[meandog]

Okay, the Jesus character is against embryonic stem cell research...but, please, somebody explain to me why he and others see this as infanticide? It is my understanding most of the embryos in question are "owned" by couples who produced them in homes of eventually impregnating one inside a womb and producing a living, breathing human baby. But it is also my understanding that they are tossed when same said couples no longer want them or want to continue paying for their maintenance in cryrogentic friges...AND, it is my BELIEF that an embryo is just that--an embryo--until it is implanted and becomes capable of becoming fetal material. Furthermore, most birth control methods (exception condoms and certain other devices) do not prevent conception but the same said implantation (especially the RU287 "morning after" that Bush approved), therefore why the rub?

[ruffedgrouse]

Exactly. Very, very few of these embryos will ever become the "snowflake" babies so many in the "culture of life" crowd crow about. Since they're destined to be destroyed anyways, best their at least put to some use. Adult stem cells go a long way, I know, but certain organs, notably the pancreas in Type I diabetes (a devastating disease for those--mostly young people--who suffer from it) are not helped by adult stem cells; there is no adult stem cell for the pancreas. For them, embryonic stem cells are the only hope.

[Air Force Brat]

I see we have the same question. See my comment No. 11 below.

[James Ewell Brown Stuart]

Totally non related issue...but I checked out your homepage. Why is JEB Stuart in your neutral American section?

[soccermom]

First of all, Bush didn't "approve" the morning after pill. You fell for the spin. Once the genie was already out of the bottle, there was a debate over whether or not minors should be able to get the drug over the counter and Bush said that they should be required to get a prescription. The press spun that into "Bush says teens should be able to get morning after pill with a prescription!"

As for the whole "unused" embryo argument. Yes, there are people who have no trouble discarding/destroying them. But that doesn't mean pro-lifers have ever been OK with it, just because it is legal. I believe the Catholic position is, in vitro fertilization is OK, so long as all the embryos are implanted, there are no "selective abortions" and/or the embryos are donated to another couple for implantation. The reason the McCougheys had seven babies is because they respected the life of each embryo and refused to abort any of them when their implantation was successful.

[Jaded]

Please check your facts.

[fml]

First, the facts are not on your side.

Second, what individuals do is private and many of us do not want tax money used to support others misguided "beliefs".

[Kaylee Frye]

please, somebody explain to me why he and others see this as infanticide? .... snip ... AND, it is my BELIEF that an embryo is just that--an embryo--until it is implanted and becomes capable of becoming fetal material.

The reason you haven't gotten any more responses is that your belief displays that you are unwilling to understand our beliefs. My belief is that when sperm meets egg, a very special unique person is created. Just because that person cannot survive on their own, does not have eyes and ears yet, etc, does not make them not a person.

I have no problem with IVF, IF all the babies are preserved and get to have a chance at life. However, I do have a problem with embryonic stem cell research.

I hope this explains it well enough.

[Miss Marple]

As a Catholic, Caviezel holds to the teaching of the Church, which is that life begins at conception. The Church also forbids the creation of test tube embros in an effort to conceive for this exact reason, that the embryos are discarded. It is a non-negotiable position of the Church and also of the Right to Life movement.

You may disagree with it, but this is why Caviezel is opposing this amendment, and it is also why I oppose it. If you want further explanation, I will be happy to give it or you may go to the EWTN web site or the Vatican web site for further information.

[Scotswife]

"somebody explain to me why he and others see this as infanticide?"

It destroys a human life that is at its very earliest stage of human development.

"? It is my understanding most of the embryos in question are "owned" by couples who produced them in homes of eventually impregnating one inside a womb and producing a living, breathing human baby. "

Yes...couples pay to have these embryos created and then frozen.
These embryos are human beings in the earliest stages of human development.

". But it is also my understanding that they are tossed when same said couples no longer want them or want to continue paying for their maintenance in cryrogentic friges..."

True and this is very sad that many lives are created - and then destroyed.

"AND, it is my BELIEF that an embryo is just that--an embryo--until it is implanted and becomes capable of becoming fetal material."

This is YOUR BELIEF.
Many believe that human life begins at fertilization.
This is the point where the mother's and father's genetic material unite and result in one unique human life that carries its very own DNA code and begins the process of human development. This occurs prior to implantation.
It is a stage of human development - and so is implantation - and so is gestation - and birth - and infancy - and so on.

"Furthermore, most birth control methods (exception condoms and certain other devices) do not prevent conception but the same said implantation (especially the RU287 "morning after" that Bush approved), therefore why the rub?"

You are right. Many oppose the pill, RU287, and Plan B because of this.
Many were disappointed in Bush's approval.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Meandog, "embryo" is just one of the many names for one of the many stages on the human timeline, like "fetus," "neonate," "toddler," amd "terrible two"! And on from there to "tween," "adolescent," "adult," "menopausal," "geriatric," etc. That's human and living all the way from Day One.

What you feel or believe about it interesting, of course, but it's not determinative. What is determinative, bioloically, is the totipotency of the initial cell containing the human genome.

And yes, primcipled people who object to the killing of living human beings, object also to the discarding of embryos, and the use of abortifacient hormones for the purpose of birth control.

The "owning" of another human at any age or any stage is as abhorerent as chattel slavery, and for the same reason.

[Lil Flower]

AND, it is my BELIEF that an embryo is just that--an embryo-

Is the embryo human before it is implanted?