Is it a sin to support a charity that endorses Fetal Stem Cell Research?

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I have been volunteering and fundraising, and cycling for a not for profit organization that is trying to find a cure for a disease, as well as educate those inflicted with the disease.

I have come to find out that the advocacy branch of this organization is promoting fetal stem cell research, and has taken a strong political stance on the issue. They are working at a national level to try to load the government with politicians that support this type of research.

I have already tried to address the moral and ethical concerns at both the local and national level, and urged them to keep the means by which they perform their research as noble as their goal. While they respect my right to disagree with this form of research, they feel that they need to continue to support fetal stem cell research, as they think that they will find a cure with it, even though their own research shows that adult stem cells hold much promise.

This not for profit organization does provide many good services, including education, and prevention. I would like to continue to work with this organization, but find fetal stem cell research to be unethical and immoral.

I am concerned that it might be considered a scandal for me to continue to support this organization, even though I have been quite vocal about my stance on this issue. Please let me know your opinion.

Thanks,

SAMSTL:confused:
 
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SAMSTL:
I have been volunteering and fundraising, and cycling for a not for profit organization that is trying to find a cure for a disease, as well as educate those inflicted with the disease.

I have come to find out that the advocacy branch of this organization is promoting fetal stem cell research, and has taken a strong political stance on the issue. They are working at a national level to try to load the government with politicians that support this type of research.

I have already tried to address the moral and ethical concerns at both the local and national level, and urged them to keep the means by which they perform their research as noble as their goal. While they respect my right to disagree with this form of research, they feel that they need to continue to support fetal stem cell research, as they think that they will find a cure with it, even though their own research shows that adult stem cells hold much promise.

This not for profit organization does provide many good services, including education, and prevention. I would like to continue to work with this organization, but find fetal stem cell research to be unethical and immoral.

I am concerned that it might be considered a scandal for me to continue to support this organization, even though I have been quite vocal about my stance on this issue. Please let me know your opinion.

Thanks,

SAMSTL:confused:
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Hello Samstl,

I thought I heard that they can retrieve all the stem cells they need from ambilical cords now? The Nazi medical researchers found much information helpful for cures through working on live Holocaust Jews. Is not studying animals or ambilical cords close enough for finding cures? Lets just not kill anyone in the name of saving someone’s life. I would get out.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
I could not support a charity that endorces and is fighting for stem cell research regardless of the other “good” the organization might acomplish. That is my opinion. I do not know if it is a sin, I will leave that for someone else to answer. Although when I think about it, we’re basically asking if it’s ok to work for an organization that is fighting to be able to kill tiny babies and use the tissue for a worthy cause. Makes me sick to my stomach. What a world we live in that where such a discussion must take place.
 
I could not if I knew they did so. Recently a friend asked me to help with a really wonderful SOUNDING project for Stanford Medical Center. It is called “Folding”. They use a program down loaded on your computer to discover cures in Gene related disease. It gives them the ability to use computers left on all over the world for their research. BUT, I checked their scientific projects and found they also are working on Cloning, etc. I will not help find cures when they are using such means.

That was hard to say NO to as my friend is desperate to find a cure for his wife’s Parkinson’s, but I just could not do it. 😦
 
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SAMSTL:
I have been volunteering and fundraising, and cycling for a not for profit organization that is trying to find a cure for a disease, as well as educate those inflicted with the disease.

I have come to find out that the advocacy branch of this organization is promoting fetal stem cell research, and has taken a strong political stance on the issue. They are working at a national level to try to load the government with politicians that support this type of research.

I have already tried to address the moral and ethical concerns at both the local and national level, and urged them to keep the means by which they perform their research as noble as their goal. While they respect my right to disagree with this form of research, they feel that they need to continue to support fetal stem cell research, as they think that they will find a cure with it, even though their own research shows that adult stem cells hold much promise.

This not for profit organization does provide many good services, including education, and prevention. I would like to continue to work with this organization, but find fetal stem cell research to be unethical and immoral.

