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The Stem Cell Battle Continues... Wednesday, August 1. 2007 Opponents are desperately trying to overturn Missouri's constitutional amendment protecting embryonic stem cell research. They have not been able to criminalize it yet, but hope to do so before the next election. The Stowers Institute for Medical Research-which has a two billion dollar endowment-canceled their planned expansion into Kansas City. They said that the Missouri climate was too hostile and unwelcoming for the investment. Unfortunately, these events are not unique to Missouri. There have been more than 100 bills introduced nationwide. The few states that have passed these bills have erupted with controversy and research has been reduced to a crawl. Here's some info from an LA Times article: Embryonic stem cell research typically begins with cloning. Scientists insert the genetic material from an adult human cell into a human egg that's been emptied of its own DNA. The cloned cell is then nurtured in the lab for several days, until it grows into a blastocyst, a microscopic clump of cells that could theoretically develop into a fetus if attached to a uterine wall. At this stage, researchers destroy the embryo to extract its stem cells - which are valued because they are enormously flexible, capable of turning into any organ, bone or muscle in the human body. Opponents say such research is immoral because it involves creating, then killing, human life in the name of scientific advancement. Proponents, however, say the blastocyst is not equivalent to a human being; they believe embryonic cells have great potential to cure a wide range of diseases, such as Parkinson's, diabetes and Alzheimer's. In my not-so-humble opinion, stem cell research should not even be in the same discussion as Pro-Choice/Pro-Life. There is absolutely no credible scientific argument that life begins at conception. The few that are often touted by people of faith are based solely on theology. A blastocyst is a three day old embryo. It only contains about 150 cells. This is much less than the skin cells you destroy every time you scratch an itch. It contains no circulatory system, no nervous systems, no respiratory system, no heart, and no brain. If you believe that an eternal "spirit" is created at conception, you have several questions to answer. Here are just three: 1. What happens to a spirit when an embryo is frozen for several years? When it is thawed out and brought to life, how old is the spirit at birth? 2. Embryos at this stage can divide into identical twins. Is a new spirit created? Or will one twin be spiritless? 3. Also at this stage two embryos can merge into one. This is called a chimera. Does God kill one spirit; or is this true cause of split-personality disorder? Many may refuse to answer these questions and insist that life begins at conception. If this is your stance, please explain to me why this "life" in a Petri dish is equal to the "life" of Christopher Reeve or Michael J. Fox. Is it equal in value to my grandmother whose mind is calcifying from Alzheimers? Is it equal to the life of a child born with MS? Your faith can't save you from answering these questions, and forgive me if I am not content with waiting until I get to heaven to ask God about it. Brother Richard Posted by Brother Richard in Science and Reason at 14:17 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn