Does anyone?

Does anyone have any topics to discuss?

Lets go with stem cells

I know I do not like abortion and most relegions are against it but since it is currently the law that abortions are leagle why is it that the stem cells that could have been harvisted can not be used so that something positive could come of it.

Here is another

Cloning.

What is the religious argument for or against it? While I have heard such things as the new being would be soulless I do not see how that could be assumed since as far as I know there is nothing that would pertain to this in the bible and would in fact not be very different than an Identical twin (LOL could call it a delayed twin)

Could a being created by man and not the divine possess a soul?

Could a man create a being without the divine?

How is it different from test tube babies?

Controversy surrounding stem cell research
Main article: Stem cell controversy
There exists a widespread controversy over stem cell research that emanates from the techniques used in the creation and usage of stem cells. Embryonic stem cell research is particularly controversial because, with the present state of technology, starting a stem cell line requires the destruction of a human embryo and/or therapeutic cloning. Opponents of the research argue that this practice is a slippery slope to reproductive cloning and tantamount to the instrumentalization of a human being. Contrarily, some medical researchers in the field argue that it is necessary to pursue embryonic stem cell research because the resultant technologies are expected to have significant medical potential, and that the embryos used for research are only those meant for destruction anyway (as a product of invitro fertilisation). This in turn, conflicts with opponents in the pro-life (anti-abortion) movement, who argue that an embryo is a human being and therefore entitled to dignity even if legally slated for destruction. The ensuing debate has prompted authorities around the world to seek regulatory frameworks and highlighted the fact that stem cell research represents a social and ethical challenge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_ce..._cell_research

How I understand this they take an Embroy and start from it to form stem cells... I do not agree with abortion... I will have to study this... I am uncertain.. but I do believe that life begins at conception. Questions that we would ahve to ask is: How would it affect us in the future.. ect;

The Case Against Stem Cell Research

Opponents of research on embryonic cells, including many religious and anti-abortion groups, contend that embryos are human beings with the same rights "? and thus entitled to the same protections against abuse "? as anyone else. They believe life starts at the moment of conception, when a sperm fertilizes an egg, since a distinct organism has come into being. Thus the destruction of an embryo is the destruction of a human life.

Anti-abortion groups also oppose research on stem cells derived from aborted fetuses. They reject the argument that since abortion is already legal and women will have them, that stem cells should be used from aborted fetuses because they would otherwise go to waste.

Pope John Paul II has offered one argument designed to address just these sorts of questions when he wrote:

"Experience is already showing how a tragic coarsening of consciences accompanies the assault on innocent human life in the womb, leading to accommodation and acquiescence in the face of other related evils, such as euthanasia, infanticide, and most recently, proposals for the creation for research purposes of human embryos, destined to destruction in the process. A free and virtuous society, which America aspires to be, must reject practices that devalue and violate human life at any stage from conception until natural death."


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,31748,00.html

This is why some speak out against it. I think sometimes people do not want to experience natural death so they want to live forever down here. 5 years ago my father died of lung cancer... if we were given a choice to let him go or take the stem cells and be healed.. that would have been a hard decision... I would have probably taken the stem cells.

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This in turn, conflicts with opponents in the pro-life (anti-abortion) movement, who argue that an embryo is a human being

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IMHO while I to see them as humans the Law does not so with that being the case and the fact that they will be desrtroved anyway I see no reason that the state or clinic could not do what they wanted with them.

On a related note when a crimanal is to be exacuted why not harvist there organs (if they meet all medical requirments)That way even if the person was a real heel in life there death would not have serve a some good.

Just think of the population we would have..... everyone including their brother would like to clone every love one that they lost to death. I see your point but I just do not know about this.

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While I have heard such things as the new being would be soulless

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Part of the argument comes from the Genesis account where God breathed breath into man and he became a living soul. The rationale is this: Breath comes from the hebrew ruach, which is frequently interpreted spirit. So in essence, God breathed His spirit into a lifeless body and it became a living soul (thus the belief in a tripartite being - spirit, soul, and body).

I'm no theologian, but I hope this helps a little.