Stem cell research and Christianity

Asiaprod

I was just wondering, with all the current ballyho about stem cell research, where do people stand on the issue. The medical value is without parallel, but how about Christian ethics. I know the Vatican is against, but that does not surprise me. How do you all view it.:v:

Rev Hellfire

I think few if any people would be opposed to stem-cell research in as of itself. I think its the source of these cells which is the contentious issue.
So for example to state the Vatican is against it is somewhat misleading; it is against the use embryos in this research.

As for me myself I also would be against the use of embryos in this, but stem cell research itself I'm all for. I'm curious if any of the more scientificly minded posters here have knowlegde of adult stem-cells and if they offer a practical alternative source which may side step the moral issue people have (I'm asking since I lack the knowledge myself) ?

Asiaprod

Rev Hellfire wrote:

As for me myself I also would be against the use of embryos in this, but stem cell research itself I'm all for.

Thanks Rev. H for pointing that out. I should of course have made that aspect clear. I am also against the use of growing embryos for this useage, as I to believe that life should never be missused in the persuite of science.

Rev Hellfire

In some ways it reminds me of the issues that science faced at the end of the World War II. When presented with data that the Nazi scientists had gathered from their experiments, was it too corrupt (morally) to be used or should it be availed of so that some good may come from the horrors committed.

In a sense those against the use of embryos face something similar, (leaving aside the issues with the idea of farmed embryos) there will be a source from abortions which will contain regardless. So are these untouchable or should they be used so that some good may come from an evil action?

That at least is how I see the central issue here.

Asiaprod

Rev Hellfire wrote:

So are these untouchable or should they be used so that some good may come from an evil action?.

What a wise question you pose. I for one would always vote to see good come from evil. In a small way, it may help to negate the original evil.

Macha

Im no expert but I do know that adult cells have been nowhere near as successful in lab trials as embryonic stem cells.

Given the fact that hundreds of thousands of embryos used in IVF treatment are currently stored and decomposing around the world, particularly in the US, is the use of these embryos to vastly improve the quality of someone's life such an "evil"?

On that note, what is the Vatican's stance on IVF treatment I wonder??

Rev Hellfire

taconnol wrote:

Im no expert but I do know that adult cells have been nowhere near as successful in lab trials as embryonic stem cells.

From what I heard that opinion may not be totally true, adult stems can be found (in nowhere near similar volume) and offer similar properties. They can also be harvested from the actual receiptient and thus would not be rejected. Then again I'm just a lay person glancing over this stuff without any depth of knowledge so I'm quite possibly wrong.

taconnol wrote:

Given the fact that hundreds of thousands of embryos used in IVF treatment are currently stored and decomposing around the world, particularly in the US, is the use of these embryos to vastly improve the quality of someone's life such an "evil"?

That's question, I would say yes since in doing so you provide some justification to an (imho) immoral action.

Asiaprod

Rev Hellfire wrote:

That's question, I would say yes since in doing so you provide some justification to an (imho) immoral action.

Rev H, I think this is one of those rare occasions where you do not need to say IMHO. It is a very ethical situation and all opinions are very valid. As I said before, I would rather see some good come from bad. Anything, provided it is handled with the proper respect, that can help the human race overcome suffering in my opinion is good. It would in no way justify the original immoral action, but rather than waste the opportunity, it could indeed be put to valuble use and be the source of immesurable joy.

robindch

> I'm curious if any of the more scientificly minded posters
> here have knowlegde of adult stem-cells

Yes, you can harvest cells from adults, but they're partially specialized, so they're not as useful as the embryonic cells. This may change as research continues, but I understand that things are not looking good at the moment.

More information can be found on the following (reliable) websites:

http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/stemcells/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem.htm
http://www.aaas.org/spp/sfrl/projects/stem/report.pdf

Here's a speech from President Bush in which he announces that he's stopping research on new embryonic cell lines:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010809-2.html

Rev Hellfire

Here's another:
stem cell info at the National Institutes of Health