Both Abp. Dolan and Bp. Morlino sent BagManJim a letter telling him that his embryonic-stem-cell research promotions are gravely immoral.
In a letter released Wednesday, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan and Madison Bishop Robert Morlino asked the Democratic governor to reverse his support for embryonic stem cell research, which Doyle has said could boost the state's economy and lead to cures for Parkinson's disease and other maladies.
Doyle's arguments for the research "further diminishes human embryos to mere commodities," they wrote.
Doyle can't be bothered with such stuff when MONEY is on the line:
In a letter to the Catholic leaders Wednesday, Doyle said he had to "respectfully disagree" with their criticism because embryonic stem cell research "holds the potential to save countless lives and bring thousands of jobs to our state."
The bishops wrote that embryonic stem cell research is immoral because it destroys what they consider to be life, but added that they were particularly troubled that Doyle has tied his support for the research to economic development.
"Especially troubling to us is the tendency . . . to focus on the economic development value of embryonic stem cell research," they wrote. "Generally, support for research that involves destroying embryos is justified by the potential it holds to treat and cure illnesses, an understandable, but morally flawed justification. However, to justify such research on economic grounds takes the conversation in a disconcerting direction - a direction that further diminishes human embryos to mere commodities."
(There are ZERO documented "lives saved" by embryonic stemcells.)
Doyle said couples who can't conceive on their own and must turn to fertility clinics sometimes opt to donate unused fertilized embryos. Those embryos would have been destroyed, but now can be used to further stem cell research, he wrote.
Yup. See, what we do is simply clean up Frankenstein's mess. Whassamatta THAT?
The governor also said UW-Madison scientist James Thomson, one of the top researchers in the nation, and others have discovered that adult stem cells are no substitute for embryonic cells, which have a "far greater potential to save lives."
Duuuhhhhh. Thomson has a significant interest here; he's not dealing from 'clean hands.'
Kudos to the Bishops.
Jered, the "cure" record is irrelevant. The over-riding issue is the moral question.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, the end NEVER justifies the means--which implies that even if ESC had lots of positive results, it STILL would be wrong.
J, I also read the IVF website you recommended. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Roman Catholic church also prohibits IVF. Not only is the method akin to 'pregnancy by agent,' (the principal objection) but the results--as is clear from the webpage--present a horrifying dilemma.
Jered is wrong about there being no records on the effects from the use of embryonic stem cells.
ReplyDeleteThere most definitely are documented cases of repeated failures and harmful results by their use.
Moreover, his lack of funding excuse is convenient, but bogus.
Virtually all of the research in the private sector is done on adult stem cells because that is where the most promise lies.
Jered ignores the fact that absolutely nothing is stopping those in the private sector from playing with human embryos.
And as you point out, Dad29, that's not really the issue anyway. It's immoral.
I commend Dolan and Morlino for writing to Doyle to state their objections.