Stem Cell Research

[CassM]

Having spinal injury myself(hopefully it wont need any new technology to fix), i dont hold a high opinion of those without it trying to deny treatment to those that have similar or sometimes much worse problems. I also know someone who lives in a wheelchair and probably is only still alive because they cant phisically kill themselves. It is extremely selfish to impose your ethics onto other ppl when it means so much suffering, many of these ppl cant choose to believe in Jesus so in your mind are doomed to hell anyway, surely you could find it in your heart(i think thats where religous thought comes from?) to help support giving them a better life while they are here. Then again i suppose God is probably intentionally torturing us as a sick joke or something and we must obviously deserve it as part of the great paln.

I agree wholeheartedly!!

 

[DanTheMan]

By the way, just wanted to say, because people think its wrong, the original Superman (dont know his name) lead a crap life because of his injuries, which eventually killed him.
He sat in a wheelchair, paralysed so bad that he couldn't swallow, or even BREATH without a machine doing it for him.

 

[Vat69]

*lights a torch and grabs a pitchfork* That's it I'm off to Grimbeny's tower. Who's with me? With the power of science we shall smite thee!!

 

[norris]

Skinner - "I'm telling you people, the earth revolves around the sun!"

Abe - "Burn him!"

 

[cris]

Skinner - "I'm telling you people, the earth revolves around the sun!"

Abe - "Burn him!"

Sums up the arguement quite well i think, good call.

 

[Slugga!!]

haha, well put!

 

[Stitched]

By the way, just wanted to say, because people think its wrong, the original Superman (dont know his name) lead a crap life because of his injuries, which eventually killed him.
He sat in a wheelchair, paralysed so bad that he couldn't swallow, or even BREATH without a machine doing it for him.

Christopher Reeve i think

 

[Clairebear]

i agree with stem cell research... the good it could do for so many! I don't think they are planning on killing anyone for it. If babies are aborted anyway (i simply couldn't abort a child if i found out i were having one, but i won't judge those who do) i see the benefit of using them, but if they can do it from umbilical cords etc. that's fantastic and i will donate mine if/when i have kids.

Surely even religious people can't be against umbilical cords being used... i mean it's not much to ask for the potential to save lives! I respect religion (everyone's, not just christianity), but with all the benefits this research could have, this is something that it would be silly to ignore!

 

[Stitched]

I see you believe in god very strongly. Good on you. I also appreciate your right to believe ethics as the Bible says. And also practice those ethics as laid down in the bible into your life.

I do not believe in god. My ethics do not use the bible as their base.

What right do either of us have saying how the other should live their life?

I say live and let live. Dont push your god ethics onto society and I wont push my ethics onto society.
Regarding wether a particular science is ethical should be asked of all the community, not just the religous.
Then if the particular science goes ahead, people can decide using their own ethical base as to wether they will take part in the benefits of the particular science.

When religion pushes its views into laws that also effect non-religous citizens, is in my view, very unethical.

***Best post of the thread IMO

On the stem cell research topic, i believe that the potential benefits far outweigh the moral concerns concerns of the minorites, but such research and development needs to be scrutinised and controlled when further advanced, to avoid so called 'designer babies' and such. The benefits for treatment of existing disabilites and injuries is whats sways me.
IMO

 

[Darbs]

Ethics don't rely on the bible, any holy publication or a god (real or imagined). History has shown this.
In regard to stem cells and drawing lines it is too late, it will happen. For the record I'm in favor of it.

 

[DanTheMan]

Then if the particular science goes ahead, people can decide using their own ethical base as to wether they will take part in the benefits of the particular science.

Trouble is, religious people don't want to hear other opinions, there's is right, and that's that, a fiction book said so!
Not all though, just most from what Iv seen.

 

[Sdaji]

Who are we to play god? We're the only bloody ones who are going to! I don't see god coming down and handing us all the medical technology we need to care for each other. If god won't play god, it's up to us! What a ridiculous notion 'Who are we to play god?'! If we as humans have the ability to do something, aren't we playing human? If we can do what only god can do, then we are gods. We're the closest thing to gods which we've ever come across outside of fiction.

