Stem Cell Research

Marianne87 · February 2006

I think this topic was brought up before but since I really want more oponions I am going to bring it up again. Stem cell research simply means using embryo cells to cure other human diseases. I know that the Church is against it, even Bush himself is against it, but as much as I see killing is bad, I see curing is good. I mean I was against it, and I guess I don't know whether to be or not, but the thing is it's going to be helpful hopefully, why are we opposing to something that will benefit us and benefit those who can't walk who are paralyzed who have heart diseases and more and more diseases. I was just watching something on TV, and they said that those embryos that they use are either used by the resarch or they are otherwise discarded and thrown away with no use, so what's the right thing to do here. I think it will be to grow with the research, benefit million and million of people who have diseases then just throwing the cells away with no use. If you guys have more oponions about that please post, even if you argue against my opnion, I just want to think about it more and see why the church is so opposed about it.
God Bless, and Happy fasting tomorrow :)

Christ4Life · February 2006

Well, yes it is possible that they might find a cure for cancer, heart disease, ect.. But what is not possible, what is definite, is that you kill someone in the process. You destroy a soul, almost the same thing as abortion. Nobody has the right to do that except God, no matter what mankind will benefit from it.

PopeKyrillos · February 2006

Ya i agree marmar, but also like you were saying marianne about being paralyized, well if someone is it's god's will or cancer or anything. All people are created by god and he creates as he sees is well fit.

PopeKyrillos

Christ4Life · February 2006

Huh? ??? Maybe you meant that in another thread?

Marianne87 · February 2006

Well...I believe that everything is coming from God, if God didn't want that to work, He would have never made it possible for the cure of animals which triggerd scientists to go on with that and begin to think about trying it on humans...so I think God have something here. Like I said if those embroys won't be used in the research then they are going to be discarded...so they are going to be killed anyway...don't u think if you benefit from it is far better than discarding it..something to think about here...

Believer in God · February 2006

I am not sure if you all know what embryonic stem cell research is. As was stated before, our church is strictly against this. What happens in embryonic stem cell research is that the egg is fertilized, meaning that it begins its process to become a blastocyst, etc... Now, in the stage of te blastocyst, when the egg splits into many cells and growth begins, the scientists strip the blastocyst from its inner cell and it therefore dies, because that part is essential to the growth and development of the egg. Our church believes that life begins at this fertilization and therefore there is a human soul within this new body. When we kill the blastocyst we kill the person within it and therefore commit the same crime that euthanasia and abortion commit. We do not believe that it is good to kill one person, who has not even see the world, in order to preserve one who has seen the world and has lived a life in it which the Lord has planned for him. It seems to be a selfish at to kill an innocent human just to live a life on this earth, which by the way we don't belong to because we belong to Heaven. One who does not believe that it is wrong needs to anallyze the teachings of the church and re-assess their thoughts about this.

Please pray for me always,
Believer in God

Believer in God · February 2006

[quote author=Marianne87 link=board=11;threadid=3339;start=0#msg48976 date=1141003919]
Well...I believe that everything is coming from God, if God didn't want that to work, He would have never made it possible for the cure of animals which triggerd scientists to go on with that and begin to think about trying it on humans...so I think God have something here. Like I said if those embroys won't be used in the research then they are going to be discarded...so they are going to be killed anyway...don't u think if you benefit from it is far better than discarding it..something to think about here...

First of all, we must not confuse the will of God with the permission of God. Although we are allowed the ability to do such a thing as embryonic stem cell research or abortion or euthanasia, it still does not mean that the Lord accepts it. It's like saying that when you murder someone it is ok because God allowed you to do so. Although it may be a fact that most embryos don't survive there is still a chance that one of those cells, which are used for research, are those which have the potential to survive. How do you know which embryo will survive and which will not?

Marianne87 · February 2006

Although it may be a fact that most embryos don't survive there is still a chance that one of those cells, which are used for research, are those which have the potential to survive. How do you know which embryo will survive and which will not?

Let's just say, somehow something was invented to tell which embryo will survive and which wouldn't ( I know this won't happene but just bear with me). Now if you know which embryo will survive and which won't...would you then agree to the research?

