Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Embryonic Stem Cell research	Jon	Saturday, September 4, 2004
Question: In the sweet name of Jesus, I say hello to you brother, and give thanks for your service to God. I understand how and why embryonic research is morally wrong. But it is still legal for other companies to perform, although on there own money, currently the Gov't only gives money to research of morally acceptable sources. But my question is this. What if a independent company who with the research on embryonic research found a cure for Cancer or Diabetes, or Parkinson’s, etc, etc. Would it be morally ok to use that cure as a Catholic? We have a few everyday vaccines that were derived from aborted babies in the past. Some are still from the same Genetic culture from the 1960s. The Church has never taught that we should not use these Vaccines, but I have also never seen any acknowledgement from Her on the moral use of vaccines from immoral means. On the front of the issue I would have to say it is wrong, the ends does not negate the evil beginnings. But to this point, we all have directly and non-directly benefited for the good from the death of innocents. Whether it be American Indians, Slaves, those aborted Babies who gave us those vaccines, sickness due to pollution, even the life of our own Lord has giving us all a better life. So if we can use these Cures that "MAY" come from embryonic stem cell research. Would this not acknowledge that the good outweighed the bad in this instance? Currently we should not support research in this area. The other sources of morally acceptable sources are currently the same. But what if they were not, what if embryonic was the only viable source? His peace and love with you. Big Jon
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear Jon: At the moment I do not know if anything on this has been published by the Church, thus I can only answer according to what I personally believe. I have taken an oath that I will not receive any medical treatment derived from stem cell research on babies. I have diabetes and I am at high risk for Alzheimers. Both of these diseases may benefit from stem cell research. But if that research is on babies, I will decline the medical treatment even if it means my health or even my life. As for other research where knowledge came from the deaths of innocents, that is totally different than the stem cell issue. The stem cell research is not merely using babies in research, but in the medical treatment where stem cells are needed, those cells come from babies. Thus not only is the research exploiting babies, but the medical therapy that comes from the research will continue to exploit babies. For example of this "benefit from an evil act" that is acceptable is the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan. This act by the United States was a war-crime; it was morally reprehensible. But as an unintended benefit, we learned a great deal about nuclear medicine, radiation sickness, and a host of other benefits to multiple medical and psychological disciplines. Discovering these medical issues was not the reason for the bomb, but once the bomb was used, it became necessary to do the research to help the survivors of the bomb, if nothing else. An example of a "benefit from an evil act" that is not acceptable is the Nazis medical research. This reseach was not a necessary result of an already completed act, but outright human experimentation that is evil and contrary to moral values. That research should not be used. Whatever the Nazis discovered in their experimentations can be discovered by other means that are ethical and moral. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Embryonic Stem Cell research

Jon

Saturday, September 4, 2004

Question:

In the sweet name of Jesus, I say hello to you brother, and give thanks for your service to God.

I understand how and why embryonic research is morally wrong. But it is still legal for other companies to perform, although on there own money, currently the Gov't only gives money to research of morally acceptable sources.

But my question is this.

What if a independent company who with the research on embryonic research found a cure for Cancer or Diabetes, or Parkinson’s, etc, etc. Would it be morally ok to use that cure as a Catholic?

We have a few everyday vaccines that were derived from aborted babies in the past. Some are still from the same Genetic culture from the 1960s. The Church has never taught that we should not use these Vaccines, but I have also never seen any acknowledgement from Her on the moral use of vaccines from immoral means. On the front of the issue I would have to say it is wrong, the ends does not negate the evil beginnings.

But to this point, we all have directly and non-directly benefited for the good from the death of innocents. Whether it be American Indians, Slaves, those aborted Babies who gave us those vaccines, sickness due to pollution, even the life of our own Lord has giving us all a better life.

So if we can use these Cures that "MAY" come from embryonic stem cell research. Would this not acknowledge that the good outweighed the bad in this instance?

Currently we should not support research in this area. The other sources of morally acceptable sources are currently the same. But what if they were not, what if embryonic was the only viable source?

His peace and love with you.

Big Jon

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Jon:

At the moment I do not know if anything on this has been published by the Church, thus I can only answer according to what I personally believe.

I have taken an oath that I will not receive any medical treatment derived from stem cell research on babies. I have diabetes and I am at high risk for Alzheimers. Both of these diseases may benefit from stem cell research. But if that research is on babies, I will decline the medical treatment even if it means my health or even my life.

As for other research where knowledge came from the deaths of innocents, that is totally different than the stem cell issue. The stem cell research is not merely using babies in research, but in the medical treatment where stem cells are needed, those cells come from babies. Thus not only is the research exploiting babies, but the medical therapy that comes from the research will continue to exploit babies.

For example of this "benefit from an evil act" that is acceptable is the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Japan. This act by the United States was a war-crime; it was morally reprehensible. But as an unintended benefit, we learned a great deal about nuclear medicine, radiation sickness, and a host of other benefits to multiple medical and psychological disciplines. Discovering these medical issues was not the reason for the bomb, but once the bomb was used, it became necessary to do the research to help the survivors of the bomb, if nothing else.

An example of a "benefit from an evil act" that is not acceptable is the Nazis medical research. This reseach was not a necessary result of an already completed act, but outright human experimentation that is evil and contrary to moral values. That research should not be used. Whatever the Nazis discovered in their experimentations can be discovered by other means that are ethical and moral.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum