanted to find out: I'd conclude by what I'm reading that the vast majority of folks think that Kerry should not be refused participation in Catholic communion, nor should he shirk it because of his beliefs.

I still don't know why the Catholic church got involved on the issue and what it's biblical justification is (that life begins at conception).

I still don't know why Southern Baptists have a similar view, but other Christian faiths, such as Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Unitarian, Episcopal, justify a different belief.

Even though this is a BS thread, there is at least one musical tie-in: Monty Python's song "Every Sperm is Sacred".