CHURCH OPPOSES ALS CHALLENGE ….
By Liz Gunn || The Catholic Church has spoken out this week against the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. An archdiocese in Ohio has warned schools to stop donating to this organization immediately. The largest Christian religion in the world with arguably the most money to give – will not accept your challenge.
Its beef? Stem cell research.
The Catholic Church doesn’t want its flock giving any money to an organization that “could” be utilizing stem cell research. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), “current studies are researching how stem cells may be used to prevent or cure diseases and injuries such as Parkinson’s disease, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, spinal cord injury, Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes, burns, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, vision, and hearing loss.”
Stem cell research is also currently providing life-saving treatments for people with certain types of cancer or other blood disorders.
So is the Catholic Church against all of these charities? What exactly is left?
I understand there is a lot of scrutiny surrounding stem cell research, as there should be. But when done responsibly and ethically it’s hard for me to see how anyone could be so firmly against it.
Stem cells provide immeasurable potential for medical advancement.
Regardless of your stance on the issue, abortion is still legal in this country. There are a staggering number (1.2 million) of fetuses aborted in the U.S. each year. If you are pro-life, couldn’t stem cell research be the silver lining to abortion? At least the loss of one life could potentially help save another.
ALS said that it does fund one research project using embryonic stem cells, but stated that donors can request their money not go towards this study. It’s a shame the Catholic Church would try and put a stop to a campaign that has generated such awareness for the crippling disease. But do you really think that was their intent?
Or could it be that their motive is actually just to bring their own anti-stem cell research crusade back into the limelight?
Well played, Francis.
Liz Gunn is a wife, mom, author, businesswoman, travel enthusiast, food snob, fashionista, lover of great wine and the No. 1 Gamecock football fan … ever. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, she lives in Columbia, S.C. with her husband and daughter.
79 comments
Hmm…..a late post or early post. Depends on which way you look at it…!!
Liz……..stop right now. Look at your husband…!! LOOK AT HIM…!!
Ask him to stop and think about something. Ask him what he would do to raise awareness by pouring a quart of OIL on top of his head to bring awareness to our fossil energy SLAVERY at the pump instead of a LOCAL energy CHOICE being provided..!?
He does know that every country in turmoil right now is about ………OIL..!
Liz…..who would he challenge..? Your Pastor or Priest..? Your boss Wil Folks..? His boss…? The local gas station OWNER…?
How about my boss at SPAWAR Atlantic in Charleston SC…?
How would this be used in a court of law against the media’s manipulation of the ALS challenge…!?
How would a lawsuit benefit Fitsnews awareness over the Post and Courier…!? …or the State…!?
Ya know Liz………..since you write about the Catholics vs. the Ice Buckets; how about you write about the Baptists versus fuel pump economic SLAVERY….or Sea Coast Church versus the Oil Pharaohs….. (like Moses)…?
…or Philip Branton versus Edward Snowden……?
{Boomerang 101, 404, 901, 909……..Smirks, Greg Surratt, Jihadi John, Tim Goodwin…Brian Hicks…}
Why do I have to bring my husband into this?
You mentioned marrying a Catholic. Now, Liz, I think that you are setting a new standard and one that you may re-think. Once you begin to argue with your readers (the people who post) then you become more one of them and less an authority on the subject. Sadly, the more you argue the more they will expose you for not having a solid platform of knowledge on the topic. Be careful my dear Clarice, they will eat you alive.
(eyeroll)………ok, Hannibal…!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXJx5mORmMI
Ya know……….we wonder just how many readers here understand the tactic of fear you dowse Liz …with..? ( …and why you even do it..)
Becoming an authority on a subject or website takes interactions and questioning from all sides with frequent engagement.
Have no fear………..
I am not an authority on this subject, nor do I claim to be anywhere in said post. But I appreciate you looking out for me. I think that creating a dialogue for disucssion is the only way people can open their minds. However, this may not be the best platform for the chance to open someone’s mind.
“I married a Catholic. I went through pre-Cana and lots of educational classes before doing so. I know a lot about the church’s policies on most things.” Which is it Liz?
I have an open mind, and I have no problem with folks donating or not donating to the Ice Bucket Challenge. I do have a problem with poorly researched arguments and generalizations. Your view that all Catholics are are following the bishop’s proclamations is incorrect. I’m done trying to discuss this with you online. If you wish to continue, please message me. Have a great day.
how would I even do that, “Fleet”? I doubt it’s a good idea. My OPINION was not poorly researched. I never said anything about bishops or proclamations. Did I???
