Why are people against stem cell research?

Question

Technically, it is the rape of human flesh, but guess what...humans rape anything they get their hands on, namely mother earth. Do you know what we do to cattle and chickens?

Answer 1

are you a PETA man?

Answer 2

The foetus has the genetic and life potential of becoming a self-actualized being. Cattle and chicken do not.

There are other sources of stem cells besides foetii -- cord blood and adult stem cells (the epithelial cells are particularly useful here, they are not particularly differentiated at all). These are morally acceptable.

Could one extract a single cell from a foetus without killing it, and do so reliably (I will yield a death rate of 1 out of 100 would be reasonable but I'd like to see it be lower... science is a process of steps though, one must start somewhere), I would consider this an ethical source of stem cells. I will even accept research that leads to this result using foetii that will be discarded (though I personally think the processes leading to the discarding of a foetus should be banned as well -- in the mean time, at least put them to some potentially positive use).

In short, even though I'm an atheist, I recognize the moral value of human life, from the moment of conception. If one accepts the dictionary definition of life (def #3, Merriam-Webster) "an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction", then human life begins at conception, because at conception, metabolism and growth begin, and even the single-cell will respond biochemically to biochemical stimuli (hormones from the woman's body), and with the development of the notocord and nerves, it will start responding neurologically within the first three months.

That life must be respected, even if it cannot always be preserved, and any use of the unfortunate destruction of that life must be done so with the ultimate respect for what has been sacrificed and lost.

Answer 3

Well, personally, I am against Stem Cell Research becaus I feel it is unethical. Especially if you are using stem cells from an aborted fetus, THAT is wrong, because I feel abortion is wrong. You can derive stem cells from other stuff besides an aborted fetus. IF they do that...I do not have as big of a problem. But you can look at it several different ways.

1st. An aborted fetus is being used to save the life of another individual who needs the medical service that stem cells provide. Thus kind've giving the aborted fetus a second round at "life" but not in a technical sense.

2nd. Allowing aborted fetuses to be used in stem cell research will have to allow abortions, and I think that is wrong. If you can do the "deed" take responsibility for it, don't kill it because you are "scared", "inmature" or whatever. YOU knew the consequences before you did what ya did.

3rd. I feel that stem cell research DOES offer a medical break through for patients suffering from severe medical problems, and I feel it could lead to several cures, BUT at what price?

4th. Will it lead to cloning of an individual? Just hearing that sounds like something out of a cheesey horror flick. I say hopefully not. But you know they already have the know how to clone, thanks to Dolly the cloned sheep etc etc. Even though there are regulations on Human cloning...you know some dumb idiot SOMEWHERE is going to TRY and clone a human just to see if they can. What will THAT lead to?

5th. Many people feel it is just against the will of God, and that it is unnatural.

Hope that helps.

And yes I agree as humans we take advantage of everything in our path. Manipulating it and bending it to our will. We call it human nature, but I call it the path to human destruction. We're never satisfied and enough, is NEVER enough. Sad, but true.

Answer 4

The reason why there are so many people against stem-cell research because they consider it murder. The cells come from embryos that are a few days old. Even though the cells can come from an adult, it seems like most people are focused on the unborn. A history of it can be found at the link below.

Answer 5

That's not the reason for some religions to be against stem cell research. The actual reason is that this will show we are not so important as the church would claim. We aren't "God"'s dear creation. We're just one more element in the universe.

Answer 6

I am against embryo stem cell research. It's awful. They start life and start to grow a baby, but kill it off for the cells. I'm more for imbilical cord research, where the baby is born and they use the stem cells in the imbilical cord instead. New mothers are asked if they want to donate their cords to science. I encourage this.

Answer 7

I'm for it, but there need to be a better way of getting stem cells. Right now the pro-abortion group is using this as an issue to push their policies, but the Conservatives are fighting to not let abortion go though. Weird huh?!

Answer 8

It goes along with their pro-life belief. That Embryo is a living being and should not be harvested to help the currently breathing humans. Sherry Colb a Law proffessor at Rutgers law school has a good article about it.

Answer 9

Not against stem cell research just the research that kills the unborn to do it. I would be against killing even a criminal to say get a kidney or something for someone else.

Answer 10

No one (well almost no one) is against the research itself...rather they are against the concept of federal tax dollars going to pay for it.

In almost every case universities and private industry do a much better job of developing new technologies than does the federal government (or any government). Medical research is just something the federal government should not be doing.

Answer 11

People are not against stem cell research. They are against EMBRYONIC stem cell research. Stem cells from adults, from umbilical cords, etc., those are are very useful and are being used today to help cure many. Embryonic stem cells are harvested by killing the embryo. So, according to my beliefs, that's murder.