I thank Albert Cilia Vincenti for graciously pointing out my entitlement “to ignore the fact that the hormonal tablets in question are classified by the WHO, the EMA and the BNF as emergency contraceptive medicine” (February 4).
I would, however, like to observe that, in addition to the various entitlements we both enjoy, we are also subject to certain obligations. One of these is the need to take into account the increasing volume of evidence that demonstrates that these items are not only contraceptive but also abortifacient.
I am further obliged to take into account the fact that, under the odd new definition of pregnancy, a substance that does not interfere with an established pregnancy may very well destroy a young human life nonetheless.
Cilia Vincenti is, of course, entitled to make what he likes of biological facts.
As to whether the destruction of human life is, or is not, a matter of life and death, I leave it to readers to decide. I would humbly suggest, however, that invoking God’s ultimate judgment as a pretext to set aside all available human knowledge, as well as to dispense with our faculties of discernment and intelligence, may, possibly, not conform entirely with His expectations of us.