Last time. Dioceses are run bishops. If the dioceses release a statement, it’s from the bishop, therefore it is a proclamation.
You said an Archdiocese in Ohio has “has warned schools to stop donating to this organization immediately.”
I didn’t say you used the word proclamation. But you interpolated all catholics from that, which has to mean the pope AND all the Bishops if you know your Catholic hierarchy like you say you do. (And you don’t.)
You heard enough in pre-Cana to turn you off, but that hardly makes you an expert.
Her argument that all the bishops are speaking out about this is also incorrect.
Liz……..a family is a team. It eats, sleeps, whines, argues, votes, consumes, loves, protects, and “plays” as a team. All you have to do is look at a chess board and see that a King and Queen are side by side.
Who has more movement, Nikki Haley …or her husband..?
Who is better at questioning ethical flight receipts, Bobby Harrell …..or his wife..?
Dare to guess how many reporters have asked the right persons real questions in our state..? Sit back and think about that for a minute.
Liz, Fitsnews is a weapon. You are “Joan of Arc”..! So, as an exercise, discuss with your husband how Joan of Arc would have used a website..? …or her smartphone..?
Just think, really think, …..what advertisers would have LOVED to have “Joan of Arc” be a brand Ambassador..? Why…or why not..?
Your husband may just get a big chuckle…
You are eternally trying to point out some nugget of information that you seem to think only you are privy to. The messed up part is you are barely coherent in your analogies, and you don’t even realize it.
If you truly do work at SPAWAR, you have way too much time on your hands and need more to do. Perhaps someone should let your superiors know this?
E Norma………….you do know that War and life and love and information is a …GAME. Do you not..?
Analogies are a lot like jigsaw puzzles……..letting the reader put the pieces together for themselves. Why do you think that the loyal readers to this site return..? Ask yourself “Scok”…….what do you get from this site that you do not get from the Post and Courier..? …or Skirt Magazine….? Why do you think Liz Gunn wants to work here and write for Mr. Folks..? She understands the flow of information is a lot like the flow of advertising money. It is right before an election….and certain advertisers want something from Fits.
As for SPAWAR….ask yourself if anyone in the “media” has offered suggest-able actions that could be taken by loyal media responders such as yourself to help win the hearts and minds of citizens in countries in the media lately..?
You may not play “World of Warcraft” but how would Fitsnews make money in a “realm”..!?
Its all a matter of …..”monetary awareness”…
It is obvious you have done some research into the POTENTIAL benefits of stem-cell research. Have you done an equal amount of research into the basis of the Catholic Church’s pro-life stance, and how that relates to stem-cell research? I will field that one for you. No, you have not. Since you are asking about what is motivating “the Catholic Church” in this, you do not know the answer.
If you want to be an opinion writer, you need to base your argument on more than half of an issue.
The Catholic Church’s pro-life “policy” is not just about being against abortion. The Catholic Church is against the death penalty. It is against euthanasia. There are certain rules that must be followed when someone is terminally ill. Palliative care is allowed, but even some priests are unaware of that. There’s no simple pulling the plug, but you also cannot allow someone to remain purely in pain. It is a nuanced and long thought out “policy” that has developed based on a lot of science, the Bible’s teachings and 2,000 years of tradition.
Do you think your guess as to what is motivating the church can take all the above in? Not really.
For one thing, “the Catholic Church” is not speaking out against the ice bucket challenge. You mentioned that one bishop in Ohio has spoken out against it. As much as those ignorant of the Catholic Church would like to think, it is not one monolithic organization. Yes. It is hierarchical with an overall leader in Rome. Did the Pope say a word about it? No, I do not think so.
Are you worried about doing it here in South Carolina in the face of “Catholic” opposition? Catholics are a fast-growing denomination in South Carolina, but still a religious minority here. And Bishop Gugleimone has not said a word about it that I have seen. Did you call the priest of your local parish for some education? Did you call Charleston for a comment from the Bishop? They would have been happy to provide you with an answer.
