No matter what, life is a miracle. Other conditions don't have to do with the miracle itself. Science hasn't yet figured out how to create life without taking something from something that's already living - so it's a miracle.

Well, if you were trying to have a baby and per se.. one of you were told you were physically unable.. and you actually did have a baby.. that itself is a miracle. That is, people use miracle as a light term that defines a life changing event that beat the odds to happen.

Birth is a miracle because life is. No matter the conditions. Science tells us life emerged from the ooze of the Earth and evolved to something greater. It is conceivable the same should apply to those born in poverty.

as above - pressed enter twice :)

It's a miracle because there are so many things that could go wrong. The egg has to be there at the right time, the sperm has to get into the egg. The embryo has to stay planted in the uterus - not flushed away in next week's menstruation or in the fallopian tubes. The right hormones have to be produced by the mother, the right cell divisions take place in the embryo. The foetus has to stay in the womb the correct amount of time. And that's only scratching the surface of the process. It's a miracle when all these things happen and a healthy child is produced. However, I do think there is a time and place for birth. It's up to the mother (if she is acting alone - ie if the pregnancy is the result of a tenuous relationship), the woman who is going to carry and nurture that baby, when that time is. In a loving partnership, it's up to both parents. So yes, I do approve of abortion. That's not to say that I would approve of the government stepping in and putting an income threshold on those that are allowed to have children ie - 'you only make $300 a week, you can't afford the child you're carrying, you must have an abortion' or 'you already have two children, you must be sterilised, you can't have anymore'. But when it comes Africa - and I presume that's what your question is aimed at, I don't know. I've often wondered why they don't educate and supply these people with contraceptives, with condoms - it would also prevent the spread of HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis - but I suppose the real reason, aside from the ethical dilemma of that sort of intervention, is money. As it is, Africa can't support it's own population, nor can we - my own country has enough problems with its own children, let alone taking on financing a continent. There's no easy solution. Stop them breeding? That violates human rights. It borders on genocide - the genocide of unconceived children. Let them fend for themselves? That's inhumane. What are we supposed to do?

Because life is a miracle and we still don't understand how a mere interaction of complex compounds produces life and consciousness.

a poor birth is just as miraculous as a rich birth

Anything that some fool can force someone else into doing, is considered to be a miracle. Now if Men could get pregnant, then Abortion would be a sacrament. And birth wouldn't be so much of a miracle.

"Miracle" really just means "something too complicated for me to understand, but probably good". That, broadly speaking. describes childbirth - unless you are an obstetrician.

Well ifrst of all you should try to undrestand that they are not as fortunate as you are and they are refferd to a miracle because they are poor and you expect the baby to die so it is a miracle that way. And the second part is not right.

Christ himself was born in desperate poverty. Some of those miracles born in desperate poverty may change the world: it's happened before and it will happen again. What is stopping you from helping some of them? You were one of those miracles too, and you have just as much opportunity to make a difference in the world as anyone else. Here are some places you can start helping. http://www.habitat.org/ http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/index.php http://www.savethechildren.org/ http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf I look forward to hearing what you do to help some of those miracles born in poverty.