"However, 1 in 50 conceptions tend to end in spontaneous abortions where often the prospective mother isn’t even aware of the same, as the body rejects the foetus and flushes it out as waste."
I'm not sure what moral conclusions you can draw from that. In some countries, one in 5 children dies before the age of two. The biology of the matter is, they are flushed out of their family's embrace before they could string three words together as subject-verb-object. "I love Mama" never came. But... but what? They are waste? Their lives are worth nothing? Their mothers' as well, since they keep on producing them? And then they die and turn to compost?
(I didn't say you said that. I'm just asking.)
It raises the query about what makes a life worthhile. Compared to some entity who lives a million years, we all are as ephemeral as midges. When I was 12, a sober consideration of the --- in the larger view --- pointlessness and absurdity of life almost caused me to commit suicide. But I was stopped by a dream. A dream that hinted that there's a great deal more to be seen.
"It becomes difficult to apply the charms of religion when the reality of biology is witnessed."
On the contrary, I would say that it is precisely the reality of biology which requires the 'charms' of religion.
Pope or Pope Emeritus Benedict --- he becomes dearer and more essential to me every day --- said, "It is rational to believe, as it is our very existence that is at stake." Yes, he knows what I'm talking about.
"To me, at least. Those were human lives too, with no awareness or memory on the part of the mother for that extinguished life to mean anything."
What will your life mean in 20 years? in 200 years? in 200,000 years?
"To mean anything"--- when?
"To mean anything"--- how?
"To mean anything"--- to whom?
Good to see you too, Mrs. Don-o!
My point was rather straightforward, that yes, the organic reality of life, including human life, is so totally and perversely subject to the whims of an uncaring, uninterested Universe.
This is why anyone with the hopes / dreams / delusions of a “higher power” would have to contend with the question as to why a spontaneous abortion would be part of reality’s design - particularly in cases where an individual is “created” and then flushed out with no hint of awareness of its existence to the parties responsible for it, so that there could be any moral lesson derived. Just happens and disappears as if no observer was required to pay attention to it “(They are waste? Their lives are worth nothing?!”). The mango tree shoots out a thousand flowers of which a few will terminate in fruition, the rest fall off to the ground to become compost. Why so much waste in the design? Because evolution demands it. Likewise, with spontaneous (natural) human abortions. It’s the mother’s body which rejects the tiny foetus and flushes it out, most cases the mother not even being aware of the pregnancy. The body evolved this feature so that the failing foetus can be extinguished and thereby allow for the lessening of the risk to the life of the mother, so that she may mate again and try again to reproduce. That’s the callous reality of life. Specifically cruel, but in the long run, advantageous, and ironically, preserving of life. Death just becomes a design feature, with no deeper meaning to it other than that it had to exist so that life could flourish.
As for feeling “depressed” about this unquestionable reality of life, here’s a quote:
“And what constitutes evil, real evil, is the taking of a single human life. Whether a man would die tomorrow or the day after or eventually, it doesn’t matter. Because if God does not exist, then life, every second of it, is all we have.” - Anne Rice.
PS: I read your link at the last post on the earlier thread. I guess I forgot to reply to you, but as much as the story was impressive, it is nothing new as far as human narratives go - the hero painted with the strokes of the underdog brush always proves a better contrast. Even Krishna was brought up by “low-caste” cowherds existing at the edges of the social power matrix. But one other point I wanted to make was regarding how you found yourself (by your own admission) willing to question the words of a prophet (the appointed mouthpiece of your god) over 1 Sam 15:3, but then see no problem in accepting second, third... n-th hand human (yes, human) testimony about the narratives of the same supposed divinity, warts and all. I’m not able to load that thread on my phone, hence the reply here. If you could, please ping me to it, so that we could have a seamless discussion continue on that older thread.
Regards!