As for your info on stem-cell research, there are stem cells that can easily be obtained without having to resort to farming aborted fetuses for them. A lot of the push these days to make stem cell research seem so promising is, I think, a move from pro-abortion groups designed to buy off opposition among those whom the research can potentially help. Potentially. Ignoring, of course, that there are non-embryonic stem cells that can be developed.
And to date, there has been NO major drug or treatment developed from embryonic stem-cells. But maybe you got to drink some Pepsi Next before they pulled the stem-cell developed sweetener out.
Yeah, stem cell research is closer to deployment in soda cans than it is in IVs or pills. Make sure you are picking the right side. But given the couple three pieces of yours I have read so far, maybe you want to either do a bunch more research before you open up on something like this, or stick to writing about football fashion.
Maybe I am confused – I have never heard that stem cells came from aborted fetuses as you mention – I’ve certainly never heard of anyone “farming aborted fetuses” as you claim. . . the information below comes from the site of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine as part of their “Myths About Stem Cell Research”:
I’m opposed to abortion. Can embryonic stem cell lines come from aborted fetuses?
No. Cells with the potential to form embryonic stem cells in a lab
dish only exist in these four to five day old blastocysts. They are a
fleeting cell type that disappears after that point in time. A common
misconception is that the cells can come from aborted fetuses, which is
in fact not possible.
I saw that site as well. Of course, a company doing stem cell research is going to say it’s doing it in a less morally objectionable manner. I can find many other sites, on the other side, just as extreme that make claims of the use of aborted fetuses for research. Can’t find anything in the middle that I would accept as impartial. And the harvesting of stem cells in the four to five day window from in-vitro fertilization doesn’t help most Catholics stay in line with the faith. the church believes IVF is also not kosher.
This slightly technical quibble you have does not resolve larger issues with my commentary on this piece.
One bishop in Ohio does not speak for the entire Catholic Church.
Did the writer do ANY research into the Catholic objections that arise from its wide-ranging pro-life policy that covers much more than abortion.
That stem cell research, the promise of cure to all our ails from genetic illness, catastrophe like spinal injuries, and yes, ALS, has not been deployed as a major treatment for ANYTHING, but is, however, been used to develop sweeteners for commercial products.
It is a pipe dream, or worse, chicanery designed to make abortion more palatable to some who are injured or ill and desperate for hope of a treatment or cure.
“It is a pipe dream, or worse, chicanery designed to make abortion more palatable to some who are injured or ill and desperate for hope of a treatment or cure.”
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/stem_cell_research/cell_therapy/
The most successful stem cell therapy—bone marrow transplant—has been around for more than 40 years. Johns Hopkins researchers played an integral role in establishing the methods for how bone marrow transplants are done, which you can read about in Human Stem Cells at Johns Hopkins: A Forty Year History. The latest developments in bone marrow transplants are Half-Matched Transplants, which may be helpful in treating more diseases than ever before. In The Promise of the Future, three Hopkins researchers who study blood diseases share their ideas about which technologies hold most promise for developing therapies.
Induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, are adult cells that are engineered to behave like stem cells and to regain the ability to differentiate into various cell types. Engineered Blood describes current research in generating blood cells that contain disease traits with Those Magic Scissors so we can learn more in the lab about diseases like sickle cell anemia.
These treatments use stem cells from bone marrow, blood, umbilical cord or some other non embryo source.
The statement was made that stem cell research has not been successful for anything with the exception of developing sweeteners for products – that obviously is not the case.
embryonic stem cell research is what this whole issue is about.
If embryonic stem cell research is what this whole issue is about why are you going on and on about aborted fetuses???
Here is what you posted verbatim:
“As for your info on stem-cell research, there are stem cells that can easily be obtained without having to resort to farming aborted fetuses for them. A lot of the push these days to make stem cell research seem so promising is, I think, a move from pro-abortion groups designed to buy off opposition among those whom the research can potentially help. Potentially. Ignoring, of course, that there are non-embryonic stem cells that can be developed.”
Embryonic stem cells DO NOT come from aborted fetuses – embryonic stem cells have nothing to do with aborted fetuses or farming aborted fetuses. Please take a break from lecturing everyone and do some research. A good place to start would be to look up the definition of embryonic stem cell and fetal stem cell – they are NOT the same thing – no matter how many times you try to say they are.
Why not frame your question a different way. If embryonic stem cells do not come from aborted fetuses, then why did the author of the piece suggest that this was a sop to make abortion more palatable?