Believer in God · February 2006

I am not really fond of the "what if" questions because no body worries about the "what ifs," if they will never happen. I will bear with you for this example, although, and say that I would agree with what the church agrees with, in this situation, if it was presented before the church. If you want to get really specific with this subject I would still say that when this "telling whether embryos will live" machine would still have error associated with it, since we are fallible human beings and the things which we make are also fallible. Therefore it is still not % accurate in telling you whether an embryo will live or not. Getting back to the point, I, personally, would still say that we should not get involved with things, especially people, that are not ours. Remember now, even though this embryo wouldn't survive it still has a human soul within it. We have no authority to abuse the body of that person, just like we have no authority to abuse the body of anothrer person. Even if that human embryo did not survive, in the end, the people who did the research would have been its killers. In order to do embryonic stem cell research the embryo that they are dealing with has to be living. The people who do the research either kill it or it dies due to complications from the research. Even in the case that you mentioned, we would still be the ones to got involved in the life or death of this human being and this authority is due only to the Lord. I would still not agree with doing embryonic stem cell research, even in this case.

Please pray for me,
Believer in God

Christ4Life · February 2006

There is no machine which can be created that can tell what God will decide. Whether God gives life to someone or not, that is God's knowledge and his only. No machine, doctor, or human can tell whether God will decide to grant this soul more time to live or not.

Marianne87 · February 2006

I was just giving an example...but since you guys are sticking with the same opnion...I have nothing further to say exept if I had someone close to me who could benefit from this research...I would support it 100%...I guess you kinda think more about these things when someone close to you is suffering. I am just going to leave it on that...if you guys have more to say..you welcome to say it.

Believer in God · February 2006

I know that you may have a strong feeling for this issue, especially if somone close to you is suffering and the effects of the research can change all of that. One who truly has strong faith in God and knows that all things which happen are in the control of the Lord may realize that one should not overstep the boundries of morality to so something such as live longer upon the earth. I believe that the church is doing what is best, before the eyes of God, by denying the use of stem cell research as being moral or ethical, even though it has some life-changing benefits. When we speak in real life again, away from "embryo analyzing machines" we may see that by saving a life we take away another and we all know that it is wrong, especially to kill an innocent peson who has not had the chance to live a life that the Lord may have planned for him. If you desire to reveal to us something that may comfort you or that we may be able to console you with, please feel free to speak up. I will stand firm on my decision concerning stem cell research and, hopefully, when I come into a time of conflict between whether to use the research for a person whom I love, that I still stand firm in this decision.

Please pray for me always,
Believer in God

Marianne87 · February 2006

If you desire to reveal to us something that may comfort you or that we may be able to console you with, please feel free to speak up.

There is no one I know that might benefit from this (Thank God), I was just thinking about it...what if I do have what would be my response then...but like I said I was opposing to it..and I guess I don't know what to think because what if I am in that situation (God forbid)...then how am I going to think about it :-\

Christ4Life · February 2006

Stem cell research is not the only way of research. There are millions of other ways that are being explored right now, and if stem cell research can find a clue, so can anything else.

AthanasiusTheApost · February 2006

For those who do not know what stem cell is:
When a male sperm fertilizes a female ovum (egg) an embryo composed of one cell is formed. Then this cell divides into 2 cels then 4 cells then 8 cells then 16 cells etc. These cells are called stem cells because they have the ability to differentiate. Meaning that the stem cell could differentiate into a liver cell or kidney cell or muscle cell or brian cell etc.

Thats why stem cells are valuable because if extracted and treated in vitro (lab) in an appropriate way, could result in any kind of cell we would like it to be. So if we need heart tissue for a patient who suffered a heart failure, we can theoritically stimulate the stem cell to differentiate into heart cell then stimulate it to divide forming heart tissue and implant it to save the patients life.

It is true that u have saved the patient with heart failure, but u have killed another baby who haven't seen the light yet. The Coptic Church is not against scientific advances that promote the well being of humanity. For example the Church is not against organ donation because they are taken from a person who either doesnot need them (like kidneys as u can live with one kidney) or dead.

But stem cell research will result in spem ovum (egg) fertilization specifically for using the embryo's stem cells for scientific purposes which will result in the death of the embryo. This is called murder.

mnc_hnn · September 2006

wow, have they actually done this before and succeeded? i mean have they used an embryo to treat any failed muscle tissue?

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