I am concerned that it might be considered a scandal for me to continue to support this organization, even though I have been quite vocal about my stance on this issue. Please let me know your opinion.

Thanks,

SAMSTL:confused:
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Too bad they can’t “see” the results of their own research on stem cell research and stop wasting so much time and money on such an unethical, inmoral, and unpromising ‘research’. I can’t believe how people ignore how Adult stems cells are the ONLY thing that works. Are there any other organizations you could volunteer at? Maybe the National Catholic Bioethics Center could help you find another organization that you can volunteer at on good conscience.

Too bad I don’t have very good advice to give you. I hope that website might help some.

Peace- Lance
 
If the primary purpose of the organization is to promote fetal stem cell research, then it would be wrong to raise money for it.

If the primary purpose of the organization is to work to cure a disease, and to educate people about the disease, then I would ask myself two questions: (1) Is the organization so closely associated with the advocacy of immoral acts in the public mind that it would be scandalous to be associated with it? (2) Is there any other organization that is working for the cure of the disease without advocating immoral acts? If the answer to both questions is “No”, then you would not be sinning by raising money for the worthwhile cause fo that organization.

Large secular charities, like large secular businesses, will always have some participation in sin, because they are run by fallen human beings. If we raise the money for a good cause, and then the organization spends some of it wrongly, we are not commiting a sin. The people who run the organization are sinning.
 
would it be a sin to support a charity that promotes abortion as a cure for social problems? one that advocates euthanasia, sterilization or other immoral means to eliminate the unfit? yes it is a sin to support immoral activity if you have knowledge of it, and this organization’s publicity definitely puts you on notice. Whatever other good they may do will be cancelled out by their immoral actions, and money given to fetal stem cell research will be diverted from other more promising, morally acceptable lines of research. everybody loses, nobody wins.
 
Remember that the devil is the father of all lies. Over the past few years there has been a constant stream of news promising us the all the cures from fetal stem sell research. All the images of those who could benefit the most (Christopher Reeves) paraded in front of camaras. How can we as caring individuals not support fetal stem cell research? Simple,just remember it a human life. I also think what Cardinal Ratzinger said about those who support abortion and euthanasia could also apply to this. He said,“Catholics would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present themselves for Holy Communion.” The devil wants us to think that we are helping those who are sick by killing the most vunerable amongst us.
 
Although I don’t believe you would be guilty of “formal cooperation” with evil in your particular case, you would however probably be guilty of “material cooperation” if you continue to support this group. There are plenty of other charities that do not condone or encourage the killing of human beings and I would encourage you to find one of these to work for.

:blessyou:
 
I think faithful Catholics will face issues like this time and time again in the near future. About 8 years ago I was on the board of a domestic violence shelter that kept inching its way towards a “pro-choice” position, and I resigned and told them why. You certainly become attached to organizations, especially as an active volunteer who is doing cycling, etc, but this is all the more reason to resign and tell the people you have come to know why. You are the best evangelizer they could have, as they know you are not a “whacko” or someone whose belief they could easily dismiss.

There are so many Catholic groups out there where we never need to worry about these issues, I would turn toward them. I wonder if modern banking and accounting isn’t in some way changing what would once be considered non-sinful “remote material cooperation.” These not-for-profit groups know exactly how much of their budget they are getting from you and exactly what they are giving for fetal reasearch; there is no mystery and it does not feel very “remote” when every dollar is easily accounted for.
 
The original question posed by SAMSTL did not describe a situation that would count as “remote material cooperation.”

SAMSTL described raising money for an organization that was created to find a cure for a disease, and to educate people about that disease. The leadership of the organization is now advocating fetal stem cell research.

Many who suffer from a disease are in this situation. For example, consider Juvenile Diabetes. If your child was afflicted with Juvenile Diabetes, you might find great benefit from belonging to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Through the JDF, you might get access to the latest information about the disease, and would be part of an effor to find a cure. Sad to say, the JDF is now advocating fetal stem cell research. But I would be surprised if even one-half of one-percent of its budget went for that purpose.

