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Amanda commented: "I recently heard an English politician say stem cell research should be discouraged becausse a lot of Americans disapproved. That's a dumb remark even for a politician - she's not representing americans anyway !" Boy does this make me sad...how depressing.....I'll bet she doesn't suffer from an incurable disease either. Ray Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amanda Phillips" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 4:12 PM Subject: Re: Splitting spirits > In a message dated 03/08/2007 07:00:54 GMT Standard Time, > [log in to unmask] > writes: > > 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 > > > > I recently heard an English politician say stem cell research should be > discouraged becausse a lot of Americans disapproved. That's a dumb remark > even > for a politician - she's not representing americans anyway ! > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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