The only difference between these "clumps" and adult human beings is stage of development. That's it.
I agree. The stage of development they are at when they are subject to abortion isn't significant enough to matter.
Especially if it requires a woman's cooperation.
And here's what you guys don't get. If a woman doesn't want to be pregnant, she'll find a way to not be pregnant.
That's why they have so many abortions in the Philippines, despite the country having the kinds of laws you want, and being a lot more Catholic than Americans are.
Oh the irony in that.
"Someone banged children over there, and the Church tried to hide it. . . So I don't feel bad at all about denying these lesser developed children over here, any protections or even any recognition of their personhood."
Fetuses still aren't children
Embryos at the IVF clinic aren't children.
Zygotes heading towards the exit aren't children.
Happy to have cleared that up for you.
But it wasn't "someone" who banged children, it was the Catholic Clergy. The Church KNEW about the abuse. They knew about it for decades. They intentionally moved offending priests around with no warning to the new parishes. They paid off families with NDAs. This scandal went all the way up to the Popes.
Now, in Joe's ideal world, there would be no "elective" abortions because contraception would work right every time and women would only choose men who are good father material.
We don't live in an ideal world. We live in the real world.
Contraception will fail or be absent.
Women will have sex with bad men
Women will fix the above two problems with abortions.
And unless you are willing to throw them in jail for doing it, you are going to have abortions. The only question is, will they be safe ones done by professionals, or will it be Amateur Night at the Apollo?
We can't control drugs, or guns, or prostitution, or booze during Prohibition, why do you think we'd be able to control abortion?