Posted on 06/01/2007 9:35:19 AM PDT by NYer
Describing himself as a "very dedicated Catholic", California Governor Arnold Schhwarzenegger is backing stem cell research initiatives, saying that religion should not interfere with government policy.
The Star reports that Governor Schwarzenegger is attempting to stare down anti-abortion opponents of stem-cell research with a warning to leave religion out of politics and health.
Schwarzenegger, in Toronto to sign accords with Premier Dalton McGuinty on collaborating with Ontario to fight cancer and curb climate change, said saving lives is paramount.
"I always said that you should not have your religion interfere with government policies or with the policies of the people," the former action film superstar turned politician told hundreds of people at the MaRS Discovery District research centre.
"I am a Catholic and a very dedicated Catholic, but that does not interfere with my decision-making because I know that stem cell research, the way we are doing it in California ... is the right way to go and will save, very quickly down the line, lives and cure a lot of these illnesses," he said.
After signing a deal with McGuinty for a new joint research initiative between California and Ontario scientists, Schwarzenegger recounted his personal interest in the subject.
"I have a father-in-law, Sargent Shriver, who has Alzheimer's," he said of the 91-year-old husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of late US president John F Kennedy.
"Now, Sargent Shriver, I'll tell you was one of the most brilliant minds in the world. He was working under the Johnson administration, the Kennedy administration, started the Peace Corps, the Jobs Corps, like I said, brilliant, brilliant," the governor said.
"Today, he does not even recognise his wife," he said. "Alzheimer's is a terrible disease and this is why I am so very passionate about supporting (research)."
Abortion foes are against stem-cell research because microscopic embryos, usually donated by fertility clinics, are destroyed in the process.
McGuinty, a fellow Catholic praised by Schwarzenegger for his "fantastic" support for the research, said he understood those with religious or ethical concerns.
"I would argue ... there's one moral imperative that transcends all faiths, all culture and all traditions, it would be this fundamental desire to relieve pain and suffering and death where we find it," said the premier, who announced $30 million from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research will be earmarked for the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium of researchers here and in California.
"I'm confident we can strike the right balance between respecting people's sensitivities and ... we have some laws in the books here in Canada that ensure that."
SOURCE
Terminator gunning to save lives (The Star, 31/5/07)
“Rule of thumb: If you have to tell someone you’re devout...”
...then you’re hoping to pander to them.
Most devout Catholics I know do not call themselves devout. Most pious Catholic I know do not call themselves pious. (I don't know any dedicated Catholics, though. Dedicated fathers, yes. Dedicated mothers, yes)
The Catholics I know who describe themselves as devout are usually far from it.
Pingout tomorrow.
You may not know that the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Cardinal Mahoney, is a liberal, and he seems to prize his political connections very much. I would be stunned if he said anything really negative about Schwartzenegger’s remarks. The pols bugged out on them after Roe v. Wade, in large part because they were told by priests such as Drinan that their disssents against Catholic doctrine were legitimate. So when you see people like Schwarenegger, and Pelosi, and Kennedy still dressed in Catholic colors but saying things that are in direct conflict with the teachings of the Church, my guess is that this is what they have learned from liberal priests. This is something like what has happened in the Episcopal Church, except that in our case, the liberals are in a minority. Many of them hate Pope Benedict as they hated Pope John Paul. They are zealots who are skilled enough in Church politics to know what they can get away with.
Now embryonic stem cell research on the other hand - - well, that hasn't yielded squat, and anyway, everybody knows that "embryonic stem cell research" is just a bogus propaganda tool used for defending Planned Parenthood's infanticide industry (which itself is a major Democrat campaign fund laundering operation).
You would have to be an idiot not to know this by now. And Arnold's no idiot, no sirree.
Is he?
Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
the governator a hapsburg, no less.
Liar.
See what happens when you marry into the Kennedy family?
You've lost all perspective. It's ashame.
Dedicated Catholic? I don't think so.
Foreign National Schwarzenegger to Terminate US Domestic Political Interference
Where are you Fair Opinion??? I really want to hear your take on this one. ROFL.
