“That same science, however, also irrefutably demonstrates that a human embryo is a distinct human being. Its appearance and abilities differ from ours, but its nature is the same."

"You can say the most outrageous things if your wrap a pair of quotes around it."

As to the research:
It is going to happen regardless of who may have their feelings or philosophy disturbed by it. Understanding this the question becomes: who do we want to be doing this work? Harvard and Hopkins or "Harry's Frame and Body Shop and Bio Lab?

That is your only choice in the matter.

Since when were quotes a prerequisite for saying outrageous things? You are probably right that its going to happen regardless of who is disturbed by it. As for who would I want working on it, someone who hasn't lost all sense of ethical responsibility.

The human embryo contains all the DNA that he/or she will ever have. That human is unique, never to be duplicated. He doesn't care how he came to be, he only wants to live. He doesn't desire to have stem cells harvested from his tiny body and his body destroyed. The use of embryos in this way is wrong and we in the United States need to be an example to the world no matter what.

There has been much time spent with the unsourced source about this issue. Here are some thoughts: An acorn has the complete DNA of the oak tree it could possibly become. Unless it falls to the ground and ceases to be an acorn (becomes a sprout) it remains but an accorn. An accorn is to an oak tree as a zygote is to a man.

Just for your decernment.

"Life unworthy of life." Who decides? The Third Reich decided for those they deemed unworthy of life. We do the same by stating some lives are not worthy of life.

http://www.holocaust-history.org/lifton/LiftonT046.shtml

Each of us began as a period. That includes Mr. Rational. It saddens me that Mr. Rational has blatantly dismissed Archbishop O'Brien because of quotes. He has obviously has not delved into the meaning of the quotes. You will be in my prayers because you have a choice with your opinion, but with God, you do not have a chance!

As a human being glad to be alive, I truly believe that until we stop abortion and stem cell research and all other scientific experiments that go against GOD's will, our world will never be at peace.

All of you sanctimonious guys who speak for God, what happened, did God appear to you in a burning bush and ask you to speak what's on His mind? This same God destroys fetuses every day through what is known as spontaneous abortion--the same DNA buddies, yearning to be born--crushed and extruded by this God who you believe creates all things--no, no God can do it but not man--so you will expound--God works in mysterious ways guys and sometimes even through men--just a clump of cells without a neural tube or a brain or consciousness but yearning to be born you say--did the cells wake up, attain consciousness and scream, "I want to be born into this nasty world full of conflict, famine, sin, sound, and fury?" Give me a break--what a load of crock! As for Fr Chris you need some prayers yourself for being arrogant and self righteous enough to think you know the right answers to all the questions and someone else needs to be salvaged through your prayers.

Wow Anonymous I have to hand it to you. That tops any post I've read for arrogance and disrespect for those who see things differently. Might I suggest you take of your own advice. You ripped on other the posters for their arrogance then proceed to reveal your own. Is that why you didn't bother with putting an id on it?

Ravensfan so you post an ID on your posts --do I know you from a hole in the wall mate? Unless I meet you and shake your hand you will be anon to me so don't indulge in this prima donna agitation against the anons on these blogs--that said Ravensfan you play turn the table and gotcha games well but it is getting tiresome--you are pretty voluble in your expostulations on all subjects great or small--so stick to the argument at hand--are you against stem cell research? Are you for clumps of cells being kept in petri dishes for centuries so Catholicism can gloat it saved lives?
What's your take on this profound issue that has the Catholic church at the forefront of-- DNA is also fetus-- is also a full blown human-- must also be saved-- so the world can be overrun with people--so the Catholic church can swell in numbers and explode--ecumenical argument? Am I arrogant in the previous post Ravensfan? I hope so--when in Rome do as the Romans do--I am now in Arrogantsville Ravensfan, not exactly in Amityville rubbing shoulders with the affable. A touch of arrogance, like a dash of pepper for the palate, is good for the soul Ravensfan.

That the embryos being employed in research are obtained from fertility clinics, where they are no longer needed and are going to be discarded (wasted) anyway, I find the ethics question to be a bit nebulous. Would it be better to take these unneeded frozen bits of potential Humans and toss them in the disposal chute, or use them to do great good? Somehow the religious concerns seem duplicitous in their disregard for for the value inherent in possibly saving many lives and curing horrible suffering, all to toss the possibility into the trash to assuage their doctrinal peculiarities.

What’s the matter Anonymous does the truth hurt that much. If the id is as unimportant why not use an id so we can all recognize your comments rather than take the cowardly way like a heckler hidden in the crowd. I don’t discuss my positions with people without at leave the nerve leave some sort of id and can’t conduct an intelligent respectful discussion or debate.

Ah, Ravensfan if it will make you happy I will call myself the failing intellectual anon when I remember or when I am addressing you. I think this name thing is a distraction for you away from the topics at hand--you do it every time you are losing.

Anonymous truly weak response. A sad attempt to get some sort of emotional response out of me.

i think stem cell research is unethical. leave the children alone