Yes to embryo cell research

[bn880 5]

EU Parliament Says Yes to Embryo Cell Research

Quote[/b] ]STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Parliament voted Wednesday to fund research using stem cells taken from human embryos, a controversial procedure opposed by anti-abortion activists.

The assembly's opinion sends a message to European Union ministers who are due to decide next month whether to lift a moratorium that prevents EU cash from going to such experiments, which are banned in several of the bloc's member states.

Full story

I did not want to revive the ancient thread on this, so here is a new one...

I figure this will further anger Dubya as he appears to be playing Gods messenger and has tried to ban anything to do with genetics and abortions. (he's afraid we will realize he is inferior )

Anyway, thumbs up from me, at least some nations don't have their heads up their butts when it comes to scientific progress and the reality of life rather than old religions.

[theavonlady 2]

I figure this will further anger Dubya as he appears to be playing Gods messenger

It goes both ways. Could be the EU is trying to play god.

[bn880 5]

Yes, but at least they do not claim God wants them to do that or that God Blesses this. etc.

[Dauragon 0]

we could clone avon lady and then get a multi spam group

[theavonlady 2]

we could clone avon lady and then get a multi spam group

What for? I can do that single-handedly!

[Dauragon 0]

we could clone avon lady and then get a multi spam group

What for? I can do that single-handedly!

But with more of you it could become a mayhem

What do you think they are gonna use the clones for, making a Uber Soldatum army?

[theavonlady 2]

and the reality of life rather than old religions.  

Just a reminder of what this kinda language might lead to:

Forum Rule:

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Abusive comments, personal attacks and name calling are not allowed either on the board or through PM's. If you receive a PM that is abusive or you find offensive please forward it to a moderator who will investigate. Flame-baiting is also not tolerated, flame-baiting is making a post to someone that is obviously intended to elicit an angry response.

[bn880 5]

How is this for a response:

stop trying to get this thread locked Avon. Maybe it is not obvious to you but the religions against research and abortions ARE old. (forgot to mention, the pope is getting there himself but he's not giving in)

[theavonlady 2]

stop trying to get this thread locked Avon.  Maybe it is not obvious to you but the religions against research and abortions ARE old.

So are the ancient beliefs of agnostics.

I'm not trying to get this thread locked. Had you used a Swedish sharpshooter's pistol, you'd be pointing in the right direction.

[bn880 5]

Ok, I am merely trying to suggest that perhaps Religions need to adapt to the realities of life a lot faster. It looks to me like most are always lagging by a century or 50 years. On the other hand in the days of Ancient Rome the tides were different and Christianity was ahead of Roman culture. IMO.

[Tamme 0]

I think this is good news. If it's used to cure deceases and to save peoples lives it's acceptable. If it's used to make Berlusconi's own personal clone army it's bad.

[ralphwiggum 6]

funny thing is Bush was so outspoken about stem cell research, calling it a step towards cloning. then came Nancy Reagan with argument that stem cell research could help Alzheimers. suddenly, the criticism stopped.

if EU show improvement in the area and that translates into better health, sooner or later, US is to follow.

[Acecombat 0]

Ok, I am merely trying to suggest that perhaps Religions need to adapt to the realities of life a lot faster.  It looks to me like most are always lagging by a century or 50 years.  On the other hand in  the days of Ancient Rome the tides were different and Christianity was ahead of Roman culture. IMO.

Realities of life ??

I think youre wording this incorrectly its suppose to be "Interpreting and conforming their laws to modern times..." rather then 'that'.

What did they threaten Galileo with btw ?

[EiZei 0]

Phew, I almost feared that this one was not going to be passed.

[hellfish6 7]

Strom Thurmond even supported stem cell research. Now that man was a bible thumper, but he could see the usefulness of the procedure.

I think stem cell research is going to be a potentially huge step forward in health - equivalent at least to Pastuer's discovery of bacteria and the discovery of genetics. I was a biomedical policy minor in college, so I've seen the potential that stem cell research and cell therapy can offer. It has nothing to do with God and everything to do with common sense, IMHO.

I don't see how using embryos for research could be considered immoral, either. The only way these guys are getting their embryos in the first place is because when people undergo fertilization treatment creat many dozens more embryos than they actually need in order to create a child. These embryos are frozen and, when not needed anymore, they are simply disposed of. I think giving parents the option of donating their embryos for research purposes is the very least that you can do.

[bn880 5]

Strom Thurmond even supported stem cell research. Now that man was a bible thumper, but he could see the usefulness of the procedure.

