Religious leaders divided over stem cells

The American Humanist Association is not a religion. This organization is anti-religion. Perhaps the headline should read "anti-religion leader agrees with Obama and disagrees with religious leaders."

The Republican Party likes to label the Democrats as promoting Socialism. Yet they are the Socialist Party when it comes to meddling into the personal and sexual lives of everyone else, whether or not they share the same religious beliefs.

It is very encouraging to see the government removing religion from its 8 year stranglehold on scientific health research. Claiming that stem cell research is equivalent to abortion makes as much sense as claiming eating eggs is killing chickens. Maybe there is a pill to cure people from religious hypocrisy.

I wonder if those who oppose this will also refuse the benefits of the research if by some chance they develop a condition that can be relieved by the products of this research. If they don't refuse the benefits, then they expose themselves as hypocrites. I still can't get over the concern for "potential " life while the trials and tribulations of actually existent life are disregarded or overlooked. Unwanted and abused children anyone?

OBAMA HAS NO ETHICS

O'Bummer continues with his "killer" agenda. As my bumper sticker says: "I'll keep my religion, guns and money. YOU CAN KEEP THE CHANGE!"

The president sold his soul so that he could get the support from Planned Parenthood and all the pro-abortion organizations to become the next president of the U.S. He is now paying his debt and will continue to do so for the next 4 years. It's funny that despite being abandoned by his father and being born in a broken family O'bummer's mother didn't abort him. Imagine if she did...

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, criticized the action, saying. : "...a sad victory of politics over science and ethics. "

To paraphrase a line from Dr. Strangelove, "Oh, only religion over science and ethics!"

The earth is flat, the sun orbits the earth.

I put my voodoo dolls away when I became a thinking man.

Three cheers for a return to a thinking presidency.

I just can't believe or see how some people think that stem cell is morally wrong. Does this mean that if you had a child that would die unless a cure was found that you would rather save a "cell" than a living, born human being??

Asking a religious leader about stem cells is sort of like asking an auto mechanic about computer chips.

Let's leave science to the scientists.

Paul is so proud of his bumper sticker!!! Alright, Paul!

caddieo1 - that's a great point.

if you oppose stem cell research, make sure to refuse any treatment developed through the use of embryonic stem cells (that were going to be discarded, anyway).

Also, make sure you tell everyone you meet that is helped by embryonic stem cell advances that you think they should remain sick and in pain.

Well folks, we all knew this was coming. Welcome to ObamaWorld. Lord help us all.

And caddie01 makes a great point. So let's have you in opposition to the use of embryonic stem cells answer here and now - will you refuse any medical treatments developed through the use of embryonic stem cells? Will you allow yourselves to die, rather than accept treatment for yourselves? Will you allow your kids to die, or encourage your kids to allow your grandkids to die, rather than accept these treatments? Hey, Paul, let's start with you - do you have a bumper sticker to cover this? And those of you who are clergy - will you insist that members of your flocks die, rather than accept treatment? Really, I think a lot of us are more than a bit curious about this. So enlighten us. If you have the nerve.

"Well folks, we all knew this was coming. Welcome to ObamaWorld. Lord help us all."

Posted by InGodWeTrust March 9, 09 04:18 PM

Help has indeed happened - the absolute right person is in the Oval Office.

"OBAMA HAS NO ETHICS"

Posted by JOHN TONNER March 9, 09 03:43 PM

And, apparently, John has no Caps Lock key.

This is very wrong. Unused embryos should either be kept in the freezer indefinitely or tossed out as medical waste.

What about embryos discarded as a result of fertility efforts? Those are some of the stem cell lines being made available for research. In my book if it has been conceived it has the potential to be a human being and so should not be subject to experimentation.

"The Republican Party likes to label the Democrats as promoting Socialism. Yet they are the Socialist Party when it comes to meddling into the personal and sexual lives of everyone else, whether or not they share the same religious beliefs." -- RedRockRaven

No, it's more like they misunderstand Adam Smith's (an athiest, fwi) famous dicta: rather than govern least, they govern where they least ought.

