Why do you oppose stem cell research?

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MariaTS

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I mean seriously, only a small minority of stem cells are embryonic. It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research. Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.
 
Catholics are not at all opposed to adult stem research and therapy. Only embryonic.
 
MariaTS said:
It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research.
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You are entirely right, that is why we aren’t. What ever gave you the idea that we are?
Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.
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And this is why the Church supports this as well as adult stem cell research.

You should do your homework before calling out the entire Church on the carpet.

~Liza
 
buffalo said:
Catholics are not at all opposed to adult stem research and therapy. Only embryonic.
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Stem Cells from Cord Blood are not Stem Cells from Adult Cells, but they are not Embryonic Stem Cells. Many Catholics do not understand that there are many types of stem cells. Stem Cells from Cord Blood come from the Umbilical Cord after the Baby is born. However, many Catholics are opposed to Stem Cells from Cord Blood and do not understand that they are not Embryonic Stem Cells.
 
lizaanne said:
You are entirely right, that is why we aren’t. What ever gave you the idea that we are?

And this is why the Church supports this as well as adult stem cell research.

You should do your homework before calling out the entire Church on the carpet.

~Liza
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Catholics who said this gave me the idea that many Catholics were against this.

Also, I did not believe that the entire Catholic Church was opposed to Stem Cells from Cord Blood, nor did I imply it.

I was referring to the Catholics whom I had heard state that they were opposed to all Stem Cells.
 
MariaTS said:
Stem Cells from Cord Blood are not Stem Cells from Adult Cells, but they are not Embryonic Stem Cells. Many Catholics do not understand that there are many types of stem cells. Stem Cells from Cord Blood come from the Umbilical Cord after the Baby is born. However, many Catholics are opposed to Stem Cells from Cord Blood and do not understand that they are not Embryonic Stem Cells.
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Embryonic Stem cells are derived from embryos.

** What are embryonic stem cells?**

A. What stages of early embryonic development are important for generating embryonic stem cells?

[Embryonic stem cells](javascript:glosspop(‘embryonicsc’)), as their name suggests, are derived from embryos. Most embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized [in vitro](javascript:glosspop(‘invitro’))—in an [ fertilizationin vitro](javascript:glosspop(‘ivf’)) clinic—and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman’s body. The [embryos](javascript:glosspop(‘embryo’)) from which [human embryonic stem cells](javascript:glosspop(‘hesc’)) are derived are typically four or five days old and are a hollow microscopic ball of cells called the [blastocyst](javascript:glosspop(‘blastocyst’)). The blastocyst includes three structures: the [trophoblast](javascript:glosspop(‘trophoblast’)), which is the layer of cells that surrounds the [blastocoel](javascript:glosspop(‘blastocoel’)), a hollow cavity inside the blastocyst; and the [inner cell mass](javascript:glosspop(‘innermass’)), which is a group of cells at one end of the blastocoel that develop into the embryo proper.
 
MariaTS said:
Catholics who said this gave me the idea that many Catholics were against this.

Also, I did not believe that the entire Catholic Church was opposed to Stem Cells from Cord Blood, nor did I imply it.

I was referring to the Catholics whom I had heard state that they were opposed to all Stem Cells.
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Are those Catholics on this site? Who were you refering to when you used the subject line.

Who is the “you” in this question?:
Why do you oppose stem cell research?
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This is quote below a very blanketing statement.
MariaTS said:
It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research.
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So how are we to know that you are only speaking of a handful of Catholics (it is with a capital “C” by the way) that you have spoken to personally, when you address such a statement and question on a Catholic internet forum of thousands of people you probably have never met? 🤷

Now - if you really wanted to know “Why is it that some Catholics are misinformed about stem cell research?” Then I think we would have a better idea of where you were going with this.

So is your point to correct uninformed Catholics about stem cell research? Because I’m confused.

~Liza
 
I personally, know a few Catholics who have been the recipients of stem-cell therapy. Me, for one… spinal cord impingement - when I broke my neck ]

Maybe, check ** Dignitas Personae

ncbcenter.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1018

**
Those forms of research where stem cells can be obtained without causing serious harm to the donor, including stem cells obtained from spontaneously miscarried fetuses, umbilical cord-derived stem cells, and other kinds of adult stem cells “are to be considered licit.” Induced pluripotent stem cells, derived by “turning the cellular clock backwards” for an adult somatic cell by genetic reprogramming would fit in this category as well. In fact, any such research which does not raise significant ethical problems, and most particularly adult stem cell research, “should be encouraged and supported,” in the words of the document.
Stem cell research which depends on the destruction of human embryos, on the other hand, is identified as morally unacceptable. It represents, in the final analysis, an inhuman and inhumane activity that progresses “through the suppression of human lives that are equal in dignity to the lives of other human individuals and to the lives of the researchers themselves.”
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MariaTS said:
I mean seriously, only a small minority of stem cells are embryonic. It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research. Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.
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i will just repeat what most people have said

the Catholic Church, and Catholics who understand the position, does not oppose stem cell research

what the Church opposes is harvesting embryonic stem cells which involves the destruction of life
 
MariaTS said:
Catholics who said this gave me the idea that many Catholics were against this.

