Byron Spice of the Pittsburg Gazette reports that scienctists have now found cells that are "strikingly similar to embryonic stem cells in their ability to regenerate a wide variety of tissues." They are cells found in the placenta.
I am going to try not to sound sarcastic here. If anyone had bothered to ask me several years ago, I would have told them that there is no way God would have created a cure for something that would require the death of an embryo. God just does not work that way. The cells, called amniotic epithelial cells, (try prononcing that, I dare you) potentially could be used to produce new liver cells to treat liver failure, or new pancreatic islet cells to cure diabetes or new neurons to treat Parkinson's disease. Hear that Michael Fox?
At the risk of getting up on a soap box, let's take a hard look at this. Why would God give hope to the dying for a cure by causing the death of an innocent? He would not. He spared Nineveh because of their repentence but also because there were 120,000 innocent babes that could not tell their right from their left (Jonah 4:11) plus much cattle. Many have argued that God ordered many innocents killed when the Israelites took over Canaan. True, but also many were left there in order to test Israel's heart for obedience to God and for them to learn warfare. (Judges 2:22) .
What I find truly intriguing is that the university where the fellows that discovered this amazing thing held back from letting the paper Stems Cells Express be published until they could get a patent on the discovery. At first, I'm thinking, "Good for them." Then I think, "Wha--?" Of course it's the process, but granny-get-your-gun, you can't get a patent on a placenta and blast it, you can't keep this sort of thing from helping others and keeping even more embryos from being destroyed. (Yes, there is a ban in the U.S. on that, but not in the rest of the world!)
Hooray they've found the alternative to embryonic murder! But, it's truly a sad day when we must cover our bases (patent) before we can share medical breakthroughs like this. Oh, hurry up, Jesus, come Lord Jesus, come.
4 comments:
It is call "utilitarianism"....that life is determined by the utility it performs. It is humanistic philosophy...and not one a Christian should endores. Regrettibly...in the emotional debate of Stem cells...some well meaning Christians are taken in by the humanist fine sounding arguements.
It is exciting, isn't it? However, the media seems to play such a big part in all of this, I just wonder if they will ever really let this good news out?! *sigh*
Hi Jerry, yes, humanism rears its ugly head.
PM, the news it out...but, will scientists (and people like Ron Reagan & Nancy Reagan & Michael J. Fox) embrace it as the hope that it is? Huge question.
Callie, of course the stem cell research is not murder. But when the embryo is destroyed in order to extract stem cells, that is the murder part. I'm glad that Pres. Bush banned the destruction of any more embryos and is allowing the use of all stem cells right now. Actually, they can grow as many stem cells as they need now from the ones they already have, but having a fresh source of stem cells from the placenta is something to rejoice about. Especially when it can be used to grow livers and other organs for transplants.
Post a Comment