Bush was wrong to ban federal funds from stem cell research. Politically motivated moves are wrong. Obama, likewise, os wrong for making a spectacle of this.

First, many scientists believe in the last 8 years, since Bush's executive order, the need to the type of research on stem cells (the process Bush did not want funded) is gone. No longer are stem cells needed to be used in a controversial manner. The miracles of science have worked their magic.

Second, nothing was banned in the Bush order. Sure it was stupid to issue an exec. order over; but so is this. We are replacing an idiot in Bush with a man who cares about style, not substance.

Sometimes its hard to wake up from the 19 century and move into the 21st century.
Thank god for change....

-Greg

Look, I do not suggest that I have knowledge of the inner workings of a woman’s body but here it goes. You know the movie Legally Blond where the star actress was on class and made the argument regarding the man who was suing for custody over a child born to his sperm.... and how he could make claim to this one sperm over all those others that he ejaculated that did not find an egg.... what was her argument, reckless abandonment? Would you not consider that any woman who discharged an egg from her body, or took birth control to prevent ovulation so that no egg found a sperm, reckless. Come on folks. Women ovulate constantly and the majority of those eggs never result in the birth of another life. So if we might be able to make better use of those eggs to save a life, then morally, we have done the right thing.

"OBAMA HAS NO ETHICS"

Posted by JOHN TONNER March 9, 09 03:43 PM

And, apparently, John has no Caps Lock key.

He also has no balls. Making an allegation like that without support is, well, unethical.

I have to admit I'm not crazy about artificial insemination, much less unused fertilized eggs. The technology seems to epitomize 'The Selfish Gene'.

If a couple is unable to conceive in the conventional way, there is a world full of abandoned children out there in need of loving parents. Compassionate nurturing will place a far more indelible stamp on a child than genetics. They may not pass on your hair or skin color, but they will pass on your values. Which of these two sets of traits better defines the human being?

Be that as it may, the eggs are there and if not used will eventually be discarded. Use them: some good may come of it.

I absolutely support the President's decision, even if it means that SC research will prolong the lives of the oppnents. I wonder if even one of them was saved, would they issue a mea culpa?

Whoa unto those who oppose technology that may someday save them or their loved ones. Ironic because these are the only people conservatives really care about.

Wonderful to see all the 'pro-life' nutjobs who want to promote sickness and suffering wailing and moaning
Change has come ...long may it last

More of your tax money down the tubes. Completely unproven technology. Hasn't ever helped a soul. But, hey, why not throw a few billion at it?

Not to mention the ethical issue of creating fetuses for the purpose of harvesting their parts.

And before you all jump my throat, I have type one diabetes. I don't believe for a second this would help me, and I wouldn't want someone to kill a child to get cured.

Hey Grego,

Looks like your diabetes is causing premature dementia (I give you the benefit of the doubt that you are not knowingly lying). Embryonic stem cell research does not kill fetuses or children, let alone create them for that purpose.

BTW - any new technology is unproven (and expensive to develop) until it succeeds. That's true for your current meds as well, so be consistent and stop taking them!

John T I would guess believes in the tooth fairy and is an avowed socialist.......but I assume he is smart enough?? to take the treatment for his kids when needed....

Would someone please explain to me the validity of such a seemingly paradoxical argument that embryonic stem cell research is wrong, but that just discarding or permanently storing the embryos is acceptable? Seems to me that its a vastly more noble cause for an unused embryo to contribute to society by being used for potentially life saving research than it is for said embryo to be discarded like garbage or never be used at all! If it is never the intention to use these embryos to create life that is capable of living outside of a petri dish, is it not better to have them used for the common good of humanity? Or is it just better to kill them off by throwing them in the trash? For those that think stem cell research is useless, try reading something scientific instead of biased blogs. I suggest starting here: http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp

Just imagine how far more advanced civilization could be now if we had not had the church's repression of science during 900 of the Dark Ages. Fortunately we have emerged again after just 8. Thank God.