Also, I did not believe that the entire Catholic Church was opposed to Stem Cells from Cord Blood, nor did I imply it.

I was referring to the Catholics whom I had heard state that they were opposed to all Stem Cells.
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You’ll have to ask them why they’re opposed to all stem cells. I haven’t the foggiest idea. 🤷
 
As everyone else has pointed out, the Catholic Church only objects to embryonic stem cell research. Here is a quote from the formal position statement made by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Stem cell research has captured the imagination of many in our society. Stem cells are relatively unspecialized cells that, when they divide, can replicate themselves and also produce a variety of more specialized cells. Scientists hope these biological building blocks can be directed to produce many types of cells to repair the human body, cure disease, and alleviate suffering. Stem cells from adult tissues, umbilical cord blood, and placenta (often loosely called “adult stem cells”) can be obtained without harm to the donor and without any ethical problem, and these have already demonstrated great medical promise. But some scientists are most intrigued by stem cells obtained by destroying an embryonic human being in the first week or so of development. Harvesting these “embryonic stem cells” involves the deliberate killing of innocent human beings, a gravely immoral act.
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txcatholic.org/documents/bishopsescrstmtjune08.pdf
 
MariaTS said:
I mean seriously, only a small minority of stem cells are embryonic. It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research. Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.
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Catholics are certainly NOT opposed to all stem cell research. Adult stem cell research, which has proven very successful, is not opposed by the Church. Nor is stem cell research from umbilical cords after the baby is born. Where did you get your information?

Catholics oppose EMBRYONIC stem cell research because an embryo is a human life, which should not be subject to scientific experimentation or destruction. All human life has dignity and should be respected from conception until NATURAL death.

Additionally, frozen embryos exist because of the high rate of in vitro fertilization, which is also opposed by the Church, and rightfully so. If there was no in vitro fertilization process, there would be no frozen embryos and this question wouldn’t even be necessary. Many, many
Catholics practice this method of conceiving a child when they become impatient with the natural method of conception. I don’t think they realize the magnitude of their sin, until they have to make the decision as to what they should do with their frozen “leftover” embryos. My advice to them: Listen to the Church and you won’t get yourself into such a mess!
 
RosaryFan said:
I don’t think they realize the magnitude of their sin, until they have to make the decision as to what they should do with their frozen “leftover” embryos.
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Ok, then what do we do with all these other embryos? We have hundreds of millions of them in the United States alone.
 
MariaTS said:
Ok, then what do we do with all these other embryos? We have hundreds of millions of them in the United States alone.
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How about we put a stop to creating humans to just put their lives on hold and have them wait to be remembered in a freezer, which is completely disqusting.

And those that are already alive and waiting, I certainly don’t think we should kill them, I sure hope that is not what you are suggesting.
 
MariaTS said:
Ok, then what do we do with all these other embryos? We have hundreds of millions of them in the United States alone.
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While I understand your point, your numbers are a gross exageration. The total number of embroyos created and frozen since the 1970s is only about 400,000. Over 97% of them are personally controlled by the families and there is nothing we can “do with” them.
MariaTS said:
I mean seriously, only a small minority of stem cells are embryonic. It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research. Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.
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Many Catholics (and Protestants, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, etc.) are not experts at medical terminology. Many people oppose what they do not understand. It makes no sense to argue against a Catholic who misunderstands the facts and extrapolate that to a Catholic teaching or general belief.
kimmielittle said:
I personally, know a few Catholics who have been the recipients of stem-cell therapy. Me, for one… spinal cord impingement - when I broke my neck ]

Maybe, check ** Dignitas Personae**

ncbcenter.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1018
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kimmielittle’s reference is an excellent explanation of actual Church teaching about stem cell research. 👍
 
MariaTS said:
Ok, then what do we do with all these other embryos? We have hundreds of millions of them in the United States alone.
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That’s just the point - we shouldn’t have frozen embryos! Now that we do, unfortunately, they should be implanted into their mothers and given a chance to experience the gift of life which God has given to them and which we have no right to take. Then we need to stop creating frozen embryos… in a perfect world.
 
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