Stem Cell Research

[-Davo]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....e_up_paralysed

(link isn't opening for me atm)

From Wikipedia:

Opponents of the research argue that embryonic stem cell technologies are a slippery slope to reproductive cloning and can fundamentally devalue human life. Those in the pro-life movement argue that a human embryo is a human life and is therefore entitled to protection.

"Are you justified in taking life to save life?"

The way I see it, from a Athiestpoint of view; YOUR GOD FAILED. We are fixing his problems. Man, created science, which gave us this Miracle that is Embryonic Stem Cell research. We are fixing that which God will not, and this, the churchs' cannot tollerate.

What are your thoughts on this highly-controversial research? Keep this open to potential offensive political views, don't be affraid to give your opinion.

The only reason this is controversial is that it deals with the destruction of an embryo or foetus... A potential human life. I know the arguments. I know the ethical and moral boundries surrounding the common media-hyped version of the truth.

It seems the only 'ethical' body of the research is Adult Stem Cell research, which deals with cells that are able to re-produce, and create copies of it self, and even cells that can multiply with differinciated variances.

War.

War is not ethical, justified or beneficial to many. The only reason War can be beneficial is the riddence of a tyrant or dictator, for example, Saddam. Yet the American Government seem to 'grasp' at the idea of it (Bush Administration), yet they fail to back something so revolutionary.

Then, the question can be asked again; Are you justified in taking life to save life?

Open to views all over.

[solsticeman2]

I couldn't agree more with you man. I can't stand this ridiculous posturing by Right wing Christians on how "life is precious", yet by impeding this research they are denying the rights of a little boy or girl who could benefit from stem cell research. By their logic, stem cell embryonic research is bad; a little girl suffering third degree burns and being horribly scarred for life is good.

~SolsticeMan~
keyless entry system

[Toksin]

Apparently someone found a way to extract stem cells without harming the embryo, forget where I read it though.

Sorry to say Davo, but it sounds more like you have a grudge against God than a positive opinion of stem cell research. Maybe just your wording, but that's the impression I get.

[-Davo]

Originally Posted by Toksin

Apparently someone found a way to extract stem cells without harming the embryo, forget where I read it though.

Sorry to say Davo, but it sounds more like you have a grudge against God than a positive opinion of stem cell research. Maybe just your wording, but that's the impression I get.

Hey you have a point, didn't realise what I wrote till just now. That's the impression I get too

Still, I am all for the research, it seems the majority of protestors use religion as a viable excuse to attempt to destroy the research into embyronic groth, or 'healing'.

[KrisSam]

Originally Posted by solsticeman2

I couldn't agree more with you man. I can't stand this ridiculous posturing by Right wing Christians on how "life is precious", yet by impeding this research they are denying the rights of a little boy or girl who could benefit from stem cell research. By their logic, stem cell embryonic research is bad; a little girl suffering third degree burns and being horribly scarred for life is good.

~SolsticeMan~
keyless entry system

i fully agree! and not only that, but the cells used in stem cell research are cells that will be destroyed otherwise. people always bring up the point "you're taking life to save lives". that simply isnt true. they use cell's that are already on their way out the door. they will NEVER become life, so by not using them for useful things such as, oh i dont know, say curing diseases, then you are certainly not PRO-life. ridiculous.

[YogsVR4]

Originally Posted by KrisSam

i fully agree! and not only that, but the cells used in stem cell research are cells that will be destroyed otherwise. people always bring up the point "you're taking life to save lives". that simply isnt true. they use cell's that are already on their way out the door. they will NEVER become life, so by not using them for useful things such as, oh i dont know, say curing diseases, then you are certainly not PRO-life. ridiculous.

This is clearly an ends justify the means which is a pretty weak arguement to use.

The other thing that seems lost on people is that the government (Bush in particular) did not stop stem cell research - he stopped federal funding. You know, the money those of us who work pay in taxes.

I've never heard a single person say "you're taking a life to save lives". What people say is that they believe that the embryio->fetus is human life and should be given a chance to mature like you and I have. Placing value on harvesting these cells would be an antithesis to that position. You can disagree with the position that the embrio is a human, but to the people (like me) who believe it is, being against the harvesting of them for this purpose is a natural position to take.

[Oz]

The fact that they can now create "Stem" cells from Skin Cells:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7101834.stm

Makes all of these arguments fairly irrelevant.

And Scientists can continue their valuable research without needing stem cells from a foetus or spinal fluid (or wherever they used to get them from).

[kublah]

I find some of the religious side to this argument a little bit silly, but maybe because I'm not really religious.

If there is a God, the way I see it every living thing on this planet is one of God's creatures and none is more important or sacred than the other. We crossed that sacred line a long time ago messing around with genetics of plants and animals, cloning and mutating things until they were the way we liked them. So why should people be any different?

I completely understand the religous outrage behind getting the cells from an aborted fetus, but that's where the logic ends. I would gladly give up a few tax dollars for federal research as it is, but if it does turn out that skin cells can be made the behave in the same way, I see no reason whatsoever that this is not okay.

[solsticeman2]

Originally Posted by Oz

The fact that they can now create "Stem" cells from Skin Cells:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7101834.stm

Makes all of these arguments fairly irrelevant.

And Scientists can continue their valuable research without needing stem cells from a foetus or spinal fluid (or wherever they used to get them from).

Well, I must say, this is great news. I'm glad that this issue has been resolved, but it was still silly that there was even an "issue" in the first place. Still, all's well that ends well. Hopefully, this discovery will bare all the fruits they were hoping stim cell research would produce.

~SolsticeMan~
keyless entry