I do know the technical difference between an embryo and a fetus. Given that a Catholic that follows the party line believes life begins at conception, it is a difference without a distinction in terms of whether that life should be harvested for anything else.
I know you think you caught me in some major discrepancy, but nah.
“If embryonic stem cells do not come from aborted fetuses . . .”
You simply do not know what you are talking about. If this is what the Catholic church has taught you then you are being lied to. Embryonic stem cells and fetal stem cells are not the same thing – never have been and never will be – but you do not understand that and refuse to accept that fact. “Farming aborted fetuses” has nothing to do with embryonic stem cell research. You state that stem cell research has never produced anything with the exception of sweeteners – you are categorically wrong but will never admit it. If it makes you feel better to say “nah” to factual information then so be it. If you do not want to inform yourself then that is your problem. I’m done – you’re a lost cause on the subject.
Tell me again what CURE has embryonic stem cell research provided society?
Or shall I let the National Institute of Health’s FAQ answer for you.?
Let’s, shall we?
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/pages/faqs.aspx#success
“Have human embryonic stem cells been used successfully to treat any human diseases yet?
“Stem cell research offers hope for treating many human diseases. Click here to read a description of the current status of stem cells and human disease therapies.”
In other words, no. Nothing. Not YET.
Please tell me why the author of this article framed this as an abortion issue. I am responding to THAT connection.
Bone marrow is not embryonic stem cells. Nice try. Thank you for playing.
Bone marrow transplants is stem cell therapy – period. If this is about embryonic stem cell therapy why in the heck were you talking about aborted fetuses? You obviously do not understand the difference yet you are on here lecturing and prattling on with a bunch of ignorance.
I have never heard anyone try to “make abortion more palatable” by supporting stem cell research. I still say that you are confused about the definition of embryo and fetus. You say that I have a “slightly technical quibble” with you – no, the difference between an embryo and a fetus is not slight.
I married a Catholic. I went through pre-Cana and lots of educational classes before doing so. I know a lot about the church’s policies on most things…enough to know that I won’t be converting anytime soon.
First of all “I married a Catholic” hardly makes you an expert. As far as converting goes, you have the right to join/not join any religion you choose. What bothers me is the obvious bias you have towards Catholics in the tone of this article. In 2012 Catholic Charities in the US alone spent between 4.2 and 4.3 BILLION in the US alone.
As far as you not converting, thanks for the heads up. I won’t look for you at Mass.
People like you are why I won’t be converting. It’s your “our way or no way” attitude. Get over yourself. Your comments here don’t exactly let your light shine. And for the record, I believe in life at conception. I don’t *personally* believe abortion is the best choice. But it is legal in this country. Thats my point that you are refusing to see because you’re too busy defending your religion, which I haven’t attacked by the way.
The fact that I’ve shown that your points don’t make any sense “don’t let my light shine” . Great way to back up your argument.
I am not required to back up my argument…I am not even arguing. I am sharing my OPINION which is that it seems really petty that any Catholic (archdiocese or not) would waste their time taking a stance on what has been a very successful fundraising campaign. Just don’t do it- don’t donate – whatever. But stop being a wet blanket to people who are just trying to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause.
“I am not required to back up my argument.” Boy you said a mouthful there.
great job taking that out of context. Come here often?
Great comeback. Research often?
If you want to be an opinion writer, you have to back up your argument. I said nothing about you thinking like I think.But my point was exactly like that. You did a bunch of research on the position you want, nothing on the opinion you are trying to debunk, and your argument, therefore, is brainy and thoughtful, it is half-assed.
Liz, it was a poorly written article. Just admit it. You didn’t research this well and it shows. This is coming from a proud Catholic. Go to mass every once in awhile, maybe you’ll learn something about the articles you are trying to write!
The STEM cell research use of aborted fetuses argument is a canard and intellectual dishonesty.
Knee Problem?
arthritisusa.net
No problem, stem cells treatment for knee problems in USA
BIG BROTHER knows what you are writing about. The above ad was embedded in your article on my smart phone.
The Catholic Church is only against stem cell research that derives from destruction of an embryo. If the ALS research is done in the US, then it uses existing stains.
I personally do not oppose use of discarded embryos that were created but not used in in vitro fertility treatments. If the the embryo is not in an environment where it can develop, then it is not a viable individual life.
