Stem cells from abortions, and my job

[CSN]

My job (law firm) requires me to review documents so that our client can decide whether or not to proceed with investing in a company that does stem cell research on aborted babies.

The act of conducting such research is morally wrong.

I have been wondering whether my part is morally wrong, and I think I have to tell my company that I cannot work on this file, and the reason why.

However, this will cause a real problem for my colleagues, who are really pressed for time and need my help.

Please pray for me because something is probably going to hit the fan…

And pray that I do not come across as a self-righteous hypocrite, because that’s what many here at the firm may feel after the fan-hitting incident…

 

[1ke]

What type of information will you be providing them? If you are providing them information only, not a recommendation, then I don’t think you are cooperating in a material way. The information is out there, and they could obtain it in other ways. There is no way you can stop them from conducting the research. Consult a priest on this.

But, if you really feel strongly that you do not want to deal with this particular company at all, then go to your boss with your moral concerns and ask to be taken off the job based on religious objection.

 

[BobP123]

I agree. Your work seems reasonably far removed from actual work done with the aborted feti. If you’re in sin, then so are companies selling pens and pencils and paper to that company. And besides, for all you know, that company may be diversifying by researching with non-embryonic or miscarried stem cells. You may be judging too quickly. I’m sure by now someone in government or politics has been watching their work. You may be jumping to false conclusions.

 

[CSN]

What type of information will you be providing them? If you are providing them information only, not a recommendation, then I don’t think you are cooperating in a material way. The information is out there, and they could obtain it in other ways. There is no way you can stop them from conducting the research. Consult a priest on this.

But, if you really feel strongly that you do not want to deal with this particular company at all, then go to your boss with your moral concerns and ask to be taken off the job based on religious objection.

Thank you for your response. I did consult a priest. Two, in fact (one referred me to the other), and that second priest further consulted some heavy-duty bioethics priests that he knows.

It is quite clear that the act of using stem cells from aborted fetuses is morally wrong. One can try and raise arguments like “well, what about if someone dies in a car accident, should we not use his organs ?” The two cases are in fact quite different from each other, however. So that much is crystal clear.

If the act itself is wrong, the question then is whether my participation in this file also makes it wrong. The second priest (who consulted with the heavyweights and then called me back) never really said outright that it was wrong for me to help, but I could understand from his words that the right thing for me to do would be to just say no. So I told him I would, and to pray for me.

He called me back a few minutes later and basically said “good choice”.

So I spoke with my colleague, who was understandably miffed, but who also understood my position. He said “I know your philosophy” because he’s seen me make the sign of the cross before meals.

The person who had to take over my duties on the file was also miffed, because I ruined his weekend.

My boss, however, was very understanding. I’m grateful for this. He is an exceptionally kind man.

An interesting note: there are actually a large number of Catholics in my side of the firm (corporate/commercial) – about 1/3 or so. None of the people I mentioned above, however, are Catholic. The first is Buddhist, the second said a while back that he does not know what he is, and my boss is not religious, although his wife and daughter are.

I again ask for your prayers, but not just to smooth things over, but to go further and to ask for the conversion of these three, and all the people in my firm.

Thank you all.

CSN

 

[CSN]

I agree. Your work seems reasonably far removed from actual work done with the aborted feti. If you’re in sin, then so are companies selling pens and pencils and paper to that company. And besides, for all you know, that company may be diversifying by researching with non-embryonic or miscarried stem cells. You may be judging too quickly. I’m sure by now someone in government or politics has been watching their work. You may be jumping to false conclusions.

I have to disagree – a company selling pens and paper does not keep track of what businesses its customers conduct. For the matter at hand, I would not be guilty of active participation, but I would still be culpable to a certain degree by my silent complicity.

The target firm’s website happily states that “we don’t do research on embryonic stem cells”, which led the second priest to believe at first that everything was ok. However, what we both did not consider is that in between the embryonic stage and the adult stage there is the fetal stage, and the business model of the target company is specifically to use stem cells from aborted fetuses. As I was told, realistically speaking, the only way to supply enough stem cells to meet the research requirements of such a firm is by using aborted fetuses, not relying on miscarriages. Based on the foregoing, I decided I had to decline.

 

[BobP123]

I have to disagree – a company selling pens and paper does not keep track of what businesses its customers conduct.

This pencil company may be off the hook, but only to the extent that it may choose to be ignorant of where its products end up in. But then, if that’s the case, can we, as auditors of a company, for example, choose not to know the business of the company we are auditing?

For the matter at hand, I would not be guilty of active participation, but I would still be culpable to a certain degree by my silent complicity.

Yes. But then anyone who does business with the company, including those that feed the employees during work hours or gas stations that serve them gas to get to work, is also to a certain degree.

 

[Dameedna]

I will posit this by saying, I’m not catholic(wandering around this forum to learn), and that I’m personally not opposed to stem cell research in fetuses.(I support it)

But I will say, that no matter what you are doing in life, you absolutely must be true to yourself. If you do not do what you believe to be the right thing, you live with the guilt and it won’t go away.

And for goodness sake, don’t feel guilt, about not being sure what you are feeling guilty over. It’s not about guilt per-se. It’s about your principles, knowiing what you believe is right and standing strong no matter what. That is what free’s you.

I’d rather live in a gutter with a needle stuck up my arm, than do what I thought was wrong(and that analogy to me would be a living hell).

If you are deeply opposed to the idea of stem cell research, then do not support it in any way imo. You do not answer to collegues and their workload is not your problem. Live within your principles if you can do so.

As I said, I do support it(stem cell research with fetusus) and have my reasons, but that isn’t the point. Walk away if you disagree. Don’t compromise, and don’t lie to yourself

It’s funny I’m saying this really. I so completely agree with the concept of stem cell research, but I am even more opposed to doing what you deeply feel is wrong.

Wierd huh?

 

[hasikelee]

My job (law firm) requires me to review documents so that our client can decide whether or not to proceed with investing in a company that does stem cell research on aborted babies.

The act of conducting such research is morally wrong.

I have been wondering whether my part is morally wrong, and I think I have to tell my company that I cannot work on this file, and the reason why.

However, this will cause a real problem for my colleagues, who are really pressed for time and need my help.

Please pray for me because something is probably going to hit the fan…

And pray that I do not come across as a self-righteous hypocrite, because that’s what many here at the firm may feel after the fan-hitting incident…

You are a little vague on your participation here. By review, do you mean simply review their PnL statements? Projected growth? Are you supposed to summarize and then convince the bigwigs to go ahead with this? How far does your influence and/or authority extend? Is your company depending on you for the go ahead?

Perhaps you are in this position to review the company so that you can advise your company not to invest. Even if others don’t hold to morals, it doesn’t make a moral non-existant. What your company chooses to do will have an impact in the world.

From a business sense, the short term profits might be great, but are you aware that many private businesses shy away from bankrolling this kind of research because it has no success? This could mean a disaster for your company down the road.