LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Religion, not morality, stifles stem cell study

Bart Atwell, Las Vegas

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

In his Monday letter to the editor, headlined “Don’t confuse moral fights with religion’s”, William F. Brennan sets out to refute Richard J. Mundy’s contention that religious beliefs are too heavily influencing our nation’s laws. Mr. Brennan tries to prove that it is not religion but morality that is driving our laws. Ironically, his own example of the “immorality” of embryonic stem cell research proves that Mr. Mundy is correct.

Brennan contends that embryonic stem cell research is morally wrong because it requires destroying an embryo. But the issue isn’t so clear-cut.

Scientists are optimistic that embryonic stem cell research will lead to cures to such diseases as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Wouldn’t curing people of these horrible diseases also be considered moral? I guess the argument could be made that the “ends” of these cures don’t justify the “means” — destroying embryos.

But what if you used embryos that would be destroyed anyway? As it turns out, such embryos are available. When they are no longer needed by the couples who produced them, fertility clinics routinely destroy embryos.

In 2007 Congress took this reality into account, passing a law that facilitated this vital research, but only allowing research on embryos that would otherwise be destroyed. President Bush, of course, vetoed this law on “moral” grounds.

But did this veto reflect a rational consideration of the moral issues discussed above? Or did it reflect an open and shut assertion of the president’s religious beliefs or, worse, presidential pandering to the beliefs of politically powerful religious groups?

To the rational observer, it appears to be the latter. And if that is true, isn’t this an example of religion driving our national policy?

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By gunowners4obama

1/10/09 at 8:09 a.m.

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Every time a religious person takes a political stand that is based in religion, and masks it as a decision based on morality, they deny difference of opinion.

A 13-year-old girl raped by her father forced to bear that baby is morality? Forcing a woman to bear a crack baby who is destined for a terrible life, and very possibly a violent one, is moral? Forcing a woman to bear a baby when she can't afford to give it a decent life is moral? Blocking stem cell research is moral? What are you Christians smoking? Some of us are decent and moral, and actually manage to think for ourselves at the same time. If you didn't have a pastor, priest, or whatever telling you what is right or wrong, would you be able to figure it out for yourselves? If they didn't tell you how to vote, could you make an informed, well-researched decision on your own? Think about it.

Controlling the behavior of others based on your religious beliefs - which someone else tells you - is not morality; this is extreme ideology. Extreme religious ideology is what runs the Taliban. It gave us torture going by the name of trial during the middle ages. It contributed to the slave trade. And on and on and on.

Just because I don't share your extreme beliefs does not mean I am not moral. Your implication is that you are a superior human being if you are
a "believer". Well, I certainly don't see extremists as superior.

Let all American patriots fight boldly for the continued separation of church and state.
By KillerB

1/10/09 at 11:06 a.m.

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I'm with you mostly here, G -- history shows ever since religion hijacked morality as its own great tragedies (mostly slaughters) have resulted. The Inquisition and pretty much institutionalized genocide has been the result. After all, what is morality but the herd instinct manifested in the individual?

Controlling others based on your personal beliefs is central to most if not all organized religion. All unbelievers must perish, all that rot.

Got to depart with you on your examples. That 13 yo girl is 100x more likely to be molested in any way by any other male than her own father. Look it up http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/cntyd...
By johnevegas

1/10/09 at 11:35 a.m.

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I do not believe that it is the application of religious principles in our collective morality that is the problem.

The problem, to me, is the literal interpretation of religious scriptures (any of them), and therefore a misguided application of "rules" on "others" which are both unrealistic and discompassionate. We end with up dogmatic hard and fast rules about right and wrong and someone always suffers for someone elses ideas.

If, on the other hand, we look at the metaphoric messages in those books, and apply those messages TO OURSELVES, we might end up with the moral wherewithall to see OTHER people more fairly, to judge them more fairly, and to not have such a high and mighty view of ourselves as being above others or better than anyone else.