I oppose the use of aborted embryos. Left alone they are the first stage of a human life and would continue to develop without interference and deserve the same protection of life that any human has a right to at any stage of development.
I personally do not oppose use of discarded embryos that were created
but not used during invitro fertility treatments. If the the embryo is
not in an environment where it can develop, then it is not a viable
individual life.
That’s a pretty bad argument. Live embryos don’t live outside the body naturally, the only way that can happen is if humans intentionally create that situation and keep them in an environment that doesn’t kill them. So, in other words, we put them in an unnatural environment, and then use that very environment that we intentionally created for them to justify killing them?
That’s… pretty horrific.
If you’re looking for the “moral solution” here, it would be to only create embryos as necessary and only use them for procreative purposes.
To purposely benefit from something that is wrong, encourages that wrong behavior.
Not using embryonic stem cells doesn’t magically stop abortions, bro.
Also, didn’t we learn things from Nazi human experimentation? That’s about as close as you can get to humanity “benefit[ing] from something that is wrong.”
My ethics are not based on a costs benefit analysis, but on sanctity of life. The argument could be made that a death row inmates organs could be harvested without his permission to save several lives. I believe making such a decision goes beyond man’s authority. Man is not the final arbitrator of right and wrong. Such a belief could only lead to believing that the NAZIS were right at least while they were in power.
so what about the 30,000 lives of people with ALS? Not as important as unborn children? (Not stirring, asking for an honest answer)
Do you believe we should return to the ancient Celts or Aztecs use of human sacrifice for the benefit of the rest. Of course, you may believe those sacrifices had no efficacy while the sacrifice of the unborn for ALS sufferers would.
Suppose that a new discovery showed 30,000 lives could be saved by sacrificing the life of a one year old infant? 3,000? 300? 30? I make no distinction between the one year old and the unborn other than its dependence on the birth mother. The right to life of the unborn surpasses all other rights that the mother has other than her own life.
“The right to life of the unborn surpasses all other rights that the mother has other than her own life.”
I am glad you are finally coming around to understanding the nature of rights and the hierarchy of rights. The “right wing” in this country seems to have a problem with the concept that certain rights are more important than other rights, and when those rights conflict the less important right must give way to the more important right. Republicans tend to think all of their rights are more important than all of the rights of everyone else, except in the case of abortion.
So following your argument to its logical conclusion, you now understand that the right to life of both the born and unborn surpass all the rights of everyone else, except everyone elses right to life. That is a bit of hyperbole, as there are certain rights that have traditionally been equated to the right to life (property rights not being among them), but now that we have the concept down we can pick at the nuances.
Republicans seem to think the right to life becomes less important after birth, especially if one is born a minority.
“when done responsibly and ethically” Who can guarantee that?
“try to put a stop to a campaign” Does this mean that it is hopeless without the Catholic dollars?
We are a church. We have the right to choose what we support. Our church has the right to give guidance to it’s members. Balance your article by showing how much the Catholic church gives to charities all over the world.
That South Park episode about stem cells was funny as shit. I highly recommend.
Do you mean the one where Christopher Reeve was “cracking open fetuses and sucking out their juices,” after which “he soon regains mobility, and even superpowers,” according to the Wikipedia description of the episode.
HIGH larious.
*Sluuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp!*
Yes!!! That shit was mad funny yo.
” An archdiocese in Ohio” does not speak for the worldwide Catholic church. I suppose that you think FITS speaks for every conservative.
he is one of MANY (NY & NJ have done the same) who sent out letters telling schools to stop it immediately. I named the one from Ohio specifically because that’s the article that caught my attention.
There are 195 archdioceses/dioceses in the US. I guess “3” is MANY to you. What a hack job of an article.
keep dreaming if you think those are the only 3…there is nothing Catholics love more than taking a stance against something.
Weeeee..a good old religious fight. Do I sense a Baptist v Catholic jihad?
I’m responding to the “facts” you posted. I did research to see how many dioceses there were in the US. What research did you do other than to pull “facts” out of the air.
Great generalization about Catholics too.
” . . .there is nothing Catholics love more than taking a stance against something.”
10+++++ The Absolute Best Line of The Day
You mean Catholic schools. The difference is in the funding I believe.