When I heard the ban was lifted, I cried. This news was all I needed to hear to give me a glimmer of HOPE, to keep me going knowing that we are doing everything we can to heal the sick and dying. No one can truly understand this science until they or their loved ones are faced with NO HOPE possible. None whatsoever. ‘Dying and Being Sick or Disabled’ has been a huge business in this country. Why not ‘Living and Being Well or Able’ be a big business, too? As a Christian, I have long placed this into God’s hands. Did the answer come? ... for my prayer always has been, “Lord, please save the ones I care about, whatever it takes, within your will.” There are no limits to a Saving Grace. No limits to a Saving Power. No limits to Creativity. And, sadly ... sometimes, it takes a life to give life. Regardless if you understand it or not. Jesus would know that best.

David Niose of the American Humanists said it far better than I could have.

As the religionists like to suggest that there are "no atheists in foxholes", how far will their religion go when the choice comes down to accepting science or dying? Indeed, most religions include myths of afterlife and reward (cheapening what one life we have right here), so, as Bill Mahr so aptly put it to one of them, "If it's going to be so great... far better in heaven than here, why not do yourself in right now?".

Religion, mythology, and all the other non-reality-based "belief" systems get far too much attention and are far too legitimized. I'm glad that the Administration (no longer the Maladministration) puts the reality emphasis where it belongs. Science first. Spooky woo-woo last.

i have a bumper sticker that says "This Car Climbed Mt. Washington"!!!!

I still did not see any respond from those who oppose embryo stem cell research, "will you refuse any medical treatments developed through the use of embryonic stem cells?" being asked by others.

Since no answer is given I would assume they would not refuse it. So you if will not refuse then why are you opposing this .. I really don't get it. Could anyone enlighten me on this ?

A sickening, soul-chilling move by Herr Obama. Next to come will be forced euthanasia of the elderly in order to control the cost of his (National) Socialist health care plan.

Frank - the Church kept learning alive during the Dark Ages.

Many of you use scripture or the name of Jesus or say thank God. It is not surprising as most professing Christians have never read the Bible with a true heart to gain God's wisdom. The key here is not whether or not God wants to heal people or advance science, it is the method in which we do so. I do not even know for sure but would assume that most embryonic stem sells come from aborted babies. God does not approve of abortion so he would not approve of using stem cells from those abortions. This commentary goes out to Christians and not non believers. 1 Cor 2:13-14

Religious Zealots have no business at all when they try to & unfortunately sometimes get their way in Federal or State Politics according to the Constitution where Separation of Church & State is clearly outlined. If you have a problem with Science, especially where it may benefit the health & well being of actual living, suffering Human Beings, then go join the Taliban. I don't want your religious ideas affecting my rights. The Appelate Court in PA. has already found out through existing evidence how far you will go to change Federal & state Law, based on Pure Lie & Inuendo when you attempted to bring your religious fallacies into the Classroom, but were ultimately denied, based on your failed attempts to cover up your lies & misrepresentations. Catholic & Evangelical Idealogues have shown how they have NO respect or tolerance for any other religions or non-christians, including Jewish or especially Muslim. I have no respect for such hypocrites who preach one thing & do otherwise. Stay out of my life. Science is my GOD

actually, i'm in favor of forced euthanasia of the elderly. have you seen how these old people drive?

Thank god that women don't REALLY ovulate constantly, followtheboys!

Big Brother, sorry, the Obama Civilian Security Force would like you to start saying it is not sleeting out but it's obama whiting out, it's not hail, but the obama wet stuff, it's not dour but not obama democratically correct. I'm a Protestant, a republican and an absolute fanatic about the Constitution. Obama is Big Brother, a closet socialist. I hate his politics, I hate his beliefs. I’ll never be behind him. Though I'm not a big fan of the Mormon faith, I would have loved to see Mitt Romney in the White House. Do you think Wall Street would have fallen so much since January? By the way, though Bush was less than ideal, it was John McCain who wanted to real mortgage lenders in and put tighter restrictions on them. The Democrats shot that down. The mortgage issue is the biggest cause for the financial melt down. Yes, I blame the Democrats for it!! Okay, Bush was better than Gore, but may not have been better than Kerry, who is a closet Republican. By the way, how's Hillary doing with the Sec of State thing? Reset in Russian? Ho’w about OVERCHARGE!!!! She's an idiot. She must have been thinking of her and OBAMA’s tax policy to the middle class. Sec Stat or even President should be Colin Powell. Yeah, Palin is an idot too. Bad move there. But I’d still take her to Socialism.

Once a sperm has fertilized the egg, then a human person begins to develop. Either this is true or it is not. If this is true, then embryonic stem cell manipulation is wrong.

There have been many successful procedures done with adult stem cells. But the news media almost never report this. Why not increase funding for adult stem cell work, which is not immoral? Meanwhile, there has been no success with ESCR (embryonic stem cell research).

I think many people are afraid that if we admit that ESCR is wrong, then we'll have to admit that abortion is wrong, too. I think this is why people are so obsessed with ESCR even though there have been many successes with adult stem cells!!

what IN GOD'S NAME are you talking about, js?

as the carpenter said to the broken door - you've come unhinged.

Anyone who leaps from this article right to cliched Nazi references is obviously an intellectual giant.

I heard they have new ways of getting stem cells without killing an empryo how come no one is talking about that

WHICH IS MORE ETHICAL - THE DEBATE:
Left over embryos in In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics
vs.
Cloned embryonic stem cells.

One are real embryos created from sperm and egg only helped along by the laboratory with the intent of creating human life. When no longer needed, they are completely discarded.
The other option are cells that are cloned from adults. The technology is already here. While it is the same technology that brought us Dolly the sheep, it does not need to be carried to that extreme. Just the basic cells are all we need to produce. So you tell me, which is more ethical? The embryo that was meant to be a baby eventually, or laboratory cloned cells?

Let us check the facts. Bush didn't ban stem cell research, he actually provided more funds for stem cell research than any one in history! What he said was that the federal government would not fund research from embrionic stem cells, but private funds could be used.
Obama will do whatever he pleases, but he really avoids biblical verses when they inconvenience him politically. Psalm 139:13-16. ""...you saw my body as it was formed...before I was a day old."
There have been great advances in stem cell research under Bush, none requiring embrionic stem cells.

Peter
The answer is, it is not true. To be a person, you have to have a mind, a brain, thoughts. An embryo has no mind, no thought, no brain waves, no brain, no brain cells. You need a functioning brain first before a human being can develope. Look at the opposite end, people whose brains are dead, we call them vegetables. Calling them people is simply politeness and a shield for the horror of the situation.

Looking at yesterdays bitter posts about the decline of catholic numbers and todays article quoting catholic bishop claiming to speak for catholics (as if he actually asked them) the bitterness is explained. The sad group of people who prefer superstition and sentimentality over reason must claim vast numbers of supporters for political leverage. A decline in reported numbers is a decline in their leverage. It is just power politics and ego boosting.

"discard as medical waste"? If you believe an embryo is a viable human life, can it live outside it's mother? If you believe that you are killing a life by using an embryo that is not viable, how can you believe in capital punishment? If those that believe all this, let's see what happens when they are diagnosed with ALS or cancer in their 30s and there is no cure. Are these people then willing to support a bill that will help them recover or live longer lives with something that was going to be discarded as medical waste? You cannot have it both ways.

You know, I am still on the fence, and admittantly know little about stem cell research...
However, I do want to say that we all shouldn't be messing with God's work as much as science does. Cloning, IVF, and the likes--it is all something out of science fiction movies.
My grandfather had dementia/Alzheimer. It was painful to see him waste away-but it was his time to go. Even if stem cells could reverse the Alzheimer’s, it would not have cured what he died of -- OLD AGE (technically pneumonia)
WE ALL DIE. WE NEVER know when our ticket is up-only God does. Yes, prolonging life is a noble thing and we have come leaps and bounds over the past 100 years-but why is everyone so willing to live 100 years?
It is a tough subject and I wish Obama had taken a little more time to consider the ramifications of federally funding this. I think he just reversed it because Bush restricted it-and that is all selfish, politically motivated--it may not be in the best interest of humankind.

