 |
 |
All the religious talk in the world can never prove anything. But it can have one negative effect: it can make enough sheep vote against ESCR to stick me with this goddamn disease for the rest of my natural born days. How about if we let science be science? The perpetrators of the Spanish Inquisition were not punished by science. Why should the quest for knowledge be punished by religion? Enjoy! Rick McGirr Email: [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: "nina p. brown" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 12:35 PM Subject: Re: Mittt Rpmney/Do stem cells have a soul > My husband and I studied the issue for a year and believe EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS ARE A GIFT FROM > GOD. > Two separate issues are involved in the question of embryonic stem cell research. The first is > scientific - can it be done? Is there potential in the research? The second issue is moral, ethical > or theological - should it be done? > The same questions being asked today were raised with in vitro fertilization and have > historically been raised with numerous scientific processes that are currently accepted as routine, > such as organ transplantation. > An overwhelming majority of mainstream scientists agree that the new frontier of embryonic stem > cell research has great scientific potential for life enhancing medical treatments. > This brings us to the moral, ethical and theological dilemma which begs the question: When does > life begin? > As the centuries have gone by, God has revealed more and more of His wonders to us as we have > become ready to receive them. He has given us the ability, coupled with the responsibility, to > recognize His gifts as He presents them. > Scientists now recognize that, in the early stages of development of the embryo (which is not a > fetus) there is a 10-14 day period before cells begin to differentiate into specific organs, such as > brain, heart and neural tube. The embryonic stem cells that scientists use for research typically > consist of 150-200 five-day-old microscopically small, undifferentiated (identical) cells in a Petri > dish in a laboratory. Before these cells differentiate, they have the potential to become single or > multiple beings. > The common belief is that each human being harbors its own unique soul. At the undifferentiated > stage, a single cell can divide, but at no stage can a single soul divide. Therefore, this small > group of five-day-old undifferentiated cells is not human life but rather God's gift for sustaining > and prolonging life. > Throughout the history of humankind God has continued to give us ever-increasing life-enhancing > knowledge. Our belief is that God has chosen to reveal His gift of undifferentiated cells as a brief > window of opportunity to provide a means to sustain and prolong life and has given us the gift of > differentiating cells to create life. For both gifts, we thank God. > > Nina > "Circumstances determine our lives, but we shape > our lives by what we make of our circumstances." > > Behalf Of MyFirstname Mylastname > > Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 9:21 AM > > Also, as for the idea that cells can't have souls because they can't have > > consciousness, does that mean that a person in a coma does not have a soul? Or > > a baby in labor? Or a person who has passed away? Having said that, I don't > > think that stem cells in themselves have souls. The point is it is a > > process outside of the natural scheme of things that prevents God's natural plan > > from being fully realized. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn