atheism and children

[Exian]

You know what I just realized, and this is silly, but I've been an atheist for so long that I completely forgot about the idea of the soul, and the role that plays on what you might consider sacred when it comes to life and reproduction. I see life as an organism that is able to reproduce/replicate, and I see no difference in a life created by sexual intercourse and a life created with IVF. To help you understand, I see human reproduction how you might see animal reproduction. There's no discernible difference in the material world.

I wonder now, if you see a person born by IVF as soulless, and is that the missing ingredient I mentioned earlier? (Here's an extra funny bit- if you do consider people born through IVF as soulless, I would somehow find that kind of insulting, even though I consider everybody soulless hahaha)

Lol, absolutely NOT. Haha. Like I said, how a person was conceived has no bearing on them whatsoever. I agree, that would be extremely insulting if I did.

But you are correct on your first paragraph. Reproduction of human life is tremendously sacred because it not only creates a body, but an eternal soul as well.

So that brings it back to just being about the act. Also, it brings it back to me not knowing the difference. Haha

As far as I'm concerned, if your church doesn't treat people born through means other than lovemaking differently or think less of them, then it doesn't matter to me what you believe. However, I think your fellow Catholics who have troubles conceiving should have that option, and I feel bad for them for the battle they will have ahead of them in trying to conceive.

Do you know of cases where a catholic couple has tried to have a child through other means when knocking boots doesn't work? I know the church looks down on it, but what does the church do after a couple has already gone through with it?