Mo. Catholics Back Stem Cell Research

Comcast.news ^ | 05 Nov 06 | Associated Press

[facedown]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A group of prominent Catholics is challenging church leaders' opposition to stem cell research and to the proposed Constitutional amendment that would protect such research in Missouri.

The group, led by former Sen. Tom Eagleton, e-mailed a letter to fellow Catholics last week explaining its reasons for supporting Amendment 2, which Missourians will vote on Tuesday.

The amendment would ensure that any federally approved stem cell research and treatments would be available in Missouri.

The letter from Catholics for Amendment 2 said the group felt a moral obligation to respond to what it called misinformation, scare tactics and distortions being spread by opponents of the initiative, including the church.

"Some people want to ban all stem cell research," the letter said. "At the other extreme there are those who would like to see research proceed completely unfettered. We believe that Amendment 2 strikes a responsible balance ... (with) clear ethical boundaries and safety guidelines."

The letter challenges Missouri's Catholic bishops, who sent letters last week urging parishioners to vote against Amendment 2. It included a brochure that said the amendment also would divert money from college loans and health care, and prohibit any governor, judge or other officials from regulating or limiting the research.

Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese wrote that the amendment would enshrine in the state constitution the right to clone human beings.

"This extreme protection of one industry, for something that is inherently and gravely immoral, is unprecedented in any state," Finn wrote.

[facedown]

Note the lack of distinction between "stem cell" research and "embryonic stem cell" research.

The group, led by former Sen. Tom Eagleton,...

Perfect.

[Bahbah]

Take a look at this.

[PhillyRepublican]

Is that the Eagleton that ran as McGovern's running mate until it came out that he had received electric shock treatment?
I'm Catholic and I support stem cell research. ADULT stem cells.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Bite down hard on this, Tom...

[Enterprise]

Oh barf.

[Paleo Conservative]

Sen. Tom Eagleton

I'm shocked!

[facedown]

Is that the Eagleton that ran as McGovern's running mate...

I'm pretty sure that it is: Thomas Eagleton

[peggybac]

I agree. It's EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH, but the MSM is speaking to the lowest denominator who won't read up about this. Why don't the repubs say more about this distinction? The govt. supports adult stem cell research and if embryonic stem cell research were so promising, all the money in the world would be given by private donations and companies. It drives me so feckin' nuts.

[The_Reader_David]

Mo. Catholics Apostates Back Embryonic Stem Cell Research

There, fixed that.

(If I hadn't gotten to it, I suspect one of my separated Latin bretheren would have made the correction sooner or later.)

[cardinal4]

*Sigh*

[woodb01]

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[utahagen]

Any "Catholic" who publicly backs EMBRYONIC stem cell research should be excommunicated pronto.

[big'ol_freeper]

The title of the thread itself is deceiving. Besides the issue of stem cell research vs. fetal stem cell research, the title makes you think that Catholics in general support "stem cell research" (and specifically fetal stem cell research) when its actually some group using the Catholic name that has come out in favor of the ballot question. The headline makes one think that Missouri Catholics are in opposition to the Church position.

The fact is that I would guess most Catholics do support stem cell research. Hopefully very few support fetal stem cell research. This is exactly the Church position.

[narses]

+

If you want on (or off) this Catholic and Pro-Life ping list, let me know!

[G Larry]

Amendment 2 is deceptively written and the lies truly begin when proponents attempt to explain it.

It pretends that "cloning" doesn't occur when the embryo is CLONED, but only after that CLONED EMBRYO has been implanted in the womb.

The "logic" is that since the baby is killed before it can be born, it's not cloning.
What a pack of lies!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I thought this was about cloning.

[kinoxi]

misinformation, scare tactics and distortions being spread by opponents of the initiative, including the church.

I'm not to keen on Mo politics but these sound like modified dem talking points, the blame game with no supporting evidence.

[johnny7]

LOL... Tom needs his voltage increased.

[Unam Sanctam]

I am so fed up with these "Catholic" politicians who don't give a darn about the teachings of their face and who relish poking their fingers in the Church's eye every chance they get. And my state's two execrable senators (Kennedy and Kerry) top the list of offenders...

[E=MC²]

Something I haven't seen addressed is this: assume that embryonic stem cell research does result in a fantastic cure for some important disease. Where would all the embryonic stem cells then come from needed to treat the millions of afflicted by said disease???