Until the religious leaders take a position that isn't based purely in "magic", we shouldn't care what they think. Religion: Brought to you by the people who burn witches.

hey t riedbuttrue,
In some of these cases we are not talking about prolonging life, except in the sense of maintaining health. It is not like keeping someone who is brain dead on a respirator for years or decades. To use the example of your grandfather... what if his last years he had not had to go through dementia/A;zheimers? What if he had lived the exact same number of days but had been lucid/responsive, had known who his family was? Is this a bad thing?
What do you think about using this research to find cures for diabetes? Perhaps help millions of people not have to take shots daily to live? The example of Christopher Reeve was used. If memory served, he died of pneumonia. Of course, his pneumonia was caused because of a spinal cord injury and the complications of being a quadriplegic. What if he had been curable? This is the science we are talking about… not the ability to cure death, but the ability to improve life.
You may believe in a deity. I do not. Many others either do not or do not believe in the same one that you do. Personally, I think you would have better luck worshipping Zeus, but if you listen to George Carlin, you should check out the routine about why he praying to Joe Pesci. He actually got about the same response rate as praying to the RC divinity. Please, do not get in the way of science because of a 2000+ year old mythology that is not relevant to all.

My take on this Stem Cell issue is that science will always beat religion. Faith is faith. Nothing wrong with this but religion is all with that’s erroneous. My wife has Muscular Dystrophy., our nephew has it also. My former wife had End Stage Renal Disease, (ESRD). She has passed away because her kidneys also passed. My current wife’s brother just recently died from MD complications. Let’s hope that by the reversal of President Obama’s signature we can save not only the diseases Obama mentioned but these, and others too.

If we didn't "mess" with God's work we'd still be living in the dark ages! It amazes me that some of the same people who are convinced that this is an opportunity for evil, diabolical scientists to head right down a slippery slope apparently have no concern in the ability of those in the financial world to be inherently 'good' and regulate themselves. That's worked out well, huh? Do opponents of embryonic stem cell research oppose IVF procedures that create them in the first place? Should infertile couples accept 'God's will" ? And one more thing - who knows exactly what "God's will" is?

Of course I would refuse any medical treatment developed with embryonic cells. You know why? Because it is wrong and because I'm not a hypocrite like most of the O'bummer supporters.

I am sick of all the religious nuts in this world thinking that they have a right to dictate to others how they should live their lives, conduct their scientific research, and govern themselves. It's time to put these antiquated viewpoints on the shelf and get to solving the problems we face. Religion has no place in politics or science. If you want to believe in the fairy-tales in the bible, go right ahead. You must not, then, take advantage of any of the scientific advances that you are decrying.

Thank yo pat. Where are are the anti-ivf persons? I have to imagine if you are against destroying embryos against God's will, then you should be against creating embryos against God's will. After all, if you can't conceive, you can't, so why is it ok to play God then?

Anyways, I find it interesting that two religious organizations have posted their point of view on stem cell research. One Christian, against, One Jewish for it. So, with this in mind, think about why one religious set of ideals should dictate our science. We are not a country with a mandated religion. Nor should we be.

The govt should not be involved with such things, period. this is best left for the private sector. when you have govt granting dollars for effectively private research matters, you have both the opportunity for corruption, and fools (i.e., politicians) bickering about things they know nothing of. the private sector can always find a way to finance such endeavors without the hinderance of the govt. and the global warming scam is a perfect example of the mess you get when you allow politicians to speak as scientists.

that said, i wonder if the religious believe that masturbation is murder?

Obama is not my president. 01/20/14 Four and out

Hypocrisy? You mean like being pro-life from the point of conception and then only until birth?

Who cares what these friggin religious club people think - we need this ability and finally a President with compassion and leadership is making it happen.

Plus there is no god - there is no supreme creator - stop reading the 2,000 year old book and get with real information - it's call scientific results and proof of evolution. Stop being in such denial!!!

