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HLI president skeptical that Obama's new bioethics commission will be ethical
cna ^ | December 5, 2009

Posted on 12/05/2009 5:18:55 PM PST by NYer

Front Royal, Va., Dec 5, 2009 / 10:06 am (CNA).- Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International has called for Americans to be watchful of President Obama's appointments to the new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, claiming the unlikelihood of the advisors to share the pro-life sentiment of the majority of Americans.

On November 24, President Obama signed an Executive Order creating the new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, whose purpose is to advise the President on concerns emerging from advances in biomedicine and related areas of science and technology.

"As our nation invests in science and innovation and pursues advances in biomedical research and health care, it’s imperative that we do so in a responsible manner," said President Obama. "I am confident that Amy and Jim will use their decades of experience in both ethics and science to guide the new Commission in this work, and I look forward to listening to their recommendations in the coming months and years."

Obama is referring to Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania to and James W. Wagner, president of Emory University, who will serve as chair and vice-chair of the new commission, respectively. Research on the two found that many of Gutmann's publications regard democratic theory, while Wagner studied engineering and materials science before becoming involved in academic administration.

The other 11 appointments to the commission have yet to be announced.

"Does anyone think that even one person on this commission will strongly represent the majority of Americans' pro-life views?" said Fr. Euteneuer. "We saw what the president thinks of bioethicists who disagree with him when he fired the previous presidential bioethics commission the day after they lodged a complaint about his policies."

Last June, Obama suddenly and without warning disbanded Bush's bioethics commission, who's charter was set to expire in September, without allowing the scheduled final meeting of the council. In March, the council had released a statement disagreeing with Obama's position on stem cell research.

Last Wednesday, Obama authorized embryonic stem cell research for 13 lines of stem cells obtained from the destruction of fetuses "left over" from IVF treatments.

"We already know what the president is going to do. He is going to find eleven utilitarians who will carefully furrow their scholarly brows as they tell us that we just have to get used to the idea that some lives aren't worth as much as others," said Rev. Euteneuer. "Then he is going to find two 'pro-life Christians' or other religious types who provide religious-sounding rationalizations for this assault on life."

Euteneuer noted that every one of Obama's current advisors who has written on bioethical issues "is pro-abortion, pro-embryonic stem cell research, pro-euthanasia, pro-assisted suicide. Bioethicists like this strive to create a ‘Brave New World’ for the weakest and most vulnerable of those created in God’s image: those who doctors used to swear an oath to protect."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bioethics

1 posted on 12/05/2009 5:18:57 PM PST by NYer
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To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; markomalley; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


2 posted on 12/05/2009 5:19:27 PM PST by NYer ("One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone" - Benedict XVI)
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To: NYer

A bear was asked “Will Obama’s new bioethics commission be ethical?”

The bear didn’t answer...he just grunted and picked up a rabbit as he headed into the woods...


3 posted on 12/05/2009 5:21:31 PM PST by jessduntno (Make the Democrats STFU - Stop The Federal Usurpation...dump them out in 2010.)
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To: NYer
This is the same president who appointed tax cheats as his "czars".

What does he no of ethics? Except that he doesn't like them.

4 posted on 12/05/2009 5:31:26 PM PST by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: NYer

5 posted on 12/05/2009 5:59:08 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: NYer
"We already know what the president is going to do. He is going to find eleven utilitarians who will carefully furrow their scholarly brows as they tell us that we just have to get used to the idea that some lives aren't worth as much as others," said Rev. Euteneuer. "Then he is going to find two 'pro-life Christians' or other religious types who provide religious-sounding rationalizations for this assault on life."

Nailed it, Father.

Are there any "bioethicists" who aren't Death Eaters? Not killing or cannibalizing other people is pretty basic; it hardly needs to be a hifalutin' academic speciality.

6 posted on 12/05/2009 6:31:16 PM PST by Tax-chick (Don't worry - the king cobra will save you!)
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