But you said the Catholic Church has spoken out against the ice bucket challenge. that’s like saying because South Carolina voters believe in corrupt governors, every state in the country loves their corrupt governors.
“…There are a staggering number (1.2 million) of fetuses aborted in the U.S. each year. If you are pro-life, couldn’t stem cell research be the silver lining to abortion? At least the loss of one life could potentially help save another….”
A dubious assertion at best. Most fetal STEM cell research is conducted using cells from fetuses destroyed 5-7 days after conception – unfortunately most abortion (65%) occur after 6 weeks. Almost 100% of abortions occur after 2 or more weeks have passed from conception. Tying STEM cell research to abortion is a blatantly false way to make abortion more acceptable.
Yep.
nope
From the American Medical Association…since you’re so interested in facts. Also, the point of this article was in NO WAY trying to make it acceptable. It is what it is, it happens every day. Why not make the most of it?
Following is a list of current and potential sources of stem cells:
Early embryos created by in vitro fertilization – either those which are not needed for infertility treatment (sometimes called spare embryos) or created specifically for research;
Early embryos created by somatic (body) cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a procedure that bypasses the normal fertilization process by taking the genetic material from a cell in an adult’s body and fusing it with an empty egg cell. This is a form of therapeutic cloning, which would allow cells to be customized for each individual and thereby minimizethe chances of tissue rejection;
Germ cells or organs of an aborted fetus;
Blood cells of the umbilical cord at the time of birth;
Some adult tissues (such as bone marrow);
Mature adult tissue cells reprogrammed to behave like stem cells
Granted that STEM cells can be harvested in a variety of ways and places – so why the argument that aborted fetuses have anything to do with STEM cell research – you made it, I didn’t or does the quote I selected not mean what it apparently means to everyone else. When discussing Abortion, STEM cell research is a canard and nothing else. To say that they are related in any way “..At least the loss of one life could potentially help save another….”. is intellectual dishonesty.
Those of us who actually know a little about this type of research and who have a moral compass support the harvesting of umbilical blood and marrow tissue but studiously avoid acting like “Molly’s elective abortion will help someone with spinal cord injury” because it flat out won’t.
There are, on average, 40 murders committed each day. Why not harvest those organs and bone marrow. Sucks for the family that might want a funeral, but why not make the most of it?
Come on Liz. You are apparently a mother. When you were walking around carrying that beautiful child did you tell your family and friends that you were going to have a “fetus”or baby?
Using “fetus” on here as a politically correct tool for acceptance from the pro-abortion gang on Fits may gain you star status-however I bet when that child says “love you mommy” you don’t say “love you former fetus and now my child”. :-)
A fetus is not a baby in the same way that a baby isn’t a toddler, a toddler isn’t a teenager, and a teenager isn’t an adult. People don’t say “I’m having a fetus!!” in the same way that people don’t say “I’m getting a mortgage application!!” when buying a house. People don’t say “I love you former fetus and now my child” in the same way that people don’t say “I love you former toddler and now my grown son/daughter.”
East Side Pro-Choicers represent! *flashes awkward gang hand signs and flips his baseball cap around*
I was going to respond, but you took the words from my mouth and saved me the time. thank you.
You agree with Smirks that a “fetus” is not a “baby/child”? In my opinion, a very soulless thought and why 50,000,000 murdered unborn later we apparently created a generation of children that in many ways be defined as hopeless and depressed.The sanctity of life was never ingrained in their souls as in our society it has been devalued.
Mother Teresa said if a mother can kill her own unborn child, what can be next? Ferguson, Chicago and New York City.Human life is no longer valued in our culture.
LOL…….got to love this distract-ive volley….
Liz, Mr Hannibal above is exposing the deception.
Lets take a walk into history and review MOSES. He was saved because a KING wanted to kill all the babies. Right..?
We wonder just how many babies were aborted by the women in those slave camps for building the pyramids..? Why would a woman give birth to a child into slavery..? Think about that..? Does any pastor or priest ever speak from that point of view..?
Now…..just think about life today on this planet. How many worldwide humans are SLAVES to monopolistic fossil oil on this planet..!? Most people do not even realize how enslaved they are because its all they have ever known. Are we as students taught how to produce your OWN energy in middle or high school..!? Why not..?
As for the abortion issue….it is used to divide people and distract them. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. From what has been widely reported and covered, the Catholic Church raises concerns with stem cells due to the fact that the sanctity of life can be forever changed as the world knows it. That is a grave issue……..
