There may indeed be such a distinction. But since (as I understand it) a lot more focus has been put on embryonic cells and so far they’ve produced nothing positive, and since morally acceptable adult cells have shown to be useful, it’s a distinction without a difference. In other words, to pursue the mere hypothetical that comes with moral problems, as much as or more than we pursue morally acceptable options that actually have already proven to be useful, shows a certain level of amorality it’s rather hard to fathom. I doubt the average “man on the street” even knows that adult stem cells have already been used successfully, but every medical person working on embryonic stem cells has to know that. For some of them at least, it’s like they’re doing it to justify doing something they innately know is wrong, or to try to turn abortion isn’t a good thing. My suspicion is that God will not be mocked, and He won’t let this lead to useful breakthroughs…but He often allows us to follow our own sinful desires, so my hunch may be wrong.

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http://www.stemcellresearchfacts.com/pros_cons.html

Note that the above site is anti-embryonic stem cell research. They do point out that there are various therapies that have been developed around adult stem cells and basically no therapies around embryonic. But that does not mean there aren’t uses that *could* be found for embryonic stem cells for which adult stem cells would not work.

*At the moment* adult stem cells are more useful. I’ll agree with that. And I also think the utility of embryonic stem cells is sort of irrelevant, given the moral implications of gathering them. But that’s not to say I don’t think they might some day be “useful” for certain things.

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Great posts, Stubob and LL Mac. Stubob, your voice on this blog is invaluable, and I’m glad you chimed in on this thread–you always cut right past the nonsense to the heart of the matter, and do so with medical understanding AND understanding of the human choices patients make. God bless you as you use the gifts He has given you to heal, communicate, and encourage others to righteousness.

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That having been said, I am going to try to change the subject a bit. According to the Post, some scientists claim they have found a less dangerous way to induce adult cells to “revert back” to pluripotent stem cells. The article did not address the question of whether these reverted stem cells would be capable of growing into embryos, but the implication is certainly there.

So, the questions then become, if such cells, which would certainly be “grown” in batches are capable of maturing into fetuses, a) should they be created and b)can they be used for research purposes. They are not, strictly speaking, the product of sexual reproduction, but if they have the capability of growing into fetuses.

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Nicely said. When we act this way, we imitate Christ, our advocate against the Accuser. Provenzo, OTOH, speaks words straight from the Accuser’s heart.

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I have, I do and I will.

Your presumption says little about others, and much about you, sir/madam.

It would be neat and clean if your projections could be borne out by fact, but as they aint, they isn’t. Consider revising your mind for your own betterment. Show us a concerted effort on the part if Christians to rescind or diminish the supports provided the least among us and you might have a point.

Until then, your bitter complaint is maintained by no more than conceived fiction.

SG

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The slippery slope of abortion and euthanasia keeps getting steeper and more slippery. It’s increasingly the same story for the elderly, but a little more subtle. Nursing home patients who are a little too high-maintenance for the chronically understaffed facilities occasionally tend to die mysteriously during the night. Our younger generations have been brought up in the public schools to believe that we are just a more highly evolved species of animals has been taught that there is no more value to a human life than to a cat or a dog. If that were true, abortion and euthanasia for the imperfect and the unwanted would be the answer and there would be no eternal consequences at the judgment seat of Christ for the taking of innocent human life.

For a family to care for a child with Down’s syndrome or for a dementia patient is a huge challenge, yet a very rewarding one. Our capacity to love and care for those most in need is what defines us as human beings and as believers. As Jesus put it, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35) A caregiver’s responsibility is to fight for life and let God be the referee who declares when the fight is over.

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” I Timothy 5:8

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Folks, this is Ayn Rand territory, far from the balmy shores of Adam Smith. “Capitalism?” Snark, uh no.

He’s pretty much demonstrated why the libertarian ethos of Rand should be rejected.

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I didn’t say Provenzo said it. Actually that mother did. She thought her child would have a life of pain but still had the child. Whether a perpetual 6 year old or high functioning doesn’t entail pain, and I was surprised that this woman had fallen for society’s “verbiage.”

Constant care and supervision? I’ve had this conversation with several of my single friends. We are convinced that when we are old and gray, people like Provenzo will decide we are worthless and will kill us off. It’s funny, but as I watched my mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s in her last two weeks of life, there were moments when I wanted the resuscitator used to ease her breathing difficulties when they occurred (she nixed that). I didn’t want her to struggle, and I wanted to keep her with me even though I understood in my head what was coming and that it was inevitable. How easily Provenzo can make the decision to kill. He is indeed one mental step away from the Nazis.

This whole topic saddened me.

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