I like President Bush's position, allowing government money to be used for embryonic stem cell research on the existing stem cell lines, but not allowing federal funds to be used to create new lines. What is your position on this research and President bush"s position?

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

Answers

Contradiction of policy. He is against abortions but supports this research. When does life begin? Does it start at the time the cells begin dividing? If so, is this research any different from a woman choosing to have an abortion? Both are ending life. How many times does a scientist have to create an embroyo before getting it right? It took the sheep (cloned) Dolly 277 times. What happened to all the mistakes? Killed. President Bush can not have it both ways...I support the Pope on this one. We (humans) should leave this research alone.

In Love and Light, Brenda

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I have to agree with Rev. Paris.

The difference between an embryonic cell in a petrie dish and one in a womb is that the one in the petrie dish will remain an embryonic cell forever into eternity. It would never be able to become a fully developed human until it is implanted into a womb, which makes life possible. So I say continue the research on what we have now, and don't clone any more.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I understand...Bro. Richardson and Pastor Paris. It seems to me whether the embroyo develops or not is unimportant. They are both the beginning of life and contain the same energy as an embroyo that develops in the womb. Please explain to me how the two are different.

Brenda

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

President Bush's and my position is that the existing stem cell lines already exist, the embryo has been killed but no more killing with government money. Blessings

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Sis Brenda, I agree with you on that point. There is no difference. We are tampering with something that we have no business doing. But the existing stem cell lines are there and you can't un-ring a bell. There is an element that will go forward with this research regardless of our opposition. Hopefully they will fail top produce any viable results and the project will die.

Blessings

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Pastor Paris,

Do you the origins of the embroyos for stem research? Are they taken from abortion clinics or created in a lab?

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

There are 60 "lines" currently available. That means that at least 60 embryos were used as stem cell donors. About 10 of these are in the U.S. The source is not known but the claim has been made that these were done with the permission of the "parents", implying that they could have been leftover embryos from in vitro fertilization. The president chose to allow government funding for research done on these 60, but not for "new" lines. Basically he took the best option where there were no good options.

Blessings

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001