Stem-Cell Research

[GreenMunchkin]

I keep hearing that Christians "should" be against this, but I honestly can't see why. This may be one of those topics that disctinctly delineates between those of us who are more/less conservative... would be awesome if there could be no accusations either way But I'd quite like to find out whether you're against it, or for it, or indifferent?

Will add a poll, too ( of course) but discussion would be great, too. Thank you very much

 

[Secundulus]

I keep hearing that Christians "should" be against this, but I honestly can't see why. This may be one of those topics that disctinctly delineates between those of us who are more/less conservative... would be awesome if there could be no accusations either way But I'd quite like to find out whether you're against it, or for it, or indifferent?

Will add a poll, too ( of course) but discussion would be great, too. Thank you very much

If stem cell reserch involves the creation, and then destruction, of a human embryo then it is wrong. In that case we are killing a human being for experimental purposes.

If stem cell research is done in some other way that does not involve killing a human being then there is nothing wrong with it. If it leads to the improvement of hman life, then it would be a moral good.

I did not answer the poll because I am unsure of what you meant by the choices.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I'm against it when it's using embryos. I did a report last year for one of my classes and they are finding other ways of gathering stem-cells. They may not be as good as embryonic stem-cells, but at least a baby didn't have to die for them.

Plus, some of the pro-abortion groups are kinda using it as their platform...that hey, here's a way abortions can be good.

Ugh. That makes me wanna vomit.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

I'm against it when it's using embryos. I did a report last year for one of my classes and they are finding other ways of gathering stem-cells. They may not be as good as embryonic stem-cells, but at least a baby didn't have to die for them.

Plus, some of the pro-abortion groups are kinda using it as their platform...that hey, here's a way abortions can be good.

Ugh. That makes me wanna vomit.

The bit I bolded... are you serious? That's absolutely revolting. Ugh. Truly, that's vile.

 

[MrJim]

There is a lot of stem-cell research and work being done with adult stem-cells. Harvesting human embryos for this sort of thing is repugnant.

 

[ladyt28]

The thing about stem cells that interests me is that there are more than just embryonic ones. And it seems that the ban on ambryonic stem cells forced the scientists to discover where the other ones are. What I pray for is the same as always - that God alone leads our research and enlightens us on the healing He wants us to learn and that all other research & learning that isn't from our Lord Father get stopped dead in it's tracks.

 

[Simon_Templar]

The big issue with this is the slippery slope. Most of us would agree that the harvesting of humans for the purposes of scientific research is a grave evil.

One of the common arguments for embryonic stem cell research is for using stem cells from abortions and other circumstances where they "go to waste" now because they can't be used.

The problem is that by allowing the use of embryonic stem cells in those cases you are providing a huge incentive for people to try artificially increase those cases (like abortions) so that they can then harvest the stem cells.

There was a movie a few years ago.. I think it was called the Island or something like that, staring Ewan McGregor and Scarlet Johanson in which the main characters find out they are clones who have been made as insurance, to provide organs and tissue etc, incase the original gets sick or injured. The people on the outside don't really know that the clones are alive, they are supposed to not be real people basically.. but this deals with the same basic question.

When does it become ok to harvest human beings, to grow humans like a crop. We harvest organs and tissue from people who have agreed to be organ donors in the case of accidental death... but what about when death is no longer accidental.. but some other person has the decision whether you live or die, and it becomes strongly in their interests for you to die? Especially when society has already given them the luxury of convincing themselves that you don't count as a person.

 

[Atlantians]

I can't vote because the poll is wrongly titled.

Stem-cell research is very good.
Embryonic stem-cell research is evil.

Stem-cells can be taken from Adults (albeit more difficultly) and some great progress has been made in adult stem cells, which seem to be very stable.

Embryonic stem-cells are far easier to harvest but also require the murder of the human being and also they seem to be very unstable when harvested from the embryo.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

I can't vote because the poll is wrongly titled.

Stem-cell research is very good.
Embryonic stem-cell research is evil.

Stem-cells can be taken from Adults (albeit more difficultly) and some great progress has been made in adult stem cells, which seem to be very stable.

Embryonic stem-cells are far easier to harvest but also require the murder of the human being and also they seem to be very unstable when harvested from the embryo.

To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about embryonic. I pretty much take it as a given that we'll all agree that it's reprehensible. But I see the potential benefits when stem cells are harvested from adults... and yet have been told that by doing so we're "playing God". But, by that standard, heart bypasses and organ transplants are "playing God" - in fact, the same charge could be levelled at virtually any medical procedure.

I don't get it. It seems incongruous, so am curious as to whether there's something am missing.

 

[Nadiine]

<snip> But I see the potential benefits when stem cells are harvested from adults... and yet have been told that by doing so we're "playing God". But, by that standard, heart bypasses and organ transplants are "playing God" - in fact, the same charge could be levelled at virtually any medical procedure.

I don't get it. It seems incongruous, so am curious as to whether there's something am missing.

I think that answer is in what Atlantians mentioned

Embryonic stem-cells are far easier to harvest but also require the murder of the human being <snip>

I think it's one thing to save life, but I don't see much value in killing off a life to hope to save another... you still have the loss of life of someone else.

We wouldn't dream of killing someone to take their heart & give it to somebody else to save their life... but yet that seems to be what they're doing with infants even tho it's still in cell stages.

 

[Carolyn H]

I can't vote because the poll is wrongly titled.

Stem-cell research is very good.
Embryonic stem-cell research is evil.

Stem-cells can be taken from Adults (albeit more difficultly) and some great progress has been made in adult stem cells, which seem to be very stable.

Embryonic stem-cells are far easier to harvest but also require the murder of the human being and also they seem to be very unstable when harvested from the embryo.

AMEN