If this were the case why do they consistently vote against government support birth control, pregnancy support programs, maternity leave, and aid programs to mothers? Be a bit like vegans demanding tax breaks for the beef industry or doctors wanting cigarette machines in middle schools.

If I thought it was murder I would definitely be doing what I could to make murder happen less often. And I know this because when I was a theist I leaned towards it being more restrictive and still supported government programs.

I reject the premise that being pro-life is about a moral conviction regarding the sanctity of life. If that is in fact the moral underpinning that informs the pro-life position, then we would expect to see a similar consistency with regard to all other issues relating to the protection of human life, but we don't.

What it's really about is controlling women and maintaining a hierarchy by ensuring that sex without reproductive consequences is impossible.

Pro-lifers tell themselves that it's about the sanctity of life because by the rules of cognitive dissonance they have to rationalize a way to see themselves as the good guys, but again, all of that is belied by the fact that they don't seem to believe in the primacy of human life in any other context.

Unfortunately, this kind of cognitive trick is a very human and very common thing. We all do it to one extent or another.