I say it’s contributing to the inflicting of a lifetime (however long) on another sentient being. In other words, being a part of the production of a human child.
What do other people think?
Don’t we already have a poster named Silenus?
Hmmm, how ironic. I would say it’s the death of a child. An actual child that has lived on the earth for a period of time, not abortion. With the loss of potential and the extreme agony that the family must go through, especially if it’s sudden, it strikes me as being the worst thing that could happen.
Okay, but I’m talking about the decision to bring the child into this word in the first place.
Is that not the cruelest decision of all?
I meant “world“, damnit.
Personally, I’m rather enjoying being here.
WMMV, of course.
In some circumstances I think it might be cruel to bring a child into the world. If you know they’re going to be severely disabled or there’s a high risk they will, then yes, maybe it is cruel. But under normal circumstances, no, it’s just biology.
What the hell are you saying? That it’s biologically wired that we inflict life upon others?
I say it’s Crazy Frog.
Inflicting religion on an innocent child.
Indifference is the greatest human cruelty; whether it is toward your fellow man or life in general. There is nothing more dehumanizing than viewing another person as insignificant.
Wow, you must be a hit at parties.
American Idol.
Oh, I’d say flaying someone alive, dipping them in salt, raping them, then eating them alive is just a little worse.
Someone’s been watching too much Firefly. 
Having said that - back to the OP:
I don’t agree. “Inflicting” life on someone isn’t cruel, it ceratinly isn’t done with any bad intentions, which I think are neccessary to really make for the greatest cruelty. I don’t think any unthinking cruelties (“inflicting” life, religion or whatever) can really compare to say genocide or torture.
Or Crazy Frog…
Well, yes. I hope you’re not a real doctor.
Only if you subscribe to the notion that life is nothing buy suffering.
Marc
Special offer at Mistress Cynthia’s House of Pain.
Interestingly, libertarian philosophy agrees with you. Birth is a coercion against the child, and is the reason that parents are bound parties to a unary contract in which the child is a non-consenting party.
OK, I can sort of see this, but in your opinion, does that equate to “The greatest human cruelty”?