Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What’s wrong with Embryonic Stem cell research anyway and why should we care?

What’s wrong with Embryonic Stem cell research anyway and why should we care?
Embryonic Stem cell research is where scientists either take an embryo (human being in its simplest form) from a donor or from taking sperm and an egg and induce fertilization in a test tube. Since embryos are at the simplest form of a human the cells within eventually grow into all of the different types of cells in the body. Brain cells, skin cell, liver cells etc. With this idea, the hope is that these cells can be implanted in the body and grow into cells such as nerve cells which could cure paralysis.
However, embryonic stem cells have yet to help a single human patient. “There is no evidence of therapeutic benefit from embryonic stem cells,” according to Marcus Grompe, M.D., Ph.D., of the department of molecular and medical genetics of Oregon Health Sciences University.[1] Dr. Bert Vogelstein, professor of oncology and pathology at Johns Hopkins University, states that the promise of embryonic stem cell research is “conjectural.”
Adult stem cells, in contrast, are currently being used to help patients who suffer from the following conditions: (1) cancer, including brain tumors, retinoblastoma, ovarian cancer, solid tumors, testicular cancer, multiple myeloma and leukemias, breast cancer, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma; (2) autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis; (3) stroke; (4) immunodeficiencies; (5) anemias; (6) cartilage and bone diseases; (7) corneal scarring; (8) blood and liver disease; (9) gene therapy; and (10) heart damage.
The problem with Embryonic Stem cell research is in order to get the stem cells from the embryo they kill the embryo. That is the main reason why it must be stopped. The second is they create humans beings outside of the natural order. They make themselves god when they create life in a test tube. It separates the conjugal love of the parents cooperating in God’s creative plan.
Some like to argue that an embryo isn’t a human being. Then my question for you is when does it become a human being? Is it at day 40 when brain waves can be detected and recorded? Is it at week 10 when fingerprints are evident in the skin and the fetus starts moving its fingers and toes? Or is it at month 8 or 9 or at birth? It has been the constant teaching of the church that life begins at the moment of conception. Exodus 21:22 "When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
Embryonic stem cells can be obtained in a non lethal way. There are embryonic stem cells in umbilical cord blood and tissue. There is also new research that they can make some adult stem cells mimic the properties of the embryonic stem cells.
We should care not only because they are killing human beings for research but also because they are using our tax dollars to do it. That’s right they are taking our money to support it. That means that we are indirectly helping the murder of thousands of people.
So my question is why do scientists have to kill to cure when they can cure by doing no harm?

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