Passion of the Christ Star Jim Caviezel Explains Opposition to Embryo Research

LifeSite ^ | November 6, 2006 | Meg Jalsevac

[NYer]

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[rightinthemiddle]

Voted against it this morning. I hope Missourians are guided by their hearts.

[newconhere]

Please put me on your list. Thank you. Kelli

[yooling]

Mr. Caviezel is welcome to use my argument; that there is no difference between destroyng an embryo for stem cells and harvesting organs from prisoners, ala China.

[Juana la Loca]

Isn't there a picture rule for posts about Jim Caviezel? :-)

[MJemison]

Isn't there a picture rule for posts about Jim Caviezel? :-)

What she said!

[MJemison]

Isn't there a picture rule for posts about Jim Caviezel? :-)

What she said!

[meandog]

Okay, the Jesus character is against embryonic stem cell research...but, please, somebody explain to me why he and others see this as infanticide? It is my understanding most of the embryos in question are "owned" by couples who produced them in homes of eventually impregnating one inside a womb and producing a living, breathing human baby. But it is also my understanding that they are tossed when same said couples no longer want them or want to continue paying for their maintenance in cryrogentic friges...AND, it is my BELIEF that an embryo is just that--an embryo--until it is implanted and becomes capable of becoming fetal material. Furthermore, most birth control methods (exception condoms and certain other devices) do not prevent conception but the same said implantation (especially the RU287 "morning after" that Bush approved), therefore why the rub?

[ruffedgrouse]

Exactly. Very, very few of these embryos will ever become the "snowflake" babies so many in the "culture of life" crowd crow about. Since they're destined to be destroyed anyways, best their at least put to some use. Adult stem cells go a long way, I know, but certain organs, notably the pancreas in Type I diabetes (a devastating disease for those--mostly young people--who suffer from it) are not helped by adult stem cells; there is no adult stem cell for the pancreas. For them, embryonic stem cells are the only hope.

[Air Force Brat]

Can anyone explain to me why there's opposition to research with embyonic stem cells, when the embryos being used for research are going to be discarded anyway and not used for reproduction?

I don't see this as any different than organ donation. If a parent's child dies, that parent is entitled to say the child's organs can be re-used to help others. If a parent no longer needs the surplus embryos, why isn't it that parent's right to allow the embryo to be used to help others?

It puzzles the heck out of me.

It seems the opposition is misplaced - if a person is against destroying surplus embryos, that person should be against in-vitro fertilization, since that's what creates the surplus embryos anyway.

[Air Force Brat]

I see we have the same question. See my comment No. 11 below.

[James Ewell Brown Stuart]

Totally non related issue...but I checked out your homepage. Why is JEB Stuart in your neutral American section?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Don't complain when we guys post girlie pics!

[A_perfect_lady]

Here you go.

[RightWhale]

Doctor Dean Edell also criticized this actor while defending Fox.

[Jaded]

If there isn't one, there should be!

[TexasPatriot8]

Just have a second, but Jim Caviezel's opposition to embryonic stem cell research is because he knows the TRUTH!!! The truth proves that embryonic/fetal stem cell research is a horrible gruesome crime against humanity. The FACTS are HERE" http://www.angelfire.com/blog/stemcells/ . Please FReep this page and pass it around.

[soccermom]

First of all, Bush didn't "approve" the morning after pill. You fell for the spin. Once the genie was already out of the bottle, there was a debate over whether or not minors should be able to get the drug over the counter and Bush said that they should be required to get a prescription. The press spun that into "Bush says teens should be able to get morning after pill with a prescription!"

As for the whole "unused" embryo argument. Yes, there are people who have no trouble discarding/destroying them. But that doesn't mean pro-lifers have ever been OK with it, just because it is legal. I believe the Catholic position is, in vitro fertilization is OK, so long as all the embryos are implanted, there are no "selective abortions" and/or the embryos are donated to another couple for implantation. The reason the McCougheys had seven babies is because they respected the life of each embryo and refused to abort any of them when their implantation was successful.

[My Favorite Headache]

The man who was robbed of the most deserving Oscar of all time...he is forever blessed.