Stem Cell Research: Religious Groups Weigh In

While their rank-and-file congregants broadly support stem cell research, many religious leaders, especially groups associated with the anti-abortion movement, have come out staunchly against it. A sampling of views from both sides of the growing debate:

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Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family opposes stem cell research using human embryos. In order for scientists to isolate and culture embryonic stem cells, a living, human embryo must be killed. It is never morally or ethically justified to kill one human being in order to help benefit another. By requiring the destruction of embryos, the tiniest human beings, embryonic stem cell research violates the medical ethic of "Do No Harm."
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Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops strongly opposes the destructon of embryos for medical research. Having called the August 2000 guidelines for destructive human embryo research immoral and illegal, the bishops excoriated President Bush's "accommodation" of destructive research already performed on existing embryonic stem-cell lines as "morally unacceptable," and urged him to "return to a principled stand."

The bishops position is based on the Church's commitment to preserving human life, which they believe occurs at the moment of conception.
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Christian Coalition
Embryonic stem cell research is a violation of human rights. If the United States Government were to place its stamp of approval on the destruction of living human embryos in order to obtain stem cells, it would be the first time that our government has declared that a non-consenting human being may be exploited and killed for experimental research purposes. The killing of human beings is never justified for research ends.

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