4Real Forums: What would you do (re stem cell research?

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Topic: What would you do (re stem cell research?

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doris
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Posted: June 10 2007 at 5:14pm \| IP Logged

For once I was reading the paper the other day, and I noticed an article about a possible cure for a terrible disease. Trouble is, they're using embryonic stem cells.

One of the researchers is a man we know from university days, who as Providence would have it, we bumped into a few months ago -- at Mass! He is a practising Catholic.

I don't know what to do. We 'owe' him and his family a lunch invitation but I can't imagine sitting down and having polite chit-chat with someone who is doing something so awful. OTOH, Jesus sat down with 'tax collectors and sinners' and I'm well aware that we are very far from sinless ourselves.

I'm wondering whether we should write or speak to him about the stem cell issue -- or just say nothing? This man is a doctor like my dh so maybe it would be better as a man-to-man thing...

What would you do?

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guitarnan
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Posted: June 10 2007 at 5:56pm \| IP Logged

This is such a sticky thing. My dh works with two wonderful guys whose wives have MS and they (guys and wives) are all over the embryonic stem cell thing. They view the stem cells as OK to use because the babies would be "thrown away" anyway; they don't see the connection to abortion's evil as any kind of taint. Sigh.

I am encouraged that three teams of scientists are working to create stem cell-like behavior in adult cells without ever using embryonic OR egg cells...this is so wonderful! They announced some successes this week. I've been praying for the last couple of weeks about this issue because I carry a tendency toward some of the illnesses and conditions that could be cured if stem cell research is successful. I've already told dh I want nothing to do with any treatment that uses embryonic stem cells (I feel sick thinking about it...).

I tend to try to avoid confrontation (so I don't appear judgmental of someone with a life-threatening condition), but when asked, I can't lie about how I feel. I would never bring up the subject in public (when it came up I tried valiantly to steer the discussion toward advances in non-embryonic stem cell research...).

Were I in your situation I would just put off the lunch thing and be very kind to this gentleman when in public. I'd pray really, really hard that his position would change and that God would open his eyes to the problems with his research, and turn him toward other avenues of study. If lunch is inevitable, I'd consider having it at a restaurant (less likely place for controversial discussions).

I'm glad you raised this question and I am really looking forward to everyone's responses.

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MicheleQ
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Posted: June 11 2007 at 7:29am \| IP Logged

doris wrote:

I'm wondering whether we should write or speak to him about the stem cell issue -- or just say nothing? This man is a doctor like my dh so maybe it would be better as a man-to-man thing...

What would you do?

Elizabeth,

This is a hard situation. In general something like this might be addressed privately as friend to friend but because of the public nature of this (having been in the paper) there is now a concern that others could be scandalized.

I would talk to a priest about it. Are you in the same parish? His pastor needs to know about this and he needs to speak to the man. If he is participating in this knowing it's against Church teaching and he receiving communion this is now a bigger problem because it's public. Point that out to the priest and if he won't talk to him your dh should.

Hard as it is we have to remember that we ARE our brother's keeper. His soul is in peril and one day we will all have to stand before God and give an account of not only ourselves but those around us that we didn't speak the truth to.

Of course always, always it's to be done in love (and man to man is ideal here if possible) but it must be done nonetheless.

God bless,

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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
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