Stem Cell research has given us may things. What has embrionic stem cell research given us .....Nothing. It hasn't been proven to do anything more or less than what standard stem cells have. Creqating life to destroy itis abominable. If life begins at conception, which many people believe, is this actually murder? I do love the arguement that these are "left over" embryo's from in vitro fertilizaton. They are still egg and sperm in the developmental stages of becoming a living, and breathing human being. A stem cell is taken from the"brain" stem of a fetus. A fetus is an actual living being. It is a shame that people now believe that killing the innocent, the unborn, in the name of science is aceptable for the possibility of furthing the notion that a unborn child can give science anythng more than what other stemcells have. Shame on you Mr. Obama.

As far as arguments go I don't see any supporter of embryonic research making it clear why they support it. It is like when people supported Obama and didn't even know his agenda. The FACT is that up to now, no human being has EVER been cured of a disease using embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, have already cured thousands. There is the example of the use of bone marrow cells from the hipbone to repair scar tissue on the heart after heart attacks. Research using adult cells is 20-30 years ahead of embryonic stem cells and holds greater promise. This is in part because stem cells are part of the natural repair mechanisms of an adult body, while embryonic stem cells do not belong in an adult body (where they are likely to form tumors, and to be rejected as foreign tissue by the recipient). Rather, embryonic stem cells really belong only within in the specialized microenvironment of a rapidly growing embryo, which is a radically different setting from an adult body.
The moral analysis of what we may permissibly do with an embryo doesn’t depend on its otherwise “going to waste,” nor on the incidental fact that those embryos are “trapped” in liquid nitrogen. If we imagine a coal mine with miners who are permanently trapped inside through no fault of their own, with the certainty that they are all going to die, that would not make it okay to send a remote control robotic device to harvest organs from those miners and cause their demise.

Paul, you think you're clever with your O'bummer nonsense, but you just look like a sore loser....the operative word being loser.

As with all things political, the pendulum will swing back again to the center and right, whether it is in 4, 8 or 12 years and all what #44 is doing to undo what #43 did will in turn be undone by someone else. Those who believe in 'change' must also acknowledge that it is temporal.

aren't we only talking about embryos that are ALREADY in existance and ONLY have the options of being A) thrown away or B) used for stem cell research?

because anyone who would rather see them thrown away than used for the benefit of society is just as anti-american and disrespectful of god's creation as bin ladin.

GO LIVE IN IRAN IF YOU HATE OUR SOCIETY (which includes scientific
progress)!!!

It really a sad day in America when our President admits plain as day that HE HAS NO MORALS. He put science above morals. Now he is forcing his lack of morals on everyone in the country by forcing everyone to pay for this experimentation of humans. He is so much like Hitler, It's scary!!! He tried to say this move was not political. If it really wasn't political he wouldn't have had a public signing, and he would not have caved in to his far leftist friends. At least now we know that the American people aren't getting the fake centrist Obama that occurred during his campaign..

Anything that comes from the devil, like the experimentation of embryonic stem cells which is proven in causing cancer and tumors, Yes, I would choose not to benefit from this form of child abuse. Between abortion and embryonic stem cell experimentation, I don't know which is a worse form of child abuse? Bush left this in the private sector so he would not push his morals on anyone. His position wasn't that different from Clinton's.

Just imagine if one or more of the 40 or so million babies aborted were actually sent by God with the cure for many of these diseases. No stem cell research would be needed..........Culture of death continues!

How many of you have watched a family member suffer and die from an extreme neurological disease like Parkinson’s? Until you have, you have nothing to say. All religions talk about faith and hope. Faith and hope that science can find a cure before it is too late is a powerful thing to someone who is facing a slow agonizing death.

beenthere, I absolutely agree.

Weigh the two....a parent, a sibling, a partner dying a slow, agonizing death vs. cells that CANNOT THINK OR FEEL.

These people going off about the immorality of this research are utterly off their rockers, deeply, dangerously out of touch.