...and because of those very religious Ten Commandments Arnold will now proceed to repeal all California laws against killing, stealing, perjury etc.
The Bishop of Sacramento (where Arnold works) however is a conservative. He gave former Governor Davis a tongue lashing over abortion in 2003. I will encourage him to do the same with Arnold.
Arnold Schhwarzenegger is backing stem cell research initiatives, saying that religion should not interfere with government policy.Because, everyone knows that stem cell research is a primary responsibility of government. NOT!
This is enough to make the Devil blush, that Arnold Schwartzenegger thinks that his GovernMental policymaking is morally superior to the world's great religions and their religious leaders!!! Holy Cow!!! Holy Toledo!!! Wholey Bull Scat!!!
Liberalism is TRULY a MENTAL DISORDER of the first order and Arnold is living it, sleeping with it, eating it and blowing it out every bodily orofice!!!
He's gaining on the Devil in the race to get in God's face!!! What a blastphemer!!! (And I'm a committed conservative Protestant!) (Remember... WASP stands for White Anglo Saxon Protestant)
Oh, My! That's a classic. LOL.
Indeed it is.
I nominate Wasp for the first annual "Recall the Austrian" award...
TORONTO, June 1, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Speaking at a press conference at the MaRS Discovery District research centre in Toronto yesterday, actor-turned California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger defended his support for embryonic stem cell research seen as controversial in light of his self-professed Catholic faith. "I always said that you should not have your religion interfere with government policies or with the policies of the people," said Schwarzenegger. "I am a Catholic and a very dedicated Catholic, but that does not interfere with my decision-making because I know that stem-cell research, the way we are doing it in California ... is the right way to go and will save, very quickly down the line, lives and cure a lot of these illnesses," he said as quoted by the Toronto Star.
At the same event, Premier Dalton McGuinty, another politician who while referring to himself as Catholic supports abortion, backed the California Governor's stance. "I would argue ... there's one moral imperative that transcends all faiths, all culture and all traditions, it would be this fundamental desire to relieve pain and suffering and death where we find it," he said. The supposedly "devout Catholic" Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger backed a $3 billion dollar public funding of embryonic stem cell research in his state. Last year the governor loaned up to $150 million dollars towards embryonic stem cell research.
Lawsuits challenging the public funding of the controversial research were filed by the California Family Bioethics Council, connected with Focus on the Family, as well as The National Association for the Advancement of Preborn Children (NAAPC). On Wednesday, after the court rejected final objections to the distribution of funds, the Governor commented that this "reaffirms voters' will to keep California on the forefront of embryonic stem cell research. ... Potentially life-saving science can continue without a shadow of a legal doubt." Now that the lawsuits have been settled, as much as $300 million dollars worth of funds may be released towards research by the end of the year. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will distribute the funds according to government Proposition 71, the "Embryo Cloning and Stem-Cell Research Bond Act". (See coverage).
Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem cell research has proved to have fruitless medical results. Terry Thompson, attorney for People's Advocate and the National Tax Limitation Foundation, told The San Francisco Chronicler, "This establishes a precedent for well-meaning but misdirected rich people to invade the public treasury for projects of their own and parlay a few million dollars (of campaign expenses) into a few billion dollars of wasted taxpayer money." Todd Tambery, Spokesman the archdiocese of Los Angeles, Schwarzenegger's home diocese, told LifeSiteNews.com that while Archbishop Roger Mahoney has not indicated that that Schwarzenegger should be denied Holy Communion. According to Tambery, Cardinal Mahoney has however spoken out against embryonic stem cell research.
To Respectfully Voice Concerns:
The Los Angeles Diocese
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010-2202
213 637 7000 Email: info@la-archdiocese.org
Governor Arnold Swcharzenegger's Office
State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-445-4633 Email: http://www.govmail.ca.gov
Embryo Rights Case Filed Against California Embryonic Stem Cell Initiative
Schwarzenegger Supports Massive Grant for Stem Cell Research
Catholic Schwarzenegger to terminate religious 'interference'
No, it’s not you. Ahhhh-nold is odd. He needs to re-think his postition.
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