Spanish official's resignation called for in dispute over when life begins

Madrid, Spain, Oct 11, 2010 / 23:01 pm

A Spanish pro-life leader is calling for the government’s Equality Minister Bibiana Aido to resign after she claimed that abortion is “not the taking of a human life” because there is no scientific consensus on when life begins or what human life means.

Dr. Gador Joya, a specialist in pediatrics and spokesperson for the organization Right to Life, called Aido’s remarks “foolish” and said they are “not only refuted by scientific reason,” but also by Spain’s constitution.

“It is scientifically indisputable that human life begins at the moment of fertilization,” she said.

Under Spanish law, abortions are illegal after the unborn child has reached 14 weeks of age. Aido has previously asserted that an unborn child prior to 14 weeks of age is “a living being, but not a human being.”

Joya said it makes no scientific sense to claim that an unborn child suddenly becomes “human” at 14 weeks. Each time Aido “kicks science, children die,” she added.

On Oct. 6, in a written response to questions from Rep. Carlos Salvador of Spain’s Congress of Deputies, Aido asserted: “Abortion is not the taking of a human life because there is no unanimous opinion or scientific evidence about the concept of human being, since by human life we mean a complex concept based on philosophical, moral and social ideas that are definitely subject to personal opinion or preferences.”

According to Joya, this response shows an ignorance of scientific fact and also the willingness of the Spain’s socialist government to destroy innocent life “under the cover of lies.”