Why the heck shouldn't we do whatever we can to advance ourselves? If your god wants us to leave everything to him, well, you're welcome to follow him and go live naked in a forest somewhere. Get off your computer (who are we to play god, harnessing electricity, refining metals and polycarbonates, etc etc?), stop eating any farmed foods, forget everything you know about language, live as an animal and the rest of us who are playing human get on with it.

If your god doesn't want us to do whatever we can to be as happy and healthy as possible, and he/she/it isn't going to do it him/her/itself, to Hell with him/her/it. If your god is so upset about us playing with a few microscopic cells, then tell your god to get off its **** and do something.

Stem cell research has the potential to make people walk again, to regrow organs, to hear scars, to do so much to help people. I am not cruel enough to say anything other than 'I am entirely for it'.

 

[Earthling]

This is a discussion on ethics, do you think there is a metaphisical truth for which we all should obey that does not incorrporate god? There is no denying atheists have no basis for their ethical values. I worry with this increased number of people turning away from god how will our society be run?

No denying? NO DENYING? If your priest is feeding you this, start questioning now! LOOK!


http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialScien...ALITY_VALUES/Religion_Morality_Autonomous.htm

These studies begin to provide empirical support for the idea that like other psychological faculties of the mind, including language and mathematics, we are endowed with a moral faculty that guides our intuitive judgments of right and wrong, interacting in interesting ways with the local culture. These intuitions reflect the outcome of millions of years in which our ancestors have lived as social mammals, and are part of our common inheritance, as much as our opposable thumbs are.
These facts are incompatible with the story of divine creation. Our evolved intuitions do not necessarily give us the right or consistent answers to moral dilemmas. What was good for our ancestors may not be good for human beings as a whole today, let alone for our planet and all the other beings living on it. But insights into the changing moral landscape [e.g., animal rights, abortion, euthanasia, international aid] have not come from religion, but from careful reflection on humanity and what we consider a life well lived. In this respect, it is important for us to be aware of the universal set of moral intuitions so that we can reflect on them and, if we choose, act contrary to them. We can do this without blasphemy, because it is our own nature, not God, that is the source of our species morality...

 

[Darbs]

Are you sure about that evolution thing? Millions of years?

 

[DDALDD]

Are you sure about that evolution thing? Millions of years?

That is guaranteed to take this thread off topic. If this is a thread on morals and ethics then discussing where they come from is fair game, start a new thread if you plan on going in totally different direction

 

[DanTheMan]

EXTREMELY well put Sdaji!
Agree with you completely, "god" certainly isn't doing anything, im not going to do the same and wait for some mythical being to sort all the worlds problems out, so far, he's done a pretty crap job!

So please, no more stories, stick to the facts.

 

[Darbs]

Sorry, thats a fair reprimand.

 

[euphorion]

i dont have a problem with it, i think the potential for research and medical advancement is a great incentive. but being atheist i see nothing 'wrong' (and i use that term loosely) with it at all.

just to throw my opinion out there, i think that seeing as how there is such great potential for medical advancement through stem cell research the only morally or ehtically 'correct' choice of action involves utilising this potential, as opposed to saying 'bleh God this bleh evil that, bleh right to life this and playing with things we dont understand that...' hullo vivisection anyone?

good on your for choosing such a controversial topic, a wonderful way to open the mind!

 

[Dipcdame]

I'm usually dead set against messing with nature, she usually has a wonderful way of coming back and biting you in the backside, REAL hard!!!! But with this, done ethically, I really cant see whats wrong with it, it can only do good from what I can see, religion should keep it'self to itself and butt out................it's good for some things, except the well being of the people themselves (I cite a particular splinter group that refuses blood transfusions and organ donations). Refusing stem cell research is almost like that!!!!!!
If you have religious ideals about this, fine, go sit and huddle together, don't try and stop others from trying to help and do good for the community as a whole.

 

[FAY]

Christopher Reeve i think

The original Superman was George Reeves.