Most importantly, to me anyway, is that we actually being to see other people and life as it actually is, rather than how we imagine it to be. A collective morality based on people who do that would be much better than a collective morality based on people who do not.
By jfnance32

1/10/09 at 1:35 p.m.

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" history shows ever since religion hijacked morality as its own great tragedies (mostly slaughters) have resulted"

I believe that history clearly demostrates that secular governments are the biggest generators of great tragedies (mostly slaughters).

By some estimates communism has committed over 100 million acts of democide. Add in the other non-communist secular governments the number is even higher. Add in the deaths via wars the number is even higher again.
By stevem

1/10/09 at 2:04 p.m.

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Religious people "pick and choose" whatever passages and phrases in their bibles suit them at any given point in time.

Catholic priests for example.

Sex before marriage = bad, because the Bible says so.

Molesting little boys = ah, not so much.
By Eagle5001

1/10/09 at 3:42 p.m.

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I have mild right spastic hemiplegia/paralysis (Cerebral Palsy), mild petit-mal Epilepsy, ADHD, Scoliosis, Low Testosterone, and am infertile. Although my disabilities are mild they have caused me a great deal of trouble of the years. I am in constant pain and discomfort. I have had major surgery on my left knee and my right knee and hips are starting to go. I have loose joints in almost every joint in my body, my joints constantly pop. My muscles go stiff/spastic at a moments notice. I have caused myself more bruises than I can count because I have to literally break apart the spastic muscle with deep tissue massage. As a child I used to literally wake up screaming in pain due to stiff calves, which most of the time my dad massaged to the point of relaxation.

Some days are obviously better than others, but most days I have to push myself to get myself to walk, stand, sit, move, or do anything without pain or struggle that most people take for granted on a daily basis. Good sleep is at best sporatic, maybe one good sleep per week/month. I've never had a "real" relationship, never had sex, never played sports, cannot run, have difficulties in climbing ladders or stairs, etc.

My body is aging faster than normal peoples bodies do. I have arthritis in both of my knees and both hands already. I walk like a 60 year old and have low energy all the time. Various parts of my body is riddled with veins due to the spasms. I'm 32 years old and have dealt with these problems since birth. I live at best a half-life watching everyone else around me do the things (without pain and struggle) that I wish I could do.

Nay-Sayers who think that embryo's being used for a cure is immoral doesn't fit my definition of morality. It's B.S. Let them live one day in my body and then say it's immoral. Walk a mile in my shoes and then tell me that some non-thinking, non-sentient, non-conscious being is more important than my right to a real life, a pain-free life. Me, and others like me, who have to live in a prison of pain and struggle on a daily basis deserve to be cured of our incurable disabilities. Any one who says otherwise is nothing more than a cold-hearted prick. Bush and others, who use religion as an excuse are even worse. Forget religion and morality, where is their HUMANITY!!!
By KillerB

1/10/09 at 3:47 p.m.

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jfnance -- Didn't say these slaughters set mass murder records, only that slaughters have resulted as a matter of religious policy. With Christianity it's in spite of that "Thou shalt not kill" commandment.

I'm aware the 3 top mass murderers of all time are China's Mao, Russia's Stalin and Hitler, in that order. This is according to the Guiness' brothers' books on world records.

If one goes back through the history of the last millennium, particularly the "conquest" of the Americas starting with Columbus, the first real explorers were the Europeans who were most if not all Catholic. Each was required to recite the Requiremento - a declaration of genocidal intent based on the inhabitants being pagan. Look it up http://historysources.tripod.com/us-clas...

or

http://books.google.com/books?id=Jvf2Zj_...

Trumping all that, of course, are two of the greatest crimes committed by our own government in the name of law and order -- Waco and Ruby Ridge. Federal agents put families under siege in their own homes for insignificant reasons then murdered them.
By maco9005

1/11/09 at 7:49 a.m.

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Can"t we all just get along?