Human Budding Just Around The Corner
18 October 2005 by MarcusI was chatting with my brother the other day (okay, he was witnessing me) and he claimed that stem-cell research is inherently evil because it destroys the “potential life” of a child. I’ve noticed a great many xians agree that stem-cell research is odious for much the same reasons as they deem early-term abortion evil, but researchers recently made a breakthrough:
While the work of both teams is preliminary, and tests have focused on mice, each group has proved — at least in principle — that stem cells can be produced effectively without destroying an embryo.
Artificially obtained human stem-cells are within sight and researchers are excited about the two methods that produce them:
In one, the cells are derived without the need to destroy an embryo…. The other technique makes a skin cell revert to the embryonic state in a way that prevents the embryo from implanting in the uterus.
Can there be xian outrage over this? What are the implications- will they claim that removing a stem-cell from a viable embryo will harm that embryo’s development? Will they claim that the reverted skin cell now has potential for life and should be protected? Can you imagine the “Potential for Life Possible Skin Reversion Protection Act” that prevents you from tanning, tattoing, piercing, or cutting your skin?
For those of us afraid to tackle the big issues- here is some news that you can handle. What else do you think could be in there?
18 October 2005, on 11:41 am
Can you imagine the “Potential for Life Possible Skin Reversion Protection Act” that prevents you from tanning, tattoing, piercing, or cutting your skin?
I hope I’d be grandfathered in…
18 October 2005, on 11:43 am
Chalk me up as one Christian NOT opposed to stem cell research when it can be done without the destruction of an embryo. The method you describe here seems great to me. I’m also 100 percent for stem cell research when the stem cells are harvested from sources other than embryos.
18 October 2005, on 11:56 am
Amazing- a second thing that Frank and I agree on. Frank, would this be in revelations somewhere?
A small box labeled “GW Ego: Fragile!”
19 October 2005, on 12:03 am
Can you imagine the “Potential for Life Possible Skin Reversion Protection Act” that prevents you from tanning, tattoing, piercing, or cutting your skin?
That seems like a bit of a stretch.
Why would anyone want to cut their skin? Is this some kind of good thing we should let people do?
911…what is your emergency?
My friend is cutting his skin!
What is wrong with that, call us when you have a real emergency.
19 October 2005, on 8:20 am
…Why would anyone want to cut their skin? Is this some kind of good thing we should let people do?…
I happen to love tattoos, and plan to keep the ones I have and acquire many more…
19 October 2005, on 9:31 am
Chicken,
It was a joke, and yes, there are people who get gratification out of cutting themselves.
19 October 2005, on 11:13 am
Gratification out of cutting their skin! Wow, I don’t think that you have to be a Christian to think that there is something real wrong with this. Self-injury not funny.
19 October 2005, on 1:52 pm
What makes you think this is wrong? How is it different from religiously inspired self-flagellation? There are also real crucifixtions to celebrate Easter that are performed in Latin America- no one dies, of course, but this pain is considered edifying. Self-inflicted pain is an individual experience.
19 October 2005, on 2:22 pm
You are now justifying cutting of the skin, with right to practice your faith..?
19 October 2005, on 3:20 pm
I don’t practice a faith- I’m just letting you know that there are faiths out there that do this kind of thing, as well as people who do it for fun.
19 October 2005, on 4:31 pm
Marcus is right. Asceticism goes waaay back. It has it’s origins in the Hellenistic beliefs of dualism (the physical world is bad and the spiritual is good). Therefore, the thought went, if I punish the flesh there will be spiritual benefits. As far as Christians practicing such things, well, that’s from early Christians allowing the influence of dualism into the church. It has no basis in Scripture. Monks were really good at this.
19 October 2005, on 6:08 pm
Scripture says do not cut you skin.
19 October 2005, on 6:59 pm
Good for scripture; it also says that any human or animal that touches Mt. Sinai should be stoned to death. What’s he hiding up there- stack of Playboys?
19 October 2005, on 11:49 pm
You mean you’ve never heard of cutters? You need to get out more. Or know people better. Hell, you might know someone who does it.
20 October 2005, on 8:31 am
Scripture says do not cut you skin.
Which verse? Am I going to double-plus hell for my sweet tats!?
20 October 2005, on 10:58 am
Marcus, you are doing a poor job of making me believe that are not practiceing your faith in a religion called Atheistism.
But I had to laugh at your Mt. Sinai Joke….is that going to send me to Hell?
Scripture says all have sinned and are destine for Hell. sweet tats or clean skin
Cutters….Don’t fool yourself, they will soon loss their freedom, 5150, go to the mental hosptials is this where they all hang out.
20 October 2005, on 11:32 am
practiceing your faith in a religion called Atheistism.
A very common and offensive thing to say to an atheist (lower case). Atheism is not a religion, as there is no faith involved. By reason and logic, we have come to the conclusion that a supernatural deity is not necessary in our model of the universe. Mark Twain said it best – “‘Faith’ means believing in something you know ain’t so”.
20 October 2005, on 11:43 am
Cluckin’ Chicken,
Atheism is not a religion. The Sinai comment wasn’t a joke- read your bible. There are also many who believe god speaks directly to them who are in mental hospitals. You are doing a poor job of convincing me of your intelligence.
20 October 2005, on 12:18 pm
Marcus
Do you ever wonder if you read the bibble more than the Xians do? I mean, everytime I quote something silly that’s in their book, they act like I’m just hating. No, gawd wants you to sacrifice animals, women are far inferior to men, demons (not germs/virus/genetic defects) cause disease and disability, so on and so on. It’s all there folks. Read the whole thing this time, not just the parts that make you feel good.
20 October 2005, on 1:37 pm
Rockstar,
If they read the bible as often as my brother, they’ve read it far more than I. My brother reads it three times a year- as many times as I’ve read it in total (KJV once; NIV twice). It seriously is one hell of an entertaining read as long as the reader remembers it is mythology. The old testament is particularly fun to read (as long as the geneologies are skipped)- real sword and spear kind of mythology. Speaking of geneology in myth, the only interesting one I’ve read is at the end of the Popol Vuh where the names slowly become xian Spanish. Scary stuff to imagine! However, as Europeanized mythology goes, I prefer collections from Ovid, Homer, and Snorri.
21 October 2005, on 12:44 pm
As often as I raed the bible as a Christian (40+ yrs), I really glossed over those “tough” parts… always told myself “God must have had a good reason for that.”… faith blinds you… doubt is not allowed… fortunately, the few questions I allowed myself to ask (without reasonable answers returned) finally broke through my religious barriers & freed my mind to consider how lacking in answers the whole thing really is…
21 October 2005, on 1:23 pm
Since my own enlightenment, I’ve yet to hear a logical argument for the existence of gawd.