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Should the Pope be refused treatment if the cure comes from stem cell research?
SuzannePjam
Posts: 411
Should the pope or anyone who is against stem cell research be allowed to benefit from a cure that comes from stem cell research? If he takes a treatment/cure derived from stem cell research for a disease would he then be a big hypocrite?
Excommunication Is Sought for Stem Cell Researchers
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: July 1, 2006
ROME, June 30 — Scientists who engage in stem cell research using human embryos should be subject to excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, according to a senior Vatican official.
Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, who heads the group that proposes family-related policy for the church, said in an interview with the Catholic weekly Famiglia Cristiana published Thursday that stem cell researchers should be punished in the same way as women who have abortions and doctors who perform them.
"Destroying an embryo is equivalent to abortion," said the cardinal. "Excommunication is valid for the women, the doctors and researchers who destroy embryos."
It was unclear if the pope supported the position, and the Vatican did not return calls for comment. But such blunt remarks from a powerful cardinal just a week before the church convenes a meeting to discuss the topic could foreshadow a hardening of Vatican policy on the issue, experts said.
On Saturday, Cardinal Trujillo will open the church's fifth World Meeting of Families in Valencia, Spain, and Pope Benedict XVI will attend on July 9, the closing day. As head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, it will be up to Cardinal Trujillo to propose new church policies, though adopting any such measure could require a long and complicated process.
The church has long opposed embryonic stem cell research, and has campaigned against any medical procedure or research technique that harms human embryos or fetuses.
But the threat of individual excommunication — the most serious punishment meted out by the church — was previously directed at women and medical personnel who participated in abortions. Cardinal Trujillo's stand would broaden the use of that sanction to biomedical researchers who use embryos.
"The cardinal's view is that the penalty of excommunication should be extended to stem cell research," said the Rev. Brian Johnstone, a moral theologian at the Alphonsian Academy here. "The provisions of canon law about what leads to excommunication are very precise."
But Father Johnstone cautioned that it was unlikely that the church would formally adopt a final position next week. "Clarification of such a delicate point of this importance is unlikely to be made at such a large gathering," he said.
Even some Catholics who are opposed to the use of embryos in research felt that excommunication was too strong a sanction. "If we're defending the principle that human life should not be touched, it should not be done in a punitive, castigatory or burn-in-hell sort of way," said Paola Binetti, a leading Catholic politician here.
The specification of the punishment for embryonic stem cell research was partly needed so the church could catch up with advances in science.
When the 1990 Evangelium Vitae came out reaffirming that abortion would lead to automatic excommunication, "Embryonic stem cell research was not a front-page issue," Ms. Binetti said.
While doctors and scientists claim that embryonic stem cell research holds the promise to cure many intractable diseases, the church opposes the practice because human embryos are used to harvest cells for the work. Some of these embryos are left over after in vitro fertilization procedures, but scientists can also create embryos themselves.
The church regards such early-stage embryos as a human life, not to be used or destroyed. It maintains that there are other ways to obtain stem cells for research purposes — from umbilical cord blood after a birth, for example — though it acknowledges that they are significantly more cumbersome.
According to current church law, excommunication for abortion is "latae senentiae," meaning that it is automatic and does not require an action or proclamation by a church official. This type of excommunication is reserved for acts deemed so serious that no verdict or judgment is required. Even so, many women who have had abortions continue to practice Catholicism, and many parishes take pains to embrace and reintegrate them into church life.
Other acts that result in automatic excommunication include violence against the pope and consecrating a bishop without authorization. Now, experts said, Cardinal Trujillo's remarks raise the possibility that being involved in stem cell research might be added to the category.
Excommunication Is Sought for Stem Cell Researchers
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: July 1, 2006
ROME, June 30 — Scientists who engage in stem cell research using human embryos should be subject to excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, according to a senior Vatican official.
Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, who heads the group that proposes family-related policy for the church, said in an interview with the Catholic weekly Famiglia Cristiana published Thursday that stem cell researchers should be punished in the same way as women who have abortions and doctors who perform them.
"Destroying an embryo is equivalent to abortion," said the cardinal. "Excommunication is valid for the women, the doctors and researchers who destroy embryos."
It was unclear if the pope supported the position, and the Vatican did not return calls for comment. But such blunt remarks from a powerful cardinal just a week before the church convenes a meeting to discuss the topic could foreshadow a hardening of Vatican policy on the issue, experts said.
On Saturday, Cardinal Trujillo will open the church's fifth World Meeting of Families in Valencia, Spain, and Pope Benedict XVI will attend on July 9, the closing day. As head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, it will be up to Cardinal Trujillo to propose new church policies, though adopting any such measure could require a long and complicated process.
The church has long opposed embryonic stem cell research, and has campaigned against any medical procedure or research technique that harms human embryos or fetuses.
But the threat of individual excommunication — the most serious punishment meted out by the church — was previously directed at women and medical personnel who participated in abortions. Cardinal Trujillo's stand would broaden the use of that sanction to biomedical researchers who use embryos.
"The cardinal's view is that the penalty of excommunication should be extended to stem cell research," said the Rev. Brian Johnstone, a moral theologian at the Alphonsian Academy here. "The provisions of canon law about what leads to excommunication are very precise."
But Father Johnstone cautioned that it was unlikely that the church would formally adopt a final position next week. "Clarification of such a delicate point of this importance is unlikely to be made at such a large gathering," he said.
Even some Catholics who are opposed to the use of embryos in research felt that excommunication was too strong a sanction. "If we're defending the principle that human life should not be touched, it should not be done in a punitive, castigatory or burn-in-hell sort of way," said Paola Binetti, a leading Catholic politician here.
The specification of the punishment for embryonic stem cell research was partly needed so the church could catch up with advances in science.
When the 1990 Evangelium Vitae came out reaffirming that abortion would lead to automatic excommunication, "Embryonic stem cell research was not a front-page issue," Ms. Binetti said.
While doctors and scientists claim that embryonic stem cell research holds the promise to cure many intractable diseases, the church opposes the practice because human embryos are used to harvest cells for the work. Some of these embryos are left over after in vitro fertilization procedures, but scientists can also create embryos themselves.
The church regards such early-stage embryos as a human life, not to be used or destroyed. It maintains that there are other ways to obtain stem cells for research purposes — from umbilical cord blood after a birth, for example — though it acknowledges that they are significantly more cumbersome.
According to current church law, excommunication for abortion is "latae senentiae," meaning that it is automatic and does not require an action or proclamation by a church official. This type of excommunication is reserved for acts deemed so serious that no verdict or judgment is required. Even so, many women who have had abortions continue to practice Catholicism, and many parishes take pains to embrace and reintegrate them into church life.
Other acts that result in automatic excommunication include violence against the pope and consecrating a bishop without authorization. Now, experts said, Cardinal Trujillo's remarks raise the possibility that being involved in stem cell research might be added to the category.
"Where there is sacrifice there is someone collecting the sacrificial offerings."-- Ayn Rand
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
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my money says that if stem cell research could have saved pope john paul II they would have disregarded their convictions and tried in every way possible to save him. people don't question where the treatment comes from, they just hope it works. hypocrates.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
-Dick Cheney
"Are you taking over or are you taking orders"
-Joe Strummer 1952-2002
"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting."
-George Orwell
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
That reminds me of a Bill Maher new rule:
"New Rule: If churches don't have to pay taxes, they also can't call the fire department when they catch fire. Sorry, Reverend, that's one of those services that goes along with paying in. I'll use the fire department I pay for; you can pray for rain."
-Dick Cheney
"Are you taking over or are you taking orders"
-Joe Strummer 1952-2002
"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting."
-George Orwell
The anti-church rhetoric is illogical, unthought out and in general infalmmatory and stupid.
Maher thinks he's cute and smart but he's an idiot here. Does he think this rule should be applied to all non-profit groups. Or does he just hate religious groups?
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
Yes, that's what I immediately thought also.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
i am all for a church not having to pay taxes, but the minute they enter into campaigning for a particular candidate, then they should be taxed just like everyone else.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
agreed.
it's all well and good for you to have your own personal beliefs, so feel free to not support and/or refuse treatment that goes against your beliefs in any form...but do not try to stand in the way or deny others their rights of access to study and for treatment.
so then, as pope, if stem cell research came up with some cure for disease he may have...on religious beliefs, he should deny treatment..since obviously the church is taking such a strong stance on this.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
a religious person that is a hypocrite? what an amazing concept.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
I happend to find this new rule hilarious!
I don't think we should let churches burn, but come the day that other non-profit organizations tell their people to vote one way or not allowed to come back then maybe they should contribute something other than close-mindedness to society.
In the 90's you can saw him shaking as all the parkinson patients.
Then he went in the united states, where doctors cured him with advanced drugs.He shaked less.
What do you think?That he ask the doctors if they used stem cell??
Dont' make me laugh.
And one other thing.
In that article there is written "Rome".What a big mistake.
Rome is the capital of Italy, not of the Vatican State.
Ignorants!
as a person who works for NGO's don't for a second belief that if your views are not the same as teh others you would servive in the field.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Yeah, I was joking man.
Sarcasm can be hard to pick up on message boards sometimes.