Moral dilema concerning diabetes canvassing what should I do? Help!

[Loboto-Me]

I agreed to be “zone captain” for the diabetes association in calgary. Until a few days ago, I didn’t know where the funding was really going. I discovered today by looking over the paperwork, that all the proceeds would go to “The Julia McFarlan Research Center”. Upon looking further it shows where this research center allocates its funds and one of them has to do with embrionic stem cell research! Now to be fair, it says “Service currently under development” which seems to say that they will be doing this in the future.
jmdrc.org/index.php?page=services/index.php

I don’t know whether to do this for them this one last time or should I call the lady and tell her that I’ll be bringing back the envelopes? To me it feels that this research is in the works as this was last updated in 07. Or should I do it this one last time and tell her after the canvassing is done?

And if I bring the envelopes back, how should I word it?

Help??

 

[daeve]

I agreed to be “zone captain” for the diabetes association in calgary. Until a few days ago, I didn’t know where the funding was really going. I discovered today by looking over the paperwork, that all the proceeds would go to “The Julia McFarlan Research Center”. Upon looking further it shows where this research center allocates its funds and one of them has to do with embrionic stem cell research! Now to be fair, it says “Service currently under development” which seems to say that they will be doing this in the future.
jmdrc.org/index.php?page=services/index.php

I don’t know whether to do this for them this one last time or should I call the lady and tell her that I’ll be bringing back the envelopes? To me it feels that this research is in the works as this was last updated in 07. Or should I do it this one last time and tell her after the canvassing is done?

And if I bring the envelopes back, how should I word it?

Help??

I would return the envelopes and calmly explain that while embryonic stem cell may eventually benefit many people suffering from various diseases, the ends does not justify the means, namely using embryos for research. I am diabetic, and my life does not hold more value than the embryo’s does. Do what you know to be the right thing.

 

[Loboto-Me]

… and here’s the rest of the story…

Well I called the Diabetes society this morning and told the lady that in all good conscience, I would not be able to be involved in the diabetes campaign. She asked me why and I told her that due to being Catholic I could not condone embryonic stem cell research. She said, you do understand that embryonic stem cell research is popular all around the world for study of all kinds of diseases don’t you? So I told her that aborting babies and cultivating their organs just goes against my beliefs. She then basically insinuated that my beliefs were hog-wash and that she was Catholic too and that she’s been doing this for years with no problem.

She wasn’t all too happy that “it’s so late in the day” that I decided against being zone captain, and all the problems they’d have to find someone new. You know what? Yesterday, I had a huge lump in the pit of my stomach because I was dropping more problems and responsibilities on their laps with my announcement, but today… " I Feel Good… na na na na na na " LOL! (although I didn’t know that I would now )

This is terrible to say but I’m glad that I’m late in telling them. Had they been honest last year and had a letter as to where the funds were going like they did this year, I’d have dropped out last year. Considering I only got the package on Saturday and didn’t open it up until Monday, I had a bit of research and discerning to do before I could tell them. And, now the terrible part that I’m glad about?.. Due to my lateness, they might not get as many donations as they would have… boy I’m BAD!

Thank you Daeve for the advice Had the funds gone to other areas, I would have continued on, but my conscience wouldn’t allow me knowing that they give to a researcher who’s developing their embryonic stem cell research

 

[OraLabora]

Standing up for your conscience is not always the easy or popular path these days.

Congratulations!

I had a similar dilemma a while back due to my employer’s annual United Way campaign, because they send some of the gift money to organizations that promote abortion as “maternal health” (talk about an oxymoron). I refused to give.

Then last year I discovered you could direct ALL of your gift to any registered charity. And I also discovered that the Benedictine abbey to which I am an oblate, have a foundation that is a registered charity. So I filled out the forms and directed that 100% of my gift go to my abbey

 

[Sheeniac]

Congrats on living up to your beliefs. I rarely donate to any medical research charity because many of them have questionable funding of research. There’s not enough time to check them all out. I will confess to donating a small to walks and such when asked to sponsor someone. I pray to God that He considers any donation I made in ignorance to go towards admin costs. Of course, the amount I donate to such sponsorships is so low.

 

[Moscati]

Just so you know, the stem cell lines being used in that research (R1, AB1, Neo-mef, etc) are mouse stem cells, not human ones. You should follow your conscience either way, of course, but I’m not sure you have the same moral obligation to protest the use of mouse embryos in diabetes research.

For example:

mshri.on.ca/nagy/r1.htm

I know “embryonic stem cell research” is a buzz phrase, but the science isn’t always what it sounds like offhand.

 

[phil8888]

Just so you know, the stem cell lines being used in that research (R1, AB1, Neo-mef, etc) are mouse stem cells, not human ones. You should follow your conscience either way, of course, but I’m not sure you have the same moral obligation to protest the use of mouse embryos in diabetes research.

For example:

mshri.on.ca/nagy/r1.htm

I know “embryonic stem cell research” is a buzz phrase, but the science isn’t always what it sounds like offhand.

It’s fine to do embryonic research on mouse stem cells.

 

[smswife]

I once dropped out of sponsoring someone for a JDRF walkathon (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund) b/c they support legislation encouraging human embryonic stem cell research.

While I agree that mouse embryonic stem cells do not pose a moral dilemma, I don’t think it is at all clear that this organization cited here does not support human embryonic stem cell research also.

I’m surprised that their site does not make it clear that the research is only on mouse embryos if in fact they do not fund research on human embryos. And the web site notes that some of their funds go to JDRF.

So, I would not have supported this organization either.

Regarding donating to United Way. Our local United Way funds Planned Parenthood. I stopped donating to them b/c of this. Unfortunately (at least here) the directed donation is a bit of a scam. Money you make direct to one specific organization will go there, but then they just get less from the general fund. (No organization will get more than the directors intend unless a lot of people direct donations there.) So actually, your directed donation just means that there is more money in the general fund to send to places like Planned Parenthood. Send your money directly to the charity of your choice and keep it away from the middle man!

 

[daeve]

Standing up for your conscience is not always the easy or popular path these days.

Congratulations!

I had a similar dilemma a while back due to my employer’s annual United Way campaign, because they send some of the gift money to organizations that promote abortion as “maternal health” (talk about an oxymoron). I refused to give.

Then last year I discovered you could direct ALL of your gift to any registered charity. And I also discovered that the Benedictine abbey to which I am an oblate, have a foundation that is a registered charity. So I filled out the forms and directed that 100% of my gift go to my abbey

I’ve done that for the past 2 years. I selected Catholic Charities of St. Louis, so it worked out very well for me. I guess my directed donation means that someone’s undirected donation may go to Planned Parenthood, but I’ll still make my little pledge.

 

[smswife]

Well, I’m not sure if the directed donation is a problem all the time.

For example, if your preferred charity wasn’t going to get any United Way money anyway, then then I think it would not be a problem. I think my post about it being a “scam” only kicks in if the organization gets funds from the United Way general fund even w/o directed donations.