So we knew this was coming and now it has happened. Thankfully President Bush is remaining faithful to his position against further funding for this research and vows to veto the bill again: S.5 is very similar to legislation I vetoed last year. This bill crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling. If it advances all … Read More
Modern Bioethic’s Identity Crisis
It’s taking me a while to get back on the blogging bandwagon after taking a few days off. Please bear with me. Last week Fr. Tad Pacholczyk wrote an article for the Evening Bulletin called Recapturing the Soul of Bioethics, here’s some of it: Modern bioethics seems to be going through a kind of identity crisis. With ethicists available for … Read More
The Unscientific Political Cloning Debate
As I have been pointing out with regards to the Feinstein-Hatch “Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Protection Act”, the cloning debate, in the world of politics, has ceased to be a rational scientific discussion and has become completely ridiculous. This week David Freddoso has an article on the false claims of cloning proponents asking, if embryonic research is so promising, … Read More
Elizabeth Edwards
Probably because her breast cancer has returned, Elizabeth Edwards is campaigning for the expansion of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research while also campaigning for her husband, Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards. It is generally expected that if you, or someone you love, has a disease or disability they must always be in favor of this research, and the … Read More
Where Does Your Church Stand?
The Center for American Progress has an article on embryonic stem cell research and the differing viewpoints in some of the major religious denominations. What position does your church hold? Assemblies of God: The Assemblies of God oppose embryonic stem cell research, saying, “Potential medical benefits do not justify destroying human life at any stage of development.” The Assemblies also … Read More
Still Time to Make Phone Calls
So I posted late last week that the Senate was supposed to vote on the ESC research funding bill. It turns out that they aren’t going to vote on it until April now. So you still have time to make some phone calls and write letters in opposition to the bill (S.5). As far as I’m concerned they can put … Read More
Senate May Vote on ESC Research Funding This Week
Yes, I know that tomorrow is Thursday, so the week is almost over. And I have had this information since last Friday and have failed to post it. But I haven’t seen in the news that the Senate has passed this bill so I’m posting it now. I don’t know what the schedule is for the vote so there may … Read More
WWJD?
Dave Andrusko has a column on the National Right to Life website responding to Michael D. Kerlin’s op-ed for Newsday offering a “spiritual” rationale for embryonic stem cell research (he is specifically talking about the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act to expand federal funding for ESC research). Things like this always make me queasy because they get the teachings and … Read More
Romney Stands Firm on Embryo Issue
Mitt Romney, whose wife is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, is staunchly opposed to ESC research and is sticking to his position. Supposedly it was this issue that brought him see the light on other life issues. I have not been one to criticize Romney’s pro-life conversion because I knew about his position on ESC research a few years ago. Cal … Read More
Media Cover-up of Ethical Stem Cell Sources
Michael Fumento has a great piece about the media’s dismal coverage of the amniotic fluid stem cell discovery lately. A summary: Adult stem cells cure and treat more 70 diseases and are involved in almost 1,300 human clinical trials. Scientists also keep discovering that adult stem cells are capable of creating a wider variety of mature cells. Perhaps the most … Read More