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Murray & all, This may be good news, and it may not. It depends on who the "mainstream" religious people are. IF THEY ARE fundamentalists coming forward, this would be very positive indeed. Having worked for many years for a religious non profit organization, I know what a type rope walk it can be. Each denomination holds "certain truths" as black & white dogma. Unfortunately many lose sight of the basic doctrines that unite them together. A guy I worked with ran for the local School Board. The teachers union asked for an interview. They told him that they needed more information before they could cast recommend him for the petition. He told them to PLEASE DO NOT support him...... It would destroy his support base! True story! If the wrong faith based groups were to support the research, it could make it even harder for GW to swallow. There are many top ranking fundamentalists who do support the research, as long as the source IS NOT from aborted fetuses as the result of birth control. David Meigs [log in to unmask] Meigs Family Webpage: http://home.earthlink.net/~davidmeigs/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Murray Charters" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 7:44 PM Subject: NEWS: Mainstream Religious People Back Stem Cell Research Mainstream Religious People Back Stem Cell Research U.S. Newswire 8 Mar 8:27 Religious Coalition Tells President Bush That Mainstream Religious People Back Stem Cell Research To: National Desk Contact: Marjorie Signer of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, 202-628-7700 ext. 208 WASHINGTON, March 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, a 28-year-old national organization of clergy and laity of many faiths, has offered President George W. Bush a mainstream faith-based perspective on research with stem cells and fetal tissue. At a Senate Budget Committee hearing March 6, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said federal funding for such research -- opposed by "Religious Right" groups -- is being re-evaluated. The Religious Coalition today advised the President and Secretary Thompson that mainstream religious individuals of diverse faiths believe such research is morally appropriate. "Our religious teachings offer us guidance in dealing with ethical and moral realities never before envisioned," Coalition Board Co-Chair Donna R. Gary wrote. "Although we differ in our faith affirmations, we agree that as people of faith we are called to be partners with God in healing and in the alleviation of human pain and suffering." The Coalition "affirmed the morality of using embryonic and fetal issue, with careful regulation, for vital research that may result in restoring health to those suffering serious illnesses for which there is no cure." Appropriate regulations, such as those already in place, must continue to ensure that the decisions to donate tissue and have an abortion are separate. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos that are no longer needed for in vitro fertilization and will be discarded. Research with embryonic stem cells has enormous potential for finding treatments for such illnesses as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, brain injury, stroke, and heart disease. The Coalition asked President Bush to work with people of faith in promoting responsible public dialogue and information- sharing about research. Faith groups should take the responsibility of educating their members about ethical decision-making in new areas of scientific research. Copyright 2001, U.S. Newswire http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0308-102.html ********