Friday, October 27, 2006

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups

There has been a lot of talk about stem cell research lately thanks to Michael J Fox. I do not profess to be at all knowledgeable about what embryonic stem cells are supposed to do. All I know is what I have read and what I have heard. Frankly, it is all a bit confusing.

There are arguments for both sides. Both sides have celebrity supporters. Both sides think that only they are right and seemingly refuse to hear the other side. There seems to be no way of compromising and finding a common ground that will suit the majority of people, but of course, there is never compromise in politics. I have tried to do a little impromptu research on the subject, only to find that most of what is being said is basically discounting the other sides point of view. I can only comment here on what I am "hearing" in all of the reports.

What I am hearing is that the American government, ie. President Bush, is against using embryos that have been discarded by their owners for research and possible cures for debilitating illnesses such as Parkinsons Disease and Alzheimers, both of which rob the victim of meaningful quality of life, because an embryo is a potential life. As far as I can tell, these embryos really have no hope in hell of ever becoming a life because either they are the products of conception that have been aborted by a woman who did NOT want this life to be realized, or, they are frozen embryos that have been abandoned and have no hope of ever finding a womb to grow in. I also see in the news that President Bush has no problem letting actual lives be snuffed out by war. Now maybe I am crazy, but I am thinking that the families of the soldiers and the civilians who have died as a result of this war are mourning their loved ones, where I doubt very much that anyone is mourning over the embryos or the aborted fetuses that could possibly give hope to many other actual lives.

I have always considered myself a pro-life supporter. Though, having faced a dilemma several years ago, I chose to end a pregnancy early when there was no hope for a viable life. I even had the blessing of the Roman Catholic church that I attended. Had it been an option for me, I would have gladly signed his body over for research. I do not believe that it would be appropriate to pay women for their aborted fetuses or their discarded frozen embryos, but I do feel that if one were to choose to donate them for the purpose of embryonic stem cell research, it should be an option. I also realize that another facet of this argument is about the financial support for the research from the government. Now, all I can really say about that is that we all know about government waste in so many things. Not to mention the amount of money being spent in Iraq for the purpose of killing ACTUAL lives, lives that will be mourned and missed by someone. Or the amount of dollars spent on health care caring for the individuals with the debilitating diseases that we spoke of earlier. If these fetuses and embryos can be used for something good, they should be, rather than just being incinerated.

I believe in God, I believe God creates all. He created us a free thinkers and of free will. I believe that he intends us to use our intelligence and resources to solve problems. I feel that those that condemn the very things God has created in the name of God himself are hypocrites.

1 comment:

Michelle Hix said...

I happened here on accident but decided to stay. From reading this post, I wonder if you and I are alike in some ways. I describe myself as someone who loves God and is a liberal. I find people want to stick me in the far right or far left category just because of one or the other. I liked the last paragraph that you wrote..."I believe in God, I believe God creates all. He created us a free thinkers and of free will. I believe that he intends us to use our intelligence and resources to solve problems. I feel that those that condemn the very things God has created in the name of God himself are hypocrites."