Stem Cell Research from Christian Perspective Essay

Stem Cell Research from Christian Perspective - Essay Example Stem cell research's eligibility and necessity is doubted through moral and ethical arguments, while the scientific approach tries to convince the humans that the primary goal is to make them healthier, to find the cure to cancer and many other benefits. The main reason why stem cell research causes such a controversy is because, in the stage in which the blastocyst is extracted, the embryo dies. Since it is impossible to remove the blastocyst without killing the embryo, certain religions believe that stem cell research is evil. This is because there is an uncertainty as to when life begins, and whether it begins from the time of conception, or it begins only after the fetus has begun to develop. This is where society is distinctly split, between the scientists and the religious ethicists. One of the positive aspects of stem cell research that goes in favor of the scientists is the fact that they can do a great deal to help scientific studies, especially in finding the cures for diseases. Scientists have found that, by experimenting with stem cells, they can possibly find cures for chronic and fatal diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and many more. By performing stem cell research, scientists will be able to help hundreds of thousands of people who are affected by diseases such as these. This can be done by taking the unspecialized stem cells and removing certain protein coats, and therefore turning it into a certain type of cell (such as a cardiac cell or brain cell). These cells can then are transplanted into the needed areas and replace the existing, non-working cells to cure the person of that illness. During the process through which a stem cell is removed from an embryo, and the embryo is sacrificed. The argument many people make about this issue is that it is morally wrong. Many Catholics feel that it is not right to kill the embryos because they are human beings. Scientists believe it is not their part to judge whether it is morally right or wrong. Their job is to make the cures and this is one way to do it. Many people think it is wrong to kill humans to help other humans. This opinion is supported by four passages from Scriptures (Benson 2004): Genesis 1:26-27 - Humans are made in God's image Deuteronomy 5:17 - We are not to unjustly take human life Psalm 139:15, 16 - God knew us as individuals in our mother's womb and even before Matthew 1:20 - Our Savior was once a single cell embryo The debate over stem cell research is closely related to the cloning issue. As Dr. David Stevens has noted, the embryonic clone would be the patient's genetic twin displaced in time. It would be a human being because it has the chromosomes of a human perfectly formed for that stage of development. At that point in time, the embryo is self-directed and, if left in the proper environment, it will continue development through gestation, birth, maturity and eventually natural death, just like all humans (Benson 2004). The question here is when does the life begin according to the Creator Christians and the representatives of other religions are confident that the stem cell research