Life began (we think) in nutrient-rich water about 3.5 billion years ago and has been continuous, burgeoning and evolving ever since. The "life begins" argument, laden with the requisite dose of emotion according to who's making it, is bogus. Sperms and eggs are every bit as alive as an embryo, a foetus or a fully-grown human. From what I've heard coming out of America in the last few days, it isn't pointless arguments about "when life begins" that are at the core of the issue. Rather, it's the siren voices of particular people who like to call themselves "Christians" who harbour the cruellest of cruel notions about women. When those people's time comes, the Jesus who they love to invoke is certain to refuse them admission. Sadly, that means they'll never be punished.