To all the conservative, nay sayers etc. and those who believe he and supposrters have no morals...tell this to the people fighting spinal cord injuries, the parents and child who is sticking his/her self every day because of Diabetes, and to those suffering ALS , Parkinson's and so on. My feelings are you people have no morals. Embryos are NOT humans or babies or even fetuses they are zygotes. This is the time when stem cells are best because these cells have not been determined for specific duty in the body. So when people say a life is being destroyed, scientifically and biologically you're wrong. If the zygote was an actual being then most of the stem cells would already be marked for use. Study up on biology and science before you go around saying a life is being destroyed. It's about time U.S. caught up to the other countries and finally we can actually explore any and all options these important cells may offer. My feelings, an actual living life suffering is more important than a fertilized egg.

"After 8 long years, Harvard can now move ahead with research" so, why couldn't Harvard use some of their THIRTY BILLION DOLLARS to sustain research previously.
BTW, if a viable fetus is ever used for "research", then whats to stop women from getting pregnant, so they can "sell" their fetus?????? You freaky Left Wing Loonies won't have a problem I'm sure, but you'd have a problem with putting down Ted Bundy, or John Wayne Gacy. You people are all ILL.
I would rather die, than take the life of an unborn fetus.

Also, aren't the people that are for this, against animal testing??? Sickening.

ricjin99, get some help.

ricjin99,

Then you should go ahead and die. Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out.

Why am I paying taxes? My money is funding murder in the name of science. I don't have a choice...My president is forcing me to help kill innocent life. On a massive scale (Abortion, Stem cells, the war,etc.). God help us all.

Thank you Linda and RayRay01.

From The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research website:

Michael J. Fox, actor, author, activist and founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, released the following statement on President Obama’s executive order overturning the ban on federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells:

“Today is a new day. I could not be more thrilled to see President Obama live up to his commitment to get politics out of science. We have seen, for the past eight years, how much damage the opposite approach has done to science and patients. Now that the President has taken this critical action, I am excited by the prospect of American scientists carrying human embryonic stem cell research forward toward better treatments and cures that will affect countless millions of lives.

“I commend the President for recognizing the inherent value of scientific freedom, and for helping to create an environment in which it can flourish.”

"42.Once a sperm has fertilized the egg, then a human person begins to develop. Either this is true or it is not. If this is true, then embryonic stem cell manipulation is wrong."

Peter - This is an arbitrary dividing point and completely depends on your definition of "human person". It can be both true and false, again depending on your definition of "human person". The question is not whether stem cell manipulation is "wrong", it's where you define the "beginning" of a "human person".

Why decide at the point where sperm meets egg? Religious "leaders" generally grab at the straw man they call "soul", although no one, ever, has produced an iota of reasonable evidence that such a thing exists. It is a ghost born of fear. No, we should and we MUST redefine our common public concept of "person" in this context and allow stem cell research to continue. It is the only RIGHT thing to do.

And to those who will cry "slippery slope!!!", there is no such thing to a reasonable, rational person. But perhaps that's asking too much of the American public?

Linda, you sound like someone I ran into while fishing, he asked " how can you do that, fish feel pain"......I asked him how does he know that? I ask you, how do you know a fetus doesn't feel pain???
I don't expect any sort of logical reply from you, based on your previous posts.
Liberals: Against death penalty / For murdering unborn humans
Against animal testing / For using fetus for Nazi-like testing

I have a bumper sticker that say's "No matter were you go there you are"

I just have some comments on death. For those of us who believe truly in our hearts that we where not made for this world but heaven, death is not the end but the beginning. Although losing a loved one is a great tradgedy if the deceased had accepted Christ and tried their best to follow his teaching for them it is a joyous occassion. To the silly comment someone made about a Bill Mahrer quote about killing oneself to get to heaven. Suicide is a serious offense to God. He calls us to serve Him and our fellow man until the time when He calls us home. God expects us to use science and medicine to help relieve our pain and cure us but not at the expense of other humans and not if the methods are immoral. Death from this world is only bad (actually worse then we as humas can imagine) if we aren't ready. It's OK to disagree with us but we aren't forcing our opinions on those whom disagree with us. We are allowed to have our opinion however and it is incredibly troubling us to be forced to pay tax dollars to certain causes.