I think stem cell research is going to be a potentially huge step forward in health - equivalent at least to Pastuer's discovery of bacteria and the discovery of genetics. I was a biomedical policy minor in college, so I've seen the potential that stem cell research and cell therapy can offer. It has nothing to do with God and everything to do with common sense, IMHO.

I don't see how using embryos for research could be considered immoral, either. The only way these guys are getting their embryos in the first place is because when people undergo fertilization treatment creat many dozens more embryos than they actually need in order to create a child. These embryos are frozen and, when not needed anymore, they are simply disposed of. I think giving parents the option of donating their embryos for research purposes is the very least that you can do.

Hey cool, I didn't expect so many peeps here to agree with me. So I agree with the above post.

[bn880 5]

Realities of life ??

I think youre wording this incorrectly its suppose to be "Interpreting and conforming their laws to modern times..." rather then 'that'.

What did they threaten Galileo with btw ?

Ok you are probably right when being politically correct.

According to this

wonderfull article with Mary and Jesus on it Galileo was not threatened at all.

[Major Fubar 0]

IMHO there is nothing wrong with religions being against certain areas of scientific research - it is their prerogative. As long as these religions are NOT allowed to influence government decsions, however. That's the whole point of seperating church and state.

[toadlife 3]

As long as these religions are NOT allowed to influence government decsions, however. That's the whole point of seperating church and state.

Actaully, you will find that religious folks don't mind seperation of church and state, as long as the state's laws don't contradict their religious beliefs.

Stem cell research is defintely something that should be looked into. I saw a story once of a young boy striken with some horrible disease (Polio?). He was injected with stem cells from an appropriate donor and his affliction disappeared completely. The only side effect was that his blood type changed to the blood type of the stem cell donor.  

[Acecombat 0]

How can a persons blood type change?

First of all even in Blood transfusion you need the same blood group ..so wouldnt the principle b same for stem cells?

[hellfish6 7]

Because stem cells are the cells that make everything in your body. So, if you put stem cells into your body, basically they fix what is broken, and in some cases totally rebuild you. You can even regenerate damaged nerves.

[denoir 0]

Well, it's like this: Various functions in the body are regulated by different types of cells. While they have some basics in common they are generally very different (compare blood cells to nerve cells for instance). Stem cells are blank template cells that can be turned into any cell type.

The ultimate goal is to grow organs in vitro. If you can grow a kidney or a heart in a bottle, there would be no more shortage of organs. As I understand it a lack of organ donors is a huge problem today.

And while this sounds like science-fiction, it's far from it. For instance at the Karolinska institute here in Stockholm, they're already sucessfully growing complete human ears in vitro. Growing replacement skin for burn victims has already been in practice for several years and is proving quite sucessful.

Also, stem cell research should not be confused with genetic modifications as they use natural human DNA. So there is little chance of something going wrong (as opposed to GM plants and animals released into the ecosystem).

The ethical grounds against stem cell research are very questionable becuase the cells are taken at the earliest possible stage: when the egg is fertilized. And I don't think that even the most hardcore Christians could argue that one fertilized cell could constitute a human being.

[edc 0]

I would agree to some extent that stem cell research is probably a good thing, as long as the embryos are used carefully and only for scientific research to curing diseases. Cloning of humans, on the other hand, would be a very, very bad thing, and definately should not be allowed anywhere. There's pretty much no legitimate reason to clone a human, and there would be very, very little, if any benefits, to doing it, whereas there would be very large risks involved. Also, abortion is nothing short of murder. Part of max's sig a few months ago expressed (IMO)the views of many liberals well, "Kill babies, not convicts". Not to try to pull this off-topic, just it was mentioned in the first post.

[toadlife 3]

And I don't think that even the most hardcore Christians could argue that one fertilized cell could constitute a human being.

Oh yes they could - and they do.

[bn880 5]

Denoir, you would be surprized about the last bit...

as for cloning, well cloning adult animals/people will not work too well because our DNA basically degenerates with time, kind of explains aging. And why a person with low metabolism and low physical "wear" is likely to live longer than someone like a football player or weight lifting dude. (as long as you don't feed yourself garbage and get moderate cardio work for your organs)

To expand on that, every time a cell is copied there is a good chance DNA result is not ideal, do that a few thousand/million times and you get a body that is simply not regenerating itself in the proper form. Adios amigos.

So AFAIK it is for research purposes not cloning of adults...