However, he said Tuesday that any medical research must pass a three-part test: "Is it ethically correct? Is it biblically correct? Is it morally correct?"
Stem cell research, Falwell said, "does not pass the smell test."
31 comments
Is it ethically correct?
That happens already.
Is it biblically correct?
Like the heathen science behind Pi or evolution?
Is it morally correct?
Isn't this the same as the first one?
Stem cell research, Falwell said, "does not pass the smell test."
Who is Falwell? And what does the smell test matter? It is not on your list. Plus some of the more useful things smell horrible.
I'm pretty sure there's nothing in the Bible about coronary bypass surgery, or, you know, ANYTHING WE ACTUALLY DO THAT CONSTITUTES SURGERY.
If we had to use that three-part test, then surgery, transfusions, and just about every OTHER medical advance that wasn't "put leeches on them and give them this medicine that contains mercury" wouldn't exist. Bet when Falwell is in the hospital taking advantage of everything that exists despite his beliefs he sure isn't ranting about how none of them passed his "smell test" :P
"Is it ethically correct?
Of course.
"Is it biblically correct?"
That is irrelevant. Putting it's irrelevance aside, what does the Bible say about medical research anyway?
"Is it morally correct?"
Morals and ethics are functionally the same.
"Stem cell research, Falwell said, "does not pass the smell test."
While I agree that many passages in the Bible stink, and some people's ethics/morals stink, I don't think Jerry can judge stem cell research by it's smell.
Prager - Interesting, because I usually think "game show host" when Jerry Falwell's name comes up. And of course, "game show host" and "used car saleman" and "fundie preacher" are all cut from the same cloth.
Funnily enough, your bitching about not destroying precious embryos has spurred scientists into trying to discover a way to conduct stem-cell reasearch WITHOUT destroying the embryo. But you'll probably find something objectionable about that, too, won't you?
I actually saw that on MSN... spooky O_o
I honestly don't know how they can object to it if the "babies" aren't actually being destroyed, but I imagine someone will.
Edit: from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5272648.stm
[i]David Christensen, from the Family Research Council - a US-based conservative group, said the research "shows many more researchers are seeing that we need alternatives to destroying human embryos to get stem cells".
"Unfortunately what Professor Lanza did was entirely unethical because he generated and manipulated 16 human embryos and then threw them all away," he added.
No, Dave, it just shows that they were determined to conduct the research and went out of their way to attempt to discover a method that you wouldn't protest over.
I just read that scientists are able to take a single cell from an embryo and clone it and people are still bitching about it. Guess those with diabetes (me), parkinsons (my mother) and alzheimers (various relatives of mine) should concentrate on casting out their demons to cure themselves.
I wonder how many fundies would change their tune if they were stricken with these horrible things.
And so organized religion carries out another inquisition.
Shep #74626
<< I wonder if the second part of Libkitten's prophesy will come true as well - that the naysayers will find something to object to about the new method as well.
Counting down 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... >>
-----------------------------------
Well, we certainly didn't have to wait long, did we?
Vatican critical of stem cell creation
VATICAN CITY - A Vatican official on Saturday criticized a new method of making stem cells that does not require the destruction of embryos, calling it a "manipulation" that did not address the church's ethical concerns.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060826/ap_on_sc/vatican_stem_cells
To quote Brian, in Monty Python's The Life of Brian : "There's just no pleasing some people."
~David D.G.
Biblically correct?
Well then it passes. GOD approves of killing babies of all ages, even un developed cells that most people dont consider babies. Look at the bible,
reference the flood, the many wars, murders and genocides justified BY god.
Stem cell research is ethically/morally correct, but not biblically correct. This shouldn't be a problem; Jerry Falwell doesn't care about whether something is biblically correct. If he did, he wouldn't be on TV using electricity, computers, and all other forms of technology. He wouldn't use modern medicine, and he certainly wouldn't be lying or collecting money.
Anyway, I suggest we put stem-cell research to a vote, but with one catch: You're only allowed to cast a ballot if you have a disease that stem cells may treat. It's perfectly easy to oppose stem cell research as an abstract principle and tell anonymous strangers that they have to stay sick, and much harder when you, yourself, have Parkinsons.
Since stem cell research affects those who may be cured and does not affect anyone else , it falls into the same category as abortion and gay marriage; "if you don't like it, don't do it."
I'm sure Jerry Falwell would support stem cell research if he had Parkinsons. Except for the fact that no one would be able to tell the difference.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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