Words back at you. Just above ^^^^
“A fetus is not a baby isn’t a toddler, a toddler isn’t a teenager, and a teenager isn’t an adult.”
A black is not a white. A Jew is not a Christian. A man is not a woman.
Yet, the legal punishment for killing all of the above is the same, except for the fetus. Does the adult have a greater right to life than the teenager, toddler or baby? How about the fetus? Consistency of your logic would give the fetus the same right to life as the baby, toddler, teenager and adult.
Kill a pregnant woman and you’re charged with a double-homicide. At least that part of the law gets it right.
I’m sure it’s been pointed out many times here, but the church is only opposed to embryonic stem cell research, not adult stem cell research. Furthermore, the archdiocese listed the JPII Medical Research Center as an acceptable place to donate if one takes part in the ice bucket challenge. This was poorly written and was clearly lacking proper details on both the Cincinnati Archdiocese and church teaching to make us Catholics look bad.
Supporting ALS research with adult stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells is a more efficient and effective use of limited research funds and a person should use their head not just their emotions when deciding where to donate.
Just say NO to using embryonic stem cells! The following is from the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life:
“Adult stems cells come from a variety of sources and from people of all ages and races. Some common sources are bone marrow, skin and various other tissues such as the placenta, and umbilical cord blood. Because they are multipotent (able to turn into many different cell types), adult stem cells are very versatile. In 2007 scientific studies were even able to manipulate these stem cells into a pluripotentstage (iPS cells). Pluripotentcy is the ability to become every cell type in the body. Most importantly, there is no harm to the donor when adult stem cells are collected.
While much of the discussion going on in the stem cell debate is centered on embryonic stem cell research (ESCR), it is only adult stem cell research (ASCR) that has had any success in yielding treatments for various medical conditions. Furthermore, through iPS, adult stem cells can possess the flexibility of embryonic stem cells. For these reasons, there is no need to continue the life-destroying, unsuccessful, unethical, and unnecessary ESCR.
ASCR has produced treatments for more than 73 medical conditions, including brain cancer, breast cancer, type I diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, osteoporosis, and stroke damage. ASCR does not destroy human life, is ethical, and effective.”
Suggestions for research which does not use embryonic stem cells:
John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa City
Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center (uses only adult and non-embryonic stem cells)
Mayo Clinic uses only adult stem cells
Regardless of a person’s stance on the ice bucket challenge or where to donate to promote research on ALS, one of the interesting things I found out is that the Veterans Administration will service-connect ALS for any veteran who served at least 90 days and has a good discharge. This is very interesting because you could have a veteran in their 80’s who was never treated for any neurological problem in service and now gets ALS – he/she could get a regular monthly check from the VA regardless of their other income ( or the spouse of a vet who died from ALS could get a check). They don’t know why, but vets seem to get ALS at twice the rate of the general population (regardless of where or when they served).
Just because abortion is legal doesn’t make it right! Everyone has a right to give their money to who they see fit and if you don’t believe abortion is right then you don’t give to these charities who use this form of research because its goes against your faith so who are you to judge another. The christian faith is built up on the word of God and these embryos are a start of a life that given chance develops into a baby. As a mother you should know this! As christian who loves God and believe gave us life we believe only He as the right to take it back it is not mans right. The bible makes it very clear in jeremiah 1v5 before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Psalm 139v13 For you created my inmost being you knit me together in the womb. God makes it clear. I thought I was going to miscarry my child at only a few weeks I was terrified, she was not a bunch of cells she was a potential human being….Tell me what defines one embryo from another? The answer NOTHING, not in Gods eyes.
Did you just ask who I am to judge, then judge me 3 sentences later? Wow. Nicely done. “As a mother you should know this!” Please don’t use religion to prove a point, then immediately turn around and break the same principle. As a fellow mother and Christian I would expect more from you.
In addition, I never once argued abortion was right. And frankly, other than your judgey tone – I tend to agree with most of what you said. It’s clear now that I didn’t do a very good job conveying my point – because everyone seems to have missed it completely. My point was – not that it matters now – that I felt like the Catholic Church (some people in the church) were poorly choosing to make headlines with their own agenda by asking people to stop participating in this campaign.
Financial Information on the ALS Association site shows only 28% goes to research.