Following on from Theland's Foetus question...... and Mibs' response ....

[naomi24]

.... a hypothetical question. If you held all human life sacred, but knew an unborn child was destined to become Hitler, would you abort it?

[Theland1]

With the benefit of foresight? Certainly!
The lesser of two evils.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Really, Theland? What happened to 'sacred'?

If God wasn't happy with Hitler being born, he could have stopped it. Why do you presume to play God?

Yet think how many benefits have arisen as a direct consequence of the fight against Hitler's menace. Think how different the world would be.

[brionon]

Don't believe in Destiny.

[China Doll]

There was an email doing the rounds at one point that addressed this. I can't remember the full context but it was basically that (without naming names), if you looked at the past lives of Hitler and someone else very good (who I don't remember), you could make the judgment as to how they'd turn out. Hitler's past looked a lot better in comparrison so I guess the jist was don't be too judgemental.

In answer to your question... Well supposing you believed all human life to be sacred then I guess you'd believe in a higher power of some sort and that being the case, you'd probably believe that there was a higher plan for us all. Logically then, the foetus in question would have to be born as it's all part of the masterplan. Higher powers don't make mistakes do they?

[naomi24]

Brionon, it's a hypothetical question.

[Theland1]

What happened to sacred was the addition of foresight, and therefore in the hypothetical context, going for the lesser of two evils, as the course of action chosen would save more precious albeit hypothetical lives.

[monkeyeyes]

As I don't believe in the original statement, I'm not sure that I'm qualified to answer (but I don't usually let that stop me), but here goes.........

I think the mother should decide whether tthe pregnancy should be allowed to continue; and if she does she must ensure to thwart him at every opportunity during his upbringing which history has shown was a pivotal episode in his development..........

[monkeyeyes]

I thought I had typed that ^ in English, however, on reading it back I seem to have slipped into some tortuous dialect previously unknown...............for which I apologise.

[naomi24]

Hello, monkeyeyes. Nice to see you. How are you?

[monkeyeyes]

I'm very well on this lovely sunny Sunday.

Is all well with you, naomi ?

[naomi24]

Yes, I'm fine thanks - and thank you for asking.

[Octavius]

No I wouldn't.

I believe that people like Hitler are generally 'bred' like that, in that the sentiments and feelings they hold towards their fellows are bought about by life experiences.

[keyplus90]

If I know this person is going to become a bad person even on the assumption of that I would not kill someone as he is not bad yet. I believe that no one is born evil. Usually it is in the life they turn into good or bad due to mainly people around them. Then there are so many things which we may not like but that is only because we could not understand the reason behind that because of our limited knowledge and of course God�s knowledge is unlimited.

[123everton]

No I don't think I could.
The trouble with children is you can only point them in the direction you want them to follow (and hope it's the right one), they'll reach a moment when they decide for themselves.
Alter the question slightly, if you're child was going to turn into a rapist, a murderer or a child molester would you abort it?
Sticks in the throat a little this question.

[jno]

not a hypothetical question but an impossible one; you cannot know what a child will become. As others have said, it wasn't just being conceived that made Hitler, it was his entire life (he might have been killed in the first world war, for instance).

And remember - if Hitler hadn't been there to found the Nazis, someone even worse might have done so, in which case you'd be lamenting that Hitler was ever aborted.

[123everton]

JNO does have a point, if the Germans had decided to follow the alternative route of communism the outcome for the world would have been much worse.
So what would you do Naomi?

[naomi24]

As JNO says, it is an impossible question, and that's why it can only be hypothetical. I would abort it.