Nov

25

Catholic church makes big push against scientific research

November 25, 2005 | 7 Comments

This Sunday, Catholics all across Missouri will hear their priests deliver a sermon equating scientific research with the devil. The church is starting an aggressive campaign against the proposed constitutional amendment that would protect stem cell research and ban human cloning.

Categories: Missouri, Politics


Comments

7 Comments so far

  1. Derek on November 25, 2005 10:01 pm

    My issue with stem cell research is that many people incorrectly equate it with using solely aborted fetuses to “harvest” stem cells.

    However, stem cells can be amassed from umbilical cords and from bone marrow. Researchers from Kansas State University have run successful experiments growing cells from stem cells from umbilical cords.

    Therefore, I’m against this proposed amendment. It will serve no purpose.

    Other research into stem cells do not involve using embryoes or aborted fetuses (and pose no controversy whatsoever). Such research have been ongoing for years, but the media has been focusing on the erroneous idea that only fetuses and embryoes being the sole source of stem cells.

  2. Jim S on November 25, 2005 10:38 pm

    In fact the researchers in the U.S. have no interest in using aborted fetuses but rather would like to be able to use frozen embryos that were left after people using in vitro fertilization have already succeeded in having the children they want. This is in no way an abortion.

    I’m getting rather tired of the Catholic Church wanting us to become something like the Republic of Ireland or Italy used to be where if the Church wanted a law they got a law. They also have some fundamentalist Protestants on their side of this issue but it is still one of trying to force the entire country to live by their religious beliefs.

  3. prm on November 26, 2005 9:47 am

    Odd. They use the power of the pulpit to denounce stem cell research. But I don’t remember a concerted effort being made to denounce the clergy sex abuse scandals and the subsequent Vatican coverup.

    If the Catholic Church is going to insert itself into the political realm, then IRS should strip every parish of its tax-exempt status. I believe religious organizations’ endorsemnent of candidates or ballot issues is a violation of federal law.

  4. Pat S on November 26, 2005 2:29 pm

    400 years ago it was Copernicus. Since then its been Galileo, Darwin, and so on. The purpose of stem cell research is to enhance the lot of humanity, something Jesus, the founder of the Catholic Church, devoted his life to. Unfortunately, the church continues to wander afar from its orignal doctorine, and its membership continues to wander away.

  5. Tim on November 27, 2005 7:13 am

    What the catholic church (intentionally not capitalized) is going to do is alienate still more of its flock. Sensible people are not going to just sit back and watch loved ones die just because the priest says they should.

  6. Derek on November 28, 2005 5:45 pm

    prm, I would have to differ on that. As the Americans United for Separation of Church and State state on their site (http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_pastorsguide), IRS tax code allows endorsement and/or opposition to ballot issues. The tax code prohibits endorsement to/against candidates, not ballot questions.

  7. Mark on November 29, 2005 7:32 pm

    Tim, I couldn’t agree more that’s why I got up and left during the Sermon. Enough is enough I’ve raised a family, I loved a woman, and I watched my parents pass on but I detest my church telling me what and who I should vote for.

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