Right Wing Moonbats (like ricjin99)

For Saving a Bunch cells/ Against providing any type of support once those cells come to term

For Waging an unnecessary war/ Against providing equal opportunities and rights for all Americans.

Right Wing Moonbats (like ricjin99)

For Saving a Bunch cells/ Against providing any type of support once those cells come to term

For Waging an unnecessary war/ Against providing equal opportunities and rights for all Americans.

I think this was predicted in Michael Keaton's 1996 hit "Multiplicity." I bet in some secret lab humans will be cloned. I mean, who wouldn't want an exact copy of themselves?

Wow - there is quite a lot of hatred and misinformation on an issue that should be generating excitement (potentially curing diseases) and scientific. Let's stick to facts and each side should respect the other's point of view. One may not think that an embryo is human - if you do, then you should vigorously pursue prosecution for anyone who destroys one and provide a SSN to any embryo. However, neither is it nothing. It is not an egg - it is a fertilized egg. Check your elementary biology. Stem cell research should include finding a way (and there have been advancements) to utilize an otherwise discarded embryo without destroying it. See the attached NYT article for some of the ambiguties felt with embryos. We need to stop talking past each other and talk to each other or these large issues cannot be discussed and people will just demonize each other.

ttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/us/04embryo.html?_r=1&scp=11&sq=embryos&st=nyt

Hoping stem cells will save us all is the same delusionary hope that Obama is going to save the planet.

This is just another worthless pipe dream to utilize as much federal money as possible for mad science. Way to keep those biotech kooks in Cambridge employed while their for profit meds keep failing.

i feel bad for all you obama-haters (obama worst president ever after 1.5 months??) and anti-science zealots. i never lived through the '60s, but i imagine that you all (along with the anti-homosexual brigade) sound exactly like the segregationists did back in the day.

do you want to know what is really pulling the US down? a population of know-nothings that believe they are the center of the universe and that government is inherently evil. please, for the sake of the rest of us, don't teach your politics to your children....that's tantamount to child abuse.

"Obama is not my president. 01/20/14 Four and out"

Posted by Christian March 10, 09 08:15 AM

Well, unless you're not an American citizen, he is your president. Even if you voted for the "pro-life" warmongers instead. And his first term expires on 1/20/13. Do you zealots ever know anything? His second will expire on 1/20/17.

BTW, db, I did live through the 1960's. The right-wing zealots are, in fact, incredibly reminiscent of the segregationists of that period. Same twisted hatreds. And, like the segregationists, they dishonestly wrap themselves in the flag and the cross.

Let's pay attention to something important: like, for instance, the car and oil companies are blocking decent public transportation so we're stuck in our cars commuting instead of enjoying life with our families. If we had that time, we could relax and stay in shape.

The right-wing zealots are, in fact, incredibly reminiscent of the segregationists of that period. Same twisted hatreds. And, like the segregationists, they dishonestly wrap themselves in the flag and the cross. - On TheLeft

And the highly educated, elite, so-called diversity accepting liberals are not racist or filled with hatred for those who disagree with their perspectives? Sure.
As a current example, why are progressives throwing Oreo cookies and yelling despicable things at Michael Steele when he exits Republican conventions/functions?

I think you need a reality check there sunshine.

Ontheleft believes that it is ok to slaughter an innocent unborn child in the womb of his/her mother, and will be out front on the political lines protecting the slaughter of 1 Million in this country alone this year. He dismissed unborn children as non-people and will stop at nothing to prevent those conceived from being murdered. (He forgets that he was once an embryo).

(Watch the name calling and watch him change the subject in his response...)

So many people are worried about the death we all must face on this earthly planet rather than the reality of hell and that death we need to turn from our views of falsely so called science and really on God to help us and praise him in all we do and get the bible back in America look at the back of a dollar bill or a coin how much longer do you think barrack Odrama will keep the words IN GOD WE TRUST on there we've takin it out of everything even though thats wat America was founded on Paul makes a good point ill(or bible belivers) keep what i KNOW you (the world) can have the change why do you get so mad when you hear your wrong and destroying yourselfs with Playing god