I do not think it would be sinful to remain an active member of JDF in order to support the good that it does. Of course, if you could find an alternative pro-life charity that is fighting to end juvenile diabetes, by all means support that one instead.

It is tragic that the culture of death has got its tentacles into so many parts of our society. The list of organizations that promote or financially support the culture of death is a rather long one. It would include most unions, many professional organizations, almost all stores with pharmacies and many, many charities.
 
I always think of the quote what you did for the least of my brothers…

When you stand before God some day would he say thanks for all your hard work on that charity, and put a few coins on the scale and then a brick on the other side for all the work that you did that killed others.
Hitler did all this experimentation on the Jews as another poster mentioned and I did also hear that about the umbilical cord research.

Sin I am not 100% sure but how would God measure your goodness and could you be doing something else that may be more beneficial?
 
For years as a health professional, I not only worked as a volunteer to raise money for this charity, but also did health clinics at schools by teaching ways to prevent this disease. As soon as I found out that his organization was soundly promoting fetal stem cell research for a cure, I quit on the spot. But when I quit, I also told the organization, why I would no longer work for their efforts, and I found another organization working in a similar capacity and have thrown all my resources in their direction.

I have also spoken out strongly to others who have considered working for the charity I formerly heartily endorsed, not to support this organization. It’s a matter not only of principle but of conscience. I believe in upholding the sanctity of all life.
 
Good answer, stbruno. If we all cooperate with the Culture of Death even peripherally, we’ll soon find that there are no alternatives… it will have taken over. This is particularly true in medicine. The drug companies are in a feverish race to patent genetic cures…it’s their “Unholy Grail” if you will. How will it be when there are no effective medicines that are not derived by immoral means? What will we do then?
 
I truly thank all of you that took the time to respond to my question. I was prepared to stop supporting the American Diabetes Association, and the Tour de Cure. I just wanted to make sure that my decision was well rooted in faith.

Since Diabetes runs in my family, the decision was made more difficult. I asked a priest about this, and he thought that I could continue to do my work for the American Diabetes Association, since the majority of the work that the ADA does is good. I never felt very comfortable with that response, and that is when I decided to post this question.

I am a convert to this great faith, and my Jewish roots keep telling me to speak out when it comes to abortion, fetal stem cell research, euthanasia, alternate definitions of marriage, and human cloning. The Catholic Church is guiding me down the right path, and I do not want to deviate from where I need to be going. As I urged the ADA to do, my means must be as noble as my goal.

Thanks Again,

SAMSTL 🙂 🙂 🙂
 
str.org/free/bioethics/stemcell.pdf

If you can open this link, read this article about bioethics and stem cell research. It demonstrates that pancreatic stem cells have been proven successful in the treatment of mice against diabetes. But it also discusses many other known successful treatments without using fetal stem cells. I recommend the read. It is lengthy but has many articles to support its position.
 
Embarrassingly, the ADA has detailed research on the success of adult stem cell research in cure for type 1 diabetes. I used their own research against them, and asked them to defend the need for fetal stem cell research, since the adult stem cell research is likely to be better for the patient and does not involve the destruction of a human life.

They want to continue to advocate the use of fetal stem cell research, because that research holds so much promise. It is obvious to me that unethical scientists that have little respect for human life have duped them. They did not listen to reason, and as I said in a previous post, they are forcing me to make a decision that I’d rather not have had to make.

I will redirect my volunteer efforts to morally correct charities.

Thanks again,

SAMSTL
 
Some people may be interested in this story about one of my favourite soccer players from the 1960’s.Jimmy Johnstone suffers from the terrible Motor Neurone Disease,but he is also supposed to be a catholic who played for a team which was founded by a Marist Religious Brother.Mind you,i am actually
quite pleased that it is now more of a multi-national team.
The Professor in the story is the guy who was responsible for
Dolly the Sheep,the one which aged quicker than the ewe that
gave birth to her.

dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14695514%26method=full%26siteid=89488%26headline=jinky%2d%2dmy%2donly%2dhope-name_page.html

geocities.com/charlieandtheboys/walfrid.htm
 
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